Open toughts about using the Kemper in an apartment

  • OK. But perhaps listening to a hifi system or watching TV at a certain volume may be too subjective. I think playing the Kemper loud enough to sound great probably means louder than both cases mentioned above to most of us. But the Kemper still sounds good at lower volume. Similar to Hifi and the loudness compensation. Monitors are similar to Hifi loudspeakers but flatter and less "compensating". You've got headhones already, so start with them and see how it works for you.

    Never too old for rock'n'roll

  • As CJ and others have pointed out, there's a whole lotta subjective in this conversation. That said, I think it's important to make the distinction between listening to audio and moving air, particularly if you're a rock guy.


    My background is classic rock, and I come from the days when you could actually use a 100 watt amp in a bar (I once played a gig with a 50 watt Marshall set to stun and when I walked to the other side of the drums couldn't hear myself over the other guitarist, bass & drums).


    I've listened to lots of records at a low volume, and I enjoy the music. All the notes and melodies are still there, and the song is still the song. Nonetheless, there's simply no substitute for moving air. When I play in a band setting, or even just for fun in an amp / speaker setting, it's always at 100 - 105db minimum. When I mute the low strings and chug, I want to feel that thump in my gut. Simply put, rock is a physical experience. Sure, you can listen to it at TV levels and enjoy it, but it's like driving through the countryside in a Volkswagon versus a Corvette. The scenery's pretty either way, but it's a very different experience (at least the way I drive).


    All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the Kemper. It's an amp. Get a good Kemper profile of a Marshall on 11, set it next to an actual Marshall on 11, and play guitar. They'll both sound okay at TV levels, and be a glorious, religious experience at high volume. Get a Marshall with a master volume and a headphone output and you'll get the same experience as you would with a Kemper though headphones. You're either moving air or you're not.


    I don't think "is it a good bedroom amp" is a relevant question in terms of whether or not you should buy one. At comparable levels, it's going to stand toe to toe with any tube amp you put next to it. I think the real question should be, "does the Kemper / profiler approach check your boxes?"


    It really doesn't matter what amp you buy. It'll never sound as good next to the TV as it does on 11. With that in mind, buy the feature set and sounds you want from an amp, and then just turn it down. It is what it is.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • Headphones won't move the air certainly and will tire you if you play too loud for too long. Monitors move more air but loud cabs will beat them at that. If you enjoy listening to music thru headphones you will enjoy the "studio" or "recorded" sound of the Kemper thru them. I certainly do. Most of us here do. But a great Hifi system in a good room will be the Corvette alternative to the Volkswagen phones! So likewise, the Kemper thru monitors will provide a more physical experience than thru phones. And using a cab is a step further when you want a loud amp in the room feel, but at low volume the powered monitors will sound better than cabs because they are made to sound great at lower volumes without been driven by hot tubes. The great thing about the Kemper is its versatility. It can be satisfying in multiple ways.

    Never too old for rock'n'roll

  • I play in an apartment, and using headphones, the sound is amazing but my ears end up hurting. That's why I want to buy the Kabinet.

    I really hope that the sound with the Kabinet is good at low volume. :)

    I had that with the Sennheiser HD25. Now using Beyer DT880. problem gone. On-ear vs over-ear...

  • I personally dont think you would need headphones. The Kemper is pretty awesome at low volumes.

    Obviously the lower the volume the less air is being moved my the speaker, (assuming a cabinet is being used), but the same will apply to headphones.

    I find playing with headphones a pain. Thats just me though.

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

  • One of the big attractions to the KPA to me was the ability to get the sound of my Mesa amps roaring at low home volume. For many years it had proved virtually impossible to tame the Mesa’s or any other valve amp for home use. I tried low wattage amps, Mark V:25 and Studio .22. Even had a Victory V30 which has a 1/4 watt mode but all were way too loud for home use. Tried an attenuator with the valve amps and it was a big improvement but was a lot more hassle and still wasn’t ideal. Then I tried the KPA and quiet home use with great tone was suddenly not only possible but super easy to achieve.


    I opted for Powered Toaster and studio monitors initially for ultimate flexibility. Headphones still possible, regular guitar cab still possible, powered FRFR or unpowered FRFR all possible.


    I have used headphones and they sound great.


    I mainly use studio monitors and love them.


    Regular guitar cabs sound like a regular amp and cab but lose flexibility and can sound a bit big/loud for my home environment.


    Then I got the Kabinet. Best of all worlds if you like a guitar amp in the room experience. Personally, I still use studio monitors most of the time but he Kabinet is amazing even at low volumes. As others have said, physics plays a bit part in low volume listening for two reasons - Equal Loudness Curves (often referred to as Fletcher Munsen effect) and the fact that you can still hear pick and string noise acoustically on top of the amplified sound.

  • +1 for KPA with Kone. All others nice option but playin at home over the kabinet with bed room level makes me smile!

    Then I got the Kabinet. Best of all worlds if you like a guitar amp in the room experience. Personally, I still use studio monitors most of the time but he Kabinet is amazing even at low volumes. As others have said, physics plays a bit part in low volume listening for two reasons - Equal Loudness Curves (often referred to as Fletcher Munsen effect) and the fact that you can still hear pick and string noise acoustically on top of the amplified sound.

  • CJGOMEZ: with TV volume = 100 I meant to consider the volume at which we normally listen the television equal to 100, and use this value as a reference to compare to the volume we play the Kemper in an apartament

    Playing in an apartment. I’ve started like building blocks, increasing the room volume level every time I’ve added a piece of gear. .

    Phase 1: Powered Kemper through headphones, most of the time, practicing, playing backing tracks with a computer or iPad, through the Kemper late at night.

    Phase 2: I’ve added Yamaha HS7 studio monitors, a small mixer, a couple of mics and I had Kemper Karaoke nights with friends&family, playing along Youtube on a TV screen. The TV audio goes through the home theater system. This way the KPA can be as loud as I want the TV audio. No neighbors complains.

    Phase 3: The studio monitors lack the bottom end that a guitar cab provides. So, instead of a sub-buffer, I’ve added a 12” FRFR cab. Again volume is controllable, sounds good, no complains.

    Phase 4: Missing amp in the room experience. I am planning to add a Kabinet, and make good use of the KPA powered head. I don’t expect complains.

    Phase 5: Planning to setup for home recording.


    Digital amps give you flexibility, are home friendly and gig ready if I you need to. You can move play the KPA toaster+headphones everywhere in your apartment.


    Your setup would depend on how much you are willing to spend and your needs. (Just practicing, home recording, playing for yourself or with others, club gigs, stage, etc.).

  • A kemper through a guitar cabinet sounds great at low volumes. However, nothing beats the air pushing of a volume at the sweet spot.

    playing with a good pair of headphones can be really nice for stereo separation and all the convenience, but also ear fatiguing, lack of string acoustic reinforcement, sounding too hi-fi, harsh, etc


    As a reference, I manage to play the kemper into a Waza tube amp expander as power amp going into a Zilla 1x12 mini modern + a 2x12 MESA roadking cabinet at a good volume (cant hear my strings) , without bothering people. However I have a very chill girlfriend, cool neighbours and a tiny room that doesn't require much power to "fill it up".

  • you can still hear pick and string noise acoustically on top of the amplified sound.

    To me, this is the one limitation of playing at low volume. I'll often be auditioning sounds in the control room (where the toaster lives) with the monitor speakers and get something I like. I track it, play back, and then realize that part of the attack I thought was in the profile was in fact the acoustic pick and string noise.


    That said, I always record a DI, so at that point I can just bring up Rig Manager and browse different profiles if I'm not happy with what I'm hearing. And of course, there's always the old school solution.


    Turn it up! \m/


    Yes, I do live in the country, why do you ask? :)

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • Like amps, one pair of headphones never seems to be enough. I have the Marantz MPH-4. They put out much more bass response than what my desktop monitors put out - which is good and bad. Considering how much you plug and unplug them (and yank them off). You will need more than one.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.