Just ordered, now what?

    Hello all, I watched a lot of youtube videos and I made the order on the non powerhead version. I guess my question is now what?


    Do I just plug it into my computer and play through the speakers or do I have to order a FRFR speaker? It looks like I can hook it up with headphones.
    Do I need something like a Focusrite Clarett to be able to play through my computer or record with computer?


    Ultimately what I want to do is to be able to play backing tracks and try to get vintage U2 sounds like many do with the Axe FX.


    Thanks for your help. :)

    Welcome!


    You need an interface to connect your Kemper to it. If you choose one with SPDIF (i.e. Focustite Scarlett 6i6 USB) you get all digital path. Then hook pair of studio monitors to the interface.



    Guitar --> Kemper <--SPDIF--> Interface --> Monitors


    Interface <--USB--> Computer


    You can record in DAW, you can playback backing tracks and play along with your Kemper.


    Have fun. You will.

    You can play through headphones no problem and it will sound great, but investing in a decent FRFR solution is more rewarding in the long run IMO.
    Regarding backing tracks: You can feed the signal into the kemper with mini-TRS to 2 TS cable.
    Regarding recording: Yes you need an interface.

    Welcome!! Here's how I would go at it, big sound = big fun! Pick up a Yamaha DXR10, Guitar > KPA > DXR10. Use your computer speakers for playing the backing tracks. You'll be much happier with the sound from the DXR10 over computer speakers or headphones. Also Kemper USB > Computer with Rig Manager. Have fun! Eventually you can pickup an audio interface like the Scarlett to start recording with.

    Quote from kulagun

    Thanks everyone for the tips. I'm excited.


    So did everyone sell their tube amps after? I have a Fender deluxe reverb with some pedals and I'm still skeptical I guess.


    I'm sure not everybody. But I did sell 5 tube amp after I wassure about Kemper not only being a short time honeymoon love but a permanent honeymoon. ;)
    Don't hurry!

    Quote from kulagun

    So did everyone sell their tube amps after? I have a Fender deluxe reverb with some pedals and I'm still skeptical I guess.


    Im looking for a buyer of my Mesa Boogie caliber 50 - I bought about 27 years ago. :whistling:
    The Hughe&Kettner Tubemaster 36 I also plan to sell.


    welcome!

    Edited 2 times, last by Sharry ().

    You will be able to approximate U2 now, but when the delays updates are released later this Spring you'll be able to nail it.


    Discuss what types of bands or amps you like and get suggestions on free/commercial profiles that might suit you.

    Quote from kulagun

    Thanks everyone for the tips. I'm excited.


    So did everyone sell their tube amps after? I have a Fender deluxe reverb with some pedals and I'm still skeptical I guess.


    I'll address your skepticism first, and then the part about selling stuff.


    As many in this forum can attest to, I was probably one of the biggest skeptics that they've seen here in quite a while. I'm VERY picky about my tone; to the point where it's really probably not healthy considering I'm not a pro-touring musician. I just play in cover bands every weekend.


    I bought my Kemper just under a month ago and was not shy about telling everyone on here how hesitant I was. In fact, right up until last week I was still debating on whether or not to keep it or return it. Not so much because I didn't like the sound of it, but because due to a busy schedule, I simply didn't have the time to really devote to it every day as I had hoped.


    Anyway, I tested it through 3-4 different FRFR cabs, as well as ran it through the power section of my Mesa Roadster with my two 1x12 Mesa Theil cabs. I found a FRFR cab that sounded great and gave a really accurate "amp in the room" feel (the Yamaha DXR15). Found some profiles that I really liked. Tested it on a couple different PA systems really quickly before gigs with my normal tube amp setup just to see if it would sound as good live as it does through my Yamaha.


    In the end, I've decided to keep it. And these are my reasons why.

    • After I found the right profiles, and I cannot stress enough how important that point is, it sounds GREAT when cranked through the Yamaha DXR15. I can crank it up to what I call "let the next zip code know I'm awake" levels, and it sounds great. Just like my Mesa Roadster. So even if all I used was this one single profile for my medium to high gain sounds, it's already doing what the Roadster did. The Roadster sounded amazing too, but it's just one amp (even though it has different modes). So even if I use this one sound/profile, I've basically lost nothing over the Roadster. Not to mention, I still have literally over 1,500 profiles that I have yet to even test out. So I'm pretty sure I'm going to find at least another handful that I like, which at that point, will already be more than the Roadster could do. At that point, I'll be selling my Roadster to off set some of the cost of buying the Kemper.
    • I'll also be able to sell both of my Mesa Thiel cabs to pay for the DXR15 and have money left over.
    • I'll be able to sell my TC Electronics G-System because now that I've got the Kemper controller, the effects in the Kemper, combined with those that will be released in future firmware updates, will be more than what I need.

    So, I plan on using my current Mesa Roadster & G-System rig while I'm getting my Kemper up to speed. Once I have the Kemper dialed in to the tones and needs of my current working band, I'll start using that live (we're too busy for me to just plop it in now and not have the various tones I need ready and tested). Once I get the Kemper ready for live use, I plan on profiling my Mesa Roadster and then selling it. I'm going to wait until my Kemper is ready before I sell the Roadster for several reasons. First, as mentioned above, I need the Roadster until the Kemper is ready. Second, I want to try the profiling piece of the Kemper so that I'll have experience with it down the road when I want to clone another amp. And third, in the off chance that I can't find a Mesa Roadster profile out there somewhere that I like, I can get my sound that I'm used to, before selling the Roadster.


    I know that's a VERY long-winded response to your questions. But my point is, if the Kemper can work for someone as picky as I am, it can work for anyone. AS LONG AS you find the right profiles. Don't give up even if you've gone through 30 of them. Honestly, I'd say the vast majority of the medium to high gain profiles that came stock on the Kemper sound like complete JUNK to me. I think the ones I like are actually commercial profiles. BUT, the 2 Friedman profiles that I found and love so much, are profiles of $3,600 amps, and I'll be damned if they don't sound just as good as the real thing to me. So even if I come away with just those 2 profiles, I basically just got $7,200 worth of amps for the price of the Kemper, not to mention built in effects, a looper, controller, and a far more portable setup. Also, don't expect every profile (even the commercial ones) to sound good or to sound like what you think they're supposed to sound like. You have to remember, the person who profiled these things, not only may have a different idea as to what sounds good than you, but was also very likely using completely different gear than you'll be using to play them back. So tweaking will be necessary. But there ARE some great sounds out there.


    My fingers are tired now.

    Well stated OhG... I've been using my KPA in cover bands for almost 4 years and couldn't be happier.... I sure got tired of carrying 2-3 amps to gigs just to cover the diversity of tones I needed. Now I have 1000's.


    WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

    If you are on the market for an FRFR cab, you can't go wrong with a CLR. No compromise, no frills, no nothing :)
    If it fits your budget it's a no-brainer IMO.


    There are also interesting solutions in the field of "FR" (some say GRFR), for those who feel inclined


    :)