New to the Forum & Questions

  • Hello,

    I am new to the forum and will introduce in the proper section later. I had a couple of questions.


    I am possibly going to be coming to the Kemper from a Helix. I did have the Line6 Powercabs, but sold those and now use the Helix primarily through my Yamaha HS7 Studio Monitors. I also have a Hughes and Kettner Grandmeister and two 2x12 cabinets with V30s. Thinking of loading one with G12H.


    I play fusion rock. Rush, Yes, Genesis, Porcupine Tree, etc. But have recently really been getting into playing Black Sabbath again. I find it really hard to get the Iommi sound with the Helix (too compressed). (SG with P90s and SG with HB). With the Grandmeister and the Laney TI Boost in front, I can get closer to his more modern tone, but not the classic tone of the first 4 albums. I was thinking of getting a Laney amp, but to get the tone with Laney you must turn up and I am not doing that very often. A Kemper user/guitar tech I know said I should get the Kemper because I can get what I am looking for with it. I found that Top Jimi has some great Sabbath profiles that are what I am looking for. However, he says these are best through studio monitors or FRFR. I was thinking of getting a Matrix GT800 and running into my (2) 2x12 cabinets since V30s and G12s are always my go to speakers even as cab sims or IRs.


    My question is, should I go Matrix Gt800 with Kemper or maybe the Kemper Kones for FRFR. Or maybe just get a Laney and lose some functionality with effects, etc.?


    Thanks

  • Ohh lots of questions and welcome...


    Its not a simple answer unfortunately. As a previous Laney user ( GH100L which is very close to Tony's signature) I love my Kemper albeit it I've not been replicating his sound. I use a Kabinet ( with the Kones) and love it.


    So, some basic comments:

    FRFR will give a very accurate version of the direct sound but for many people it doesn't feel the same.

    Real cabs are good but add signifcant "colour" to the sound.

    Kones attempt ( and in my mind successfully) get the amp in the room feel whilst preserving the profiled sound of the amp

    Volume is always a factor - you will not get a wall for sound from any set up at whisper volumes. Therefore a big factor is how do you intend to use it, mainly recording or live or both? The key here is each monitor solution will sound/feel different and you will end up tweaking as a result.

  • You have the best price-performance ratio and flexibility with the Kemper Kone. Whether you buy the CAB or the Power CAB or you build your own cabinet and just buy the speakers. You won't get the "amp in the room" effect with simple FRFR solutions.

    Be the force with you ;)

  • Thanks for the answers so far. I know I threw a lot at ya. But, it is really hard to make this leap since I cannot find a Kemper to play on around here. I think Top Jimi does a really good job of getting the tone on the Kemper through studio monitors so I am guessing something like the Kone might do it??? vs. me getting a Laney and turning up. I love my Helix. The effects and the switching capabilities are amazing, but the amp tones are just not quite there IMHO.

  • So close to pulling the trigger on a Kemper stage and a Klone. Just do not know if it will be that much better than the Helix.

  • So close to pulling the trigger on a Kemper stage and a Klone. Just do not know if it will be that much better than the Helix.

    Only one way to find out... do it.

    The great thing (among many) is that you have access to numerous profiles of the same/similar amp to choose from. Yes it's a different workflow, but it's very satisfying. Haven't played a Helix myself but I'm not tempted at all. Currently running Kemper unpowered head with one or two Kabinets, live or at home.

  • I had thought that the Kemper Kabinets were powered. But come to find out they are not. There are the new Powered Kabinets that are coming out, but I do not see anywhere to buy them and they look expensive. Was hoping to get two.

  • I suggest you buy a Kemper and profile the Hughes and Kettner Grandmeister for us. Then I can find you some free Black Sabbath tone in 5 minutes. ;)

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • I do theatre shows - and not yet done any "normal" cover band type gigs with my kemper.


    I came from using a helix and I do prefer the Kemper. Both in terms of how it sounds and the ease of actually creating those sounds - given I do program every single sound change for the show as an entirely new rig.. so this is actually very important. So far I've pretty much stuck to using the same couple of profiles for everything.. a clean one, a crunchy one and a solo one , with various incarnations of those. I haven't really experimented with lots of different profiles as I just can't be bothered! Although I've kept the helix for certain situations... firstly so I've got a second rig in case I need it, but also because the 'stomp box' mode on helix is very useful for once-off gigs where I don't know what I'll need and just want to run in old fashioned pedal board mode and make everything up on the fly with some tap dancing. This is much more difficult on Kemper and requires "pre-planning". Sometimes I just can't be bothered.


    At home I have some basic studio monitors and that's what I use to create my sounds. For rehearsals, I use a QSC K10 , and at the shows themselves I'm completely on headphones. I originally was really nervous about using Kemper for the first time. I found I really had to dial some EQ in the monitor output to get rid of bass and boomy sound, coz without doing so it sounded pretty horrid. However, it only related to that environment and the QSC, and after some EQ'ing I was pretty happy. For the shows themselves, my FOH output EQ is flat with none of those adjustments, and I went and spoke to the audio team after sound checks and they said it sounded fantastic through the PA. They showed me my channel strip on the FOH desk and not only did they not make those same changes for FOH that I did for the QSC, they actually had a bit of a 'smiley face' EQ going on where they had even slightly boosted the bass rather than the pretty dramatic cuts that I had to make. So I learned very quickly to just trust the sounds I'm creating at home.. and not be afraid to tinker with the monitor EQ for rehearsal to get a good sound in that environment. I've now done a couple of shows with Kemper in that way and it's awesome. I've got many compliments on how good I'm sounding.

  • I had thought that the Kemper Kabinets were powered. But come to find out they are not. There are the new Powered Kabinets that are coming out, but I do not see anywhere to buy them and they look expensive. Was hoping to get two.

    Both are available. They are expensive because they are good quality but appreciate its a lot to take a "punt".


    So couple of follow on comments:


    Why buy 2? Do you really need stereo? This is why they offer powered versions of the toaster and Rack so you can run any speaker combo without other gear. I would consider this format if you are looking to gig live, all in one solution, no additonal power amp wires etc. Downside is you need an remote as well but ultimate flexibility. If you are set on a Stage then look at a powered Kabinet.


    Will I like the Kemper? The Helix is a great unit with great sounds. As you would expect most people on here prefer the KPA BUT its always down to set up and personal preference. The other guitarist in my band has a Helix. I have had my KPA 7 years and not ever thought of getting another amp, including the Helix. One additional big downside of the Helix ( for me) is it doesn't have a powered version.


    Unfortunately few shops have this kit to go and try and even then its all down to the profile so trying in a shop doesn't help. So its always a "gamble"..

  • I suggest you buy a Kemper and profile the Hughes and Kettner Grandmeister for us. Then I can find you some free Black Sabbath tone in 5 minutes. ;)

    Hmm, not as easy at it would seem. There are lots of folks that claim to get the tone just because they think it is an overdriven amp. It is more complicated than that unless you get an old plexi or an old laney and an old Range Master and dime the amp at ridiculous volume.

  • Hmm, not as easy at it would seem. There are lots of folks that claim to get the tone just because they think it is an overdriven amp. It is more complicated than that unless you get an old plexi or an old laney and an old Range Master and dime the amp at ridiculous volume.

    And that's why we use a Kemper. You profile those amps at ridiculous volumes, save it to your Kemper, and go play War Pigs in your bedroom at whisper volumes after midnight. There are many free and commercial profiles that get you Iommi's sound. Easy as pie. ;)

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • So close to pulling the trigger on a Kemper stage and a Klone. Just do not know if it will be that much better than the Helix.

    IT WILL ! ;)8)


    Seriously, i've done the same journey. I had a line 6 Helix LT and a Powercab +.

    Even if the PC+ brought something else to get closer to the "amp in the room" feeling, i was always tweaking to try to get something better....Don't know.

    The first time i've tried my Stage at home, i new i had found what i was looking for.


    I didn't need a complex Fx Chain with a lot of stuffs in //, series, etc

    I didn't need 2/3/4 amps and speakers in //

    I didn't need an integrated soundcard to record

    I didn't need a massive number of inputs/outputs


    The Stage & Kone is a marvelous combination :love::love::love:


    PS : The trap with the Helix was to tweak parameters all the time, the trap with the Kemper is to want to try all the Rigs on the cloud (more than 17000...), get one you like and don't loose you time to try them all ^^