Posts by Boanerges

    Thanks, I know I will. Used it extensively both live & for sessions over the years, but had to sell, as mentioned. Beating myself up for not going directly back to the KPA but rather falling for marketing hype, but there you go. Luckily all my go to amps are backed up, as are my performances, so I'll be up and running quickly :)

    Kemper owner since 2012, had several KPAs but had to sell during covid lockdowns and no gigs. I briefly tested the Axe FM3 upon arriving in digital land again, but sorely regret buying it (the hype with every new unit and SW update nonwithstanding: not much has happened in that camp, apart from a lot of hoo-haa in the forums, since the Ultra days). So awaiting my Kemper Stage this week, can't wait to load my profiled amps, presets and performances again!

    Do you like the deluxe reverb because it is an open back cabinet, and that gives you the kind of sound that you want? If that is the case, a closed back Kabinet isn’t going to give you an open back sound. But, if you want the variety that Kone can provide, you could buy just the speaker,And put it into an open back cabinet.

    It's not that it's open back, it's more that it's punchier and livelier as a power amp solution, I guess, despite the fact that I run the Kemper into the front.

    Well... as long as you haven’t worked out A, B won’t be satisfactory for you either!


    Personally I feel there’s nothing missing at all when I plug into a guitar cab.

    So when I use the Kone there’s simply more different speakers for me to choose from.

    Or to put it otherwise: The Kone is no magic bullet which will give you a better experience than a real guitar cab.
    Let’s find out first why playing through a guitar cab is unsatisfactory for you.

    Thanks for your response, Ingolf, but not sure if I understand it :) The entire rationale for the Kemper Kone with imprints is precisely to remedy the problem with using a regular cab or a frfr solution on stage, isn't it? Or to put it another way: Since A hasn't proved to be a great solution for a lot of users (= not really giving you an amp- like feel on stage (which perhaps is too much to ask), B should be a step closer. What I'm wondering is how gigging guitarists have experienced this a few months in.


    Using a real cab with the Kemper doesn't sound like an amp with a cab, thats why it's not working for me (that is; it's kinda working, but I had hopes for the Kone to bring everything a step closer to that amp in the room feel). There's a certain edge to it that makes it sound a tad off, harsher, with a few artifacts in the attack and response that is unpleasant. I can get the frequencies to work etc, but in direct comparisons with a small tube amp in a live context, it drowns, even though it is louder.


    I'm totally cool with the things as they are, as the advantages far outnumbers the disadvantages, but just curious what the Kemper Kone brings to the table in terms of that amp feel onstage. Perhaps my problem is not with the speaker at all, but would be better off searching for a good tube power amp to power my stage cab...?

    Guys & girls & everything in between ;)


    It's hard to get a real impression from the kone from YT-videos and impressions I read about in the forums are all over the place, but I'm looking for impressions from fellow musician using the KPA in real live situations, not just bedroom scenarios. I'm a long time KPA user, currently have the powered rack version, and the only thing I miss is the stage feel. In some gigs this is important, in some not so much. Before I spend money on a cab or a kone, I would really like to know what to expect, the good and the bad. I use FRFR/in-ear for some gigs, but for rock'n'roll club jobs, a wedge (and certainly in-ear) just does not work. I've tried running a regular cab (the same that's used for my profiles) on stage, but it's not there (there's still a stiff/harsh feel to the sound and response, although I can get it to kinda work eq-wise). My best result so far (albeit not ideal) is to go into the front end of my Deluxe Reverb, all eq on zero, and use that as a room filler on stage.


    So; will the cab/kone be a step closer to the feel/response thing, or will it just be another semi-good solution introducing other shortcomings? What are your honest experiences?

    Hi all,

    I understand if some of you will respond with RTFM here, but if there are a couple of gentle souls that appreciate time pressure, I will be grateful.


    Long time user of the Kemper here, but for the upcoming gigs (starting next week) I’ve realised that I need to program a series of scenes. That’s easy, but I had hoped I could benefit from some best practice tips, since I have to get this up and running fast for pre production starting monday ;)


    1 for each scene I need typically a couple of distorted amps and clean amps, each with delays with a set tempo and volume.

    Is there an easy and effective way (i know it is but i forgot) to use the same amps and delays across the scenes, and then just adjust the gain, delay level and tempo etc for each scene?


    Also: i might want to globally adjust all instances of the amp across the scenes. E.g if I find that all distorted amps on scenes 1-16 need adjustment, is there a way to make the amp I use global, so that by adjusting one amp, I fix all amps across the scenes?


    2 any best practice tips for creating a set of 16 songs (scenes)?


    Have the floor board and an expression pedal for wah.


    Thank you!

    Ok, thanks for the replies. There's the possibility that I'm hearing things differently after a long period of gigging with amps, i.e. a psychological factor, kinda. Nevertheless, the live "amp in a room"-thing seems to work nicely now, without me missing anything from a loud tube amp onstage, regardless of the reasons why ;) At least for now. What a joy ;)


    b

    So I brought with me my KPA (+ floorboard) for my weekly rock gig last night, after a few years of going the amp + pedal route, just using the KPA for studio and session work. I had almost forgotten how freaking amazing this thing sounds & works live. I went direct out to the PA and used a regular 212 v30 cab for proper onstage guitar noise, which to me is essential at smaller clubs and venues. I used my own profiles (mostly Marshalls and Marshall knock-offs), and the same cabinet onstage through the KPAs power amp as I used for the profiles. I'm extremely happy with my regular amp setup, but this thing really kills. I have a lot of festival gigs this summer, and will definitely be setting up the KPA for these gigs (maybe even buying one as a backup).


    My question is: I haven't used it live with a cabinet for a couple of upgrades in software (think I was down at 2xxx last time), and just recently upgraded to the last software revision. This time around, I really felt that I got the onstage regular cab (via the internal power amp without cab sim > guitar cabinet) thing working way much better than before. Is it my ears tricking me, or has something happened in software that separates the cab from the amp in a better way?

    I would like to know who of you also own an AxeFx II so we can share impressions, thoughts, ideas, conclusions, etc.I think is great if you can have both units, it doesn't have to be a gear competition and choose wich one is best and get rid of the other unit.


    Haven't read thru the entire thread, so sorry if I'm repeating somebody else here.


    I own both and have done so for a couple of years (the Axe longer than the KPA). I really like both units, but for different things. You mention the fx; the Axe has more, more parametres etc., but the ones in the KPA are really good and tend to give me what I want. Both have stellar tone, but they approach things differently, yielding different results, imho. The big change for me came when I made my own profiles; I profiled my Friedman BE and my old JCM 2000 with really great results. This made me listen to my own amps differently, expecting different sounds from both the KPA and the AXE .


    Close listening, when you work for hours in a studio thru monitors, you (that is, I) tend to go deaf for certain aspects of the guitar tone, feel, etc. But especially when recording and listening to the guitar tone in context, and equally when playing live when everything is loud and cookin', I slightly prefer the KPA these days, due to what I learned when listening to the real amp closely when profiling. There's something in the guitar tone that I tend to dial out in the Axe just because I can, e.g. some high mids that might sound harsh listening to it for hours out of context but still is a vital part of the sound of a blasting Marshall. The Axe, the way I dial it, tends to sound "nicer" and the KPA is "rawer," more crude or rough, but that's the qualities of the amp that I tend to forget in a world of high end flat response monitors and that are important parts of the actual amp tone the way we are used to hearing it. I have a harder time reproducing this with the Axe, but I'm sure that's me and my approach or lack of knowledge. But I think that's what is referred to when you hear people talking about the KPA sounding more natural etc. This is something I've felt all thru all FW versions on the Axe; it keeps getting better, but there's something with the KPA approach that yields results that I really like.


    Also, there's something with the touch, feel, dynamics that I slightly prefer in the KPA over the AXE.


    Now, can we just get that friggin' floor board from Kemper ;) Im destroying the flimsy Behringer plastic boards on a monthly basis, almost ;)

    The thing is when Kemper comes out with it's floorboard the thing will most probably cost about $700 and in comparison the FCB1010 setup with the chip is $250 and is doing the job according to most people. The floorboard is not going to make me a better player but the sounds coming out of the Kemper sure makes me sound closer to a professional guitar player with it's numerous authentic guitar amp emulations. What I was trying to say with the "Who cares" statement was, I love my Kemper just the way it is!


    Just an observation though. If kemper comes out with a floorboard won't it need an editor? Now that's a completely different story.


    Sure, I like the Kemper too, and there are floor board solutions that works. But imho, Fractal has set the standard here, with a dedicated board that is solid, powered and communicating thru an rj45 cable, easy to configure, catering for most people's needs, even control freaks. The UNO-FCB is easy to set up, but flimsy and limited. The fact that many use it, might be more about not having particularly better alternative (even though there are numerous great midi boards out htere)


    Not a deal breaker, but a dedicated board with one cable catering for both power and communication will mean a great deal to me.

    ... And if your pedal cannot send on key-off, then send zeros on key on. That way the 'gimmick' is canceled.


    Thanks, I'll give it a try. Didn't call it a gimmick, though, as I'm sure it's a useful addition to tapping the tempo; my problem is merely that it lives its own life with my current pedal board ;)


    Thanks, I'll try this. The Gordius is very configureable, so I'll be able to do this.

    Hi,


    what does not work for you? What's your set-up regarding foot controller and firmware on your profiler? Beat Scanner and Tap Tempo should coexist peacefully if everthing is set up correctly.


    I'm using a Gordius LG as my foot controller, I also have a Behringer with a UNO chip, which I haven't tested yet with this FW. One of the swithces on my Gordius is set up to tap tempo, which has worked flawlessly until this FW. The problem is that I have to tap the tap tempo button very briefly in order not to activate the Beat Scanner, and I often end up with activating it, cluttering everything.


    There is no way to completely get rid of it, no?

    ^ Try the Liquid Foot. Need to add an expression pedal for what you are requesting - I am using the Mission. But LF is AWESOME.


    Also, Gordius' Little Giant 2 is awesome, and they have made presets making it simple to use with the Axe.


    There's no shortage of good midi pedals out there. Coming from the Axe-camp, though, what I miss is the convenience of one rugged, dedicated pedal which is easily programmed and reprogrammed, with one cable carrying both signals and power.

    I'm pretty sure this is discussed elsewhere recently, but I couldn't find any recent threads on this.


    Do we have a reliable statement about when to expect a dedicated floorboard from Kemper for the KPA, as has been mentioned on several occasions previously? I'm chewing through my second Behringer floorboard now, which works nicely when it doesn't fall apart, which it eventually does.