Posts by V8guitar

  • Kone & Kabinet Q&A

    I really like my Kabinet and Im going to get another one but...and you will hate me for this.....I do question your need for stereo.


    I used to run stereo back in the 90's with my ADA and quadreverb....with my ping pong delays etc...but I realised that what sounds great one its own doesn;t necessarily cut it in a band mix....I kept getting lost when the band struck up.


    I then went the opposite, bought Laney Gh100L...no effects ( it doesn;t even have reverb)...boom in your face. Cut through like a knife through butter and never sounded so good. On its own, dry as a nuns you-know-what but in a band...glorious. Also unless you replicate through the PA, seems a bit pointless to me.


    Just recently my other guitarist tried stereo through the PA but quickly abandoned it as it didn;t sound much better and just added hassle of another channel etc.


    As long as you are sure then your set up sounds like a great plan. If you forego stereo then you can get a powerrack which also means you can drive regular guitar cabs without carrying another amp. If ( as you mention) you are used to stereo then fair enough but just had to question it :). Obviously this is not a Kemper question but a general one. Kemper make sit easier to go stereo than a conventional guitar rig anyway.


    Anyway, look forward to you getting it sorted.

  • Kemper in live situation

    Quote from Dynochrome

    My performance depends on how good it sounds to ME and if it sounds good, I'll have a good night. That being said I can't tell you how many times I've felt I had sub standard tone or performance then a fan tells me afterward how great thing were then I get upset because I feel like they were BSing me. Then I have nights where I think its amazing and amazing tone and someone would say "I really couldn't hear the guitar that well". Grrr.

    YES, totally and been there and there is more psychology going on than we think. I had to be told I sounded good before I believed it. Now I don;t question it. Even if it doesn;t sound quite right, I make the assumption its in my mind than actually and hence I play better and never stress about it The good thing is the KPA is consistant. No valve variance or mike placement etc.

  • Neural Quad Cortex

    I was being a bit tongue in cheek. In reality its not a single review that I listen to but its multiple views that get you interested. Lots of people on here that over the years I've come to listen to and respect so its always a balance but hence why I'm just keen to hear peoples views.


    I don;t know much about Pete Thorn but the little I've seen I wasn't massively impressed BUT I know his reputation and the respect he has so not looking to challenge that - just because I don;t follow him means he doesn't carry much weight for me personally.


    I hadn't even played a KPA when I bought it because its so difficult in music shops to explore then or hear in context so for me its weight of multiple opinions.


    I actually don't even trust my own ears so I'm stuffed anyway :)

  • Kemper in live situation

    I use my Kemper live almost exclusively and I came from an ENGL rig. I never use external pedals and only use amp gain myself.


    To start I'm not going to say that the KPA will definitely meet your needs because sound is subjective, especially when your benchmark is so high. I can only tell you my views and experience, which I summarise as - I've never looked back.


    Couple of comments from me


    1. I would never rely on the backline regardless of size of gig - not from a volume perspective but spread ( not across the stage but to the back of the room). In any case, this is the main benefit of the KPA - straight into the desk, instant consistent FOH sound.
    2. The KPA will not sound the same and you will waste time trying to get it 100%. Why? Because even psychologically you will have rose tinted specs on and always think it doesn't sound as good. Its difficult to remove your "eyes" from the equation if that makes sense. However, I think my KPA sounds better because I'm not restricted to my ENGL - I have access to hundreds of amps and thousands of profiles.
    3. The convenience factor is massive to me. I would have accepted a slightly lower quality sound for convenience BUT turns out I prefer my KPA PLUS massive flexibility. Variable boosts for solos, any effects you can think of etc. If you are used to stereo then fine but I've always stuck with mono.
    4. FRFR is different. Some like it, some don't. Its a more "accurate" sound as cabs add a massive colour to the sound. FRFR shows everything which is good because you can change cabs and profiles and really hear the difference but for some it can be too pure and they like the "feel" of a cab. Regardless you can use the KPA with both.
    5. Digital distortion - The Kpa and all the new crop of digital kit are way better than the first generation and so definately not digital in terms of feel or sound BUT.....set up will always be important. The KPA is easy ( I think) to get quick results but it depends on how picky you are to replicate the sound you have been used to for 45 years :)

    Will you miss your Boogie? If you have the same experience as I did then....Yes to start with as you get used to the shift in thinking and approach but when you hear the tones on offer, you'll then get lost in options and arrive at sounds you love. Then you'll listen to your old Boogie and wonder why you liked it at all. As Alan said, plus you can profile your Boogie so no reason to "lose" it anyway!!


    Hope that helps...

  • Cabs for sale - unpowered FRFR and 4 x 12 - Sold

    Now I've got a Kabinet and looking to get another one, I have no need for my FRFR's.


    I'm looking to sell:


    A camper plus FRFR unpowered 1 x12 cab, with FRFR and GRFR inputs. Green Led's fitted but easily removed. No scuffs, with cover. £60

    https://digitalguitargear.com/camper-plus/


    L2 audio ( Music Gear direct own brand) unpowered 1 x 12 wedge. I tested this against a DXR10 and it was pretty close, so good quality. Some scuffs, with padded cover £50


    Laney 4 x 12 cab loaded with 2 celestion V30's and 2 Celestion G12H's, running at 16 Ohms. Built in Led's ( needs din power lead plug to run). Kemper "badge" on front. Reasonable condition, no major marks with padded cover £50. - Now sold


    All function well.


    Based in the Midlands in the UK, due to sizes, pick up only.

  • Neural Quad Cortex

    Quote from Nikos

    There are only two guys out there I trust for gear reviews "on internet":Pete Thorn & Phil X.

    To bad the latter loathes modelers.So I am waiting for the Pete Thorn review..


    PS

    I am 100% sure this quad cortex can sound better than these awful boss style sounds in this 90 minutes video.

    I don't really trust them, I'd trust the people on here more EVEN with their KPA bias :)

  • 8.0.3.23702 Public Beta

    Quote from Dynochrome

    For the sake of friendly argument, There are no "rules" in music theory. That's why it's called theory. Someone could say it's against theory and fail you for it, but if you harmonize in flat seconds and sold a million records doing it I'd say what you did was "correct". How do you think rap music survives lol.

    Can we agree that Music theory attempts to create a common language? Not everyone has to agree to it but it provides some level of standardisation.


    No one knows how Rap survives, especially the "added" 8 bar rap breaks by mainstream artists to try and make their records sound cool....even my 13 yr old daughter sees it as contrived!

  • Too low IQ for too much EQ? (SOLVED)

    Blimey where to start...


    Just my views:

    1) Your's does sound different but not in a bad way. I actually liked your sound as much if not more. I had this perception that took me years to shake - how can this digital box sound as good as other amps or how come they get a great sound and I can't. Turned out, I can because lots of people told me, i just didn't realise it/believe it

    2) Like all good amps, the KPA is not very forgiving. Same profile and signal chain but a minor change and very different. It responds so well to minute changes but it shows up any differences. Prior to the KPA, I though if a cab had the same speakers, they sounded very similar....wrong!

    3) Don't tone chase from videos - the level of post production is an unknown.

    4) We all know this but 90% is in the hands...

    5) I have a Falcon - very different starting point :)

    6) I firmly believe you have to get used to sounds

    7) Sounds in the room vs in a band context/mix at full chat vs recorded are VERY different

    8) Those iconic guitars we think we love...go and REALLY listen to them. I got a Randy Rhoads pack...sounds really thin and harsh...it was only when I went to compare that....his sound is actually really thin and harsh! Take off the rose tinted specs

    9) All sound is subjective. The amount of profiles that people have told me about and I've tried them and gone...yuk!

    10) KPA is not sonic nirvana, its only the tool to get you there. Like a computer, you need to tell it what you want but its literal so it will then give you that. For me, I wasn;t actually clear on what sounds a really like....

    11) Don't forget to play...even those 2 vids on La Grange, look how different their sounds are....which one is right? I'd say both or neither.... Let's be honest 99% of people don;t really care about the guitar sound, they care what you play. So, I would focus on more getting in the ball park and then being happy so you can play not constantly tweak.

  • Anyone using ownhammer ir instead of the profiled cab?

    I invested in some Ownhammer ones myself. They sound different but not necessarily better.


    As mentioned above, I prefer to change profiles than add IR's in as an option. IR's are totally overkill for me and slightly redundant with the KPA. This is even less relevant with the Kabinet is you have the imprints.

  • Wondering if my set up has been wrong all along..

    I would suggest:


    1) Don't buy anything new yet - you need to trace the problem, which could even be the KPA doesn't sound good to you. I doubt that is the case but it is possible.

    2) How "bad" is it? When you say they all sound the same, I presume you don't mean there is no difference between a clean AC30 sound and a Mesa boogie on full tilt? Sound clips will help.

    3) Is it very similar through Headphones? Can you borrow some reasonable ones just to at least get a baseline? That totally rules out the QSC's.

    4) Have you got access to any other signal chain e.g. through a PA just to try?


    I think its unlikely its the QSC's as they are reasonable speakers. Not everyone likes FRFR but you should get the opposite, its too transparent and you hear all the changes but sounds less amp in the room like. You will never mimic the sounds on line as there are so many other factors, but you should be able to get really good sounds if not great sounds. I can;t think of anything obvious except a low pass filter or something global but no obvious candidates...


    Not everyone gets the " revelation" of sound. I didn't myself, it took me 12 -18 months journey to go from OK sound to good sound to great sound. But it never sounded bad so hence the level of disappointment is important.


    However, my constraint was a real cab and duff profiles which only showed up when using FRFR ( so the opposite of your problem).

  • Feedback request regarding design of a potential second Morphing

    I feel that Kemper have been very good at keeping is relatively simple...I explained to a friend of mine who is interested in one....its complex if you want it to be or simple if you treat it that way - I think they have the balance, so i agree with you that they need to maintain that balance with anything they add.


    So as long as by any additions being discussed here they:

    1) Don;t take away the functions I use

    2) Don;t mix the morph complexity in with my simple use case


    ...then I'm good. So even though I've struggled to get my head around some of the requests here, this premise needs to remain WHILST making it more flexible and feature rich - I think we would all support that.

  • 8.0.3.23702 Public Beta

    I have no music theory, but I was always told when you tune down you refer to the note as a flat and tune up a sharp - therefore there is no right answer...I tune a semi tone down so it makes sense ( to me) that I see Eb etc. but some open tunings you sharpen notes...


    Feels like a pandora's box has been opened up...but in the real world I'm easy. The best solution is to make the tuner configurable, which has been mentioned before and wrap this type of selection up in alternate tuning settings and being able to save a tuning setting ( some people wanted variation on the cents for each note for example).

  • Feedback request regarding design of a potential second Morphing

    Quote from Burkhard

    I'm not able to control the dive bomb as evenly via pedal as the ramp does.

    That's was my point...I prefer them a little variable and me controlling it rather than a pre-determined drop but..perhaps I should give it a go as I've just been mimicing the Whammy so maybe I'll get the same lightbulb moment :)


    I'd definitely use a pedal for Like a stone as he varies the slur in an out and some slight wobble...

  • Feedback request regarding design of a potential second Morphing

    Quote from JuLai

    This! For me it was one of those lightbulb moment to discover how morphing via a switch can be also really useful to achieve much more even and precise transitions than operating a morph pedal with a foot. For example short pitch dives a la "Lonely Boy" or a note sustain bloom fx (=precise gain+delay+eq buildup and decay) just by pressing a momentary switch. :love:

    To be honest, for me I wouldn't use morph for this. Having gigged Lonely Boy as your example myself, I find normal pedal pitch more appropriate...Same as Killing in the name or any dive bomb, I prefer to control the "Slurs" in, however appreciate other may prefer a switch....

  • Volume difference between guitars (anyone use a pedal in front of Kemper)?

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    i was actually about to start a poll about volume pedals. I feel somewhat inadequate that I don’t use one and I’m looking for validation that I’m not a total freak ?


    there seems to an assumption in some places that every one must be using a volume pedal but I would be surprised if more than 25% of people do. Actually maybe less than 10%.

    I think the tendency is to use the volume knob on the guitar because I think that's where we have all come from with a valve amp set up. Why buy a volume pedal if you already have one. On reflection not sure why I bought a volume pedal for my KPA.....hmmm


    The obvious exception to this is Mark K who used a volume pedal to Slur notes in and its probably better suited to a foot controller.


    Most people use volume for 2 main reasons:

    1) To control your actual volume ( obviously!)

    2) To clean up a sound.


    I think most use cases are point 2 and most people are used to using guitar volume.


    I don;t use volume to control break up because

    1) I can change my sounds on my KPA - I don;t really need the adjust-ability. I used to do this more on my 2 channel amp to gain more sounds but now I can just have that sound there and ready - I know this isn't exactly the same but for me easier

    2) I'm a clumsy chord thumper and subtlety is for wimps!


    My initial point is I don;t use it to boost for solos. My friend who runs a Helix ( not relevant in this context) uses his volume to boost for solos. For me this is too much effort...trying to find the right volume points with a continuous controller. My boosts are a one touch switch, which I prefer.


    So i don't think you are a total freak :)