Using KPA mainly only with clean sound + external cabs = overkill?

    Hi guys,


    Long story short, I had the KPA for a few weeks just when it was released a few years back. It was great, but as I have a good set of amps, I couldn't make myself replace them at the point. Fast forward. I've gotten rid of a couple of amps, and I'm in the market for an amp, which will be solely used for clean jazz sounds, pretty much. I have other amps taking care of other sounds, so for the sake of discussion, stick to the KPA cleans for now.


    Buying an Evan RE200, or similar, is about the same amount of EUR as a KPA (non-powered unfortunately). If you just look at the KPA as a clean head, with a zillion nice2have options, and using it as any other head, with a cab, what would your thoughts be on that?


    The point for me is, that I really don't care for the FRFR, or studio monitors. When playing in small venues, I want to move air with 10", or 2x12 etc. Getting a few different cabs to go with the KPA, should really give me a wide array of amp sounds, which should be able to compete with the likes of Evans, Henriksen, Polytone etc. Now, it should be said that these mentioned amps, are very flat sounding, and the choice of cab to go along with the KPA, will greatly affect the sound. Still, the question remains, is this completely overkill?




    ps. If the above would work as a blessing, I probably would get rid of a few high gain amps, and then it'd be a really good thing, but for now, I'm only concerned with the jazz cleans.

    Quote from tubiux

    The point for me is, that I really don't care for the FRFR, or studio monitors. When playing in small venues, I want to move air with 10", or 2x12 etc. Getting a few different cabs to go with the KPA, should really give me a wide array of amp sounds,

    Like Ben says, you could more than likely get away with using a Pod or Digitech, or even an old Vox Tonelab for clean jazz tones.
    BUT, by the looks of it you like high class boutique gear, so go for the best of the best of the digital boxes. :)


    If you can afford it get the Powered Kemper Head, the clean tones using the Kemper poweramp into a cab will blow your mind.
    There is no difference in tone and feel between a 'clean' boutique tube amp and the Kemper Power Head into a cab.
    We've done side by side tests between the KPA Power Head and most of the current Fender amps, a few Dr Z's, a Victoria Bassman, and whatever else was in the music store...we had to show the guitarists standing around that we really were plugged into the Kemper and the Kemper was plugged into a cab because they couldn't believe the tone they were hearing.

    Thanks guys. I went the Pod HD route a while ago, and it left me cold.


    Guitartone: Did you use the same cab for the KPA all throughout the comparisons with the various amps, or did you change cab along the way?


    I did compare a SF bassman 10 with a profile of the same amp running through some EV-speakers, and the power section in my Lone Star. Of course, comparing 2x12 to 4x10 isn't fair, but the overall tone of the EV elements were quite different from whatever 10s were sitting in the Bassman. We also profiled my Lone Star Classic, and ran the profile through the power section in the Lone Star, and then compared it to the tone going through the preamp section of the Lone Star, and the profile was pretty much dead on. I'd say 99.9% there, with the same speakers as the originals, and the same power section. Now, the interesting part is, how would the profile do in different cabs? I never got to test that properly, and it's started to intrigue me enough to enquire here, and possibly get rid of some amps.

    well, tibiux, I suggest a kemper anyways because it sounds so good that will make you adventure yourself in electric tones as well............using it as a clean backgroudn is just the tip of the iceberg you would sit into...........so you would have a Whole word to discover..........as soon as you wish to :)

    "...why being satisfied with an amp, as great as it can be, while you can have them all?" michael mellner


    "Rock in Ecclesia" - new album on iTunes or Google music

    Quote from tubiux

    Thanks guys. I went the Pod HD route a while ago, and it left me cold.

    I've had a POD HD 400 and 500. For clean sounds, they just sound wrong. I sold them.


    After I got the PowerRack I got a used Mesa Rectifier 2x12 cab. It sounds good, but I just needed clean tones. So, it seemed like the cab was whispering.


    I traded that cab for a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe cab. The KPA and the Fender cab sound perfect for me.

    I play primarily clean tomes, jazz and fusion... I've got a couple of vintage Mesa Boogie 1-12's that are nice and compact, easy to carry and pack a huge punch and cheap. Lately I've been thinking of adding more cabinets to my rig for profiling variety. This week I purchased a Rectifier 4x12 and am looking for a 70's early 80's Marshall 1960. Also thinking of adding a variety of speakers to load for tone variations.


    Still, at least for me, the KPA delivers the tone and variations that keep life interesting, so no POD, Line 6 or Digi is gonna meet the level of sound the KPA does. The KPA keeps it real.


    With all that said, the last couple of weeks I've been living in the overdrive world.. pretty radical on a KPA, I must say. That 1978 Dumble (though it's not a Dumble as I understand) is just clean and bright and the overdrive is spanking when you add a green stomp. The Recitifiers and Marshalls are inspiring as well.

    Gettin' funky up in here..

    Even if I was just using clean sounds, IMHO there is just no comparison between the Kemper and the HD pods or zoom G series both in tone and in feel.
    best purchase I have made in a long time....

    TONE IS PARAMOUNT :D8) 8o

    Quote from Rod

    Even if I was just using clean sounds, IMHO there is just no comparison between the Kemper and the HD pods or zoom G series both in tone and in feel.
    best purchase I have made in a long time....


    This 100%! After trying to get some workable tones for gigging on my HD500, the Pod is now going to be used as my midi controller for my KPA rack. After taking my KPA out of the box this afternoon, in 1 hour I had giggable tone, that I searched for in the HD for a year.
    I was going to profile some of my amps, but I don't think its necessary, as the stock rigs are just so good. The TAF rigs sound stellar also, and I'm sure are way better done than anything I could profile myself.


    The amps I'm going to sell immediately, are my HRD 4X10, and my Boogie MV Combo, too heavy, too loud, and the KPA cando them.


    I'm thrilled with the KPA .

    Quote from Bikedude

    This 100%! After trying to get some workable tones for gigging on my HD500, the Pod is now going to be used as my midi controller for my KPA rack. After taking my KPA out of the box this afternoon, in 1 hour I had giggable tone, that I searched for in the HD for a year.
    I was going to profile some of my amps, but I don't think its necessary, as the stock rigs are just so good. The TAF rigs sound stellar also, and I'm sure are way better done than anything I could profile myself.


    The amps I'm going to sell immediately, are my HRD 4X10, and my Boogie MV Combo, too heavy, too loud, and the KPA cando them.


    I'm thrilled with the KPA .


    That's great news, welcome to the fun. :)