Kemper Power Head: what is the verdict?

I like guitar cabs. I like the way they push the air. A PA speaker doesn't do the same thing, and also feedback through a full frequency speaker does not sound as musical as it does through a guitar cab. That's my opinion.

What I am interested in is hearing from people using the KPA or the KPH into a 4x12 guitar cab, and how they feel it compares to a real valve amp. The Kemper itself compares very well to a RECORDING of a real valve amp, to the point where I would choose the Kemper without any problem. But for live performance, I am interested to hear from those people doing it in this way... I don't care about justifications for FRFR, or scientific defensiveness for using a CLR or whatever... that isn't what I want to do.

Just IMHO.

Thanks, Boanerges. Good info!

Quote from Maurizio70

Great post Gianfranco and a very good summary

Yes, this!

I'm using my Marshall head's power amp and my Engl 4x12 cab, it works well for high gain tones. Using a profile of that Marshall/Engl rig with cab sim off gives me a very good tone, very very close to the real deal. For monitoring live and having the oooooommmph it is a very good solution.

We als use a Powerhead, with the same profile i get an almost identical result on that cab. Regarding the reproduction of all nuances the Profiler can deliver it is too much colouring/altering the tone (i.e. a Fender tone would lack the high end chime for example). But as we monitor the Profilers with cab sim through IEMs this is not relevant to me, same for the FOH sound.

As far as my FRFR experience goes it is limited to listening through Mackie HR824 and some Adam monitors, revealing what the Profiler may sound like live when using a good FRFR cab like the ones discussed on this forum.

Quote from drew_fx

I don't care about justifications for FRFR, or scientific defensiveness for using a CLR or whatever... that isn't what I want to do.

.
No need to be defensive... or aggressive. I'm not selling you anything, and just expressed my thoughts about a question I believe matters with the thread.
While I'm not a moderator on this board, I noticed we like to keep the tones friendly and chilled out here. I like this personally, and that's why I like to post here.
There are many ways to say the same things.

Quote from Ingolf

Yes, this!

.
Thanks guys, appreciate it

Was he being aggressive or defensive?

I didn't read that.

neither did I

I don't care about what you guys think. Don't want to hear psychological explanations about his behaviour. This is not what I am interested into.

Sorry guys, was just trying to make my point

One should mind their own advice.

What does it mean?
Did you realize the joke?

Quote from viabcroce

Did you realize the joke?

Well, I did.

Good one, Gianfranco!

Quote from viabcroce

I don't care about what you guys think. Don't want to hear psychological explanations about his behaviour. This is not what I am interested into.

Sorry guys, was just trying to make my point

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LOL. I'm sorry if I brushed you up the wrong way, it came off the back of doing a whole bunch of research on the Kemper for live use, and nearly every single time someone who was really into FRFR would come into the conversation, poo-poo the attempt at using a real guitar cab with phrases like "why would you want to do that?" or "You're missing the point of the Kemper if you do that"

... so perhaps I was a little defensive myself

But I really would love to see more discussion on using the KPA into a real guitar cab, bypassing the KPA built-in cabs, and how effective it can be. Because it's a lot of money to spend for something that might not even work that well.

Some prefer to connect is this way and I think the kemper can sound fantastic through guitar cab + power amp.
There are two videos in this forum thread.
Kemper through power amp + guitar cab - does this work well?

No problem drew

But it's really as easy: when using a guitar cab, you're going to impart a specific colour to any rig. The flatter and more extended the cab's response, the less the colouring.
The point is, that you might actually love what you hear, specially if "your" sound is close to the cab you're going to use and you're less interested in sonic versatility. Many Kemper user do like this, like KH has pointed out. No doubt many clips on the Net sound fantastic, but this is not the point, which rather is: am I willing to sacrifice versatility in order to us my favourite cab to get the few tones I need through a Profiler, this way taking anyway advance of all the other Profiler's peculiarities (compared to a traditional amp)?
If this is you, go for it! The Profiler will sound as good as any good amps through the same cab, with something more.
It won't sound exactly like the modelled amp, but very good nevertheless. No fear to waste your money.

An option you might want to explore are the "FR guitar cabs", like some from KPA-Solutions or Matrix: they could give you more versatility while retaining a guitar cab's nature and feeling.