Kemper Stage and Line6 PowerCab Plus 112?

  • Hi... I am new to Kemper. Though I am a former touring pro of 40 years.


    So, I got the Stage last week and am loving it. I already own a HeadRush FRFR-112. (moved to the Stage from a HeadRush Pedalboard).


    I am looking for a little more of the tone that comes from a wooden cabinet. A little more of the "guitar cab" sound, if that makes sense. I have played Matchless DC30 and SC30 on stage for the last 25 years.


    While the sounds I get from the the Stage really sound great, I feel that they could be just a bit closer to the real thing. I am wondering about a different cab. I know all about the speaker profiles in the Line6, and don't really plan to use those, but could?!?


    I don't really want the Kemper Kabinet because I don't want to carry around a power amp to push it. I don't want to spend Friedman or Mission Engineering money.


    So, have any of you tried the Line6 PowerCab with your Kemper? Your thoughts are most appreciated.


    And I realize this may have already been answered, but I have searched and can't find an answer to my specific question.

  • I have owned both the Powercab + and now I own the standard Powercab. I want back to the Powercab after trying other solutions like the Headrush 108. I like the speaker design and the wood cab of the Powercab, it is a great solution without the extreme cost of the Mission or Atomic cabs. I did a review video on the Powercab as well.


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  • Thanks guys. I did read all 67 pages of that thread. I did watch the video.


    Since I do not want to use a separate power amp with my Profiler Stage, I am ordering a PowerCab Plus. I just need to decide if I want a 112 or a 212.


    Thanks for your help!

  • I have the powercab plus. The speaker models are good, very usable. The FRFR settings not so much in my opinion. If you're looking for a 1x12 cab and not an FRFR solution it may be a good option. I also incorporate a Helix Rack to control the powercab with the Kemper connected to the Helix. In that sense it's great. My only real gripe is that it's a close back 1x12. I played for years on open back 1x12 or 2x12 fender style cabinets and that's what I'm used to hearing. I assume the problem is the cab positioning related to the room I'm using it in at the moment.


    If the powercab will be stationary and not leaving home, I'd probably get the 2x12. If I plan to lug this thing around, the 1x12 is just so darn convenient.


    Consider the powercab plus a jack of all trades, master of none. Great price, especially used. There's a Tone Junkies shootout on youtube where it gets a lot of praise. I think you can also use midi to control the speaker models so you might be able to do that from the Kemper Control.

  • Consider the powercab plus a jack of all trades, master of none. Great price, especially used. There's a Tone Junkies shootout on youtube where it gets a lot of praise. I think you can also use midi to control the speaker models so you might be able to do that from the Kemper Control.

    I have to agree, it may not be the best FRFR or even the best speaker sim but it does them both and better than the lower priced stuff. In my opinion it is the best bang for the buck option out there

  • Thanks guys. I did read all 67 pages of that thread. I did watch the video.


    Since I do not want to use a separate power amp with my Profiler Stage, I am ordering a PowerCab Plus. I just need to decide if I want a 112 or a 212.


    Thanks for your help!

    I would seriously consider the Kabinet and a Ritter pedalboard power amp.

    Sound is epic, plus you get the full use of the Kemper with the imprints etc.

    'You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead' - Stan Laurel

  • I had a powercab+, was underwhelmed. Sold the L6. I now use a Valvetrain Powertrain 50 with my Kemper Stage. I like it a lot


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  • I have a power cab+ ‘cause i had a Helix before.

    They worked very well together and PC+ really improves and brings this « amp in the room feeling » to Helix’s presets.

    At first, I started programming midi command to change the cab sim on the PC+. After, L6 updated the Helix’s software to command the PC+ by the input block command. This couple worked very well.


    Then, i bought the Stage and tried it on the PC+. I only use it on FRFR mode. I feel that the speaker mode don’t bring so much as before and i was lazy to program midi output too (don’t even know how to do it on the stage ?().

    I have just bought a Peavy cab in which i’ve put a Kone. I feed that with a TC électronique BAM 200. The result is pretty convincing !!! It’s easy to program the Imprint per Rig. It sounds great. I haven’t been able to try the difference with the PC+ cause it is at the rehearsal room and we are always in confinement.

    I assume the result won’t be better.

    I think the PC+ is gonna be on sale sooner.

    In my opinion, if you have a Helix -> Go PC+, if you have a Kemper -> buy a Cabinet or a (Two/four) Kone(s).

    All the makers develop their « amp in the room speakers » with the base their have and make devices to work very well together. Of course, it will work if you mix the trade marks and devices. But i hear when i set « kemper kone » on and « monitor cab off » a real difference that i don’t know how would the behaviour on another device.

    Last point, here, the PC+ is 795€, i’ve paid 430€ for all the devices on the other hand (Peavy cab/Kone/BAM 200 (really small, easy to bring everywhere)) 8o.

    For one PC+ price, you can buy two DIY power Kabinet and have stereo. ;)

  • Really like my Pair of Powercab Plus cabs, and let me tell you a couple of reasons why. They have XLR outs on the back of each, which allow me to take "any" of the simulated speakers and send them to my mixer channels. Why is that a biggy? Well for one, you can turn the volume on the PC+ down to zero, and it still sends a line out to the MIXER (and to my Studio Monitors)! Second, it also has an XLR input on each PC+. This means I can send the outs of my Kemper L&R to the inputs of the PC+, and then return that Line out to my mixer with Kemper tones on the channel! And, Ive not touched the L6-Link from my Helix, so best of both worlds! :thumbup:



    PS- I also have my two Kones hooked into the Monitor Out and Direct out of the Kemper as well, so I can also play thru them when I want.

    If you use FRFR the benefit of a merged profile is that the cabinet is totally separated in the profile.


    For my edification only... ;) Kemper/Axe-FX III/ Quad Cortex user

  • Hello Spikey,

    I’ve seen you have same devices i have (or had).

    I really wanted to answer to the OP. Before the Kabinet, i should have advised the PC+ too.

    I had a Helix LT before which was really an awesome duo with the PC.

    I’ve sold it to buy a Stage. When it arrived, i’ve tried it with the PC+. For me, the most benefit of the Powercab is the ability to bring this « amp in the room » with the insides speaker models. With Helix, i used to play all my presets in this mode and, as you said, in live, i could plug it from the PC+, XLR output directly to the mixing table (in this case, as you know, there’s a mic simulation). When i tried the PC with my stage, the difference between the speaker modelling and the FRFR raw mode wasn’t so huge for me that i didn’t want to program all my rig to have midi commands. So i use to play it in FRFR raw mode.

    With the Kabinet (or self-made Kabinet ), you can do things the same way that with the Pc+. You can plug your monitor out into the Kabinet amplifier. If you want no return from this device, just turn the volume knob down. On the other path, you can go from Main XLR output to the mixing table....

    I’ve done some test with the imprints and Rigs from Tone Junkie in FRFR mode. The sound is really, really close (of course with the mic’d simulation). I think, i’m gonna go this way. The Kabinet on one side and the Rig in FRFR mode (of course) to the mix.

    I think that the Powercab is not the best solution nowadays (and surely not the cheapest one compared to Kabinet) to have this amp in the room with a Kemper device. It’s more logical to have a Kabinet and use the imprint mode.

    I have not tried it yet (cause my PC+ is away) but i should be curious to know how The PC+ would behaved in Imprint mode.

  • I spent a lot of time with the L6 PC+ over the last few days. The key is getting the right level into it.


    I really live the FLAT profile. I am not a fan of any of the speaker models. But, to my ears, it is a big improvement over the Headrush FRFR-112 I was using.


    Now, with my luck, I just bought this and Kemper will debut a powered Kabinet very, very soon!

  • I am having very good luck running my Kemper Stage into a Line 6 Powercab 212+. Lots to like with this setup!


    First, it's true stereo (500 watts), and provides me with onstage stereo monitoring. It has a stereo pass-through so that I can run either mono or stereo XLR cables from the PC 212+ to FOH. The volume of the Powercab is independent of the send to FOH so, I can turn it all the way down while getting a good FOH sound, then bring up the PC+ volume to my own liking for my onstage monitoring. Very useful.


    It is also very light for a 212 cab, has retractable tilt-back legs, is ported in the back, can run Line 6's many onboard "speaker simulations" (for that amp in the room sound) or traditional FRFR. It offers a "mic'd emulation" to the outs going to FOH if you are using the onboard speaker sims for your monitoring but, just passes through the original input signal if you are in FRFR mode. It is quite loud...have gigged it several times now with both my Helix and with my Kemper Stage. It always keeps up volume-wise.


    It's not cheap, but, for what you get, it's a pretty darn good value! I like it alot.

  • I am using the Kemper Stage with a LINE 6 POWER CAB 112, i could not be happier!

    i have tried disabling the amp in the profile and using the ones in the cab, you can get pretty cool tones that are very close to the real amp + cap.


    I am a tube amp guy, but now i am using much more the Kemper, especially since is quite easy to carry around. The possibilities are really large when it comes to sounds. I love it!

    I strongly recommend the 112 plus, if you don't care about size and weight get the 212.


    Good luck

  • have gigged it several times now with both my Helix and with my Kemper Stage. It always keeps up volume-wise.


    It's not cheap, but, for what you get, it's a pretty darn good value! I like it alot.


    I strongly recommend the 112 plus, if you don't care about size and weight get the 212.

    IMHO, someone who just owns kemper profilers (not other modelers) should invest in two power kabinets for the same price instead of buying a 212 Powercab....

    - Celestion/Kemper have designed The kone to work very well all together.

    - You have two separates speakers that means ; if you want stereo, you can really have a great distance between the speakers.

    If one PowerKabinet is out of order, you have the other one. If the 212 is out ; no sound...

    If you have a small gig, you can only bring one Power Kabinet.


    Between a Powercab + and a Power Kabinet, I should take the Kemper Kab to stay in the same brand and it's cheaper (of course, if you don't have a Helix) ;)

  • Hi, I am also using a Kemper Stage with the Line 6 plus powered Cab. The sound is incredible, but I have not been able to get a decent volume out of the Cab. I am not sure if I am doing something wrong with the settings on either the Kemper or the Cab. I tried by changing the volume levels in the Cab and it improved a bit, I also tried the output volume in the Kemper and the issue is that if the volume is too high the Powered Cab starts showing a red LED and after that the sound gets distorted. I play it usually at home so I am good but once I try this on stage as a monitor I might need more juice out of it.


    Again, i am extremely happy with the sound quality of this combination, it sounds pretty close to the real amp. I use a lot the different cabs from the Line 6. I disable the cap from the kemper and get absolutely beautiful warm tones out of the built in Line 6 amps.


    My favorite combination is the Fender Deluxe Twin Amp + Line 6 Vintage Cab + PRS Mc Carty bridge pickup (warm tone). It sounds supper Jazzy.

  • I have started to use the PC+ and it works great. In the Output section of the Kemper - p9, the Kone settings can be adjusted and do impact on the Powercab.

    Victor Annamalay


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