I'd I read the OP correctly, you have to run Win xp or 7?
This is going to give you problems. You need windows 8 or higher.
Oh, I forgot there was a Windows 8. I honestly don't know if it works on 8 or not.
But I was only talking about the current gear, not future gear - my current rig isn't fully compatible with Windows 10. Which means I can't buy a new computer and expect it to work.
having 2 or 3 of everything is vitally important to a working musician.
With my current rig (which consists solely of a modeler), I have often thought that maybe it would be good if they created a companion device....
I can do all of my work on the "big daddy" product at home. Do all of my tweaks. Make everything perfect during the week at my leisure.
And then, for showtime, all I need is a device that lets me upload my patches. When I am on a stage, it is too late to adjust tone. All I need is the tuner, the expression pedal, and a method to change patches. I do not need all of the editing buttons and functionality.
I'd rather have one "big daddy" product I leave at home, and two $100 companion devices for gigs.
As it stands now, I have a big piece of plexiglass that goes over the screen and knobs. Prevents the screen from breaking if something drops on it. Prevents the knobs from being accidentally moved. I know some people who put a "rain jacket" over their board to keep puke and beer from finding its way into electronics.
I don't have a cool 'come to jesus' moment. I am a musician. I come from a long line of musicians. It has always been there. Both around me as well as in me.
I also don't have a "struggling artist" story. I was a child, I lived with my parents. I had them, they knew people, those people knew people - and because I was a "natural" (savant, prodigy, etc) I had plenty of gigs within months of first taking it seriously. I was the original Hannah Montana. Regular school kid by day, drunken rock star by night.
But, I can say this - I liked KISS.
Ok, fine, not the greatest musicians. But it was fun and entertaining. A lot of what I did on stage was no doubt because of them. 38 years later, what I do is more about the business stuff. Sometimes I get paid to be a star. Sometimes I get paid to stand in the background and make the star look good.
Acoustic guitar can't be intonated like a electric guitar can be so you need to compensate for that. For a electric guitar it depends on you playing style and string gauge too.
just because I believe you have the right thought but it came across a little lacking on paper (we are all guilty of this from time to time) ----
String gauge doesn't matter on electric guitars because they have individual bridges that can compensate.
Acoustic guitars can be intonated by changing gauges. This means buying 6 individual strings (once the correct gauges are discovered), not a pack of 6 pre-selected sizes.
not taking the poll because there is not enough details in the question to give an affirmative answer -
Studio work needs to be 0. Studio needs to be the most precise, the cleanest work you have ever done. PERIOD.
Live work is more forgiving.
Live with multiple guitarists can easily get away with 1-3, even 3-6 depending on genre.
Live work as a sole guitarist can be the 7+. But too much more than 11 is pushing it.
And practice/rehearsal/jamming - forget about it. As long as you are fingering the right note, that is all that counts.
*if you can hear it, forget cents and tune it
I don't own a Kemper, but I have said on my product's forum numerous times - if you need something other than a boutique/specialized item, you bought the wrong product. Your purchase should have already had all the stuff you need.
My old rig took about 5 years to build/perfect. And it lasted me well over 2 decades. My current rig is a modeler. It replaced everything that goes between the guitar and sound man.
I have 3 pieces that I sometimes use but are not part of "the standard rig".
1. Because I no longer have a physical amp/cab, I lost the ability to use a talk box. But my modeler has a vocoder (if you use a mic). Win some lose some. So, I now have a self-powered talk box when I need one.
2. I have a 30 year old Boss PS-2. It is used solely in the studio for a particular noise I make, and at home for pitch shifting to play along with records that aren't always 440. I could use it live if needed as it is far superior for pitch shifting (not harmony) than any other MFX I have found. There are dedicated pitch devices that cost a bundle, but my workflow doesn't require that.
*I also keep it around for any reunion shows I may do for a particular band I was in due to a special noise I need.
3. If I am in a wah-heavy act, I prefer my old wah pedal than the expression pedal and wah models included with my modeler.
None of which would fit in a rack. They are all floor units. And nothing I would need to keep with me 24/7.
So, really, it boils down to - what do you need that the unit isn't giving you.
I don't own a Kemper.
But I own both floor and rack of the product I do have.
For my product, the two units are the same (if using the add-on foot controller with the rack unit). I don't know how units may differ with Kemper.
I make patches for my various uses. But some of the acts I am in, I can put my unit in the rack case with all the other group gear, and let the computer make all of the changes. Sync all instruments, mixes, and lights - more of a production number than a rock band in concert.
While others I am in, I am stepping on my own gear.
I don't know you or your usage. But it an example as to why one may go with one of each.
*I've not read every response. So, forgive me if I duplicated someone. Nor am I trying to pick a fight with anyone's post.
If there are any Eddie and the Cruisers fans - Bed sheets vs Fine Linens.
or Fine Dining vs Fast Food.
You would use 96 if you were making a timeless masterpiece. Most of us make b-sides for a one hit wonder's 3rd single, and 48 is fine.
Even if you mixdown the 96 to make your radio edit, you still are better off having started with the better source code.
The argument for or against one or the other is basically the same as vinyl vs cd (or now vs mp3). If you truly feel that vinyl is king and it sounds "so much better", you need 96 - more is better.
But if you are listening to music on your iPod at 128kbps with $10 earbuds... I spent too much time typing a response.
Well, wait....
I have seen videos of guys who take an amp and then twist the knob to adjust gain, going from clean to crunch to dirty to metal.
If a 'profile' is not a model, how did they do that?
that video... that isn't just your amp crapping out. It looked like the entire unit shut down and restarted.
But to answer the question as to what to do for sound until you get the unit figured out...
I am partial to JBL Eon. They are good. They are readily available, which means they can often be had very cheap.
I know it isn't just a power amp, but it is an option.
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.
That is the kind of information I needed to see.
I don't think this is the route for me.
It may have been a good choice when I worked for [evil corporation], or that "variety act" I was in. But not really what I need in my day to day routine.
I don't even own a Kemper (just made my first post questioning as to if I should or not), but from other gear experiences...
In addition to everything people have said above about single coils and ground loops -
Most people don't realize how much noise there is on the amps that are being modeled. Think about it - when was the last time you had a 100 watt Marshall 8x12 cranked to 10 while standing inches away? Yet, this is the tone we are trying to replicate. And thanks to modeling, we can. We can have that tone coming out of our headphones without the deafening volume level.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of noise/hiss/hum on physical amps - even without a guitar being plugged in. It is totally natural. It gets included with models. In fact, without the hum, models can sound "blah". And the same can even be said for "noiseless" single coils - without that noise, you often lose the very tone that made you want a single coil in the first place.
Of course, without being in the room to hear what you hear, we don't know what kind of noise you have. You could have any number of issues. But, to answer the question as stated - yes, it is normal to have noise.
Career musician. My first rig lasted over 2 decades. My current rig is a modeler, I've had it for 7 years - it is not giving me problems. It does not need replaced. In fact, due to my travel routine, I have multiple of the same units (both rack and floor) stashed across the country. My patches are on a stick / in the cloud, all I need is a computer to transfer them. It does what I need and I had no intentions of getting rid of it.
However, I have a guitar for sale, and someone is offering me a Kemper (profiler. head. no power) for trade.
My current rig is not fully compatible with Windows 10 (or the newest Mac updates, but I don't use Apple). It doesn't work at all with mobile devices. Does not work with memory sticks. It doesn't work with the 'lesser' Microsoft/Windows products (such as Windows CE) found on netbooks. I need full versions of Windows, and as I said it has to be XP thru 7.
I can run two inputs at the same time (such as mic and guitar with their own separate paths). I have stereo output. I can run 8 fx (not limited to 4 pre and 4 post like the Kemper does), 2 simultaneous amp models, an fx loop and a sampler/looper. I have 512 available slots for tones, which are grouped in 8 lists. I can record via USB or audio jacks.
Oh, also, I have the pedalboard, which allows 2 expression pedals which can control any parameter on the unit (in other words, not limited to a wah or volume pedal). And if I do need to travel with it, the floor unit fits nicely in my overhead suitcase.
The question -
Knowing the compatibility issues I face. Do I take the opportunity to switch? (particularly with the CoVid restrictions which would allow me time to learn and tweak the unit before I need it). What is the Kemper computer stuff like?
What am I gaining. What am I losing.
I can't see myself 'profiling' much. But, I can see its usefulness. I would probably do as I have always done, which is, take what is available and twist knobs until I have the tone I need.
etc etc
