Kemper - Positive Grid Bias - Axe-FX What do the pros prefer

[Flavatrocious]

Anyone have any insight as to which one of these flavors is more favorable amongst the pros? Maybe this question is to premature but I'm curious to see if any RT'ers have some insight?

 

[CaseyCor]

Karzog Thermionik, LePou's free plugins, IRs from OwnHammer RedWirez

 

[Monkey Man]

I don't give a damn what the pros or anyone else prefers; one has to trust one's own instincts and ears, IMHO. It's all-too-easy to be lead by hype trains down one rabbit hole after another.

For me, the Kemper is in a league of its own, both in terms of playability / tube-like response and authenticity of sound. Honestly, nothing comes close... IMHO.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Had them all, Axe Fx 2 sounds and feels the best but none are as good as tube amps.

In the last decade or so there are more axe fx on pro metal stages then anything else. Maybe release timing, maybe because Kemper is ugly as shit to most of them.

 

[slyym]

I just came across the TSE X50. This to me is the best amp sim that runs on a computer. This one has the high end detail that all the others lack. Its just one amp though. Its like $50.00 or so but so worth it. You can get the demo and try it before you buy it.

 

[Elric]

Kemper is super useful for a lot pros who want to profile their studio rig and take it the dialed tone the road. AxeFx is also widely used because it is amazeballs in terms of flexibility and tone and the FX are so good it can literally be justified just for that purpose. So both of those are highly utilized.

Bias is nowhere near the same league of the other two. IMHO.

Biggest selection factor for me between Kemper and Fractal would be my desired work flow and rig configuration (Fractal, but I can understand why someone would prefer the Kemper depending on their methodology).

 

[lll]

If you know what you're doing from a sound engineering standpoint, you can make BIAS sound as good or better than the others.

 

[maddnotez]

If you know what you're doing from a sound engineering standpoint, you can make BIAS sound as good or better than the others.

This

Had them all, Axe Fx 2 sounds and feels the best but none are as good as tube amps.

In the last decade or so there are more axe fx on pro metal stages then anything else. Maybe release timing, maybe because Kemper is ugly as shit to most of them.

and This

Thermionik is great, so is TSE and Bias. Some are very easy to dial in where others are a little more in depth and take a little more know how and experimenting. They can produce very very good sounds.

With that said, in my humble opinion as a non pro guitar player. None of them can hold a candle to the Fractal stuff. I have never played a Kemper but it sounds even more real than the Fractal most people say so there is that.

I just think the Fractal stuff is more common, perhaps easier to work with with the AxeChange (although very very complex as well)

I would personally say Axe fx is the answer to your question. More pros are more likely to be using the Axe Fx on stage. I am not sure where amp sims came into play but if you are thinking about making a purchase for the stage, I would not be using a laptop and amp sims that is for certain but if this is just for home use. While the AX8 improved my recording quality tenfold I would still just buy TSE or something and save myself $1,300 since I would still not be getting pro results with the AX8 myself since I can't mix/master like the pros.

 

[Flavatrocious]

I am in no way trying to be a fan boi of any description. I am truly fortunate and blessed to have found the amps I have as they are like family to me. I just see these modelers appearing more and more on stages with pro touring acts. I would say Fractal has been the reigning champ thus far but, they've been ahead of the game a little bit longer and they do make a fantastic product and, the convenience is the real game changer imho.

I see a lot of really respectable guitarists collaborating with Bias and Bias seems to be getting quite aggressive. I think Kemper is making its mark in huge way as well. I was curious to see what the pros are using as this is really one of the tools they use to make their bread and butter. Marshall appears to be slowly getting on the band wagon too.

RT is just a really great place and a blessing to be able to ask these kinds of questions. FUCKING LOVE RT!!!

 

[moltenmetalburn]

If you know what you're doing from a sound engineering standpoint, you can make BIAS sound as good or better than the others.

Agreed but the feel is the roughest part, getting and inspired performance with a plastic feel is hard.

 

[lll]

Agreed but the feel is the roughest part, getting and inspired performance with a plastic feel is hard.

Agreed these modelers typically have a strange "feel" to them.

And that's one of the reasons I use a Universal Audio LA-610 MkII tube mic preamp (Hi-Z line in) as the first component in the signal chain; after the guitar.
Strange feel go poof!
(also helps to have as low latency in DAW as possible)

 

[crankyrayhanky]

FWIW, recent bands that came through my town included Sanctuary and Flotsam and Jetsam and are using Kempers- for their live gigs and some studio tones. Sounds great and I'm sure much easier to load/setup than stacks and racks.

 

[BrentSP]

I really like bias. To be able to lay down a track of my SLO, BE100, XTC or even take a snippet from AIC Dirt or Van Halen's I album and then be able to tone match it and play it is remarkable. Love bias

 

[firegate]

BIAS sounds good but has the worst feel of any modeler I've played - at least on the ipad, can't speak for the desktop version. Kemper with the new firmware is the exact opposite end - it's getting good enough that it's hard to tell.

My tube amps aren't going anywhere, but if I had to tour, I think I'd probably load up a Kemper Rack and be done with it.

 

[Elric]

Agreed but the feel is the roughest part, getting and inspired performance with a plastic feel is hard.

Agreed these modelers typically have a strange "feel" to them.

I assumed (although maybe I'm wrong, it is all opinion) he is just speaking of Bias. It's feel is sub-par when compared to the elite hardware units. AxeFx and Kemper are good to great depending on amp model/profile. IMHO. It's all first world problems. My home recording device and quiet practice device was an Arion Hot Watt, I only upgraded to a used Rockman several years later.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Agreed but the feel is the roughest part, getting and inspired performance with a plastic feel is hard.

Agreed these modelers typically have a strange "feel" to them.

And that's one of the reasons I use a Universal Audio LA-610 MkII tube mic preamp (Hi-Z line in) as the first component in the signal chain; after the guitar.
Strange feel go poof!
(also helps to have as low latency in DAW as possible)

Interesting. Before you used the 610 when the feel sucked, were you using an active DI?

 

[Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert]

In my experience it seems the more extreme the metal the more they sway towards the Axe Fx and the more radio friendly the more they go to the Kemper... I have no idea why BUT IT'S WHAT I'VE NOTICED. But in reality it's 50/50 once you break it down. I've never seen bias with a pro band yet or at least where it was noticeable

 

[polaris20]

BIAS sounds good but has the worst feel of any modeler I've played - at least on the ipad, can't speak for the desktop version. Kemper with the new firmware is the exact opposite end - it's getting good enough that it's hard to tell.

My tube amps aren't going anywhere, but if I had to tour, I think I'd probably load up a Kemper Rack and be done with it.

I agree, though it is a little better on the desktop version in terms of feel. However there's still a feeling of disconnect, something that's not there with a Kemper, Axe, or AmpliFIRE.

But for $99 for home use, it's a pretty good value.

 

[BrentSP]

I've flirted with getting a kemper. Sound wise I think it's pretty damn close but feel.......well that's something every modler I've w played can't seem to cop.

 

[Monkey Man]

... except the Kemper.

Seriously, man, in the feel department, it stands alone... amongst "modellers".

Just MHO, of course.