What's a good tube amp to power the kemper?

  • Some like it, but to me, it makes no sense to use a tube power amp. They all color the sound, are expensive and comparatively fragile.


    A class D amp is small, light, reliable and cheap.


    The Seymour Duncan Powerstages are a good choice.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

  • I’m the same as Ruefus. If I am going to carry around the weight and inconsistencies of sound that I get from a valve amp I’ll just take one of my Boogies. Of I want the consistency, flexibility and light weight of my Kemper I’ll use my Powered Kemper. If I want all of those but have a nonpowered Kemper I would use a Class D power amp.

  • For me its a slightly silly question because it depends what you want to tube amp to "add".


    The purpose of the KPA is to emulate a tube amp so suggest you clarify the "missing" element.


    Do you mean for live, of which its therefore only for monitoring as it won't come out in the direct output.


    I personally have no need for a tube amp with is variability, weight, hassle, cables etc.

  • even though I would never use one. There have been some blind tests, where some people just preferred the tone & feel of a tube poweramp

    ...and there are other blind test where people can;t tell the difference.


    I get that but it drags in some many other issues, is it really worth it ( is what I'm hinting at)?

  • I agree with the "carry around" posts, may as well bring a tube amp in some cases. And also agree that the SD Powerstage power amps sound great with a Kemper. However I do believe tube power amps sound better with the Kemper, but one thing I did notice when using tube power amps is that it tends to make profiles within the same genre sound the same.

  • I agree with the "carry around" posts, may as well bring a tube amp in some cases. And also agree that the SD Powerstage power amps sound great with a Kemper. However I do believe tube power amps sound better with the Kemper, but one thing I did notice when using tube power amps is that it tends to make profiles within the same genre sound the same.

    Its interesting as I think this is the same with guitar cabs...this "missing element" also adds restrictions/smoothing...

  • Its interesting as I think this is the same with guitar cabs...this "missing element" also adds restrictions/smoothing...

    I use a powerhead with a real guitar cabinet V30s. I sometimes shut off the Kemper power and use the SD 170 instead which still sounds very similar to the power supply on the Kemper powerhead. If I use a tube poweramp with that same V30 setup, its a totally different ball game, but again many profiles do sound the same. If I use an FRFR speaker with the Kemper power section, that adds yet another huge change in tone to what the same profile sounded like the other way around. Many options to be had with the Kemper.

  • I use a powerhead with a real guitar cabinet V30s. I sometimes shut off the Kemper power and use the SD 170 instead which still sounds very similar to the power supply on the Kemper powerhead. If I use a tube poweramp with that same V30 setup, its a totally different ball game, but again many profiles do sound the same. If I use an FRFR speaker with the Kemper power section, that adds yet another huge change in tone to what the same profile sounded like the other way around. Many options to be had with the Kemper.

    ...which is exactly what happened when I switched to FRFR from a Guitar cab....totally showed up crap profiles. This was replicated FOH.


    So its great to have a fab on stage sound, but no point if FOH sounds crap. Hence I worked to get my FRFR sound and the Kabinet adds something to sound better as a monitor without masking duff profiles.

  • ...which is exactly what happened when I switched to FRFR from a Guitar cab....totally showed up crap profiles. This was replicated FOH.


    So its great to have a fab on stage sound, but no point if FOH sounds crap. Hence I worked to get my FRFR sound and the Kabinet adds something to sound better as a monitor without masking duff profiles.

    Got it...I sort of go the other way with it, I work on getting the tone I want with a real cabinet and never go FOH through the Kemper. I insist on the sound guy micing my cabinet instead. Plus some of my profiles are DI, so FOH is not an option.

  • I wrote somewhere else... Sometimes I use marshall 8008 rack power amp. They are not too much expensive, not heavy, work in mono or stereo, in linear or valvestate mode. This last one shoud have to add a sort of tube taste to your sound, I prefer the lineare mode but you can choose. Give it a try

  • Got it...I sort of go the other way with it, I work on getting the tone I want with a real cabinet and never go FOH through the Kemper. I insist on the sound guy micing my cabinet instead. Plus some of my profiles are DI, so FOH is not an option.

    And its a viable approach but I think you are really missing out.


    This is what I used to do for the first 6 months I had my Kemper, but one of the best things for me is consistent FOH - no messing with mic placement etc and decoupling on stage sound with FOH.


    My line check consists of plug in xlr, hit a chord, sound guy goes " great". I can change my on stage volume independent of FOH, assuming little bleed from the backline. Plus it removes a significant sound aspect of mic placement as a variable - so the sound you hear on stage is pretty close to that FOH. Yours isn;t because of the Mic issue. Given that I think FOH should take priority, its why I do it ( and the KPA is really based around) doing it the way I do.


    Its a small change but personally its had a bigger impact than I expected, especially at festivals with a quick change around and I have to use supplied cabs. Takes those cabs out of the equation.


    Anyway, one of the great things with the KPA is we have this choice!!!

  • Got it...I sort of go the other way with it, I work on getting the tone I want with a real cabinet and never go FOH through the Kemper. I insist on the sound guy micing my cabinet instead. Plus some of my profiles are DI, so FOH is not an option.

    As V8 says, if it works for you that is all that matters but you would get a more consistent sound which you know sounds the same out front as in stage if you went direct to FOH. Sounds guys and mic placement on the gig is a massive element which is beyond your control.


    Since you work on getting a great trip n stage sound through your cab first and foremost I would suggest using that to your advantage. At a gig where you have a little extra time at soundcheck get your sound perfect on stage. Then check you are totally happy with how it sounds out front. Now just take a feed from the desk and make a profile of that sound. Then you can give front of house your own perfect sound every night with total consistency and control over the outcome.


    Best of both worlds ?

  • Then check you are totally happy with how it sounds out front. Now just take a feed from the desk and make a profile of that sound. Then you can give front of house your own perfect sound every night with total consistency and control over the outcome.


    Best of both worlds ?

    Great idea and actually the main point of the KPA profiling