Blind Test, Mesa vs its Kemper version!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lasse Lammert
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Lasse Lammert

Lasse Lammert

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Ok, here's a blind test between the Mesa Rectifier and its Kemper version....
watch in 1080pHD and read the yt description!




to make it easier for you it's guitars only ;)
 
Balls... I can't really tell exactly when it switches, but I feel like the second half is smoother than the first.
Thus, my guess is that the second is the real amp.
 
I hear the change at :32, not even going to guess which is which
 
I'm guessing the change is at :47, but I really don't know which is which lol. I'd guess the real amp is first and the Kemper is second.
 
I think the Kemper is first. There's some sizzle goin on. The latter half is the Mesa.
 
Sounds like you're switching between them more than once.
 
I hear it changing a handful of times.

Here I go:

Mesa 0:00-0:04
Kemper 0:05-0:11
Mesa 0:12-0:19
Kemper 0:20-0:24
Mesa 0:25-0:29
Kemper 0:30-0:37

Etc.........

What I'm identifying as "Kemper" sounds a hair stuffy in the midrange and has less sparkle up top.

If I switched the two up, the Kemper sounds better than the real amp.
 
Feel like it switches at 0:23, from the Mesa to the Kemper? Seems like 0:24 has stronger mids than 0:22.

Thinking it continues to switch, though I can't really pinpoint where. I think at 0:55 it's the Mesa again, and it ends with the Kemper. 1:30 sounds like Kemper.

Very unsure though; it's remarkably close. Mesa usually doesn't have strong mids which is why I guessed how I did.
 
Hell, the bottom line is they most sound great. For $2,000 you can have all of those great sounding amps in one unit. This product is absolutely amazing. It inspires as well!
 
Not even going to begin to guess. I "think" I hear some
Changing going on multiple times, but I wouldn't bet a dime on it, much less anything more. I've owned this thing for a year and it still blows my mind everytime.

Any difference you "think" you hear would be so easily tweaked with just the front bass mid treb presence knobs, and from what I can tell you would only be touching the bass knob, and MAYBE the presence knob, but that is splitting neurons here. And the obvious answer: not one person on the planet could tell in a mix, much less at a kickass show where everyone is having a killer time with a rockin band, which is what it's all about. The thing is purely amazing, only product I've ever bought that does exactly what is advertised, worlds better than I could have ever imagined.
 
Here's some visual help:

Same track...still not telling you which colour belongs to which amp:

 
That's an awesome demo. Big fan of KPA. BEST recording unit I own!

Now the trick is getting that emulator gear to sound the same LIVE. Problem for me is whether the AxeFX GSP 11R etc or KPA is used, those FRFR speakers or even through original cabs the tube amp just works different.

I know a lot of guys are getting used to modelers going through powered speakers or even some with power amps and cabs. I've tried all the above. When it comes to stage power and feel I just don't get it from these emulators like I do from tube amps.

I saw many of the videos and while it might seem cool to some to jam with a PA Speaker and use cab IR's, place a 4x12 and a Recto up there on the same stage and we'll see which is more the performing tool.

I've tried the good powered PA speakers, the SLA's every modeler user was feverish about. That all changes every time something else is the trend. They don't work the same. After a while I got a little tired of buying and selling powered wedges, different SS rack amplifiers.

One day at GC my wife says, "is this the last thing you are going to buy for those computer amps? why not just use the three amps you always liked? I don't get why you want the computer thingy to sound like the amps you already own? If you ask me its redundancy!!"

Maybe she's right! It doesn't stop me from buying stuff I think I like though. LOL! At least she's a good sport about all this!
 
Easy one. The green is the Kemper. Sounds great though.
 
It's funny how it seems to be easy with a visual aid, but noone heard the changes without it:)
 
dallasb":2q8uiafe said:
That's an awesome demo. Big fan of KPA. BEST recording unit I own!

Now the trick is getting that emulator gear to sound the same LIVE. Problem for me is whether the AxeFX GSP 11R etc or KPA is used, those FRFR speakers or even through original cabs the tube amp just works different.

I know a lot of guys are getting used to modelers going through powered speakers or even some with power amps and cabs. I've tried all the above. When it comes to stage power and feel I just don't get it from these emulators like I do from tube amps.

I saw many of the videos and while it might seem cool to some to jam with a PA Speaker and use cab IR's, place a 4x12 and a Recto up there on the same stage and we'll see which is more the performing tool.

I've tried the good powered PA speakers, the SLA's every modeler user was feverish about. That all changes every time something else is the trend. They don't work the same. After a while I got a little tired of buying and selling powered wedges, different SS rack amplifiers.

One day at GC my wife says, "is this the last thing you are going to buy for those computer amps? why not just use the three amps you always liked? I don't get why you want the computer thingy to sound like the amps you already own? If you ask me its redundancy!!"

Maybe she's right! It doesn't stop me from buying stuff I think I like though. LOL! At least she's a good sport about all this!
Click to expand...

The female perspective on our particular brand of insanity is funny. They see and hear what we don't.

Mine let me know that after about two hours with a new amp, I was able to change enough dials to make it sound just like my old amp.

:lol: :LOL:
 
We've been through this a million times. If you use a Line 6 Pod HD500 & tone match its Mesa amp sim to the real deal, it will fool many people in a recorded clip. Ola used an HD500 & did this very thing in a clip over a year ago.

Pete Thorn fooled Dave Friedman the other day in a comparison between the Axe II BE100 model & the real deal.

In case someone out there still hasn't gotten the memo: Modelers can fool anybody in a recording. Tube amps are no longer necessary for recording. For live use, both tube amps & modelers can sound great, just alright or like complete shit!!!
 
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