Thinking of selling everything and getting a Kemper...

[Ventura]

So basically guys with a Kemper say it's the best evar! Guys with an Axe II say it's the best evar! Guys with both say it's toss up. Do I have it about right?

No, Not at all. There are plenty of people who have had / owned both who have switched. Some have gone the axe route and other have gone the Kemper route. again, peoples decisions will be made based on what they want out of the piece of gear.

I used an AXE-FX Ultra for years and have switched to a KEMPER. If the Kemper was out at the same time the axe-fx was and I was able to try both, I still would have gone the Kemper route. The Kemper works better for what I want and I agree with Fluff 100% in that the Dynamics and detail = better on the KEMPER. I don't care if the aliasing is supposed to be better on the AXE, my ears tell me something different

all the best

~R~

I think the Axe II is a bit different than the Ultra. Jus sayin. I think the Kemper sounds awesome but as a poster who owns both said above "there isn't a thing the Kemper can do that the axe can't do as well" . I see a lot of guys who own both post that. I see guys who own both sell the Axe and keep the Kemper and I also see the opposite.

I have heard clips of either that were perfect.


That being said this is a Kemper thread about a guy getting a Kemper. Why the axe is even being discussed is beyond me.

Yep. I agree with you. I'm sure the AXE II is different for sure and I can only go by my experience of what I was using at the time. I figure that the specifics of how the AXE II works, I feel that it is very similar to what I had and the Kemper just works better for what I want it to do.

I think it's just nature of the beast that once the Kemper is mentioned that the AXE FX will creep into the thread and vice versa

That's all well and good Ralph...

WHERE ARE THE FUCKING CLIPS ALREADY!!!!!!!!

CAK!!!

+1

 

[colimofsmoke]

the idea of a kemper or axe fx sounds great, but i have been really unimpressed the few times i have heard in person. and i just dont think i'll ever be able to give up real tube dynamics, harmonics, and crunch. it's too bad, given my lifestyle (live in a major city and don't own a car because bikes and public transport are so cheap and easy, also travel alot) it would be ideal.

 

[Red_Label]

That yamaha amp sounds just like a modeler to me... but this was a funny pump for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow_n6adsWsA (notice how crappy his tone is though, very bass heavy)

that sounds good to me considering its only a 300 buck modeler with included 3" speakers and has some other nifty features... think of it as a pod competitor not an amplifier... definitely not something i would choose over the kemper though

I'm gonna have to get me one of those little Yamahas. Been wondering about them for a while. Always been a fan of their modeling stuff (at least for its price point). In fact, I used to gig a DG80 1X12 combo and extension cab around 2000 or so and it was a pretty good setup. Didn't compare to the H&K Triamp that I replaced it with, but still kicked ass for not having tubes in it.

 

[Audioholic]

Zentman coming to Axe's Defense now here too?? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

haha..

Seriously though, Kemper just kicks ass. Awesome studio tool, for what I do, its one of those things that is irreplaceble. Easy as heck to get a good sound if the amp was mic'd good. Don't have to dive through menus wishing this could change or maybe if I adjusted that it would sound and feel better like I used to with other modellers.. Don't think you have to sell off your gear, but one of the nice things about something like the kemper, is that you can profile your amp til your satisfied, and if you DO sell it, you won't have sellers remorse quite as much as you have kept a part of that amp with you.

Axe VS Kemper, not gonna go there really, but for me its is a clear choice, and I am happy with that choice and don't regret it one bit...

some of my kemper unfinished clips....

 

[zentman]

Zentman coming to Axe's Defense now here too?? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

haha..

I'm like Visa....I'm everywhere you want me to be. My post was basically just a clarification and a request to get back on track. As per all my posts everywhere, I support Kemper.

 

[Spaceboy]

Do the Kemper profiles say the name of the profiled amps in the menu? So when you're scrolling around it actually says PEAVEY 5150 or something instead of a coded version like the Axe FXs "PV 6160" or whatever it was called?

 

[Heritage Softail]

Honestly man for what you are wanting to do, I think you should check out a Yamaha THR10!

I played one while on vacation in Florida and it simply blew me away. As soon as I got home I had to order one.


It is, IMO, simply the ultimate at-home guitar amp. It sounds incredible even at whisper volumes, and looks really cool too

You could even use headphones with it if you like.

It has a killer usb output that lets you record a stereo track of the tone you have dialed up and a dry DI signal simultaneously, which is freaking awesome! You can take advantage of the dry track for re-amping or by adding amp sim VST's to it to add different tones to your mix. It also doubles as a monitor! No more tracking with headphones unless you really want to you can also hook up your iphone or laptop and play along with tunes and it really sounds as if you were part of the recording. It gives you the ability to control the mix of your guitar vs. aux track. Simply awesome.


For one, it's by far the most user-friendly modeling amp I've played. No endless parameters to tweak - only the things you need to dial in tones quickly and easily. Most importantly though, it sounds and FEELS amazing to play. From clean to mid gain crunch to insane brutal metal, it can do it all.

Here's the first quick and dirty clip I recorded with it - some heavy shit:

https://soundcloud.com/devinchaseortego/ ... n-amp-test


I highly recommend checking one out if you haven't, you could save yourself over a thousand dollars if it does it for you

I bought one Saturday.

It is excellent.

It gets zero love on here for some reason.

 

[Audioholic]

Do the Kemper profiles say the name of the profiled amps in the menu? So when you're scrolling around it actually says PEAVEY 5150 or something instead of a coded version like the Axe FXs "PV 6160" or whatever it was called?

most user created profiles say the actual name, like Bogner Red. Some of the stock profiles have the name slightly altered, but its very clear what it is. I think some of them have the exact amp. Not a whole lot of dancing around what it is ;-)

 

[Devin]

I bought one Saturday.

It is excellent.

It gets zero love on here for some reason.

That's too bad....I love mine every bit as much as my big tube rigs. While I haven't played an Axe or a Kemper, no other modeler that I have played even comes close to the tone and feel of the THR10. The JMP model "Lead" is worth the price of admission alone

Honestly, it's probably the most useful, exciting piece of gear I've bought in YEARS. Just wait until Yamaha drops a rackmount or stage amp based on this modeling tech - they've sold so many of these little bastards so quickly I think it's bound to happen

 

[Heritage Softail]

I bought one Saturday.

It is excellent.

It gets zero love on here for some reason.

That's too bad....I love mine every bit as much as my big tube rigs. While I haven't played an Axe or a Kemper, no other modeler that I have played even comes close to the tone and feel of the THR10. The JMP model "Lead" is worth the price of admission alone

Honestly, it's probably the most useful, exciting piece of gear I've bought in YEARS. Just wait until Yamaha drops a rackmount or stage amp based on this modeling tech - they've sold so many of these little bastards so quickly I think it's bound to happen

It is sitting on the end of my couch. Plugged in my iPod for jam track play. It makes it easy to practice, use headphones, etc. and i need to practice more, so it is actually useful. My wife is laughing that you can crank it and it sounds way too much like a big high gainer!

I am new to Yamaha gear. So it seems like Bose, big sounds from little box.

 

[Spaceboy]

I've read a couple comments online about the onboard overdrives not being that great. But, couldn't someone who wanted let's say a boosted 5150 just put the output of the Kemper into the OD input before it hits the amp so that the OD is "baked in" to the profile? I don't see why that wouldn't work... damnit this thread isn't a good thing for me to read.

 

[Audioholic]

I've read a couple comments online about the onboard overdrives not being that great. But, couldn't someone who wanted let's say a boosted 5150 just put the output of the Kemper into the OD input before it hits the amp so that the OD is "baked in" to the profile? I don't see why that wouldn't work... damnit this thread isn't a good thing for me to read.

I don't use the on board drives, never really did with the axe either, and I think the biggest problem with them is that they can add noise, as well as slight artifacts, all which are being addressed. But yes, thats exactly what you can do, and people have done. Posted profiles with drives and what not in front of the amp. Sounds awesome when done right.

For me, I am one of those people who never really needed drives or boosts or what not. Besides you can add gain from the kemper after so if its really just needing gain.

 

[stratotone]

Kemper kills for live use. I've gigged mine about 25 times since February. Sure it's a miked guitar tone, unless you're playing shitholes you are going to mike your amps and run that into the PA for the soundguy to control.

I have my choice at home of many many tube amps, and I can take any of them with me using the Kemper. The output from the Kemper to front of house (through the PA mains, what the audience is going to hear) sounds better than any other tone I've had live. Ever have a killer tube amp live, it sounds like GOD onstage behind you but shit out front once you put a mike on it and have the soundguy dial it in? Not with the Kemper. Plus I'm sending a consistent tone to the PA, less work for the sound guy. Currently I run mono onstage - the monitor out to a K8 QSC powered amp. I can change volume or EQ on that monitor (settings on the Kemper) and it will not affect FOH - so the sound guy doesn't have to change levels if I change mine onstage.

One other sweet thing - you can borrow tube amps from friends and pull awesome profiles of them, if you know how to setup an amp and mike one properly. That's how I got my Cameron Atomica, Friedman Marshall and Legacy III profiles.

I recently pulled profiles from my 18watt Marshall I built and modded, it kills. I may go to storage and grab some amps I have there - a Randall RG80es head and a Peavey VTM

 

[Ventura]

Kemper kills for live use. I've gigged mine about 25 times since February. Sure it's a miked guitar tone, unless you're playing shitholes you are going to mike your amps and run that into the PA for the soundguy to control.

I have my choice at home of many many tube amps, and I can take any of them with me using the Kemper. The output from the Kemper to front of house (through the PA mains, what the audience is going to hear) sounds better than any other tone I've had live. Ever have a killer tube amp live, it sounds like GOD onstage behind you but shit out front once you put a mike on it and have the soundguy dial it in? Not with the Kemper. Plus I'm sending a consistent tone to the PA, less work for the sound guy. Currently I run mono onstage - the monitor out to a K8 QSC powered amp. I can change volume or EQ on that monitor (settings on the Kemper) and it will not affect FOH - so the sound guy doesn't have to change levels if I change mine onstage.

One other sweet thing - you can borrow tube amps from friends and pull awesome profiles of them, if you know how to setup an amp and mike one properly. That's how I got my Cameron Atomica, Friedman Marshall and Legacy III profiles.

I recently pulled profiles from my 18watt Marshall I built and modded, it kills. I may go to storage and grab some amps I have there - a Randall RG80es head and a Peavey VTM

I sense a lot of WIN here.

 

[IntenseJim]

Kemper kills for live use. .... Sure it's a miked guitar tone, unless you're playing shitholes ....

I resemble that remark.

 

[Digital Jams]

Honestly man for what you are wanting to do, I think you should check out a Yamaha THR10!

I played one while on vacation in Florida and it simply blew me away. As soon as I got home I had to order one.


It is, IMO, simply the ultimate at-home guitar amp. It sounds incredible even at whisper volumes, and looks really cool too

You could even use headphones with it if you like.

It has a killer usb output that lets you record a stereo track of the tone you have dialed up and a dry DI signal simultaneously, which is freaking awesome! You can take advantage of the dry track for re-amping or by adding amp sim VST's to it to add different tones to your mix. It also doubles as a monitor! No more tracking with headphones unless you really want to you can also hook up your iphone or laptop and play along with tunes and it really sounds as if you were part of the recording. It gives you the ability to control the mix of your guitar vs. aux track. Simply awesome.


For one, it's by far the most user-friendly modeling amp I've played. No endless parameters to tweak - only the things you need to dial in tones quickly and easily. Most importantly though, it sounds and FEELS amazing to play. From clean to mid gain crunch to insane brutal metal, it can do it all.

Here's the first quick and dirty clip I recorded with it - some heavy shit:

https://soundcloud.com/devinchaseortego/ ... n-amp-test


I highly recommend checking one out if you haven't, you could save yourself over a thousand dollars if it does it for you

I bought one Saturday.

It is excellent.

It gets zero love on here for some reason.

It is awesome, if I did not have a vt-20 I would have bought it.

Not comparing it to the Kemper by any means but for jamming in the house and not burning up 100 watt heads it rules.

 

[daver101]

So basically guys with a Kemper say it's the best evar! Guys with an Axe II say it's the best evar! Guys with both say it's toss up. Do I have it about right?

No, I had both and I did not like the Axe FX.....

 

[redrol]

Do it. The Kemper is everything people wish the Axe was but isn't. It is the game changer people are waiting for.

[edit] a small Kemper clip,

Just a 1977 JMP profile into a V30 using my JJ1 guitar with JB pickup. Plug n play!

I'd really like to have this profile......

Just the a 1977 stock profile. Comes with the unit!

 

[zentman]

So basically guys with a Kemper say it's the best evar! Guys with an Axe II say it's the best evar! Guys with both say it's toss up. Do I have it about right?

No, I had both and I did not like the Axe FX.....

And others who had both sold the Kemper and kept the Axe II. Again, pretty much proves nothing to the average reader. Folks just need to try stuff and buy what they like. Me? I think the original POD will never be topped.

 

[daver101]

So basically guys with a Kemper say it's the best evar! Guys with an Axe II say it's the best evar! Guys with both say it's toss up. Do I have it about right?

No, I had both and I did not like the Axe FX.....

And others who had both sold the Kemper and kept the Axe II. Again, pretty much proves nothing to the average reader. Folks just need to try stuff and buy what they like. Me? I think the original POD will never be topped.

You know, I loved the original POD and thought "this is the BEST thing since sliced bread." I felt like I was from the future!