Kemper DI Box vs Countryman 85 / DI Profiles

  • After extensive comparisons between 16 different DI boxes, I have sold / returned all but two…


    I have kept the Countryman 85 and I have kept the Kemper DI Box.

    These two are best and they are very very close, but they are quite a bit better than the 14 other boxes that I have tried. The cheaper (in comparison) DI boxes give poor results for the most part.

    I did some experimenting using one box right after the other with exact same amplifier settings… I am playing these back with powered Kemper through a Bogner 4X12 cabinet loaded with ‘69 greenback speakers.

    So, I have done DI profiles of a 1972 100 W Marshall head, completely stock, Master Vol on 9.

    The countryman 85 Gives a very solid profile with a little more (slight) extended bass and presence frequencies. (extreme top and bottom).

    If that is what you’re after, It’s the perfect unit.

    However, the Kemper DI box gives a slightly (I’m cutting hairs here) more accurate profile with a ‘quicker’ attack and more of a natural bounce to the feel / string attack of the reference amplifier. Interesting, the profile done with the Kemper DI box gives ‘8.9’ definition where is the profile done with the countryman 85 gives ‘8.0’ definition… I tried matching both but it drove the profiles further away instead of closer together.

    The profile done with the Kemper DI box seems to track (cutting hairs here again) slightly faster and the notes come through the speaker cabinet quicker…


    Conclusion ... it is well worth getting one of these two DI boxes.

    If you buy some cheap Behringer or XXXX DI box, in my experience, your profiles will not be as good / feel/ solid/ accurate as one of these.


    If you had to get just one, yes, the Kemper, in my opinion, is the top dog.

    :)

    Cheers!!

  • Interesting find. Would it be possible to try the profiles and compare ourselves?

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

  • Absolutely brother! Just send me your email through a message and I can send you both and you can see what you think…

    Just keep in mind, I have set these DI profiles up to sound best with a powered unit through a 412 cabinet with greenbacks…

    It might be a little bit bright if you're running vintage 30s etc.

  • Even with these two excellent DI boxes, I would say, through a 4×12 cabinet, the Kemper powerhead is about 80% accuracy of the amplifier it profiles.:thumbup:

    Unless something changes or there is an update of some kind, We can hope for 95%!

  • My personal experience with DI profiling is to definitely NOT refine…

    Refineing gives

    1) way too much high frequency sizzle,

    2) more gain then the reference amplifier,

    3) Boomy, loose extreme low bass frequencies...

    I choose not to refine, but in doing so, I usually end up with the reference amplifier bass control near full, treble and presence quite high…

    But still, I’m having no success capturing the definition in the low mids. The girth and feel of the amplifier does not transfer to the profile…

  • When doing the DI part of the profile, I just use the same IR in Logic space designer that is selected in my Suhr Reactive Load IR. So much easier to refine when you have a normal speaker sound.
    I also check the DI amp settings match the studio profile amp settings before merging. On most of my profiles I have been doing recently, the studio and merged are identical.

  • When doing the DI part of the profile, I just use the same IR in Logic space designer that is selected in my Suhr Reactive Load IR. So much easier to refine when you have a normal speaker sound.
    I also check the DI amp settings match the studio profile amp settings before merging. On most of my profiles I have been doing recently, the studio and merged are identical.

    Which amps do you profile most, Vinny?

  • Which amps do you profile most, Vinny?

    Been working on some Mk3 Boogies. I have 3 here in the studio 2 blue stripes and a red stripe version. Over my career, it’s an amp I have used quite a bit. I am recreating those sounds.
    The Suhr reactive load has worked really well.

    Going to be working my way through all of my amps though.