New Kemper On The Way, Help Me Get Off To A Good Start

Tip #1 Remember that you are hearing the sound of a recorded amp. That is not to say, it doesn't sound great... but you are listening to your amp through studio monitors, and an amp profile that has been put through a mic. This is the "recorded" amp sound... and it is very good. That being said, put the KPA through an FRFR cabinet, with a power amp, turn off cabinet profiling and boom, there's your live tube sound. KPA has everything...

Tip #2 RTFM.... While the KPA is simple, there are many settings which you can adjust, clean sense, distored sense, cabinet settings etc... These settings will help adjust a profiled amp to your setup (guitar pickups etc..)

Tip #3 Profile an amp... I know you said you probably wont profile an amp, but, you will and you need to, eventually. If you had any doubts, you will no longer have these doubts after you profile an amp.

Tip #4 Realize that all profiles are not created equally. AMPs try to be versatile, so too will be their profiles... Expect variations in profiled amps and celebrate them. A profiled amp is a representation of the recorded sound of a profiler and his setup. Nothing more.... KPA allows you to CHANGE the default settings of the profile, which you must use to dial your tone, just as if you would dial the tone of any other amp. KPA's settings for gain, bass, mid, treble, clean sense, dist sense, cabinet settings are much more sensitive than any amp you've tried. The profiled amp, represents the amp at time of profiling, very accurately. Adjust these settings to "fine tune" your sound.

Tip #5 Read the tips sections that are posted throughout one of these forums. I forget which one specifically, because I read them all, but people post tips constantly and label their post as such. Read all of these.

Tip #6 Give the KPA the same respect any other amp gets. If you are playing it through cheap computer speakers, dont expect a 4x12 sound. Backup your KPA with solid sound equipment for best results. Good amps have good speakers/poweramps/monitors/woofers supporting them. Give your KPA the same treatment.

Tip #7 Welcome to the KPA family! You're going to love it!

Welcome! I second the RTFM suggestion. Get your hand on it and shout when you've problems, you'll see that is a lot easier than you think.

I would suggest just to turn the knobs and listen (with your ears) to what they do

Tip #8: Don't spent too much time on internet forums!

welcome

Just play!.. and enjoy!
Firstly, if you like the stock stuff on the unit, then just keep at it.. if you dont then head for the rig exchange. - but try not to get overwhelmed full of sounds. unless you want something pacific, as you mention Fenders, but alas, there are plenty of those up there too, just use the search bar. - however, there are some decent ones with stock.

Only move on if you have/want too..not because you read that you need too.

Quote from schneidas

I would suggest just to turn the knobs and listen (with your ears) to what they do

Basically that's what you suggest:
PTFP!!!!!
Play That F....antastic Profiler!

P.S: seriously, what i suggest is to set an higher level in the pick, compression, definition and clarity parameters if you feel that the stock profiles are too "spongy".
Check some Till's cab too.

Quote from dougjackson

Thanks for responding. It took a couple minutes to figure out what "RTFM" meant. Although it shouldn't have since my wife tells me this all the time.

For those who have tried both studio monitors and a power amp with a cab, which do you prefer? I would think going through a power amp and cab would kind of defeat the idea of using different amp profiles. Maybe I just not understanding how a profile works.

Not really..... would having multiple physical amps and a single cabinet on switchboxes defeat the purpose of having multiple amps? Hopefully you'd say "no" Same thing with the kemper... You can disable the "cabinet" on any rig, and put the amp through your cabinet just as you would any physical amp.

Quote from MikeH

Tip #1 Remember that you are hearing the sound of a recorded amp. That is not to say, it doesn't sound great... but you are listening to your amp through studio monitors, and an amp profile that has been put through a mic. This is the "recorded" amp sound... and it is very good. That being said, put the KPA through an FRFR cabinet, with a power amp, turn off cabinet profiling and boom, there's your live tube sound. KPA has everything...

Surely an FRFR cab is only important if you want to keep cab sims ON? I intend to run mine with cab sims off into my Matrix power amp and regular guitar cabinets. Anything wrong with this?

Quote from Stringtheorist

Surely an FRFR cab is only important if you want to keep cab sims ON? I intend to run mine with cab sims off into my Matrix power amp and regular guitar cabinets. Anything wrong with this?

There is nothing "wrong" with it. But, you will lose the fine details of various amps/speaker combinations....i.e. a Vox AC30 with Celestion Blues or Silver Bells )or even some Fender amps) just wont' transfer as well as they will in a FRFR monitor.

On the other hand, many people are completely happy with your solution; so, give it a try.

Quote from Dlaut

There is nothing "wrong" with it. But, you will lose the fine details of various amps/speaker combinations....i.e. a Vox AC30 with Celestion Blues or Silver Bells )or even some Fender amps) just wont' transfer as well as they will in a FRFR monitor.

On the other hand, many people are completely happy with your solution; so, give it a try.

I'll give the FRFR solution a try in comparison with my current setup using my RCF NX-12SMA although I wasn't happy with the result using it with my Axe-II. That may be an issue with the Axe though. When running FRFR with the Kemper, is it necessary to muck about with EQ to roll off the extreme highs and lows?

I play through a couple of different frfr systems: Bose L1 Model II and FBT Maxx 4aa. There are some differences in their respective eq settings, but that may have as much to do with the nature of the systems themselves - one is a "tower" and the other a floor monitor - as anything else....although, the only reason that there are so many frfr speakers is because they all sound a little different.

Let your ears be your guide. I have found the highs to be very *sweet*, and, in general, most profiles need to have the bass reduced just a touch.

Quote from Dlaut

I play through a couple of different frfr systems: Bose L1 Model II and FBT Maxx 4aa. There are some differences in their respective eq settings, but that may have as much to do with the nature of the systems themselves - one is a "tower" and the other a floor monitor - as anything else....although, the only reason that there are so many frfr speakers is because they all sound a little different.

Let your ears be your guide. I have found the highs to be very *sweet*, and, in general, most profiles need to have the bass reduced just a touch.

The main issue I find with the the RCF/Axe-II combination is that I cannot get natural feedback control, regardless of whether the monitor is on the floor or on a stand. Instead of generating warm natural harmonic feedback, I just get shrill spikey odd notes. This is what sent me back to an amp & cabs.

I don't have that problem - although I have only tried it at home, for fun, not live. In the venues I play live - church worship - I don't use feedback.

Let us know how it goes for you. I have seen mention in other threads, by several users that they employ feedback with ease.

Just a note: don't be shy using the output's eq. Is there to be used and regardless to what speaker system you use (FRFR or guitar cab or whatsoever) is mainly the room/venue that needs EQ. Turn the knobs 'till it sounds good and you're done.

Quote from MikeH

Tip #5 Read the tips sections that are posted throughout one of these forums. I forget which one specifically, because I read them all, but people post tips constantly and label their post as such. Read all of these.

Hey Doug,
welcome here!
You'll be able to find all the KPA-related tricks collected together in this document.
Hope you'll enjoy your new machine

Gianfranco did wrote the all stuff, we are all very thankful for his extensive work.