Using Kemper Profiling Amp Live

  • Hi Everyone,
    Just registered and this is my 1st post so sorry if this question has been asked before but I am seriously thinking of getting the KPA but I will only really use it for live playing at fairly small club and pub gigs as I don't do much if any recording. My questions are:
    1. How stable and reliable is it in a live gig situation where I would like to use lots of different sounds and fx to cover many types of music from heavy rock to cleans etc.
    2. I have a tube/valve head so I would like to use the power stage of a head by plugging the KPA into the fx return of the head then into a 2x12 guitar cab with 2 Celestion Greenbacks. Has anyone used it this way and did it sound any good as most of the sound clips I have heard are recorded direct into a desk. Does anyone have any clips playing live into a tube/valve guitar amp and guitar speaker cab.
    3. I understand you can remove the cab part of a profile but can you remove the power amp section or is all part of the profile which cannot be removed?
    4. I don't plan on making many profiles myself so I would be downloading from the user profiles. Are there many with just the pre amp profiled so I could use my tube/valve power section. Would using the KPA this way sound any good?
    Looking forward to any help you guys can give me.
    Cheers :)

  • Putting all the "internet created myths" aside for the moment. :D


    1) It's stable and reliable.
    Just a question....when you say..."I would like to use lots of different sounds and fx to cover many types of music from heavy rock to cleans."
    If you could have a few real tube amps on stage, how many would you need to cover your tones?


    2) Plug it into the FX return of your tube amp and turn the Cabinet button to, "OFF".


    3) Quite a long while back CK made some adjustments to the Cabinet OFF settings, since then anyone using the KPA through a poweramp/cab has only had great things to say.
    In fact, the vast majority of KPA users were happy with the cabinet OFF into poweramp before CK made the adjustments, now they say it's even better.


    4)There are some specific DI Profiles, but, IMO, YMMV, turning the cab off makes every profile a DI Profile with a tad of CK steroid juice added...and it's a very tasty juice. :thumbup:


    Not much help I know, you'll have to try it for yourself.

  • 1. How stable and reliable is it in a live gig situation where I would like to use lots of different sounds and fx to cover many types of music from heavy rock to cleans etc.


    I never had a problem with my KPA and I used it live quite a lot in the last few months :thumbup:

  • There were one or two rare problems in the early days, probably down to corrupted profiles. These problems were taken and magnified many times by the users of other modellers who apparently felt the need to do so. Recent firmware seems to have ironed out whatever minor niggles there were.
    Ive done about 40+ gigs since January. No problems with it whatsoever.
    Im using the monitor out through a power amp (matrix) and cab.
    In my 'originals' band I use 3 DI profiles, just like a really good multichannel amp.
    In my covers band I use the monitor out with cabs switched off using regular profiles. It gives a little of the profiled

  • Hi Guitartone and Ballantine,
    Thanks for your quick replies which are reasuring. Regarding the number of tube/valve amps its probably not that many, probably around 8 I would say. I play in a covers band playing lots of different types of music so need different tones although different levels of gain and EQ settings would cover a good number of songs with say a good Fender and Vox cleans with some Marshall Crunch and high gain Mesa's that sort of thing. Currently I am using a POD Pro which is 12 years old and has given me really good service and in my opinion is the best Line 6 modeller they have made and I have tried them all. But would like to replace it and upgrade at the same and the sounds I have heard so far on the net sound awesome but most if not all are direct top the desk.
    Cheers :)

  • Hi Sheguitarplayer,
    Thanks for your reply. Your live set up looks pretty much what I would use except I would use a tube/valve power amp. what speakers do youm have in your cab?
    I have been checking out the Matrix stuff as well and the GM50 they make also looks pretty good so might be something I would look at soon as the weight and size are really good.
    Cheers


  • Currently I am using a POD Pro which is 12 years old and has given me really good service and in my opinion is the best Line 6 modeller they have made and I have tried them all.

    I agree.
    I still have my 12 year old Pod 2 lying around. :)
    The Deluxe Reverb, Soldano, JCM800, all great amp sims for the time, and still sound good today.


    So you're used to using the "Direct/Amp - Air mode" on the Pod..trust me, the KPA cabinets, or no cabinets are in another league...you will be blown away. :thumbup:

  • @ funkymonkey.
    I use an evh 4x12 cab (Celestion Greenback speakers) or in very small venues a Marshall 2x12 with a V30 and a greenback.
    The matrix (GT1000FX) is a cracking amp, and from what I understand the GM50 is like a single channel version of that in a different 'box'.
    Good luck. Like guitarone says, I reckon youre gonna love the Kemper.

  • Hi Guitartone,
    Yeah if it sounds anywhere near what i've heard on the net I think its gonna blow me away. I will definately be getting one in the next few weeks.
    Thanks mate for your advice its much appreciated :thumbup:
    Cheers

  • Hi Sheguitarplayer,
    Yeah your set up is very close to what I have in mind so good to hear that its working great for you. Once I get one I will use it with my tube/valve head to start with to see how I get on then maybe think about a Matrix as I've heard nothing but good reports on their stuff as well.
    Got to say you guys & girls? on this forum are really supportive and helpfull. Can't wait to get one just need to get the money together which I should in the next week or so.
    Many thanks for your advice its much appreciated. :thumbup:
    Cheers

  • Do not mind changing you system.


    I´ve played only Tube Amps. Only 3 Years ago i purchased a new Orange.
    In January i did buy the Kemper, and you know what??? ... Since that i don´t play with my orange at the rehearsal at all.
    We went into the Studio this year and recorded a Album and i did not use one Tube amp ... ok i profiled 2 Marshall´s the 6100 and 1959 with Marshal cab and my Orange AD30HTC.
    I went at Home and recorded the album. This thing is absolute amazing. I did a lot of recordings in my life and i have to say that you can´t tell the difference. i´ve recorded a guitar piece with The original AD30HTC and did the same recording with the Profile of the KPA only to spend an hour with band and engineer trying to hear which is which? And there where no chance to.


    Playing live with the Kemper is great. it sounds really like original amps you´d profiled or which are included or downloaded.
    My setup live is like this.


    Kemper Monitor out -> Into the Main Input of my Orange (i don´t have a FX send/return) with a nice clean sound and Rock ´n´ Roll
    And with my footswitch of the Orange i can change channel to get more Volume (for Solos). It´s fantastic -> of course i go into the cab.


    By the way you can do this setup or others but you can still run via master out directly into a PA at the same time :D


    You have about 25000€ of Amps and Cabs in the KPA from the start.
    For me the KPA it´s not a modeler it´s a Mirror from a real amp and it sounds the same with ... again NO F...ING DIFFERENCE from the sound.
    And changing the presets or Amp settings brings you even more deeper into great sound.


    You play in a Coverband then get yourself a KPA. Get it from Thomann so you have 30 days where you can try it and if you don´t like it than you get your money back, completely. ...within 30 days of course.


    I love the Kemper :love:

    Edited 2 times, last by F_Minuzzi ().


  • Yes, but how do you really feel about it? :D

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer