Hi Guys,
I've been lurking on this forum for quite some time already but this is my first post.
Anyhow, another first hand experience with the Kemper which I own since 2 weeks:
This thing is mindblowing!
Profiling really works like a charm. With a longer "refine profile" process you will have an exact (well, that's a big word, but in my experience if there are any differences left you can tweak your profile to sound just the same or those differences are negligible) copy of the sound you dialed in at the studio. It's so cool to dial in your favourite tone in the studio with your fav cab and then just take the Kemper home and play with that sound. The first profile I did was my JCM800 with HotMod and I was blown away by the details it captured. The unreal attack of that amp and the low mid roar - it was all there, just like I know my Marshall. And most importantly - it felt the same playing it!
If I had one thing to complain it's the stomp section which I don't find to be as extremely good as the stack and effects one. The inbuilt tubescreamer is a little heavy handed and it's easy to overdo the TS Effect with it. However, with some more conservative settings it's ok for live use. In the studio I'd rather put a Maxon in front of the Kemper, which works really well!
I found if you use mild settings on a transparent tubescreamer like the Maxon Od808 profiling with it in the chain works suprisingly good.
This is my 5150 Red Channel with Maxon into a 2x12 H&K Cab with V30 as profiled by the Kemper:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/29807386/Kemper5150redts.mp3
More extrem settings and it will sound sort of strange - but like I said above just use a real pedal in front of the Kemper if you are not satisfied with your profile with the TS in the chain. Or use the inbuilt one. Or use preamp definition/powersagging to get a similiar less extreme effect.
The Kemper will get tons of use at my studio that's for sure.
For live use it's godsend as well. The Kemper and something like crate powerblock and a midi foot controller and you are set. Use the Kemper Direct Out to the PA and the monitor out with cab off into your poweramp and cab of choice for on stage monitoring. I will be having a couple of gigs end of March and I am planning to use the Kemper instead of my trusty Triple X or 5150.
I like the form as well. It's not the most practical thing for live use - I agree - but it's very intuitive and easy to use.
To cut the whole crap:
The Kemper rules and is one of the coolest pieces of gear I experienced in quite some time!
All the best,
Markus