AxeFx vs Kemper vs real amplifier.

[TrueTone500]

Do those of you who use Axe and/or Kemper use them for playing covers, originals, both? Are you looking for a specific tone that you can call your own, or just trying to get a variation of tones? In the late 70's and 80's I played strictly Marshall JMP, Soldano SLO throughout the 90's, and currently favor VOX and Cornford RK. Do you find that the Axe/Kemper devices 'model' your favorite rigs to near 100% accuracy? Is there anything about the Axe/Kemper that you would change, or anything you think it lacks in comparison to a real amplifier?

 

[Shark Diver]

When I had the Axe it was for covers. Everything from Etta James to Chic to VH to Guns and Roses. Hard to get one amp to do that,

Went back to an amp since the tonal spectrum I need has been shrunk to strictly New Wave and Hairband tones. Amp and a few pedals do that fine.

Haven't tried the Axe II or Kemper. Heard the Kemper at the LA Amp show, but just through little studio monitors. It was ok. But without really trying it who knows?

 

[TrueTone500]

When I had the Axe it was for covers. Everything from Etta James to Chic to VH to Guns and Roses. Hard to get one amp to do that,

Went back to an amp since the tonal spectrum I need has been shrunk to strictly New Wave and Hairband tones. Amp and a few pedals do that fine.

Haven't tried the Axe II or Kemper. Heard the Kemper at the LA Amp show, but just through little studio monitors. It was ok. But without really trying it who knows?

So you change your guitar tone (per song) to emulate the original artist tone then? I have to use 'my' sound for everything I play. I know that my seem weird, but changing tones messes with my hearing to the point where it becomes difficult to decipher notes. Turning on a wah pedal creates a similar issue also... Maybe my hearing is busted?

 

[shredi knight]

I know that my seem weird, but changing tones messes with my hearing to the point where it becomes difficult to decipher notes. Turning on a wah pedal creates a similar issue also... Maybe my hearing is busted?

I know exactly what you mean. I could be playing with a great sounding heavy tone, switch to a clean tone for a little bit, then back to the same heavy tone, but now it will seem to sound really weird and bad. Mesa calls this "hearing hangover" in the user manual for the Mark IV (in reference to turning off the on-board graphic eq, playing some, then turning it back on again). Your ears get used to a certain sound, then when that sound changes to something else, the tonal differences between the 2 (like for example, if one has scooped mids and the other doesn't) seems to be greatly exaggerated.

 

[amiller]

I got the Kemper because of the ease of recording. No amps, cabs or mics to worry about or fuss with. No worries about bothering the neighbors. No need to worry about aging tubes, power variations or anything else in the signal chain. And, the tone is exactly the same each time I select a preset. If I record something and later discover it's not up to my feeble best I don't have to worry about duplicating the tone...'just select the preset and go.

Here's my signal chain:

Guitar -> Kemper -> DAW ... Push record...DONE!

 

[guitarmike]

I may be forced into a Kemper or Axe II, I am going to see the surgeon this week to figure out when I will have fusion #6.

In all my years playing in cover bands I never tried to copy the guitar tone from the recording. Sure, I'll play clean, crunch, or full out metal depending on the song but I play with my tone. I do not want or need a 100 different amp tones. Good or bad, I am who I am and play a certain way. I know some guys dig the art of copying tones, just not my bag. I would love to hear a Kemper liver through a power amp and cab in a band setting. If it is 90% of what I got with my amps, it is time to buy one.

 

[Tone Monster]

I got the Kemper because of the ease of recording. No amps, cabs or mics to worry about or fuss with. No worries about bothering the neighbors. No need to worry about aging tubes, power variations or anything else in the signal chain. And, the tone is exactly the same each time I select a preset. If I record something and later discover it's not up to my feeble best I don't have to worry about duplicating the tone...'just select the preset and go.

Here's my signal chain:

Guitar -> Kemper -> DAW ... Push record...DONE!

That's all true. The Kemper just lacks that last 5% of body, tubeyness, meat, etc. So so close to perfect. 10 more years and its all over for tube amps

 

[Badronald]

When I had the Axe it was for covers. Everything from Etta James to Chic to VH to Guns and Roses. Hard to get one amp to do that,

Went back to an amp since the tonal spectrum I need has been shrunk to strictly New Wave and Hairband tones. Amp and a few pedals do that fine.

Haven't tried the Axe II or Kemper. Heard the Kemper at the LA Amp show, but just through little studio monitors. It was ok. But without really trying it who knows?

I can cover that many tones and then some with a Stratocaster with a bucker and a tap with a couple pedals and a Plexi. It's all in the volume knob, tone knob and pickup selection.

 

[Badronald]

10 more years and its all over for tube amps

Hahahaha!

No.

 

[stephen sawall]

They are never going to completely duplicate anything with digital audio, visual, etc...

 

[supersonic]

I am using an Axe II for covers. I could easily use a valve amp, and I was, but there is so much more flexability in the Axe. I am currently running the Axe into the loop return of a valve head and into a quad, I actually prefer the sound of the Axe to the valve preamp. I originally bought the Axe with the idea of running it with a CLR foldback to eliminate stage spill, but I'm still waiting for the CLRS' to come into stock. The amp models really do capture the essence of the originals, not to say they are identical but scary close. I don't try to copy the cover tones exactly, so far I use about six different patches, I'll use a Hiwatt patch for a "Who" song, a Plexi patch for a " Bad Company" song etc. I've recorded rehersals and it sounds just like an amp, and better than my last valve amp.

 

[squank]

10 more years and its all over for tube amps

Hahahaha!

No.

I dunno about 10 years (but perhaps), but it's coming soon. Heck, people have been recording with PODs for years and many guitarists were none the wiser. I gigged an AxeFX for years and fooled a lot of people. The Kemper's even closer, and is just one more step in that direction.

When it comes to gear, electric guitarists (as a group) are the most old-fashioned, conservative, close-minded people anywhere. It will take a while for a lot of them to even entertain the idea of switching. Many simply won't do it, "dying with their boots on" so to speak. But the younger players are adopting the technology at a much faster rate.

 

[supersonic]

10 more years and its all over for tube amps

Hahahaha!

No.

I dunno about 10 years (but perhaps), but it's coming soon. Heck, people have been recording with PODs for years and many guitarists were none the wiser. I gigged an AxeFX for years and fooled a lot of people. The Kemper's even closer, and is just one more step in that direction.

When it comes to gear, electric guitarists (as a group) are the most old-fashioned, conservative, close-minded people anywhere. It will take a while for a lot of them to even entertain the idea of switching. Many simply won't do it, "dying with their boots on" so to speak. But the younger players are adopting the technology at a much faster rate.

Some may say a moddeler will never sound like a real amp. Is a real tube amp perfect? Could a modeler acually sound slightly different to a tube amp in a better way?

 

[James Lugo]

The last few months I have mixed a bunch of records with Kemper, Ax FX etc... They all sounded ok soloed but mixed poorly. Also they all had strange phase issues with large layers of heavy rhythms. Not my cup of tea, I ain’t sellin my amp collection for a box of 1’s and 0’s.

 

[mindseye]

Love my Axe and the Kemp is cool but I still gig my tubes!
I could totally get by with the Axe or Kemp if need be but just like the
sound and FEEL of all tube behind me.

 

[mindseye]

And a half stack looks cooler than a toaster with blinking lights or a little rack with a monitor....lol

 

[zentman]

The last few months I have mixed a bunch of records with Kemper, Ax FX etc... They all sounded ok soloed but mixed poorly. Also they all had strange phase issues with large layers of heavy rhythms. Not my cup of tea, I ain’t sellin my amp collection for a box of 1’s and 0’s.

Given your resume I am in no way challenging you when I ask how bands like the Deftones make it work as in their album "Koi_No_Yokan" which was all Axe Fx. Maybe there's a trick to how you record them? I also realize you didn't record the original tracks you are talking about as you are a mixing house. (great idea BTW).

I know that the Kemper had a problem with phasing if you re-amped with it on numerous overdubs as different profiles had different latency. Kemper fixed that with a switch that sets all the same but you do have to activate it and maybe some Kemper guys don't know that.

 

[Badronald]

10 more years and its all over for tube amps

Hahahaha!

No.

I dunno about 10 years (but perhaps), but it's coming soon. Heck, people have been recording with PODs for years and many guitarists were none the wiser. I gigged an AxeFX for years and fooled a lot of people. The Kemper's even closer, and is just one more step in that direction.

When it comes to gear, electric guitarists (as a group) are the most old-fashioned, conservative, close-minded people anywhere. It will take a while for a lot of them to even entertain the idea of switching. Many simply won't do it, "dying with their boots on" so to speak. But the younger players are adopting the technology at a much faster rate.

They're all tools. I have no resistance to technology. I just like what I have because it works. No need to fix it.

Bottom line for me is that with all the technology out there, records don't sound any better, people aren't writing better songs than in the past and typically, from my experience live guitar tone doesn't sound any better than it has in the last 30 years.

So what's really the point of it all if it has not assisted in making better sounding records or live shows?

 

[supersonic]

What's changed in the last 30 years is that P.A.s' have improved so you are not relying on stage sound to fill the room. Generally it seems that most venues don't want raging quad boxes tearing peoples heads off. In my experiences it is a never ending battle to get a balance with not being too loud off stage with being able to hear my amp over other instuments. This is where modelers shine. You don't need to run them at high volumes to get that 'sweet spot'.

 

[BYTOR]

On a recording it is already a mute point. There have been a ton of tunes that use modelers, & cork sniffers rave about the tones. If they only knew!

There are simply too many tube amp endorsement deals, so mums the word......