Is Kemper hard to use ?

So I’ve got a Kemper on layaway. The more I read the more confusing it is ...is this unit hard to use and set up ? It seams confusing. I’ve no intention of profiling when there some many to buy. Recording and live use. I test drove it for an hour or so at the store sounds excellent but ...

I guess question is setting up which amp profiles I want to keep and deleting the rest, can you do this ? I don’t want to have to dig endlessly through paremiters n folders.

Also I read tweaking these amp models is endless with bias and tube sag etc....

I’ve used many different processors through out the years this seams more difficult or not really ?

Maybe someone can just help clear some of this up before I abort my purchase n run back to a tube amp.

Thanks in advance.

I would also check the Kemper forum.

I have never had one but I feel it should be pretty easy. I had an AX8 and that is apparently more complex and still was really not all that difficult.

For your uses "recording and live use" I hear the Kemper is amazing. The only complaints that I have seen online are from people missing that "in the room tube amp sound".

I was hesitant as well, being tech-challenged, but the interface is pretty intuitive. There are still quite a few features that I don't use, but the basics aren't hard to master.

As for the "in the room" sound, it's pretty convincing if you run the monitor output into a real-deal 4x12 and shut off the cabinet simulations. I'd like to try that setup side-by-side with an FRFR monitor, but alas, the gear fund is currently depleted. Some day...

Plan on spending less time playing and more time tweaking

I played the powered Kemper side by side an EVH 5153 through 4x12. They sounded played and felt the same. I'm convinced that Kemper is legit... I'm just worried about being able to navigate it. I don't want 2000 profiles it be nice to have only the ones I want , is this possible ?

As I understand it - you can remove the profiles you don’t want to use from your Kemper and just have the ones you actively use on there - make sure you copy off the ones you are deleting first before removing as they’re gone forever from the Kemper. The rig manager software that runs off of a pc or mac sort of operates as a file manager for the profiles themselves, you can see what’s on your Kemper, what’s loaded into your Rig Manager, and what is on the Rig Exchange and pretty easily move files around without any hiccups.

For when I am auditioning profiles I usually have my laptop connected to the Kemper and rig manager up, quickly cycle through and find ones I like flag them for a second play through, then narrow down that group and put all the ones I like onto the Kemper. Interface is easy to navigate but if you’re auditioning 200 profiles this method is quicker in my opinion.

The one thing the Kemper does lack is an editing tool that allows you to edit the different parameters / settings of the profiles from your pc/mac. I think that limitation is a rather glaring one for people that don’t want to navigate through menus and want to sort or see all the settings in a big picture.

If you’re not into tweaking you can find profiles that work without much hands on time outside of minor adjustments like tweaking the low/mid/treble/gain settings. Sure, you can go down the rabbit hole as well and probably dump hours on hours into the unit but I feel like that’s more or less the same thing with any piece of “digital” gear.

For what it’s worth I have had mine for a couple months, the bulk of the time with it I have been playing guitar, probably spent 5-10 hours checking out profiles, and maybe 1ish tweaking deeper settings. If the profile doesn’t sound up to par with the basic knobs I don’t waste time on the deep adjustments and just move on to the next. Probably have missed some good sounding profiles that just needed minor adjustments beyond the main screen but I’d rather just spend my time rehearsing songs / practicing guitar

It's not that difficult. You can set up what profiles you want to use through the perform setting. It allows you to set up 5 pro files per performance. So basically this is your personal selection of profiles. There will always be the 200 default profiles it ships with. But the Perform section is your settings where you add or subtract effects. If you do end up grabbing it down load the rig manager it will give you easy access to edit and try out profiles. You can store your purchased profiles there as well. Use the brouse setting on the profiler when demoing prospective profiles. Hope this helps.

Can you delete factory profiles from the factory?

It doesn't have to be difficult to use. Many profiles are set to go, just a possible EQ tweak like a real amp and you're good. If you want to get deeper you can fine tune stuff and spend a lot of time with it. You can delete the factory profiles. It will hold 1,000 profiles on the profiler, many more in the Rig Manager on your computer. There are some things to learn about it, but most guys won't need to touch much of what's available on it.

How are the effects I only tried the delay in it ?

It's easy to use. Just need the profiles that work for you. I just plug in and go.

I’m not much of a tweaker and I love my Kemper. i generally load up one of my favorite profiles and go. I have only a handful of profiles that I actually keep on the Kemper itself. The rest of my profiles are stored on my PC. Kemper provides a program called Rig Manager to store and access profiles on your PC, on the Kemper Rig Exchange website and the Kemper itself via a USB connection. Of course, you can access profiles stored on the Kemper directly with the Kemper control knobs without being hooked up to a PC.

It only took me a couple of hours to find my way around on the Kemper...’very easy to use.

I would suggest hooking up your Kemper to your computer and using Rig Manager to navigate profiles....

Otherwise, it'll let you add/delete/save whatever you like....

you can also tag a profile as "favorite" and just scroll through those.

Vrad":7ygkn9wg said:

It's easy to use. Just need the profiles that work for you. I just plug in and go.

Click to expand...

+1. I have been using it for 5 years or so. I play gigs all the time and it's simple. Just get good profiles.

Kemper is way more user friendly than the AFXII and Helix IMO. I like the AFXII more though due to the flexibility + effects it has.

But yeah if you want plug and play + modelling then the kemper is the winner.

Adjust bass, treble, and mid and you're good to go. No need to go messing with much else really.

I've had one for over 4 years. I don't find it difficult at all. I don't dig deep by any means and it does an amazing job. Find the right profiles for the right application and I never touch a thing.

I've found that if I have to keep tweaking a profile, it's time to move on and find another. Rig Exchange is a fantastic option to try profiles, and I also highly recommend taking advantage of the ability to use third party IRs.

I have five or six profiles that I use all the time for in-the-room playing, and I never feel the need to have to tweak them in the least.

Hey Cujo,
So, you tried a 5153 and the powered Kemper felt and sounded the same through the same cabinet?
The only reason why am asking is because this is what I am struggling with… I bought the power to K PA and for live use, it is unbeatable, I am getting better tones live then when I was using real Bogner, Wizard, Marshall amplifier’s with real cabinets and microphones… Now I am talking about the tone coming out of the PA, it is tremendous- wonderful tones…
However, I am really struggling to get good tones directly from the powered K PA into a 4×12 cabinet… I was doubting myself until I tried the exact same amplifier that I had direct profiled through the same cabinet and it was night and day difference,

Then I went to YouTube and looked up the rigs that the well-known Kemper users have and I now realize none of them use the power section of the KPA, they all use a separate tube power amplifier for their monitor cabinets on stage…