Is it really that simple? I get more gain when I rise the pickups?
The closer the pickups, the more gain generated. If you raise them too high though and the magnets in the pickups will interfere with the string vibration. Look it up on internet for the optimum height...
My very personal view...
Stereo will always sound "bigger" and more expansive and open up delays...but...that is not always advantageous, especially in a live situation.
In a band its important each instrument occupies its own sonic space otherwise sound is lost. I have found that the more effects and wider sound, the more there is that potential ( and it is only a potential).
I remember going to a friends gig and he had a new line 6 stack ( this is over 10 years ago BTW). He let me have a quick play before the band started, it sounded really good on its own...as soon as the band started up, it totally disappeared. It wasn't a volume thing, it was a the sonic space...
I experience the same thing back in the day, running a stereo set up ( ada pre amp, marshall 50/50 power amp, Quadraverb and 2 1x12 speaker cabs). Enormous sound on its own, lost in a band. I changed to a Laney head, mono with NO effects ( no reverb even) and the best sound in a band i've had prior to the KPA. I've therefore held that mantra. In a band I feel that its the tightness that gives the biggest sound, effects can add bleed.
Therefore for live, especially in a 2 guitar band, stereo is a disadvantage.. 
Now that's nice!
Are they the Jackson pickups or his signature bare knuckle pickups? Do you want to sound like Misha or just like the look of the guitar?
In my opinion the biggest impact on sound in priority order are:
Fingers and technique
Amp
Pickups
Guitar ( wood, Floyd etc)
Pickups have a reasonable impact on sound but most good quality pickups sound pretty good. As mentioned, setting them is a big factor..therefore so many factors here that just changing the pickups might solve your problem or might not...
Don't think there is an issue, its "just" a speaker...good chance it will sound pants though ( given its similar in principle to an FRFR cab)...
To me, i think it's a big market for this particular case. I've not seen any company that has a 16 cabs imprints technology yet and not to confuse with IR's solutions out there . Fractal , Helix and tube guys will be happy to find that they can play 16 different cabs into one cab.
The solution for those guys is FRFR and IR's. Why would anyone buy a fractal and then use a KPA and Kabinet just for imprints.
Kemper have a game changer here that they are now given more authentic ( as in profiled vs modelled) control over the signal path.
I'm staggered at how people want strange signal chains to solve problems that, to me, aren't there,.complex paths and mix and match are not necessarily better. Hence I don;t use a tube amp. I bought the KPA not as an effects unit or a speaker imprint unit but amp replacement - as its designed to be.
Have to disagree with you on this but hey whatever works for you and your bank balance...
You should still get a really good sound from your cabs. I used cabs live for about 3 years. I prefer FRFR purely because its closer to what comes out of the PA.
When I was running cabs, I was still miking up and the sound was pretty good. I tried to take a direct output to the PA but it sounded awful and I didn't know why. It turned out that the profiles I was using weren't great BUT the guitar cab "covered" it.
So when I went FRFR I had to find a new set of profiles and almost start again...but that was OK because the end result was also great plus the convenience of not having to mike up and get a great consistent sound.
The KPA gives you lots of options, but its difficult to go wrong, its about the set up that is right for you
Thank you, thank you for the honest answers!!! Crookster, I get you. We have 3 kids and, though I can't put myself in your place, the kids have certainly affected my selfish hobbies over the years.
You guys mentioned the one thing I was wondering about: STEREO. I was wondering, since naturally, unless you get 2 Kabinets, you are going to be running mono. My questions:
- Folks seem to be saying: well, if you want the full effect, and you have the room, and the money, buy 2 Kabinets. Otherwise, mono is good enough? I certainly don't have the room to buy 2 Kabinets. My wife will finally kill me if I do.
- One thing I could do is grab one of my single speaker cabs and outfit it with a Kone. Obviously this may have its nuances since the cabs will be different, but it may work well? I assume the Kone will work well as a speaker for any other amp as long as the impedance of the amp matches, since it's a Celestion speaker with some special sauce?
Just to make sure you know:
The powered KPA is a mono powered output. Therefore to go stereo its not just about 2 Kabinets/speakers, you would have to go separate power amp.
Personally, and this is just me, stereo is unnecessary. I actively choose not to go stereo because of the additional hassle and "wider" sound is not necessarily better, especially in a band context.
One other point, Kabinets are actially quite small. Check the dimensions as I was shocked at how small and light it was...
The Kone is an FRFR speaker not just a regular speaker. Not sure myself how it would behave with a regular amp, but it would sound odd. I was VERY shocked at how much colouration a guitar speaker added.
Back in the late 80’s every rehearsal room in Glasgow had JCM800 half stacks. I always despised them and took my own little Mesa Studio 22 to rehearsals. I always thought the JCM800 was thin and scratchy and generally just SHIT. When I got the KPA I tried some JCM800 profiles and they were fabulous. It turns out that a huge part of the sound of that amp comes from the power amp being driven. Unfortunately, a 100w Marshall cranked is way too loud for rehearsals so I was never getting the chance to experience the beast in its glory.
Totally true.
I ran a JCM800 and it was pants at low volume, move the volume very slightly, volume would leap up and sound improved. Get it on about 3 and it sang! The 50W versions never sounded as open as 100w so "that sound" was only really there at ear splitting levels....very on/off amps.. :).
Like you its one of the thinsg I love about the KPA...linear volume!!!!!
I run a powered rack and a Kabinet. Due to Covid, I've not been able to really use it in anger but my initial views are its another level of dynamics.
Prior to that I ran FRFR and prior a guitar cab....
So to answer your question....powered or unpowered - sound wise very little difference as for the pure Kemper experience you want minimal "colouration". For ease, for me, powered all day long.
Kabinet - I really like it. Will it sound like a 4 x12 on full chat...no. Does it giev a full defined and accurate sound, I think so. To me its better than just FRFR. Its not expensive so not much of a risk for you so I say go for it!
The good news is you will still have options. If you don't like the Kabinet/FRFR sound, you can try a guiatr cab. The bad news is, it all takes a bit of dialing in...
Erm if you couldn't, rig manager would be virtually pointless...if its not changing the values on the Kemper then something isn't working correctly...
Very nice!!
Wow! Yep that's massive!
Thats it yeah.You profile your own guitar then the processor applies necessary changes to that to make it sound like the target guitar ( e.g. - Tele,ES335 etc.... )
Trust me , its very effective once its set up properly.
Makes sense
Wow...I like tinkering with set ups but this is way beyond me
Can we see the guitar as well as it sounds like a monster..love the "massive steel block"
This may be completely in my head, but to me it seems like I can hear differences between guitars/pickups more with the Kemper than with "real amps." Even switching between guitars that have very similar pickups there is a noticeable difference.
I would agree, I have generally noticed that the KPA is more "sensitive" to changes...which is a good thing as it shows how dynamic it is...although some of that might be from FRFR...
I didn't realise how much "smoothing" a guitar cab does....
Get the principle of the XT-1 although still don't understand how it works, i.e. Do you profile you're current guitar to effectively make it neutral so that you can apply the "profiles"? Otherwise the input would be so variable that the output can't be that accurate ??
Becuase I couldn;t hear any change in the demo e.g. tele sounding like a Les Paul, difficult to understand if its effective..
I had the same thoughts when I first bought Kemper...I hear all these great sounds but mine doesn't. As its digital haven't I levelled the playing field? i.e. if I use the same profile as others, I should sound the same?
Unfortunately there are so many variables involved its folly trying to replicate. Couple of small changes have a big impact..
So, I would suggest ( as others have):
1) Make some changes to see if you can get the sounds from the purchased profiles BUT if its not working, move on. Don't flog the dead "profile" horse.
2) Look on Rig Exchange for the types of maps/tones you want. Audition them quickly, discard stuff that's not close. Ones that you like, save and tweak.
You will find better sounds than your Pod, I'm 99% sure, but also sometimes people don;t connect with the unit for whatever reason.
I guess I wasn't surprised but cool to see it in action.
The ability to remove ( albeit in a studio profile is removed via an algorithm and therefore will never be perfect) the speaker/cab which is always a weak point in such a small amp and replace with some thing way better is always going to improve it.
Not sure it would be my go to profile ( Ha! I know that's not the point of this) but great job!
The guy who makes the guitar, Omer Deutsch, calls it "natural geometry". Allegedly, those shapes in the wood improve the resonance/tone.
It does sound good, that's for sure! I really like the pickups, Bareknuckle Aftermaths. They sound really killer.
Body is black limba, top is flame maple, neck is three piece wenge-mahogany. Fretboard is ebony. Scale is 25.5-26.5". It's also got a bone nut, which is interesting, I've never had a guitar with one like that.
But its not finished...they need to fill those holes and the paint job....sorry couldnt resist
Seriously it looks fantastic!!
