Posts by dougc84

Hey, welcome, and hope we can help.

1. The rack and the "toaster" are identical, with the exception of the form factor, and that the rack has two less knobs (I believe for FX controls). Otherwise, the hardware inside is identical. You can opt for the powered version in either form factor, or unpowered. The powered is a 600W mono, single-output power amp. There are better power amps on the market, but it's still great quality.
2. The "toaster" acts as more of a head unit (like a 5150, Dual Rec, Fender Bandmaster, etc.) whereas the rack version is designed for mounting in a rack. The LEDs on both are no different.
3. It is very easy to use; however, there are some caveats. The AxeFX gives you boatloads of control over every single parameter. Coming from the Axe, you honestly might find the effects and the editing lacking on the Kemper. There's no desktop editor (but God only knows how many feature requests we've had for that), but the controls on the display are very easy to read, manage, and work with. Also, some of the more intricate things from the Axe, such as multiple signal chains, certain advanced effects, and things you might take for granted (such as placing a delay or reverb anywhere you want) are absent from the Kemper.

That said, the amp profiles are, in my opinion, much more "real" than the Axe's. Tweaking the effects and settings are more like tweaking analog pedals vs. a deep computer editor on the Axe. Much, much easier to figure out, but there's still a learning curve, and reading the manual will take you far.

If you're after great amp tone, the Kemper will suit you just fine. And, hey, you could always run the Axe in the FX loop of the Kemper, or do the 4-cable method, if you feel it lacks on the effects.

It's true. There may never be a Kemper 2.0.

Personally, though, after being in the Line 6 world for years, having sub-par models, poor sounds, no longer supported devices, lack of updates, etc... I'm happy I have a Kemper that I can get a great sound out of without needing to mix two poor tones to create a decent tone, firmware that's solid and stable (I'm talking about release versions, not beta versions, because betas are simply that - pre-release veresions), relatively frequent updates with new features and functionality and fixes, and great support from the owner himself here on the forums. Oh! And I won't feel anxiety about my old device when a new one comes out, because that's not something I need to worry about.

I stand true to my original statement - if you find the right profile out there, you won't need to mix individual amps (unless your sound is some weird mix of 50% Roland JC-120 and 50% Randall Satan). There's so many great options out there that it's not hard. But if you really want multiple amps out of one unit, the Kemper's not the device for you.

There is no merging. He's talking about using two separate Kempers live to output two separate rigs.

Quote from b_ryan

Of course it's a different tech they use to make their products. I'm no tech wizz but I'm pretty sure that we in the year 2015 are able to something like that. We send people in space. This CAN be done as well.

I totally agree with you that it CAN be done. But the ability of it to be able to be done reaches the limitation of the DSP on board the Kemper.

When you buy a phone or a computer or a tablet, you expect it to work for you for today, for tomorrow, and for the next year or two, at least. For some people, even longer.

When you buy a refrigerator that has a built in computer that decides if it crushes your ice or provides it whole, that CPU is probably one similar to a computer that came out in 1995, probably not much more powerful than an original Pentium. Maybe even slower.

People tinker around with boards called Arduinos that are very low-powered. They have a hard time powering an array of LEDs because they're low powered. But why is there such a community of people that love them? Because you design a product based on it's needs. A computer has long-term needs that may drastically change. A refrigerator won't. An alarm clock won't. The Kemper fits into that same realm - it does what it does, and it does it very well. When it came out 5 years ago or so (correct me if I'm wrong, but it's been a while), the concept of multiple amps was on the market, but only Line 6 had done it. Kemper wasn't going to be a copycat, and they still aren't to this day. A DSP planned 5 years ago (probably even earlier than that) had more than ample power to do it's job - profile great amps and allow users across the world to play through them.

Now, it's 2015. I agree that an update is in order. But the Kemper team is a small one. Don't expect this functionality to come out of a Kemper anytime soon. Line 6 was able to do it because they have the models of each amp (and a limited set) and the models of the microphones and IRs. With the Kemper, you can throw a lot of different things at it that are all very, very different, and the algorithm around the profiling functionality is very, very different than modeling technology. With modeling tech, developers can specify everything in code. With a Kemper, you have these data files (profiles) that may all read very differently, and, their output may introduce phasing issues. It's something that the Kemper is not made to do.

I had an X3 Live for years. I think 7 or 8 years, to be exact. I loved what I could do with dual amps. But, honestly, once I found some really great profiles, I realized the "dual amps" setup was just a band-aid. I don't miss the sound at all. I can get even better sounds out of the Kemper. If you're finding you can't find the exact sound you want, do some more searching - buy some great rigs from some great rig resellers. If you're still not happy with what you can get out of it and your only desired sound is dual amps, then you might want to consider the Helix when it comes out.

The DSP is just not powerful enough. But it's powerful enough for what the Kemper natively does, and it does it very, very well. But, if it's not for you, and you want something you can upgrade every year or two, then this is not the device for you.

I see this pedal come up a lot on the ERGNerds group on Facebook. Rick posts a lot on the group over there. It's a freaking cool pedal. I'm usually after something a little more along the lines of "saturated crunch," so those brutal sounds aren't really what I go for on my tone (though I do love them). Otherwise, I would have picked up one of these long ago.

Congrats on the new pedal. OH! And as far as the LEDs, if you're handy with a soldering iron, just add a couple resistors inline (2.5K should help tone it down a smidge, much more might be a little dim, but you could always inline more than 1 for less brightness). If not, put some Elmers glue on them. It's translucent - the color will shine through - and removing it is just a matter of lifting it off with your fingernails.

Profiling happens via a series of sounds that are recorded from the Kemper (or a mixer/audio interface/DAW and fed back into the Kemper). It's basically a super impulse response, that measures the cab in the room, determines what constitutes the power amp and the preamp, and figures out the gain structure. This is not something that can be done with prerecorded audio. The main reason is pre-recorded audio also includes EQ curves, reverb, delay, noise gates, and other abnormalities that do not work with the Kemper's profiling algorithm.

This type of process that you're mentioning is just not how the Kemper functions. It would be nice to have this kind of functionality - there are a lot of "can you profile a Kemper with a Kemper" requests, and I could see something like this really taking off.

I would recommend taking a look at a video (or a few) on YouTube of people profiling an amplifier and what it entails. It might help you understand why the Kemper is the Kemper, and why this isn't possible (at least right now). And maybe take a look through the reference manual as well.

Considering there is no way, without a mixer, audio interface, or some sort of mixing/summing device to handle this, your options (solution) are as follows:
1. Profile an amp with one mic direct from the Kemper (which makes phantom powered mics out of the question), and create the profiles you wish with each mic.
2. Profile an amp with multiple mics, using some sort of mixer. This will allow you the option to use phantom powered mics as well (i.e. you can use condensers and ribbon mics). You can then create a profiles that are solely individual mics (mute all except the one you want), as well as create mixed versions of those profiles with multiple mics.

This is how pretty much everyone does it right now. When buying a profile pack from a store, you'll often get 1 amp with a few different settings, and multiple profiles of that same amp and cab combo with different mics - both single (e.g. an SM57 off-axis, etc.) and combinations. Depending on the profile seller, you might get just one mic. You might get the same settings with one mic and different cabs. You might get different settings with multiple mics and one cab. It really depends, but they all, more or less, follow this same strategy.

I wouldn't place a lot of hope in something like you're suggesting being done in the future, at least not with the Kemper hardware as it stands today. I think it's personally a brilliant idea, but I'm pretty positive the DSP cannot handle running more than one profile at once, and this would be running two and mixing them.

Quote from b_ryan

Probably not. But what I would like though is a way to be able to combine the two mics AFTER the profiling. That way you are not stuck with one sound. Oh...I need more SM57 than the Sennheiser mic. You cannot do that now if you use a mixer pre Kemper.

If I understand this correctly, I think what you're getting at is this:

1. Mic up an amp from X different positions
2. Capture the profile from each microphone at the same time, but store them individually within the parameters of one profiled rig
3. After refining is complete, add an additional selection to blend microphone 1 and microphone 2

That's not how you came across - you came across as "profile an amp with two mics," which is only possible via a mixer. There is currently no blending functionality. This would be a nice addition, but I fear the DSP isn't powerful enough to support it, as you'd basically be running two profiles simultaneously.

Here in the U.S., we have geese. Fearless geese. That will just come up and attack you. And they s*** on everything.

I hate a goose.

There is a little indicator light on the front showing input signal coming in. This should be illuminating green (or red if a really hot signal) when ANY input is coming in. If that's not showing up, and you've tried different guitars and cables which you know to work, the only other thought could be that your input is set to the wrong input.

Go into your input settings to verify that you're using the correct input - tap the input button and make sure Input Source is set to the correct input - either front or rear/alternative. If the front input doesn't work, you can try using the rear input as well.

Edit: I didn't read closely enough, and saw that this was already recommended. Contact support.

Yeah, if you're coming from the Line 6 world (as was I), plugging in to "left out" only gives you "left out," not a "mono summed" out. You can adjust the main outputs to be mono if you'd like, but that also kills your XLR outputs from being stereo (not the end of the world).

Typically, with a Kemper, you use the Monitor out for your cab or power amp (or both), but there's nothing saying you can't use the main outs.

For my setup, I went with a rack-mount, unpowered KPA. The XLR outs go to the house, but the 1/4" main outs go:
- Behringer MINIFBQ equalizer, which I use to shape the EQ curve for my cab (without touching the XLR outs)
- Matrix GT1000FX power amp
- Matrix NL212 cab

This gives me the option of running stereo into my cab (the NL212 is a stereo, extended range, 2x12 cab - not FRFR), or, if I'm running mono into the house, I'm also running mono into my cab.

Since the NL212 isn't FRFR (though it does have an extended frequency range and a "flatter than most" curve to it), I can get a "pretty close" sound by using the Behringer EQ. It has the "live feel" of a standard guitar cab, but a sound that's about 90-95% of the actual main outs. I keep the Kemper's cab section on.

I would agree with other statements in regards to the Tech 21. It was a fantastic product in the heyday of the POD, but it just doesn't cut it anymore. You can also look at Xitone (they have a 2x12 FRFR cab), Matrix (Q12), Atomic (CLR series), and Mission for FRFR options that look like real cabs. All are great options, but FRFR isn't cheap. You're basically buying studio monitors in more rugged enclosures.

You also mentioned floorboards. If you're looking for a good, inexpensive solution, look into the Behringer FCB1010. You can use it as-is, or get an aftermarket chip (costs about $10-20, is reversible, easy to install) and get some added control. It's also popular for modding - you can lop off the expression pedals (they kinda suck) and use your own, phantom power it from your rack, etc.

Just a thought - have you tried locking the "cab" section on the amp? If not, you're probably hearing the amp/cab combo sound fantastic through the mains, but the cab is a completely different animal per rig, but your physical cab stays the same.

Some people love it, some people love to diss it - the Matrix GT800FX or GT1000FX power amps. I've got the 1000, love it. Some people say a cheap Crown amp sounds just as clean, but I beg to differ. I love it.

Quote from PhilUK84

Doug, if you want a cab again have a look at the Matrix FR212. It's awesome.

I still have my NL212 and GT1000FX. I'm contemplating selling both for an all-in-one solution - something I can take to a gig if I need stage volume, or leave at home if not in use. The FR212 IS indeed awesome, but that doubles my carrying weight (it's close to 60 lbs., whereas the NL212, which I'm spectacularly happy with tonally, is around 30 lbs.), and doesn't solve the problem of hot having to take a power amp to a gig when I'm not using that functionality.

That's really sad PhilUK84. And, after hearing other similar statements here... well, here's my story.

I recently got to the place where I could build my "dream rig." It's been a long time in the making, and I won't go into all the details. The Kemper is the core of it all. But I decided on an unpowered rack Kemper, a Matrix GT1000FX power amp, and a Matrix NL212 cab. TBH, I absolutely LOVE the combo with my Kemper. I can run stereo into the cab at home, and I'm close enough that I can hear the stereo field, which was one of my main goals. It's not fully FRFR, but it sounds close enough (and I keep the cab section on), but, with some character. However, when you tag on a half-dozen pedals, a MIDI controller, a Furman conditioner, etc., the portability factor is pretty much shot. Considering I don't use my power amp/cab combo all the time, and my main gig (church) is going to an in-ear system soon, I don't need to haul around a power amp and a cab to everything.

So, I was considering the Atomic CLR Neo, and selling off the Matrix stuff (as much as I love it), but... after hearing all this, I might have to look for other options. I've dealt with so many companies and individuals I don't want to give any more of my business to, simply because of poor customer service skills.

There are certainly benefits to both. After going to my most recent setup (still a WIP, will post pics in a few weeks), I find it's more tedious to program than my old Line 6 X3/Vox AC-15 combo. But I'm using it a heck of a lot more, so... that's certainly a part of it. Putting a Kemper in a rack with a Furman and a Matrix power amp and carrying a 2x12 cab doesn't make it any lighter than an AC-15 though (sadly ).

I still plug into my AC-15 when I don't have my Kemper set up at home (such as after I get home from a gig and just don't feel like connecting everything). It's also nice because it's simple - great for sitting down to practice and not fiddling around with knobs because I like how something sounds and I want more of it

I opted for a Matrix NL212. It's not a FRFR, but an extended range cabinet with a flatter-than-most response curve. With a little EQing (I use a cheap Behringer rack-mount EQ), I can keep the cab section ON, and get a "95% there" sound out of that cab, and it booms more like a real guitar cab. Plus, the NL212 is only 30 lbs.

I only use the outboard EQ because I use the Main Outs for my power amp (Matrix GT1000FX), which powers my cab in stereo (the NL212 is a stereo cab, and I use a Timeline and a BigSky in stereo on my board). I also use the main outs for the "to house" sound (via the XLR outputs), so I keep a flat EQ on the Kemper, and a modified EQ for the power amp/cab combo. The nice thing about this is I can play in stereo through either my cab or monitors at home. If I get to a gig and they don't do stereo, I flip my main outs to use mono, and I'm still good to go, and I have the same sound coming through my cab as the house has.

All that to say, I'm a fan of cabs that aren't limited like guitar speakers, but still have some character to them. When I play through my monitors at home, it sounds GREAT, but it doesn't sound "live." I haven't mucked around with the new Pure Cab functionality because I don't have the beta, but, once I get there, I might have to reconsider my setup.

Quote from nEVH5150

Is there?! I thought I saw something, somewhere...! Does anyone know what's included in the current
beta and is it risky in any way then ?!

Cheers

Read the post. It has all the details. Under announcements.

THATS IT. I QUIT. Good God man.

I actually really liked the MIDI implementation when I used it. However, I have 3 external MIDI devices to control - a Strymon BigSky, a Strymon Timeline, and a RJM Mini Effect Gizmo. I understand most people don't have the use for that many MIDI devices, and the people that do already have their own MIDI setup. For instance, I'm using a RJM Mastermind GT for all my switching capabilities now, so the Kemper's MIDI implementation doesn't mean a lot to me any longer.

However, I think the biggest thing is sending CC messages - multiple per device. If you have something like a GCX or Effect Gizmo/Rack Gizmo, it's easier to say "I want slot 2, 3, 5, and 8 on, the rest off," instead of "what the heck PC sets up those slots?"

I also think it would be great to spread out to 5 devices. Sure, most people wouldn't have the need for that, but for those using the Kemper controller, they're not going to be able to control anything else from their floorboard.

It would be great if you could set up MIDI-controlled devices in Rig Manager in addition to the front panel. Using RM, it would be AWESOME if you could set up names for your patches (PCs) on your external devices (for reference only), and name the CCs as well. This way, instead of saying:

Quote

I want to send PC 13 and CC 89 (127 On), 90 (127 On), and 91 (0 Off) to Device 1.

which is incredibly confusing, and you need a manual to basically know what you're doing (and yes, I know the devices can be named, but follow me here), you could say:

Quote

Tell my Fractal FX8 to go to my Funk Guitar scene and flip on the Flanger and Reverb, and turn off the Distortion.

I think this would make for a KILLER addition to the MIDI spec, and, by far, one of the easiest things that I think companies have not looked into enough. RJM has some similar features on their controllers, but only on the main device. In my case, my RJM will read the current slot's effects, tell me what they are, and their state. However, for something like my Timeline, I have to keep it on my board to know exactly what patch I'm on.