Going to buy a Kemper, any tips on what to look for?

[EXPcustom]

Made up my mind, I'm going to get a Kemper and I plan on doing profiles, I mean a ton of profiles so I want to make sure I get the right one for the job.

I'm thinking powered non rack mount but do I really need the foot controller?

Any reason I should get a non powered unit or get a foot controller?

I probably looking to buy used but my goal is not to "get by or go cheap" I want to make the best profiles I can with the amps I have access to and amps I own so I don't want to go cheap by not getting the powered unit if it will compromise the quality of the profiles I make.

Any tips or anything to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!

 

[Michi]

Well, are you playing out with the Kemper or "just" profiling and / or recording with it? That's where the Kontroller comes in to play IMHO. It has no use in profiling.

Your skills micing a cab is the single most important thing making a great profile (assuming you know how to dial in an amp of course, and that's not meaning you don't!).

 

[smdb]

A powered unit will have no impact on the profiles either.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

The toaster version has an extra knob or 2 on the front panel (though all parameters are available on each with scrolling)
Footcontroller is only needed for Live
Profiling is the same on all units. If you want to hear how your merged profiles are going to sound through the KPA powerhead>cab then you'll need the power, otherwise not needed for studio/di profiles

 

[LP Freak]

Look for one with tubes

 

[EXPcustom]

Cool thanks for the responses. I'll keep my eye out on the classifieds for a toaster power unit, probably pass on the foot controller since I won't be using it to play live.

 

[cardinal]

Everyone talks about how important it is to mic.

Can you profile from an amp line out and then play through a real cab? Or through IRs?

 

[Mattfig]

What will you be using your Kemper through? Got a monitor in Mind? If not, my I strongly suggest the Mission Gemini 212...It's SICK coupled with the Kemper....Just got the powered toaster and love it with this thing...

 

[EXPcustom]

What will you be using your Kemper through? Got a monitor in Mind? If not, my I strongly suggest the Mission Gemini 212...It's SICK coupled with the Kemper....Just got the powered toaster and love it with this thing...

I was just going to run it through a 4x12 unless that's not recommended?

 

[EXPcustom]

Everyone talks about how important it is to mic.

Can you profile from an amp line out and then play through a real cab? Or through IRs?

Good question, I would like to know the answer as well.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Everyone talks about how important it is to mic.

Can you profile from an amp line out and then play through a real cab? Or through IRs?

Yes.

There are 3 types of profiles:

• studio: guitar> KPA (di out)>amp>cab>mic>KPA. Great for recording or di to house PA
  
  di: Good for using IRs, trying other KPA cabs, or going into a return fx of a tube amp. Ideally you would want to take amp speaker out into something like a Behringer Ulltra G. Note that you will still need to connect your amp to a cab, but the Ultra G will also give you a di line that can be profiled and later paired with a CAB (or IR). This one is kind of pointless on its own since 3.0 merged came out...
  
  Merged: this is basically 2 separate profiling sessions, the 2 above. You then take the profiles and merge them to create the new profile. This allows a greater separation of Amp<>Cab. This has everything you would want: ability to switch up cabs, use a 4x12 live, keep the original studio sound intact, etc. The only downside is it takes twice as long for the profiling process but is really the only option for me once 3.0 came out.

 

[Michi]

What will you be using your Kemper through? Got a monitor in Mind? If not, my I strongly suggest the Mission Gemini 212...It's SICK coupled with the Kemper....Just got the powered toaster and love it with this thing...

I was just going to run it through a 4x12 unless that's not recommended?

It's more of a personal preference IMO. With the 4x12 you hear the cab "coloring" your profile, with a "FRFR" monitor you hear the whole profile as profile ie. with the cab used for the profiling.

 

[Mattfig]

What will you be using your Kemper through? Got a monitor in Mind? If not, my I strongly suggest the Mission Gemini 212...It's SICK coupled with the Kemper....Just got the powered toaster and love it with this thing...

I was just going to run it through a 4x12 unless that's not recommended?

I would look into an Flat Response cab....I have one from Mission Engineering that sounds amazing with the Kemper...It moves a lot of air and sounds very "real."
..Much more versatile and alive than thru a standard 412...

 

[Vrad]

Everyone talks about how important it is to mic.

Can you profile from an amp line out and then play through a real cab? Or through IRs?

Good question, I would like to know the answer as well.

Yes!
Yes you can.

 

[cardinal]

^ this is good. I've avoided a Kemper because I just worry about getting stuck futzing around with it and mic positions, etc. But Im much more likely to use it if I can just profile my JCM 800 direct with my settings and then go into my own 4x12 or quickly pick an IR to use with a FRFR (I already have a Matrix Q12a that I like quite a bit).