Kemper live rig

    I tried out a kemper the other day. I love the sound but, the reaction to me playing felt a bit odd bit like a modeller. Now I set up my amp as a fairly medium gain and I usually have high output pickups and I pick hard. So that might be why it felt odd not using my exact rig and backing off the gain seemed to drop it in alot of ways and feel very odd. Anyone else experienced this?


    I'm currently sorting cash for a kemper rack because I want a very reliable live rig which can do both bass and guitar? Just wondering is it simply the profiles I have used?

    Hello! Welcome to the forum.


    Yes, the KPA is a modeler...but it's also more than that.


    When listening to your sound and playing, keep in mind that you are listening to and playing with an amp that projects the combined sound of amp, cab, mic, room... Micpres etc...so it sounds different...just like you'd listen to a record or mix and not to a simple guitar amp in a room, giving you a different sound perspective. What you hear from the KPA is what you'd be listening to on a record. It's accurate and spot on, however if you are not used to the sounder understand why it sounds like this it can be difficult.


    Also, try to experiment with the input section of the amp. The KPA has different sensitivities settings driving the profiles differently and of course if you experience a drop in signal the noise gate could be set too high....


    Of course, the profiles can always adjusted to taste or if you are doing them yourself, you still need to tweak them a bit and compare the amp sounds to get it right.


    Keep on trying:)

    There are also many adjustments that can be made within the rig like the definition, pic, and clarity sections within the stack section that make huge differences to the attack and feel of the amp. There are also options of running the kpa into guitar speakers with the cab sim off which gives you the "feel" that you are used to. I personally have experienced that the more i use frfr solution, the more I get used to it and like it...acquired taste, but if you become unhappy with it you can always use guitar or bass speakers and use it more like the traditional amp head, which I also love and were my original intentions. Best of luck on your kpa endeavors.

    And turn the noise gate down (for me some profiles has simply to much "Input Noise Gate" on and than do not feel good).


    I would say that the feel and dynamics of Kemper is excellent! As a good tube amp.