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Oh another thing Jack, changing firmware is easy you just need two sd cards. So this could be your spring reverb and your kemper backup!
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02-18-2015 04:56 PM
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To Kemper users, are an frfr unit or a guitar cab absolutely necessary to get the most of the Kemper? How is it with a home hi-fi amplifier + headphones or monitors (an option advertised on the Kemper site) ? My dilemma is while it is quite affordable in my country (<$1500 new), I wouldn't want to spend more than that, especially as I only play at home.
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i would say FRFR sounds most like the original profiles followed by good home stereo speakers and then guitar cab and then headphones.
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Had one for over 20 months and use it in the studio.
Originally Posted by m_d
Like most tools/toys of this nature, its limitation is not being able to reproduce the amp in the room sound/experience without having to spend endless effort tweaking with different playback systems. Users have reported conflicting results with FRFR, tube/SS amps, cabs etc. IMHO you have to test it out yourself with your intended playback gear.
I still prefer to play/practice using my tube/SS amps.
My home studio was already setup, adding the Kemper was mainly for accessing different amp sound/tones for tracking/reamping that I don't own or prohibited by price and rarity. It's sounds close enough to the original profiled amp thru quality headphones or monitors for it to be useable for production and also for live performances.
Nevertheless, it's still a brilliant/ground breaking device that is continually being updated software-wise with refinements and added features.
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I use an Atomic CLR and it sounds great but I have also used theKemper using my PC/studio monitors which are JBL LSR 4328 and it sound just fine through those as well. I haven't tried it with headphones but others have and have been pleased. I wasn't happy with the 2X12 cab setup using a SS amp so I sprung for the Atomic and have been very satisfied. It can push more volume than I can use.
As far as your home speaker system you will obviously need an amp or powered speakers but I imagine that if your setup if fairly flat and you have either good size mid range or a subwoofer, you should get a pretty good and full sound.
Atomic CLR
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rich, you can use the ethos clean through a FRFR speaker with a tweeter and it sounds very good. It basically filters out any frequencies that would normally go through the tweeter and sound buzzy with overdrive.
Any of the cab simulators will do that too even better.
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As for the Kemper > Originally Posted by Richb
The Kemper Profiler has a built-in analog splitter that mirrors your DI signal to the direct out. Record this dry signal to a separate track, and you can re-amp it later, should you desire to do so. No additional 're-amping' hardware is required, as the Profiler is capable to connect to your recording gear by analog studio level or digital SPDIF.
Re-amping explained
How to Re-amp
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I looked at the various options at their "rig exchange" as well as the Amp Factory to see what is suitable for a characteristic jazz tone. Tons and tons of Fenders. Some Fuchs as well. Did find a Polytone, as well as one Henriksen profile.
no Evans, no Acoustic Image, no JazzCat, no Riviera, and, most significantly, no old 1940s or 1950s Gibsons (the Ginsons that were available were from the 1990s).
clearly not marketed for jazz (obviously no money in that), but since there are so many profiles out there. It seems a jazz player could find enough to make her happy. And would have to do some self profiling to augment what's available.
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Making profiles it's sort of easy so the chances of those profiles coming up are high. And the amps you mention - the AI is basically a PA, the JazzKat is quite similar to a Polytone, the Rivera to Fenders and the old Gibsons to Fender Tweeds. And I bet there are some Gibson profiles around! The Evans yeah, quite unique. But again someone will do it sooner or later. Originally Posted by NSJ
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There are about a 1/2 dozen Rivera amp profiles on the rig exchange but mostly the 30 model. The only old Gibsons are a mid 60's e.g. Lancer and a 50's GA20. I tried both of these when they were first posted and wasn't satisfied. The profiles I use today are all commercial profiles tweaked for my ears and individual guitars. Fender cleans from the Amp Factory and distortion from the Amp Factory or Michael Britt.
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remember, on rig exchange you're just looking at the shareware rigs up on rig exchange. There are many more available (cheap) from 3rd parties, typically for $4.99 (USD) for 5-10. There are a lot of solid state amps available that way. But more importantly, the jazz amps are typically just colorless tone controls on top of a coloreless amplifier. I can mimic the sound of my AI and the Henriksen by simply turning off the amplifier in the rig. In that way, I'm still using the EQ and the effects and cab. It sounds almost exactly like the AI amp. I use that for my acoustic guitar and it sounds amazing. Better than any acoustic amp I've ever owned.
And there are old gibson amps profiled and available via 3rd parties.
Originally Posted by NSJ
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so just use the ethos as an amp simulator and plug your OD pedals into the front of it. Originally Posted by Richb
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This is exactly how I use my classical guitar equipped with a LRBaggs Lyric pickup. Very pleased with the amplified sound. I used to use a Genz Benz Shenandoah acoustic amp but found that the Kemper the coupled with my FRFR cab which is very similar to the Genz Benz cab configuration wise e.g. 12" speaker with tweeter, gave me just as good a sound. Originally Posted by jzucker
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The kemper on almost any fendery sounding amplifier with open back cab can be made to sound like almost any jazz amp just by turning off the amplifier and using the tone controls , cab, effects, etc. Originally Posted by rob taft
It sounds like an idealized AI amp without the boxyness. I think it blows away any of the boutique jazz guitar amps I've played and to switch from jazz guitar to acoustic, you just switch off the cab and then you're playing through the full range cab (assuming that's what you're using with it) but you have all the eq and effects. And all the EQ points are in the correct place for guitar instead of the PA-Centric eq that most of the jazz guitar amps use. So, no need for the barbeq.
I think the atomic amplifire will probably be the better choice for jazz guitarists .
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p.s.
here's a thread about jazz amps profiled on the kemper including henriksen
Jazz Profiles for the KPA? - Profiler - Questions and answers - Kemper Profiler User Forum
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And apparently Fractal is releasing a smaller Axe-FX, the AX-8. Interesting times.
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it's just effects though, no amps. Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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That's the fx-8.. apparently an ax-8 with amps is coming!
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Does it have a passiv buffer in the circuit ? All pedals that have that Will be somewhat brighter in bypass mode in My experience. Thats kind of the point. I have never heard a reverb that doesnt cut/smooth out the highs when engaged either. I always Run My reverb in a parallell loop like the xblender or a lehle. That helps a LOT with sound alterations.
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it's the active buffer that makes the guitar sound brighter when engaged but all boss pedals have an active buffer but their buffer circuit is transparent as is the wet and many others. The point of the buffer is to avoid loading of the circuit which can have the effect of brightening things if you're using long cable runs, etc. Originally Posted by Hjalmiz
In any event, my digitech digiverb has a buffer and it's no brighter in bypass then it is when engaged.
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I Would say they are passive buffers. I dont agree that they are transparent in the sens that what goes in is what comes out because the point with the buffer is to restore signaloss, mostly highs Even when off. i have a LOT off pedals. The ones that has a passive buffer(fixed values ) Will make the highs more clear. Try to record your signal and look at the curves.
Last edited by Hjalmiz; 02-21-2015 at 10:50 AM.
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I'm glad to have stumbled on this thread. I was pretty excited when I heard about the Kemper. Watched probably every YouTube video on it. I thought it would be the ideal all in one solution for my needs in my home studio, acoustic rig, jazz and other electric gigs.
Finally, I made it to my local music shop and plugged one in for about 20 minutes into a FRFR with a 335 and was met with nothing that inspired me, certainly nothing like a tube amp. The effects sounded poor and everything had that unmistakable bright digital gloss over it. Now I'm thinking either the effects presets are (like most modellers) way too up front, or the monitor I was using was not a good match, or one needs to download better profiles and invest time and energy sorting through the myriad of possible tones.
I've been down this road before with the all in one boxes and even though I still believe the KPA can deliver the goods (how can so many players be wrong?) I wonder if the logic behind these systems is just not transferable enough (from the familiar guitar-pedalboard-tube amp rig) for me to find sonic inspiration. Is it possible to have too many choices? I am not a tube snob and would embrace a digital rig if I found one. Maybe I need to go back for a second demo :-/
here in Canada a new one with tax comes close to $3k (plus FRFR, plus pedals as it seems thats where the KPA falls short). I am currently using a DRRI with a small but select array of pedals. Love the tone, not crazy about the weight.
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Jack, I wanted to pick your brain on you FRFR selection. I am curious why you picked the Alto TS110A over the TS112A. Did you prefer the sound of the 10" speaker over the 12" or was it a matter of size/convenience/mobility/etc? I assume that price was not a factor of one over the other since you bought it for your Kemper. Thanks.
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don't know how to explain it to you but we obviously have a completely different perception of tone because I was an endorser for fuchs, two rock, gries and several other high end tube amplifier and the tone I get out of the kemper is better than anything I ever had before, be it clean jazz, SRV(ish) Lenny, Robben Ford Fusion, or what not. Originally Posted by BigToe
I agree the effects are a weak point compared to the axefx but they are good enough for 90% of any applications. The reverb isn't the greatest but is as good as a fender amp's reverb and the overdrives and fuzzes are very good compared to their analog counterparts. The choruses and delays are good too. They are not fantastic but are good to very good.
I suspect you (and the salesperson) just didn't know how to dial in a good sound. My first day with the kemper I was very disappointed but it was all in my not knowing how to get out of it what i needed to.
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It was strictly a weight issue. Keep in mind that in a FRFR cabinet like this, the bass extension is considerable compared to a typical 12" guitar cab. The dispersion of an FRFR cabinet is such that you don't necessarily have to have 12" speakers like you do with a regular guitar cab. In regular guitar cabs, I'm not a big fan of 10" speakers. Originally Posted by jasonmi3
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