New youtube comparison of Real Amp vs Kemper vs Quad Cortex vs ToneX

  • what I took from that video is that all 3 options worked brilliantly and sounded so close as to make no difference in the real world. Therefore, choose one that fits your budget and workflow then learn to use it and make music instead of GASing over the next new shiny toy.

    Amen. People get obsessively worked up on these minute details every time something new comes out... reminds me how Patrick Bateman in American Psycho would get OCD about the lettering/font/color of his business cards versus the ones from his competitor (while they all look the same for anybody else looking at them). It doesn't matter as much as the internet wants you to believe and when put into perspective, this obsession is almost psychopathic. I'm restlessly busting my ass to find a thousand ways to improve the tracks, parts and tunes I'm working on, but migrating to a different system is not one of them. Mostly using cheap little combo amps these days anyway for some reason.

  • Amen. People get obsessively worked up on these minute details every time something new comes out... reminds me how Patrick Bateman in American Psycho would get OCD about the lettering/font/color of his business cards versus the ones from his competitor (while they all look the same for anybody else looking at them). It doesn't matter as much as the internet wants you to believe and when put into perspective, this obsession is almost psychopathic. I'm restlessly busting my ass to find a thousand ways to improve the tracks, parts and tunes I'm working on, but migrating to a different system is not one of them. Mostly using cheap little combo amps these days anyway for some reason.

    Put way better than I could have!


    If we were talking about the difference between a Pod and high end valve amp, I get it, but the differences are so small (and to my ears nearly imperceptible), it becomes something that has more of a psychological effect than a real effect.


    I'm all for improving and happy that there are people out there that do obsess about this stuff to make a better product but I'm not losing any sleep over it...

  • They just came out with the TONEX app last week so I’ve been trying out this free version of it. It’s quite impressive especially for something that’s free. Of course you have to pay to get additional amps and features but it does have some good ones in it for free. At this point I don’t feel like I am quite as inspired when I play through it as when I play through the kemper. I have recently started playing In an acoustic/electric trio and looking to simplify equipment I take. I actually did a gig for the first time ever with just an iPad using Quantiloop Pro app as a looper and a host for VST‘s to process my signal. since my main sound was the acoustic setting on my Taylor T5 pro Z I could get away with a couple of patches with just some basic reverb/delay and clean or acoustic ampemulation that I got from over loud th-u and tone bridge VST‘s. I controlled it through an Irig blue board. I must say it was a refreshing change to just take a guitar in an iPad to a gig. Never thought I’d see that happen as with my full band I have to haul all counts of stuff. Anyhow the ToneX is so inexpensive that if I was just looking at something right now I would probably would be more inclined to get it compared to a Kemper if I didn’t have my Long time relationship with my kemper simply because of the price point and how much the technology has finally caught up with profiling to the kemper level. Just my initial thoughts. Ymmv.

  • I got a gut feel that he was promoting the plug in product. I know he did a bunch to try to make the approach scientific, but the commentary didn't seem objective.

    Hm I didn't get those vibes. He does sell Kemper profiles after all. And the null test was somewhat scientific.

    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

  • I did hear it in that video clip.

    I'm wondering if the Kemper compression varies with different amp profiles (I'm asking as it's not something I immediately noticed when I play my Kemper, although I have heard other people comment on this)? I know amp designs and tube choice ( and speaker design) can add compression to different degrees.

    One can see in the wav that without refining or refining incorrectly there can be some compression. When refined well the wav is like the real amp.

  • We actually agree... this comparison I think used a sample and on that basis very little difference in the audio. I also think psychology plays a massive part which is why I struggled moving from tube...my brain would not accept digital could be as good, so by definition for me, it wasn't...


    In other words, it's more about how you react than the actual sound coming out...which is why blind tests can be more revealing as it removes bias.

    we are guitar players, not sound engineer or producer.


    There’s absolutely no bias saying « this one sounds better ».
    some people like me could never play well on mesa boogie. That does not mean it’s not good

  • some people like me could never play well on mesa boogie.

    =O what's wrong with you man ?

    just kidding


    I am a lifelong Mesa player since the min 19080's. I could never get on with Marshalls. Hated them for years. Funnily enough. Since I got the Kemper I find myself using Marshall profiles a LOT. Life is strange :)

  • I thought they all sounded so close to the original amp that the comparisons were just splitting hairs. The one fan boy in the comments section who loves the one option and derides the others always amuses me and there's always one in every crowd.

  • =O what's wrong with you man ?

    just kidding


    I am a lifelong Mesa player since the min 19080's. I could never get on with Marshalls. Hated them for years. Funnily enough. Since I got the Kemper I find myself using Marshall profiles a LOT. Life is strange :)

    We all have a psychological association to both the amps and sound itself. In other words, I also don't generally like Marshalls but I do like JCM800's...bearing in mind I've not played one for maybe 20 years....I had one that I "think" I loved...or was it because it was my first major amp? As a result, if I do play one again, my starting position will be "this is magical" - my bias.


    I think we also tune our ears to what we like. I managed to try out Amplitube 5 last night...the amp that sounded best to me? ENGL powerball...maybe because that was also the last real amp I had. I also graviate towards ENGL profiles...its difficult to get past that bias I feel.


    I haven;t noticed the mid compression everyone is talking about, but no doubt I will now, even if I can't hear it... We are definitely strange!

  • I've stopped watching Utube comparisons since the day it was hard for me to distinguish a Helix from a Kemper --> In front of me, when i'm playing, there's no doubt about my preference.... ;)


    The ToneX seems attractive but i think it won't meet my needs.

    I use a multi to play with my band. How would i use it in that case ? Do i need a computer in gigs or rehearsals ?

    I've never profiled an amp, Do i have to with ToneX ? Or is there a database amp exchange ?

    Do you need to buy a software too ?

    I assume this device is not for me... :)


    I'm pleased with my Stage, i think, even if there's a gap (little one) with the QC, the investment would not be justified...


    I think i arrive at the end of my GAS journey :)

  • I just don’t ‘get’ these videos or all the comparisons.

    These are crucial for people buying things.


    Where am I going to go to try out a Kemper? No where within 100's of miles of where I live.


    If I would have paid closer attention to these videos I would have bought a Helix instead of a Kemper. The Kemper in the videos I watched sounded overly compressed but I did not notice it. Got the Kemper then I noticed it. Went back and watched the videos and said "it was right there in front of me".


    Now I am stuck with an $1800 mistake.


    Then I bought the Helix.


    Luckily I love profiling. And I love the Kemper Eco System much more than the Helix. So I still spend 90% of my time on the Kemper.


    But the compressed sound annoys the living s%$t out of me. So now I am writing a VST to compensate for the loss of dynamics. I need to uncompress the Kemper input compression. There are dynamic EQs out there but I have not tried them yet. I like to roll my own whenever possible.

  • It's not a mistake if you use it so much ^^;)


    I have the opposite experiment, if i've followed Vids comparisons, i should have not buy the Stage, and it would have been a mistake.

    The sound was really close and i thought that i've spent 1600€ for a little gap.

    Like you, i couldn't try the Stage before ordering it

    We never know testers' setup or what they use in the chain to record vids...

    I like Leo Gibson's vids but he uses his own IRs (he tells so, so we know he does that) but for me, IRs are 50% of the sound and i don't want to use them if i buy a new device, A more reliable comparison would be to try them with factory cabs sims. So i jump the sound comparison part.


    I had the problem with my Line 6 Powercab plus, couldn't try it anywhere...

    Vids are automatically coming from powercab's XLR output, so with mic's simulation or taken with a mic. It's unecessary to listen to them cause the interest of this device is to sound like an amp in the room...


    I haven't noticed this compression effect with the Kemper but i've already read something about that. I would be interested to hear that. Do you need to compare it directly with a an actual combo vs the Kemper or are there vids on wich you can hear that difference ?

  • But the compressed sound annoys the living s%$t out of me. So now I am writing a VST to compensate for the loss of dynamics. I need to uncompress the Kemper input compression. There are dynamic EQs out there but I have not tried them yet. I like to roll my own whenever possible.

    Compression is definitely something that some people are more sensitive to than others. Over the last 20 -30 years all music has been compressed to hell so maybe some are more tolerant of it. Interested in whether a dynamic eq would work?

    Or maybe an expander - have a hardware one,, but I'm sure there must be plugin version?

  • I just don’t ‘get’ these videos or all the comparisons. My boogie is better than your Marshall. Until I buy that Marshall which is way better than the boogie you just bought. Utter nonsense

    For me these videos are of great service. It gives me the chance to compare and make an educated purchase. I had 3 choices when I bought the Kemper Stage, the helix, the quad cortex and the Kemper. I chose the Kemper because of all the reviews on YouTube, it just made sense to buy something that had the test of time and still held up to the competition sound wise, the display sucks. OH I almost forgot. I used boogies on the road because they did the job of my fender deluxe and my marshal, great cleans and awesome drive. So my boogie is better than your marshal because it does the job of 2 amps (joking).

  • For me these videos are of great service. It gives me the chance to compare and make an educated purchase. I had 3 choices when I bought the Kemper Stage, the helix, the quad cortex and the Kemper. I chose the Kemper because of all the reviews on YouTube, it just made sense to buy something that had the test of time and still held up to the competition sound wise, the display sucks. OH I almost forgot. I used boogies on the road because they did the job of my fender deluxe and my marshal, great cleans and awesome drive. So my boogie is better than your marshal because it does the job of 2 amps (joking).

    I agree and disagree ;)


    The problem is that these units are all so good, that you cannot easily tell the difference - and even then the key is in the set up.


    The bigger aspects are probably the ecosystem and useability. The Kemper is still a winner for me because you can get it with a built in Amp and dedicated monitor - both unique. But then that's what is important to me...for others they may want more complex routing, dual amps etc.

    Edited once, last by V8guitar: My terrible English - reworded ().

  • It's not a mistake if you use it so much ^^;)


    We never know testers' setup or what they use in the chain to record vids...

    What is funny is the video I watched the person said Helix has better FX but the Kemper has better Amp tone. So it was a big factor in me getting the Stage. But in his examples the Kemper sounded dead and compressed. It sounded better, but overly compressed. And like you are saying, I did not pay too much attention to it and chalked it up to production. Maybe he over compressed it when polishing up the recording.


    The compression is very subtle. I did not notice it for months of playing everyday. But once I did notice, I cant un-hear it now. So do not try to hear it if you do not already. If you are happy, just trust that you have the best sounding digital piece ever made.


    The best advice is guys on here who say "I pick the profile I want, barely touch the EQ, and just play". They are the truly happy ones.

  • I agree with you, i'm not going to search this compression matter if i don't hear it ;)^^:wacko:


    I agree with Kemper amp tone too, i feel the same, and i find that FX are not so bad, rather the opposite in fact after owning a Helix...;)