Anyone using Kemper live?

[guitarmike]

Used a Kemper for nearly 3 years live, haven't missed a tube amp for performing since. Depends on the quality of profiles you use and if you run most of your volume through the PA or not. If you're playing small venues where you just crank a half stack and don't exist very loudly in the PA, you may not like it. I'm much happier with my FOH sound with the Kemper than I was with *ANY* Tube amps I used live, after they were quickly miked and put through the PA.

Pete

Pete,

I have purchased many of your profiles and agree that the Kemper sounds great with the right profiles. Here is the problem with running FOH with no amp on stage:

When going direct your speakers are the pa and that can mess up your sound.
Every profile reacts differently to different pa speakers. If you have time to adjust your sound through the mains then yes, the Kemper rules. It has been my experience that once the Kemper hits the PA, it can go either way and you are screwed if your profiles do not sound good through the pa. My amp mic'ed always retained some of the tone I like through the pa, unless the sound guy was a total hack.

It really comes down to the gig and the person. If you are playing in a bar, no one cares how you sound so take the Kemper and hope it doesn't sound like a Kazoo through the pa. If you are anal and messed up in the head (guilty!), take your amp and the tons of gear that go along with it. You will sound great and if the stupid sound guy buries you in the mix you can always blast him into next week if needed.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

^I'm surprised to read this. I think the KPA translates very well in live PA settings. Great profile at home= great profiles at practice=great live sound. I bring a 2x12 so I can get that air blowing for my own monitoring, but no one else hears it but me. It's a super lite rig to transport.

 

[gibson5413]

^I'm surprised to read this. I think the KPA translates very well in live PA settings. Great profile at home= great profiles at practice=great live sound. I bring a 2x12 so I can get that air blowing for my own monitoring, but no one else hears it but me. It's a super lite rig to transport.

Same experience here. I have had poor experiences with a tube amp as well through a PA and onstage. Bad experiences or poor sound aren't indigenous to the KPA or a digital solution.

 

[mixohoytian]

I have put it off for too long, but buying profiles from Amp factory for amps I do not own = the best solution right?

I want Hairy Brown Eye, Dual Rectifier, 5153 , vox and fender
and I should be set

as for live, I plan on going direct
plus a an evh 1x12 w/ g12h-75 and an ISP stealth for power
(for stage vibe)


haven't done it yet, but seems to be the ticket to never carrying lots of gear.

Check out Top Jimi profiles also...

 

[smdb]

Check out Pete's profiles (Stratotone) and Top Jimi profiles. They seem to be a little more Raw sounding. Great Marshall and Fender profiles.

 

[stratotone]

Check out Pete's profiles (Stratotone) and Top Jimi profiles. They seem to be a little more Raw sounding. Great Marshall and Fender profiles.

Thanks man! Appreciate the kind words. Regarding different PAs - I've played in three different bands since I had the Kemper. Each with a different PA setup. Kemper sounded great through all of them to me. Better FOH than my tube amps for sure. I used 'the good stuff' as far as tube amps - everything from a rackmount dual rectifier to a bogner 101B to a 72 Marshall, even a Soldano SLO and a VHT UL. Even if I had roadies to set up my gear, I still prefer the Kemper. (what helps is I've profiled most of the amps above)

If you had a tube amp rig you loved, and a Kemper and didn't like the Kemper's sound live to FOH - I'd suggest profiling your tube amp with the PA set up. Might not work at a typical gig - the test tones would likely drive patrons crazy - but if you were able to do this, you could literally find the sweetest sound of your tube amp miked through your PA and then save it into your Kemper. I know I sound like some crazed fan on a gear honeymoon but I've had this thing nearly three years and it's still the best piece of gear I've purchased. Love it.

 

[PBGas]

Yup....and even after 3 years....one of your original Ractifier profiles is still one of my favorites when playing live. I don't know what you did on that one but it is truly something special. Thx again, Pete!

 

[smdb]

Yup....and even after 3 years....one of your original Ractifier profiles is still one of my favorites when playing live. I don't know what you did on that one but it is truly something special. Thx again, Pete!

His 72 Marshall is pretty sweet also!