Rehearsals with kemper in 2 guitar band?

  • Hi,

    I brought my kemper stage to a rehearsal & used it into the fx return of a solid state Marshall. The other guitarist had a Mesa Mark III & it sounded a lot better. I had the same problem I always get with solid state amps; beyond a certain volume all I get is more treble. Sounded horrible.
    I’ve also tried it in a 1 guitar band into a H&K Switchblade tube amp & it was a lot better.


    For rehearsing with a band using traditional gear; is it wise to use an FRFR set-up or is it better to go with a tube power-amp & speaker? Basically use the kemper as a pre-amp so as to blend in with the band?

  • I use the same hybrid set up as you describe: powered Kemper into a 4 x 12 and the monitor output into the power section of a Hughes and Kettner Switchblade driving a second different spec 4 x 12.


    I’ve never been happy with any of the amp distortions I’ve tried as there’s a nasty fizz to them all at high volumes, even through the tube amp. I’ve settled on a heavily edited Friedman BE100 profile.


    I’m constantly tempted to try a different amp set up. Only the portability and routing solutions keeps me with the Kemper, which to be fair are good reasons to stick with it.

  • I play in a 2 guitar band as the rhythm player.

    I have used a DXR10, XiTone MBritt powered cab, and a Bose L1 MII with success at rehearsal and gigs. I've been using the Monitor out mono to any of those choices.

    I got excellent tones with them all. The only things missing were the "amp in the room" feeling, and natural feedback.

    Now I'm running a Kabinet along with a Seymour Duncan SD 700, and both of those "issues" are now resolved.

  • Hey guys, I've purchased a Profiler Stage, but haven't received it yet, and have been obsessively reading about it before it arrives. I'm a traditional player before this, buncha pedals run in front of a tube amp, mainly an ac30 or a fender evil twin.


    I own a Roland JC-120, and the manual specifically says a solid state amp would be superior to tube amp, so I've been planning to try it at rehearsal going through the effects return on the JC-120. But I've been wondering exactly what linisius is experiencing - if I'm at home and I'm playing through something else (let's say IEMs plugged directly into the Profiler Stage) and I set up a performance w/ rigs for clean, crunch, lead, etc - I'm thinking I should get pretty close tone when I plug it into the effects return on the JC-120, shouldn't I? Planning to use monitor out, and turn off cab simulation (sorry if I don't have the correct terms here). Does that mean I should have cab simulation turned off when I'm selecting profiles/tweaking in my IEMs at home?


    All of this makes me feel like there are 2 "realms" going on here - the guitar cab realm and the FRFR realm, and it doesn't really seem like you can crossover between the two really easily, and theoretically, the only way to have consistent sound wherever you go is if everywhere you use it you're in the "FRFR" realm. So if I'm at home on my IEMs, and go to rehearsal and have an FRFR or something similar, and also running out the mains to FOH at a venue, only then are they all in the "FRFR" realm, and should sound the same? Does this sound right/make sense?


    Then I watch FRFR shootout videos and they all sound different. haha!


    Anyways, thank you for this forum, I've just been reading the threads and trying to figure stuff out!

  • When you need to have a volume that can compete with a loud drummer, my experience is that solid state doesn’t work. There’s nothing more than squishy treble in the tone, regardless of the pre-amp. It might sound just like a tube amp at lower volumes, but when you get loud, there’s more “body” to the tone with a tube amp.
    granted, I’ve only used 100w solid state heads or 1 FRFR speaker. Maybe it would be different with more wattage.

  • I play in a 2 guitar band and have been using the KPA for 6 years.


    I have never run it into a valve amp because it think its unnecessary. More importantly it adds colour which is then less predicable compared to the direct output.


    I use FRFR ( although sometimes use a guitar cab), no issues of fizzyness etc. Does it sound exactly the same as a valve amp? No, but actually valve isn't always the "gold" standard...

  • I play in a 2 guitar band and have been using the KPA for 6 years.


    I have never run it into a valve amp because it think its unnecessary. More importantly it adds colour which is then less predicable compared to the direct output.


    I use FRFR ( although sometimes use a guitar cab), no issues of fizzyness etc. Does it sound exactly the same as a valve amp? No, but actually valve isn't always the "gold" standard...

    ...just to add, FRFR is more transparent, making your choice on profile more important...and you need to test you profile at volume..

  • I got my Stage yesterday and played through it for about 10 minutes in my IEMs before I had to leave, and I coupled it with a QC K10.2. Got to try out the setup for a while today, and I had no issues with it being fuzzy. The AC-30 profiles sounded like my AC-30. The Marshall profiles sounded like my Marshall half-stacks. The profiles of many of the other amps sounds really great too.

    I really think I just need to set up a performance with some rigs & effects and I'll be good to go. Many great profiles right out of the box!

  • Have you got the Cab enabled? If so you're adding speaker colour twice - once from there profiled amp and again with the Marshall (which might not have a great speaker if it's SS).

  • Have you got the Cab enabled? If so you're adding speaker colour twice - once from there profiled amp and again with the Marshall

    Apart from I do not know whom you asked this question, I got these experiences in rehearsal room. I use a Boss Katana with the FX return on the Stage monitor output. The amp is connected to a Marshall 1960A 4x12. I tried to to hear relevant differences when turning Cab Off / On. For the bands and my needs, I did not notice anything import. So, I just let Cab enabled. Of course, directly compared with my Headrush-112, which I use at home and on stage, there will be some kind of different soundpictures.

  • Thanks Carlo. My reply was mostly aimed at the original post, but all is good.


    I can't emphasize the quality of the speakers enough though. My Kemper head sounds great through a Bogner Shiva with 2 x 12 Celestion V30 speakers, either unpowered into the effects return or just driving the speakers with the Kemper power amp.


    I also have a 2x12 Blackstar cab with lower end Celestions in it and it sounds meh.


    I also have the Kabinet and it sounds great too.

  • Not sure if its me but I did find that the KPA shows up the differences between speakers more than I had previously noticed. I think that's because I rarely changed cabs previously but the flex of the KPA means I take it more places??

  • Next time I'm bringing my tube head & 4x12 with v30's in it.

    I'll also make sure to disable to cabinet. I'm pretty sure I did so last time, but it'd make sense if I didn't.


    Can I use the kemper stage with the so-called 4 cable method? I've owned this unit for some time now & I'm still not comfortable with editing & storing performances etc.

  • Next time I'm bringing my tube head & 4x12 with v30's in it.

    I'll also make sure to disable to cabinet. I'm pretty sure I did so last time, but it'd make sense if I didn't.


    Can I use the kemper stage with the so-called 4 cable method? I've owned this unit for some time now & I'm still not comfortable with editing & storing performances etc.

    This really breaks down the performance mode, it's really powerful, you shoudl check it out.


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  • Every band formation beyond the "trio" needs a good,large (high ceiling)treated room..a good frfr/monitoring system which is not only for the singer but also for some other purposes (mainly kick,a little bit Dibass, and also a little bit one of the guitars etc)..


    It is so important for a large formation to work together IMO..bringing down volume in general.Trying to get at least some "control".Starting from the drummer who can hear his kick effortlessly,playing in result more relaxed making the bass player also "more relaxed" which in result will leave more space for "the rest"..


    I have quite some bad memories with "two guitar bands" and "bad communication"...singers dying from asphexia fighting against two loud guitars in the middle of the rehearsal....;)...anyway..


    In your case..maybe I would let the Mesa mk guy do the ampintheroom thing while you could try going into the FRFR system.If your band has a sufficient system.The problem may not be solely the profiler into the transistoramp vs tube rig.Just saying..I don't know.

    Edited once, last by Nikos ().

  • PowerHead thru a Recto 4x12...Other guitar player uses a 50W marshal SL thru a 4x12...No problem keeping up or being too loud. High gain tones too..I am shocked it sounds so good...(...and I have a Mesa Boogie MK IV too...)

  • The H&K Switchblade sounded so much better. Didn’t feel I had the time to fiddle with the kemper last time but would love to try the 4 cable method - if it even works with a kemper stage?


    I wonder, how much wattage of SS will I need to comfortably match a tube amps volume?

  • Just from my perspective:

    Disabling the cab to me doesn't make that much difference. I doubt its a big factor TBH. You will notice no cab with FRFR but less likely to notice cab on through a cab.


    Do you rehearse in a studio? I often just use the PA ( if its decent) at rehearsal because it also shows what it will sound like direct BUT......you must check your profiles through so kind of FRFR in advance. Crap profiles can be masked by a 4x12.


    My history is:

    I originally used cabs and miked them. I tried to get rid of the mike and found the direct sound ( i.e. straight into the PA) awful. Turned out the profiles were crap but the cab covered it. To resolve it I had to get an FRFR speaker to re-do all my profiles.


    Assuming you will play live, assuming you want to put the guitars through the PA ( which I believe is essential for any band) and assuming you want to avoid messing around with mikes ( massive advantage of the KPA) then you need to ensure you have tested in advance.