Kemper Stage with Bogner 20th Anniversary Shiva?!

    Quote from Finally

    The reason I sold my Shiva was that even with my critical ears I couldn't tell the difference between the original amp and a profile of the amp with my power head into the Shiva speakers. There was none.


    It's always about how you're listening to the Kemper and what your expectations are. My primary expectation is to sound like a guitar track on a record and not dominate the whole stage. I rarely need the old amp in the room config, but when I do it's the Kab or a 2x12 with V30's, which sound like an amp at amp volumes.

    Oh nice! So you have the Kemper Powered Head! I would think that is the ultimate solution. But since I already have amps, I'd spend more buyng the powered head with controller. I ended up going the Stage route to save money.

    If Kemper ever upgrades the hardware, redesigns there units, I'd be happy to then buy the newer design. I know the current Kemper has been around a while.


    Any of you try the Neuro Quad Cortex?

    Quote from Ruefus

    Meh. There are *so* many YouTube channels with people saying all manner of things.


    When a player like Mark Knopfler uses a Kemper on tour, Rob Chapel couldn’t tell the difference between his own amp and the KPA (with both in the next room) and the JHS Show goes a year without anyone noticing every sound was a Kemper?


    I’ll take that over a YT channel making a blanket statement while competing for eyeballs.


    They are different. That’s all.

    Thanks again!

    What's a JHS show?


    I totally agree!

    But some of those same guys who use the Kemper powered head or direct, did say the only way they can defect a difference is the feel. But they do say when using a tube power amp, you can't detect a difference.


    That said, I'm excited to go forward with the Stage and my Shiva power amp!


    I was close to getting a Line 6 Helix but I think Kemper and Quad Cortex are a step up and Kemper seems the most intuitive.


    Who is Rob Chapel?

    A tube power amp will sound different than a Class D. It should because….. physics.


    Whether that constitutes ’better’ is a different question.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

    I started with a Studio .22 back in the 80’s then added a V-Twin Pedal. Next I added a Rev G 2 channel Dual Rectifier and a pair of 1x12 Thiel Ported EVM12L cabinets. Then a Mark V:25 and finally i got a Triaxis and 2:ninety stereo power amp and a Rectifier 2x12 Horizontal cab which I rewired for Mono/Stereo us. I still have them all except the V-Twin pedal but use the Kemper instead of any of them 99.99999999999% of the time. Every so often I bring them out and fire them up then realise my Kemper Powered Head is just as good an WAY less hassle so I pack them up in their flight cases again.

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    I started with a Studio .22 back in the 80’s then added a V-Twin Pedal. Next I added a Rev G 2 channel Dual Rectifier and a pair of 1x12 Thiel Ported EVM12L cabinets. Then a Mark V:25 and finally i got a Triaxis and 2:ninety stereo power amp and a Rectifier 2x12 Horizontal cab which I rewired for Mono/Stereo us. I still have them all except the V-Twin pedal but use the Kemper instead of any of them 99.99999999999% of the time. Every so often I bring them out and fire them up then realise my Kemper Powered Head is just as good an WAY less hassle so I pack them up in their flight cases again.

    Wow, so you recommend the powered head!

    I was getting the Stage unit to use with a tube amp. Sometimes I miss my Mark V and a few other Mesa amps I've had. With the Kemper into my tube power amp, I should be able to get all those tones I love and the feel!

    Going to get the Mission Engineering expression pedal as well.

    Thanks!

    Edited once, last by Boardn14 ().

    This is the stuff that scares me! Many demos and reviews I hear talk about the Kemper being rhe brightest and listen to this demo.

    I like darker tones by far.


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    ^ Stuff like this is annoying and have no bearing in real world applications. They generate eyeballs and income. That’s it.


    I can show you a Profile so bright, it’ll take your head off just above your eyebrows.


    I can also show you one of the same amp so dark you’d think your Telecaster was a hollow-body Jazz box.


    Comparisons like this are less than meaningless.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

    Like 3
    Quote from Ruefus

    ^ Stuff like this is annoying and have no bearing in real world applications. They generate eyeballs and income. That’s it.


    I can show you a Profile so bright, it’ll take your head off just above your eyebrows.


    I can also show you one of the same amp so dark you’d think your Telecaster was a hollow-body Jazz box.


    Comparisons like this are less than meaningless.

    this. Almost always out of context. Here’s a solo I did with mine. Not promo just for interest.

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    A brace of Suhrs, a Charvel, a toaster, an Apollo twin, a Mac, and a DXR10

    Like 2
    Quote from Morph

    this. Almost always out of context. Here’s a solo I did with mine. Not promo just for interest.

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    Sounding great as usual sir 😎

    Quote from Boardn14

    This is the stuff that scares me! Many demos and reviews I hear talk about the Kemper being rhe brightest and listen to this demo.

    I like darker tones by far.


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    The funny thing is that in most comparisons I have seen the QC and Helix sounded too bright and the Kemper sounded warmer and smoother. You can make any of them sound great.

    Quote from Boardn14

    Wow, so you recommend the powered head!

    I was getting the Stage unit to use with a tube amp. Sometimes I miss my Mark V and a few other Mesa amps I've had. With the Kemper into my tube power amp, I should be able to get all those tones I love and the feel!

    Going to get the Mission Engineering expression pedal as well.

    Thanks!

    I wouldn't waste your money on the Mission pedal. It's just a crybaby with the guys ripped out. It is excellent for wah but there are much better and less expensive options for volume/pitch/morph in my opinion.

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    I wouldn't waste your money on the Mission pedal. It's just a crybaby with the guys ripped out. It is excellent for wah but there are much better and less expensive options for volume/pitch/morph in my opinion.

    Agreed. I don’t care for the throw of the Mission pedal. Well made, but not my thing.


    Dunlop DVP3 is excellent.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

    Like 2
    Quote from Ruefus

    Agreed. I don’t care for the throw of the Mission pedal. Well made, but not my thing.


    Dunlop DVP3 is excellent.

    the throw is the worst thing for me but also the fact that it literally just a Dunlop Crybaby with its guts ripped out means that it suffers from the same droop as Crybabies. After a little while the pedal won’t stay in heel position so it doesn’t work well for “bypass at heel”. Fortunately ,i prefer stomping on a switch to activate my wahs so I can get away with still using mine for wah but I definitely won’t be replacing it when it finally gives up.

    Quote from Ruefus

    ^ Stuff like this is annoying and have no bearing in real world applications. They generate eyeballs and income. That’s it.


    I can show you a Profile so bright, it’ll take your head off just above your eyebrows.


    I can also show you one of the same amp so dark you’d think your Telecaster was a hollow-body Jazz box.


    Comparisons like this are less than meaningless.

    Thanks! Good to know.

    Quote from Morph

    this. Almost always out of context. Here’s a solo I did with mine. Not promo just for interest.

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    Very nice! What amp profile was this? Kemper direct or tubes involved? Awesome!

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    I wouldn't waste your money on the Mission pedal. It's just a crybaby with the guys ripped out. It is excellent for wah but there are much better and less expensive options for volume/pitch/morph in my opinion.

    Like just using my crybaby?

    I only use wah on a few songs and I prefer auto on/off like my 535Q Mini Auto.

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    The funny thing is that in most comparisons I have seen the QC and Helix sounded too bright and the Kemper sounded warmer and smoother. You can make any of them sound great.

    Another comment I hear is that profiles feel more like you are playing a recording of an amp......like a perfect recording.


    I was watching a video of Alter Bridge and Shine Down. Not a Shine Down fan but thr guitars it who used Fracal Audio said he missed tubes and went back to tube amps and now his Fractal is hardly in use.


    I don't see that happening as much with Kwmper. Guys seem to stay with it.