What is the general verdict on the KPA?
- Radley
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Was an axe user since the first Axe Std back in 2007 (I think).
Sold my Axe2 (let's see what the future brings, KPA still sounds way better than FW10 I think) -
The only useful answers are those from people who have experience with the AxeFX II.
Why? OP didn't ask for a comparison to the AxeFX II...the question was what the general verdict is. I've tried/owned all of the major ones out there, except for the AxeFX II, so my opinion is not useful?
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Why? OP didn't ask for a comparison to the AxeFX II...the question was what the general verdict is. I've tried/owned all of the major ones out there, except for the AxeFX II, so my opinion is not useful?
OP asked if the KPA is "best," not if it's "better than most." Some users choose the AxeFX over the KPA after trying both. If someone is really interested in obtaining the very best digital guitar amp emulator on the market, then yes, IMHO it's not useful to tell that person that the KPA is best when you haven't had experience with the other clear contender for that title. And BTW, none of this is to say that there is necessarily a true "best" when comparing products across multiple criteria. For example, it's entirely possible that a user may find that the AxeFX does Amp A better and that the KPA does Amp B better. And it's entirely possible that a different user would rank them in the reverse order, or say that the AxeFX is best for all amp types, or vice versa.
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Nice. So if you've used an HD500 with DT50 - don't comment if the KPA is "best" in comparable tones. If you've used an 11r in a studio setup, don't comment if the KPA is "best" in comparable tones. That seems useful information, no?
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You're right, who knows, the OP may find it useful. I should have just said that it doesn't answer the question that was asked.
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While good guitarists can get very good sounds from each, only the Kemper really gives the feel of the actual amp across various settings. IMHO, the gain control's ability on the Kemper to go from totally clean to max'd out overdrive with incremental control is something approaching magical. My Marshall amp sits in the corner with about 2" of dust on it (and I'm using the AXII less and less).
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Needless to say, the general verdict on any private forum where the only expected answers would be from owners of that product are going to tend to be favorable. If they didn't like it, they wouldn't be active participants in the forum.
Radley - why ARE you asking? Do you still have your Kemper, or thinking about getting one, since there new features, and a gazillion more rigs? What do you think it does best? If you are having trouble getting a particular tone, there are plenty of people who will help.
I think Ben mentioned TBTMNBN because he has seen the original poster's name on some another forums, in addition to this one. It is a familiar name to me,too. Ben and I have seen each other on multiple forums, as well.
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hey folks, radley asked what - in our humble opinion - the KPA does best? clean, crunch or distorted?
AND whether there is a verdict about this. if you don't believe me, go back to page one of this thread.needless to say that something like a "verdict" is not possible here, and needless also because we are not in court.
i posted my 2 cents just for the fun of it. if radley were really seriously after a "verdict" this forum - indeed - were the wrong place.
because at the end of the day, whether you like it or not, there is only one verdict in business: does the customer buy or not?! -
Duh... My brain finally clicked. I knew your name from somewhere
Radley, hearing your Lancer profiles helped to convince me there was more to this toaster than anything I had tried before. Thanks for that !
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General verdict.
It makes sound and it miss a crystal pitch in order to impress people. -
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Somehow I don't think these were the answers Hadley was looking for.
I think this might be a KPA 'fanboy' roll call.
I'll take part in the poll...I think the verdict is the KPA excels in all tones, clean to classic to metal.
Here's a vid we did using Erik Stams clean Legacy Profile, and then his higher gain Legacy Profile.
Then the last high gain solo is djemass Mesa Pre-Amp Profile, and then finally the same high gain Mesa Pre-Amp Profile with the gain turned down.
The engineer/guitarist in this vid didn't have time to scroll through Profiles, we used whatever came first when the KPA was turned on.Awesome tones and playing. Very nice feel
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I'm not qualified to make a judgment about whether the lunchbox is better than other products, as I haven't tried the others. However, I will state that my favorite KPA rigs are the clean through slightly crunchy ones, and the tones I get are better than I've had with any other amp, be it tube, solid state, or some type modeler.
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I'm convinced the KPA is NOT the best amp profiler that can be.
It's just the best one that is.
CK discussed the possibility that perhaps a future feature could be to smoothly integrate several profiles into one for a complete amp in one profile across an amps tonal spectrum (clean-crunch-distortion-full, etc)
For me, it replaced my amps which:
1) saved me room
2) saved me money
3) saved me time
4) inspired me to play more, engineer lessand also gave me more convenience by
1) allowing real amp in headphone playing while others sleep
2) unlimited virtual amp choices I can't afford in the real world (or have space for)
3) provided infinite versatility for creative expression in guitar tone creation
What's the verdict?
GUILTY!
Of Greatness in the First Degree!
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I'm convinced the KPA is NOT the best amp profiler that can be.
It's just the best one that is.
CK discussed the possibility that perhaps a future feature could be to smoothly integrate several profiles into one for a complete amp in one profile across an amps tonal spectrum (clean-crunch-distortion-full, etc)
For me, it replaced my amps which:
1) saved me room
2) saved me money
3) saved me time
4) inspired me to play more, engineer lessand also gave me more convenience by
1) allowing real amp in headphone playing while others sleep
2) unlimited virtual amp choices I can't afford in the real world (or have space for)
3) provided infinite versatility for creative expression in guitar tone creation
What's the verdict?
GUILTY!
Of Greatness in the First Degree!
Agreed. Nice post!
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Now the most important question.
Radley, what's YOUR general verdict on the KPA?
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Hello, the most critical sounds to reproduce on older modelers are in the clean and low gain range. the KPA excels in this domain with a amp tube feel & dynamic. It's even better than some real vintage tube amps since you can expand their tonal range to some extents you won't find on the actual amp (Gain course, EQ, verbs ...). All my tube amps are now collecting dust.
I don't play any hi gain, but there are some real gems in this range too.
Remember however you'll have to find the right rigs that match you guitars , lots of rigs are matched to a specific type of pickups & output level. Some combinations are pure magic. You'll find tons of goods low gain & clean rigs if you got a telecaster.
We have a Winner! Translation: I agree with this assessment
I also feel that the KPA does all jobs well, but I am particularly fond of the lower gain feel & mojo... -
Now the most important question.
Radley, what's YOUR general verdict on the KPA?
Lance - My opinion is still very good overall, but I specifically like the lower gain stuff because it's so hard to achieve with most modelers (and many amps)... -
Lance - My opinion is still very good overall, but I specifically like the lower gain stuff because it's so hard to achieve with most modelers (and many amps)...Radley, I recall reading that you struggled to profile your old Fender amp. Any success?
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That low gain feel is present in overdrive/crunch profiles, too - turning the volume down on the guitar, and/or playing with a light enough touch can get a wide range of gain, all the way down to clean. Its ironic, in a way, but it would be possible to play a gig with a single profile, and just use playing dynamics and guitar knobs for everything from sparkly clean to pre-shred gain. And, it feels real - not compressed, and not a cartoonish overblown version of real.
