Kemper vs The Real Deal

Vrad

Vrad

Active member
So folks always ask if the Kemper sounds like the real amp.

As I was profiling the Mark V25 yesterday, I decided to just hit record on a D chord. The reason for just a D chord is there's nothing to distract the listener from playing dynamics or other subtleties. The levels are close enough.

The signal chain is as follows:

Hamer USA Studio -> Kemper -> SPDIF -> Focusrite 6i6 -> Macbook pro running Logic X
Hamer USA Studio -> Mark V25 Crunch channel -> Mesa OS 4x12 (V30's) -> SM57 -> Focusrite 6i6 -> Macbook pro running Logic X.

Which do you think is real? Which is the Kemper profile?

https://soundcloud.com/vradstudios/which-witch-is-which
 
My guess would be the 2nd one is real deal, but its hard to decipher because the first D chord is cut off slightly at the start. They both sound growyl and delicious though
 
Here is a different approach...the second sound's better to my ears....it's the tone i'd like to listen to more/hear more of.

I'm going with second chord. :thumbsup:
 
MrDowntown":unhgw99h said:
Here is a different approach...the second sound's better to my ears....it's the tone i'd like to listen to more/hear more of.

I'm going with second chord. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

That works too.
 
#2 seems a little more treble-y, I'd call that the Kemper and #1 the Mark.

Either way, cool way to compare. Thanks man!
 
So I'm curious how folks are arriving at their conclusions? What are they hearing? I'm really curious because to me, it's entirely too close to call.
 
Mailman1971":2bo36l0c said:
I just ran thru the track 3 times. They both sound identical to me.
Click to expand...

HAHAAHAH!
I've gone thru it about a dozen times at this point. Different speakers, headphones etc. Aside from slight differences in volume levels (I tried to match it the best I could) and a difference in how I hit the strings, I can't really hear a difference.

It's quite possible I'm deaf LOL :D
 
There's more gain on the second one to my ears. Also the first one has a noticeable decay, whereas the second one seems to have some sort of compression going on where that same decay doesn't happen.
 
rokket2005":6gv2mlwa said:
There's more gain on the second one to my ears. Also the first one has a noticeable decay, whereas the second one seems to have some sort of compression going on where that same decay doesn't happen.
Click to expand...

You may be hearing the chord ring out more in the second one. Like I said, I ended up playing them differently. In the room they rang out the same.
 
Are you able to record both at the same time to eliminate playing differences?
Use the di out of Kemper into Amp (hopefully mic and settings have remained the same from when you profiled)

I have had the KPA for years and have created and participated in many A/B blind tests.
Just recently I started hearing the difference: while very close, the Kemper seems to have a "sheen" on it that makes it a bit more polished and in most cases better than the original amp

Keep in mind different performances would make a difficult, as would me listening on tiny Macbook speakers, lol
 
crankyrayhanky":3dhhb4x1 said:
Are you able to record both at the same time to eliminate playing differences?
Use the di out of Kemper into Amp (hopefully mic and settings have remained the same from when you profiled)

I have had the KPA for years and have created and participated in many A/B blind tests.
Just recently I started hearing the difference: while very close, the Kemper seems to have a "sheen" on it that makes it a bit more polished and in most cases better than the original amp

Keep in mind different performances would make a difficult, as would me listening on tiny Macbook speakers, lol
Click to expand...

Actually, now that you mention it... I think I can. If I run the guitar into the Kemper and the di out to the Mark like I'm profiling it then record 2 tracks simultaneously that might work.

Yeah I've done some blind a/b tests on my own and in various videos. It's really hard to tell. I've had the same impression you did. The KPA seems to have less noise and just more pro-sounding than whatever I can record.
 
I think the first is an amp.. because it sounds like a phase from the room.. but very tiny,, 2nd sounds more direct. But I could be wrong.. You guys have me convinced!
 
Vrad":16gjwa32 said:
So I'm curious how folks are arriving at their conclusions? What are they hearing? I'm really curious because to me, it's entirely too close to call.
Click to expand...

For me, thru computer speakers they sounded pretty much the same....I fired up the Axe I use as a soundcard and grabbed some ATH-M50Xs that I use to record/practice with and they sounded slightly different....the second clip sounded like it had more treble than the first, and that is something I associate with high gain patches on the Axe, which lead me to believe that one was the KPA, was all.

Both sounded great, that was my only basis for the decision, which is probably entirely wrong as I always suck at this game. :LOL: :LOL:
 
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