Borrowed a Kemper Profiler!!

[Clark Kent]

And I'll be having this for a few weeks I guess. Here are some of my first thoughts.

The effect section of the KPA is very simple but the "browser" or whatever they call it is unbelievebly complicated. Too many knobs that don't have important functions. I'm automatically comparing this to my Axe-Fx and I must say that Axe-Fx got bashed badly because "it's so hard to use". Axe-Fx is NOTHING compared to the KPA. Moving on to what matters more, the tone:



The tone would easily pass as a real amp tone. That's for sure. The editing however... meh... I'm not feeling like it's doing what real amp knobs do so I'd probably just take a snapshot and do NOTHING to it. What pisses me off is that they keep advertising that there are over 2000 profiles downloadable on the internet. Does it really matter since they're not that good? I mean seriously I've ran through about 50 of them now and I don't get how someone can misplace an SM57 to fail this badly on some of the clips. Too much gain and too much bass seems to be the general code.

Well what can I say, as I am "the match EQ" guy of the forum. I don't see how this is anything else that match EQ that can calculate the distortion type and amount which it does inaccurately by the way. Anyways... if I want a Mesa Rectifier channel, I know that it can do about 10 different usable tones but taking a snapshot of a tone and tweaking the EQ and drive will not take me there. So instead of taking one snapshot of a tube channel I'd have to take about 10 of them to get accurate profiles right? Would LOVE to get a fully functional profile that calculates how the amp EQ works etc. I know it's hard to do but would deffo be worth it. And the Axe-Fx II has this included so they are in the lead for sure if there's a competition between these two.

Bare in mind that this is my first day with this unit and I'm frustrated with it so I might change my mind in the long run.

 

[JakeAC5253]

And I'll be having this for a few weeks I guess. Here are some of my first thoughts.

The effect section of the KPA is very simple but the "browser" or whatever they call it is unbelievebly complicated. Too many knobs that don't have important functions. I'm automatically comparing this to my Axe-Fx and I must say that Axe-Fx got bashed badly because "it's so hard to use". Axe-Fx is NOTHING compared to the KPA. Moving on to what matters more, the tone:



The tone would easily pass as a real amp tone. That's for sure. The editing however... meh... I'm not feeling like it's doing what real amp knobs do so I'd probably just take a snapshot and do NOTHING to it. What pisses me off is that they keep advertising that there are over 2000 profiles downloadable on the internet. Does it really matter since they're not that good? I mean seriously I've ran through about 50 of them now and I don't get how someone can misplace an SM57 to fail this badly on some of the clips. Too much gain and too much bass seems to be the general code.

Well what can I say, as I am "the match EQ" guy of the forum. I don't see how this is anything else that match EQ that can calculate the distortion type and amount which it does inaccurately by the way. Anyways... if I want a Mesa Rectifier channel, I know that it can do about 10 different usable tones but taking a snapshot of a tone and tweaking the EQ and drive will not take me there. So instead of taking one snapshot of a tube channel I'd have to take about 10 of them to get accurate profiles right? Would LOVE to get a fully functional profile that calculates how the amp EQ works etc. I know it's hard to do but would deffo be worth it. And the Axe-Fx II has this included so they are in the lead for sure if there's a competition between these two.

Bare in mind that this is my first day with this unit and I'm frustrated with it so I might change my mind in the long run.

I agree with you pretty much. This may well be my own ignorance to the subject, but I don't see how this type of profiling is much different from creating and using an IR, which isn't far from Match EQ in and of itself. Maybe the other guys who have made a few IRs of their own would know what I'm talking about... As far as I know, the profiler may take a test tone and shove it through the amp only to decode it and apply its EQ curve to a distortion simulator built into the unit. As with any emulator, the profilers' results has a static sort of sound to it that is unremarkable from any other sim device I've ever heard. I also agree about taking a profile of an amp and then not touching the knobs, that might be how I would use it as well, basically treating it like an IR sample.

On the quality of the profiles, as far as I know, it's no different than people who make shitty IRs or shitty guitar tones in general. Usually it isn't so much amp settings or mic position as it is the room they recorded in and lack of treatment or source positioning which wreaks havoc on the quality of the product.

 

[fade_2_black]

Cool - good to hear another opinion. Especially refreshing to hear an opinion that isn't something along the lines of "THIS THING IS AMAZING, IT CAN SOUND LIKE ANY AMP YOU WANT" or similar.

I'd love to get my hands on both this and the Axe-FX II and do a comparison myself but unfortunately neither of the two are common here. Don't even know of any KPAs in the country.

 

[Mutant]

The editing however... meh... I'm not feeling like it's doing what real amp knobs do so I'd probably just take a snapshot and do NOTHING to it.

Would LOVE to get a fully functional profile that calculates how the amp EQ works etc. I know it's hard to do but would deffo be worth it. And the Axe-Fx II has this included so they are in the lead for sure if there's a competition between these two.

With the current technology capturing a tone will not give you a miracle that a complete amp profile would be.

The Kemper only captures the profile at your selected amp settings and then gives a little tweaking ability as a bonus.

 

[Clark Kent]

Yup. I hope I'm not coming across as a KPA hater. Tones can be captured pretty well. I think some profiles lack a bit of definition but LUCKILY there is a very effective DEFINITION parameter in the KPA that fixes this issue. I actually wish every amp had this parameter. I read the manual of this thing and it's all a lot clearer now. I still think there are stupid useless knobs on the front though. Here's a clip where I "modded" the stock profile of a Mesa Roadking MKII. As you can probably hear this sounds a lot better and that's most likely thanks to a proper profile. So it can easily pass as a Recto for sure. Doesn't do what a Recto does when I lower the gain but works for now.

 

[Clark Kent]

So I've been making profiles all day and I must say that the Kemper isn't "that" accurate. Prior clips gave me the impression that it has more gain than the reference amps but it was the contrary. There was around 6dB less 115hz in the profiles we made today and we profiler a Marshall JVM410H, Mesa Roadster and Orange Rockerverb. The other thing that can easily be noticed is that Kemper is NOT AS DYNAMIC. That can be told by simply looking at the waveforms. Kemper signal looked like it was being clipped somehow. Turning the detail parameter up helped a bit but even on 10 it wasn't as dynamic is the real thing.

So once again. It's a match EQ box.... we ended up match EQing the Kemper to make it sound more like the real thing and unsurprisingly we got a lot closer.

 

[Trevoire520]

If you used match eq to get the profile closer to the original then surely that tells you that it's NOT a match eq box?

 

[Clark Kent]

Well that's correct. Match EQ was better... that's the funny part. But just like match EQing "sucks" in a way because it doesn't capture dynamics... neither does the Kemper.

 

[loktide]

i agree with you that the kemper has A LOT of pointless knobs in its front panel as well as some overcomplicated procedures for tweaking certain aspects (like changing the cab)

when i firts got the kemper i had a similar opinion like you. it's simply so hard to find usable profiles.

about the profiles being less dynamic than the real amp, that's not what i'm experiencing. have you adjusted the input gain and volume? profiles often differ slightly in gain and bass, but nothing that can't be easily tweaked.

anyway, here's some tones i recommend you to check out:

EVH 5150 MAJIK 1
5150MK1 Green
DR Z MAZ 38 CRNCH
Splawn Nitro

you should be able to find these through the rig exchange.

the stock cabs on the 5150 profiles aren't that great and i prefer using the 'recto 55' or 'recto 59' from "Tills cabs"

 

[Clark Kent]

I profiled my Rockerverb, Marshall and my bandmates Mesa Roadster and ALL OF THEM had less dynamics in the Kemper version. I'm not talking about the volume knob dynamic thing but the low end thump dynamic massiveness thing. It's simply not there. Proper sounds though. Take a listen!



The whoomp and agressiveness and growl of an amp is not the same. It's more like the Axe-Fx in a way that it has a tone of it own and it's simply EQing it to sound different rather than capturing an amps original growl.

If you want proof that there's less dynamics I can provide pictures from the studio since I'm going there today.

 

[loktide]

I'm not talking about the volume knob dynamic thing but the low end thump dynamic massiveness thing. It's simply not there.

gotcha

yeah, i was referring to how the amps clean up by using the volume knob. i agree that the dynamics (especially the low end 'oomph') it's not the same as with the real amp. espcially when playing, i can easily tell the real amp from the profile.

 

[Trevoire520]

To be honest I'd be really interested to see what future firmware updates will bring. I'm sure it's feasible to add match eq and possibly a recabinet style speaker dynamic's algorithm.

Personally I really like the idea of using this for profiling preamps, and then you can use it with a poweramp and cab, or impulses.

 

[::XeS::]

These samples confirm my first impressions about the kemper. Very nice piece of gear but it's not 100% accurate...it's like all the kemper versions are played with a single coil pickup instead of the humbucker in the real one, always a little bit undergained and they lack the low end thump of a real cab.

 

[CubanDude]

I'm still wondering why many (credible) guys can make it sound 100% like the original (according to them). Mabye it's not for the average joe

 

[Clark Kent]

I'm still wondering why many (credible) guys can make it sound 100% like the original (according to them). Mabye it's not for the average joe

Who are these credible guys?

This is my 100% honest review. If you're still interested then I suggest you try one out for yourself.

The Kemper sounds good. There's no doubt about it. The profile just wasn't as good even after the refining. And yes, the difference was a "good/bad" thing for me, not a "it's just different" thing. I deffo preferred the real amps.

 

[Clark Kent]

Here's a video in Finnish where me and my friend test the Kemper. It's easy to follow though... and you can also see me playing without a pick I actually played that way for my 3 first guitar years. A big Knopfler fan over here.

 

[Adrian Warren]

To be honest I'd be really interested to see what future firmware updates will bring. I'm sure it's feasible to add match eq and possibly a recabinet style speaker dynamic's algorithm.

Personally I really like the idea of using this for profiling preamps, and then you can use it with a poweramp and cab, or impulses.

That would be great. Even now it doesn't sound bad to me at all, just a bit different than the reference signal.

Clark, are you going to share your profiles?

 

[CubanDude]

Who are these credible guys?

jocke skog, ronnie (garageland studios) and andy sneap himself

 

[Matt-Steele]

I did lots of research and tried out the Kemper and the Axe II before making a choice and I decided on the Axe II and I've been very happy with my purchase so far.

I think you've got to remember though that the Kemper is the first of its kind. To do what it does is quite amazing to me. I don't think the quality is there yet enough for me to make a purchase, but I'm very excited to see where it ends up. It may very well make our Axe FX's obsolete. But not yet.

I'm no fan boy of any gear. I'm an advocate in improving technology no matter who is doing the research, and I have to give the developers of the Kemper a big nod. I hope they continue to improve their product just as Cliff and FAS have.

 

[aeonix]

I like your honest opinions on the kemper, after hearing quite a number of clips, I'd have to say the kemper tones does indeed sound very good, but the distortion part of it still remains kinda gimmicky to me, seems like a lot of amps profiles have the same type of character. Well it might just be my lack of proper research so do correct me if I'm wrong.

Now you've gotta get an AxeFX II with FW7.0 in it, would love to read your opinions on that haha