As someone who gigs out 2-3 times a week. The Kemper is an awesome tool. Every live sound engineer I have worked was very happy with the tones! No mic, no pickup buzz, no stage volume bleed. Ever since switching to the Kemper, I no longer need to bring a pedal board, but instead I bring a simple midi switcher to change patches and I am good to go. I should also mention that the Kemper takes the use of your guitar volume knob *very* *very* well (depending on the profile). That was the main reason it grabbed my interest. So do not try and play through the hi gain dual rec profile and expect it to clean up. I use the *unpowered* version. With that said, I've found the Boss Katana Combo 112 100w makes an awesome speaker cabinet (slave the fx loop return), it feels just like I'm playing through a regular tube amp. I do not use a cabinet live, it is only for home use! IEM's live! I will be honest and say that some of the stock profiles are just not good. One of my friends had shared some amp packages with Vox, Morgan, and Marshall profiles, these are what I primarily use. Another downfall that someone you already mentioned is the use of Kemper with pedals. The Kemper takes modulation, verbs, and delays awesome (pre or post), but it lacks when you try to use any overdrive or distortion. I have tried everything to get it my "go to" overdrives to sounds the same through a Kemper with a clean/edge of break up setting and it just does not work, do keep in mind that the Kemper has built in stomp box pedals and those work totally fine! Updating is also very easy. I wish Kemper would allow users to edit the actual tone settings on rig manager... **this should be priority for the future** it's ironic how I can edit tones and create patches on my laptop for a $350 Katana, but I can not do the same for a profiler that cost me my left kidney? The Kemper is awesome and I will continue to use it, even my back approves.
I've owned the Kemper (toaster, unpowered) for about two years now. Fantastic piece of gear. Picked up a second hand one in Aus with a footswitch and pelican case for $2750. I've found it beneficial in the following ways (versus my old amp and pedalboard setup): 1. It's a great amp for live use - for both electric and acoustic guitar - I often use both at the same gig. There are excellent profiles out there for each of these. 2. No more tube maintenance. Thanks to the Kemper, I sold off a Framus Ruby Riot, an Engl Savage SE, a Laney VC30 and several other amps (after profiling them of course.) Plus having a consistent tone is great. 3. No more heavy amps to lug around. 4. No more pedalboard either. I'm pleased enough with the FX on the Kemper, plus the looper with the footswitch (but I'll hang on to my CAE wah for now.) Prior to the Kemper, I was running a mid-sized board that cost more than the Kemper itself. 5. The ability to recording backing tracks at home with low volume, or play with a 'cranked' tone at low volumes. (I previously used a badcat attenuator which was also great.) 6. The Kemper has some decent bass profiles as well - which is useful to me, as I play bass gigs from time to time, and for (5). 7. As far as versus other digital amps, i.e. Axe FX, Helix - I can't comment, as I haven't used either extensively. But I can say that I like to plug and play. I found the profiling process fairly straightforward. I can just plug my guitar in and sound good night after night. I agree that it's not the same as having a roaring tube amp behind you. Playing through a $5000 Bogner in the shop will always make me grin from ear to ear. But the nuances and subtleties of the Kemper are 99% there for me, and given everything else that it brings, as Daryl Kerrigan in The Castle says of the radar detector, it's "Just paid for itself."
I've been watching dozens of demos of these things now, and this is by far the most helpful one. I feel like you gave a realistic impression of how a musician like me would feel about it. There are so many UA-cam clips of people claiming, without a shadow of a caveat, that Kempers are the 99.9% equivalent of dozens of world class amps. (This includes renowned producers and guitarists). After watching your video, I still am considering getting one, but I feel like I know so much better what I'm getting myself into. Thanks!
LOL. I was waiting for that thing to fall off that wobbly stool ;) Great demo Shane. I sold my AX 8 partly because I like plugging into a tube amp with pedals. I have enough guitar sims in my pc to record with. When prices drop in a few years, I'll jump back in. Then I won't mind taking a small hit as the technology gets better and even cheaper! In theory :)
There was a slight difference in sound but less than a thimble worth. To me the Peavey sounded a little richer or fuller. But just a little. The Kemper is an amazing piece of gear, but I don't think I want one. Lucky for me because I could never afford it. : )
"To me the Peavey sounded a little richer or fuller. But just a little." True. But you have to consider the mic chosen as part of the overall tone. If the mic is a bit 'thin' sounding, then that's what you get.
I have to say Shane, your videos are very complete and well done. Even if I'm not shopping for a Kemper, this review was very informative. Thanks for taking the time.
This is the first of around 15 Kemper videos which actually shows how you physically set up the kemper... albeit what every one is forgetting to explain is whether the kemper only works in conjunction with anothe amp or it can work on its own with out any other device ( except external speakers or speaker cabinet )
I got it in Feb 2013 and it's still my go-to device despite my alternative ax8, headrush, ge-200 plus a bunch of amps and a number of pedals. With an additional 300 bucks you can add also a power amp section and once there you can do whatever you want.
The process sounds similar to last time I had a diesel truck engine literally run away full rpm and destroyed itself. Not sure I'd like one. Sure glad I heard this. I had the wife nearly talked into my getting one. I don't think it would be my cup of tea Shane. I think I'll just stick with buying amps. Two weeks ago, I picked up a Fender Super Sonic 1X12 Combo. 6 months old got it for $450 USD from the guy. They sell for $1049 new in the US so if I can find a few more deals like that, I won't need a Kemper. Super informative, and a great demo.
That sounds great; I'm about to take the plunge and get a Kemper. Nice job on the 'Wishes' intro on your first comparison between the Peavey and the Kemper; that's always been a favorite song of mine. Great demo/tutorial video!
Its pretty good at modeling to a point....however the mid treble and bass are really just an eq for the snap shot. They do not act or sound the way the amps adjustments would be. Also its been my experience they do not take pedals well as when I've seen first hand when making a profile of the amp your modeling, and then running the same fx into the kemper as the amp, the fx is way different. VERY noticeable on overdrive and distortion pedals. You will have to dial them back as a fender twin profile makes a ts 808 sound like a DS-1. Just my two cents, but thought it was worth noting. I love your videos Shane, and have used them many times on purchasing decisions. Thanks!
I'm gonna put flashing lights all around my neighbours house at 2am and then make a profile on the front doorstep. He'll think he's about to be abducted by aliens
Hi Shane. Nice video and some great faces during the profiling :-) However, there are a few flaws in the information. First, the Kemper takes a snap shot of the amp including settings. It isn’t a 12:00 tone setting that you then match the Kemper knobs after profiling. The Kemper doesn’t try and mimic the real amp’s tone stack so turning a knob on the Kemper behaves very differently from turning the physical knobs on the real amp. Next, the Kemper has an FX loop that can be placed anywhere in the signal chain and can be optimised for distribution pedals if required. Finally the profiling process has a further stage to refine the sound. Here’s a little clip I made after doing my first attempt at profiling. Its the clean channel on my Mesa Mark V:25. I recorded a DI signal and reamped it using a Two Notes Torpedo Reload then recorded the Kemper and original amp to different tracks and toggled between them. I literally cant tell the difference in the room on a set of Adam A7x. ua-cam.com/video/A_r5elWBiYA/v-deo.html
Super detailed video and nice review. Now that you have had the Kemper unit for 3+ years, is your opinion still the same of how it performs and sounds? I am looking for something for studio recording that is flexible and that sound great, especially for solos. Thanks. Phil NYC Area
Hi everyone, I have attached time codes in the description so you can skip ahead if you like. There was a time I thought this amp was going to be a glorified Fender Mustang but how wrong I was. A while back I had a chance to test one with Ryan who features on a series of videos we shot together and it really surprised me how great it works as a direct recording tool. This video took ages, if you like it please give it a 👍😃This is such a great unit - check it out here . Check it out on Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/Kemper
intheblues I greatly appreciated your honesty with the kemper! It’s great you show what setting this type of gear best works in! Things like the kemper solve some issues for studio recording and the touring musicians in my mind! I know if I were a touring musician I would want to avoid bringing my expensive valve amps I greatly cherish! Cheers from the US!
Thanks for all the pros and cons. I hate it when all you hear is how awesome something is. Then you buy it and it has cons that make you regret your purchase. Love your honestly in all your videos.
As a 20 year pro and have owned multiple vintage fender amps and Marshall’s and dozens of other boutique amps, I’m going to say this. You mentioned it not taking pedals as well as an amp and you’re right. It takes pedals in front of the input Better than any amp I’ve played. It responds so much more smoother and really enhances the tone and profile. I’m sure it’s subjective to good or great profiles I’ve played as I’m not sure what profile you were using where it wasn’t delivering properly. Kemper is a beast. I still love amps as well, always will but the K is light years ahead of amps as well as a pedal platform. I’ll share some profiles with you if you’d like.
I played one for the first time a few days ago, and it was actually a bit of a creepy experience. I've played a lot of modelling stuff over the years (I had an Axe-FX II for a few years), and it's kind of light-years ahead in terms of sound and feel. It just felt like playing an amp. The hype is real.
Hey Shane, its aanaad from the forum days. Been waiting for you to do this test for years haha. I think I must have bugged you about it a million times :D Your reaction to the profiling sound didn't disappoint hehe. I would profile the amp at the settings you like. Basically first get your recorded sound to how you like it then profile to get that snapshot. Also direct profiles (without speaker emulations) are great. One very important point about OD pedals is that you can profile your amp with the pedal in the chain and have that as a seperate profile. You can then use the footswitch to switch between profiles and have the same effect. You then also have that sound forever, so even if you lose your amp or pedal, you never lose that sound. A lifesaver for sure.
If I was to buy every amp that I have a profile of in my Kemper, I'd need to fork out a few hundred thousand dollars. Pair it with a good FRFR cab at a gig and you'll get that "wall of sound" no problem at all. Can use third party can IRs. Built in effects are amazing. Super responsive to touch and guitar volume. If you play in a cover band, you can setup performances (up to 5 profiles) for every song. Just an amazing piece of gear. One more thing, my full kit (guitars, Kemper, FRFR cab, footswitch and cables) weighs under 80lbs. Your back will thank you in the long run.
Great video. What speaker would you recommend with the kemper in a room or gig situation in order to take advantage of the cab simulation? Just Any PA speaker?.
Great review. Amazing how far technology has come. I wonder though, if you wanted to have the Distortion to 12 o-clock position, would you need to re-profile the Bandit? Or is the Kemper e smart enough to emulate the low gain settings. I see you had the distortion at maxed out at 11 while you were profiling the bandit..
Hi Shane, just looked at this after you referred to it on your live stream today. Does the Kempfer have a built in speaker or if not where does the profiling process sound come from?
Thanks SO much for this video. I have wondering about the profiling process forever. Quick question, how does the Kemper FX loop work? Where is it in the chain? Is it after the power amp and cab profiling? Can the Kemper profile the preamp and poweramp/cab separately? Thanks.
How is the switching lag between the presets? This is very essential to me and I tossed away almost every digital pedal for that. It annoys the hell out of me if there is some kind of lag. Unlike to most normal pedals, you kick it and you have it. I always feel it straight away when it doesn't. I hardly see anyone talk about it or demo that. Thanks for the great video though
One thing you can do to get the tone even closer is actually play through the amp before profiling and listening in your headphones to get it closer, then when its done you can refine the profile by playing chords and the kemper will listen to what its captured vs what its missing and it will piece together what its missing and bam, perfect. I do agree the kemper doesn't seem to take pedals that well, atleast mine seems like it over distorts the dirt pedals. but its hit or miss. sometimes the pedals sound great at home thru studio monitors or headphones and i go out and play live and my tone is god awful and really trebly.
Right on, highly recommend refining, it helps A LOT! Exact same here experience here with dirt pedals. KOT in the front of the Kemper is nowhere near the same what the amp sounds like with it. (DRRI) You can profile the dirt pedal in for good results but then you are locked at those pedal settings.
Hey man, one thing to try if you bought the Kemper or still have it. Plug the pedals through the loop not in the front end. You can activate the pedals through the stomp boxes section. Mono Loop would be the effect you would dial up which accesses the loop you created with the pedals. Maybe I'm crazy but I found my pedals reacted better through that. Also I use a PA monitor as to keep my stage volume down because the wedge is aimed right at me. A PA monitor does sound a little different than a guitar cab of course. So some EQ settings seem to be in order to offset that. Just my 2 cents. Cheers!
The volume during profiling doesn't have to be all that loud. It is about taking one or more snapshot of how your amp works at your favourite settings. With some amps that will be with with the controls at max, but not always. The Kemper analyses what comes back through the mic depending of what noises it feeds to the amp. For A/B comparison of the real amp vs the profile one should be listening to the signal as received at the recording desk. The Kemper Profiling Amplifier is actually not designed to mimic the sound of a real amp in the room, although one may come close with one of the bigger FRFR-speakers designed for use with amp modellers.
Yeah that was my favourite settings there's something that makes the bandit rock once you turn it up at lower volumes it doesn't quite have the same throw of sound. :-)
I just purchased one this week.It'll be here on Thursday, but I only bought it because of new sounds that it has inside.Not necessarily, to make it up to another amplifier.I need a new sound.That's why i'm getting it. I'm a home studio guy. I put out nine albums so far and I need seven more by november. So I need to bring my sound better so I purchased it
If you want the feel of a wall of sound just run the kemper through a guitar cab. I also frequently use my Kemper with pedals. You just can't profile modulation effects. The kemper has an FX loop and it has loads of built in effects.
Hey Shane, great video, pairing the Kemper with something like a Mission Gemini 1 cab will get you closer to that amp in the room feel with the push and feedback. I use a passive version of the Kemper myself, and the Gemini Cab is rated at about 110watts, which gives you the headroom you need for the profiles in most situations. As far as the pedals go you're right, it depends on which profiles you use, but I've found in a live situation the best use of the Kemper is really using it's remote and setting up some presets. In regards to gain, I just use the same amp profile set up on a different preset with the gain knob turned up a bit. The delays, verbs, and modulation effects are extremely good in the box itself, and things like the wah and compressors are good enough to not necessarily need to use pedals in front of it. Lastly, I've found that the EQ on the Kemper is set to its own values, so by just matching the EQ on the Kemper and the real amp isn't always accurate. Eg. If you're matching the EQ on a Marshall Amp, the Kemper is going to go way too far with the same settings. On the other hand, if you're trying to match the EQ on a MESA amp, you really need to go further on the Kemper. Needless to say, if I'm turning up to a gig where it's only a vocal PA, I tend to take my Deluxe Reverb and pedals instead. I've yet to find a powered FRFR speaker that can emulate the 3D sound of an open back combo. I don't think that's an issue with the Kemper, rather the gear you'd need to pair with it.
Bill Ruppert who does a lot for the EHX pedal demos uses a Kemper and runs pedals thru it all the time and it sounds great. There are profiles done for the Kemper with both amps and OD pedals and they sound fine also. Nice demo. Thanks for posting.
It sounds good with some pedals absolutely but they don't really sound exactly like they would otherwise in an amp especially when it comes to the tone and volume controls. I noticed this when testing out my pedalboard into it off camera. It wasn't bad by any means but it wasn't the same sort of vibe I was getting from the tube amp and two-notes. :-)
I reckon this is the next logical step in amp simulation and it wouldn't surprise me if we see a lot of companies jumping on the bandwagon to do similar profiling amps at reasonable prices in the next few years. Even Line 6 might get it right!
Can you use it without an amp or cabinet and connect directly to monitor speakers or headphones? How good are the amp models and effects/stomp boxes that come default with the Kemper? Thinking this would be great way to have tons of setups for recording/practice/live shows in compact space for what a high end single tube amp costs.
@@intheblues so... sound doesn't bounce off of those walls? I've been doing audio for a loooong time ( almost 50 years) and I've never heard of sound not bouncing off of hard surfaces till now. Can you explain how it will not pick up any room sound when you are in a room with hard walls and floor, ceiling etc? I would have assumed that you'd want to do a profile in a relatively echo-free environment so as not to color the actual sample. What do I know? I was just seeing what people were saying about this device and how much it cost. thx
If you record in a room and you like the sound you get, why does it matter? People record vocals in bathrooms because they like the acoustics. Every room has a sound, treated or not. Unless you're in one of those zero-echo chambers they have in science labs.
So let's say I profile 8 amps into the Kemper. Would I even need the amps anymore? A closet full of amps that never get used again seems a little weird. Can you buy/trade amp profiles with others?
I think you left the distorted tab selected when you profiled the clean channel. Also for the feedback you talked about you definitely need a digital power amp and cab for the "amp in a room" feel. About the pedals I totally agree with you, not as good as a tube amp. Digital clipping happens a lot with overdrive pedals.
Hey are they anyway you can use a Helix line 6 through 2 amps some people tell me they work good through a regular and some tell me they dont, i was really thinking about buying one and i dont want to unless i here only you to demo because i know you are a honest person. so if they are anyway you can do it i would deeply appreceaite it ,so Shane please try to do this, and for the demo you done on the peavy and the kempler i couldnt tell the difference!
I respectfully disagree about the Kemper not taking pedals well. I got to use one for the first time recently. I picked a profile I liked and plugged my board into the input, placing all the effects in front. A couple of Wampler drives, a Muff and Empress delay. It sounded stellar and required minimal tweaking. If you use outboard effects and stack with the internal drives, that gets a little weird. My experience is that the Kemper takes pedals at least as well as a Deluxe Reverb, AC15/30 etc.
Finally a good review of the Kemper....but maaaan, that Kemper on that barstool 🙈🙈😆😆!!!
6 років тому
i have a kemper too and i must say if you have a profile of a pedalfriendly amp the kemper does a amazing job as a pedal platform imo since the kemper has much more headroom that gives you mor possibilities .... i still have my tube amps and they have their place and advantages too but the kemper is a amazing tool even for bass and acoustic guitar... and it is the best device to bring acoutsic guitar to the stage ... hands down ... i posted a workflow to use match eqing the piezo signal to a miced signal, just like the tonedexer pedal but since the kemper has effects compressors loopers and a better eq this is unbeatable to make the best out of our acoustic guitar piezo pckup
I heard almost no difference in the dirt. The clean on the Bandit sounded a smidge cleaner and there was a sparkle on the top end on the Bandit that wasn’t there on the Kemper, but if there were no A/B one would probably not notice.
Tip - for speaker location use the torch on your smart phone if you hold it hard against the grill cloth you can see the speaker beneath it as the torch light shoots through the weave and not just the grill cloth itself.
So profiling is the only way to get a certain amp sound The Kemper doesn’t have like 100 build in? New to this and using a 60w tube Blackstar amp and the guitar sounds from Logic Pro x when recording
For use live, it's already modeling the cabinet so you shouldn't play it through a guitar cabinet. You would need speakers with a flat response. Do you use studio monitors or a PA? How much do you have to spend on monitors or a PA for accurate sound for two situations, home use or on a gig?
Great demo and playing. I never realized they were so much trouble! I'll stick with my amp and pedals, but I can see why ppl with high end gear may want to use something like this.
Excellent review Shane!! I’ve always wanted to understand how a Kemper is setup to profile an amp. Must say that process is noisy as hell!!!! I guess that’s a necessary evil but damn that was loud!!! Your profile on the Bandit was almost flawless and I can see the many uses a guitarist could have owning this amp. Me personally, it’s way too expensive for me and really don’t have a need for it. I would spend the money on a Universal Audio Ox or a Two Notes Torpedo. I could see using either of those before a Kemper, but that’s me. Thanks again Shane for more guitar knowledge!!!🎸🎸🎸🤘🏽🤙🏾👍🏽
If it's so loud while profiling, why don't you turn the volume down? Does having the volume set high on the amp effect the end result of the profile or what?
Can you download profiles that other people have made? Like suppose I wanna model a setup I don’t own, could I just download someone else’s amp profiles?
Great review and fun - profiling sounds like home renovation job! - think like most current software solutions they sound cold and sterile - but offer a huge range of additional options if your into software mods and chasing tone.
about the footswitch, people mod the Behringer FCB1010 to work with the kemper. The Behringer costs 100 bucks instead of paying 1000 for Kempers own footswitch.
Would GC mind if I paid them to stay after hours so that I can profile a half dozen amps. I don't have an amp collection, except those that reside in my Mustang III. Can you download profiles to the Kemper from some internet source..is there a profile data-base ?
@@MeTuLHeD yeah pro level profiles from Dumbles or similar amps. I'm curious about the profiles John Mayer has on his personal Kemper he uses for practice.
Would you confirm, that the Kemper is the only "modeler" that enables finely graduated dynamic play? That's what they say in my luthier forum and that's why that thing is so expensive. It catches the valves characteristics like nothing else does. And that makes it a masterpiece of engineering and programing (otherwise I wouldn't wonder why others don't copy it. I am waiting for the chinese since years ;-) ). As a Linuxer I thought "guitarix" would be something like the Kemper, but the guitarix guys wrote "No, it's just modeling with some good EQing, IRing, convoluting, etc., but not profiling the valve's reactions". - Seems to be the best kept and most expensive secret in the guitarist's world...
P.S. Regarding your caveat about the hideously expensive foot switch: Since this video came out, they launched the Kemper Stage, which should take care of that problem (unless your back is screwed up and you don't enjoy bending down all the time).
a question, i run my guitar through my iPad a lot through the pedal app then run iPad headphone through to the input on my tube amp so my question will it profile the sound that's coming from what i have setup in my iPad witch is playing through the input of my tube amp??
Profile a Fender Mustang GT lol
😂✅
funny modeling amp modeling a modeling amp.
LOLS
Dylan Brisbane
No lie...people profile the Axe Fx patches with Kempers...funny.
😂😂😂
Kemper Profiling Power Amp: $2200
Used Peavey Bandit: $100
Making a $2200 amp sound like a $100 amp: Priceless
I know, what a terrible amp to use.
But the kick is you can profile lots of cheap amps.
Clearly the intended use for the Kemper ;-D
Man, do you have bad idea of music...
I was thinking the same thing lol
As someone who gigs out 2-3 times a week. The Kemper is an awesome tool. Every live sound engineer I have worked was very happy with the tones! No mic, no pickup buzz, no stage volume bleed. Ever since switching to the Kemper, I no longer need to bring a pedal board, but instead I bring a simple midi switcher to change patches and I am good to go. I should also mention that the Kemper takes the use of your guitar volume knob *very* *very* well (depending on the profile). That was the main reason it grabbed my interest. So do not try and play through the hi gain dual rec profile and expect it to clean up. I use the *unpowered* version. With that said, I've found the Boss Katana Combo 112 100w makes an awesome speaker cabinet (slave the fx loop return), it feels just like I'm playing through a regular tube amp. I do not use a cabinet live, it is only for home use! IEM's live!
I will be honest and say that some of the stock profiles are just not good. One of my friends had shared some amp packages with Vox, Morgan, and Marshall profiles, these are what I primarily use. Another downfall that someone you already mentioned is the use of Kemper with pedals. The Kemper takes modulation, verbs, and delays awesome (pre or post), but it lacks when you try to use any overdrive or distortion. I have tried everything to get it my "go to" overdrives to sounds the same through a Kemper with a clean/edge of break up setting and it just does not work, do keep in mind that the Kemper has built in stomp box pedals and those work totally fine!
Updating is also very easy.
I wish Kemper would allow users to edit the actual tone settings on rig manager... **this should be priority for the future** it's ironic how I can edit tones and create patches on my laptop for a $350 Katana, but I can not do the same for a profiler that cost me my left kidney?
The Kemper is awesome and I will continue to use it, even my back approves.
I've owned the Kemper (toaster, unpowered) for about two years now. Fantastic piece of gear. Picked up a second hand one in Aus with a footswitch and pelican case for $2750. I've found it beneficial in the following ways (versus my old amp and pedalboard setup):
1. It's a great amp for live use - for both electric and acoustic guitar - I often use both at the same gig. There are excellent profiles out there for each of these.
2. No more tube maintenance. Thanks to the Kemper, I sold off a Framus Ruby Riot, an Engl Savage SE, a Laney VC30 and several other amps (after profiling them of course.) Plus having a consistent tone is great.
3. No more heavy amps to lug around.
4. No more pedalboard either. I'm pleased enough with the FX on the Kemper, plus the looper with the footswitch (but I'll hang on to my CAE wah for now.) Prior to the Kemper, I was running a mid-sized board that cost more than the Kemper itself.
5. The ability to recording backing tracks at home with low volume, or play with a 'cranked' tone at low volumes. (I previously used a badcat attenuator which was also great.)
6. The Kemper has some decent bass profiles as well - which is useful to me, as I play bass gigs from time to time, and for (5).
7. As far as versus other digital amps, i.e. Axe FX, Helix - I can't comment, as I haven't used either extensively. But I can say that I like to plug and play. I found the profiling process fairly straightforward. I can just plug my guitar in and sound good night after night.
I agree that it's not the same as having a roaring tube amp behind you. Playing through a $5000 Bogner in the shop will always make me grin from ear to ear. But the nuances and subtleties of the Kemper are 99% there for me, and given everything else that it brings, as Daryl Kerrigan in The Castle says of the radar detector, it's "Just paid for itself."
Profile a metal zone into a line 6 spider.
that might be the best idea of ever!! 😂
Hahahaha. For real.
SLAYERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!
That would be just the best wouldn’t it!
Good lord, are you attempting to make the earth collapse in on itself? 🤣🤣🤣
sounds like the extra tracks you hear on Tool albums
I've been watching dozens of demos of these things now, and this is by far the most helpful one. I feel like you gave a realistic impression of how a musician like me would feel about it. There are so many UA-cam clips of people claiming, without a shadow of a caveat, that Kempers are the 99.9% equivalent of dozens of world class amps. (This includes renowned producers and guitarists). After watching your video, I still am considering getting one, but I feel like I know so much better what I'm getting myself into. Thanks!
LOL. I was waiting for that thing to fall off that wobbly stool ;) Great demo Shane. I sold my AX 8 partly because I like plugging into a tube amp with pedals. I have enough guitar sims in my pc to record with. When prices drop in a few years, I'll jump back in. Then I won't mind taking a small hit as the technology gets better and even cheaper! In theory :)
Best demo I've seen of a Kemper and a true report on them ,thanks Shane
Thanks a lot Doug, cheers man!
Absolutely, I have watched a lot of Kemper videos and this is the only video that demonstrates the profiling in such an informative way.
There was a slight difference in sound but less than a thimble worth.
To me the Peavey sounded a little richer or fuller. But just a little.
The Kemper is an amazing piece of gear, but I don't think I want one.
Lucky for me because I could never afford it. : )
"To me the Peavey sounded a little richer or fuller. But just a little."
True. But you have to consider the mic chosen as part of the overall tone. If the mic is a bit 'thin' sounding, then that's what you get.
I have to say Shane, your videos are very complete and well done. Even if I'm not shopping for a Kemper, this review was very informative. Thanks for taking the time.
Thanks for the kind words. :-) I tried to cover all the stuff I liked and thought was weird or interesting about it. Cheers.
This is the first of around 15 Kemper videos which actually shows how you physically set up the kemper... albeit what every one is forgetting to explain is whether the kemper only works in conjunction with anothe amp or it can work on its own with out any other device ( except external speakers or speaker cabinet )
I got it in Feb 2013 and it's still my go-to device despite my alternative ax8, headrush, ge-200 plus a bunch of amps and a number of pedals. With an additional 300 bucks you can add also a power amp section and once there you can do whatever you want.
The process sounds similar to last time I had a diesel truck engine literally run away full rpm and destroyed itself. Not sure I'd like one. Sure glad I heard this. I had the wife nearly talked into my getting one. I don't think it would be my cup of tea Shane. I think I'll just stick with buying amps. Two weeks ago, I picked up a Fender Super Sonic 1X12 Combo. 6 months old got it for $450 USD from the guy. They sell for $1049 new in the US so if I can find a few more deals like that, I won't need a Kemper. Super informative, and a great demo.
That sounds great; I'm about to take the plunge and get a Kemper. Nice job on the 'Wishes' intro on your first comparison between the Peavey and the Kemper; that's always been a favorite song of mine. Great demo/tutorial video!
Its pretty good at modeling to a point....however the mid treble and bass are really just an eq for the snap shot. They do not act or sound the way the amps adjustments would be. Also its been my experience they do not take pedals well as when I've seen first hand when making a profile of the amp your modeling, and then running the same fx into the kemper as the amp, the fx is way different. VERY noticeable on overdrive and distortion pedals. You will have to dial them back as a fender twin profile makes a ts 808 sound like a DS-1. Just my two cents, but thought it was worth noting. I love your videos Shane, and have used them many times on purchasing decisions. Thanks!
Thanks so much for the review and final thoughts Shane! So many demos miss that part 🎉💯👌
I'm gonna put flashing lights all around my neighbours house at 2am and then make a profile on the front doorstep. He'll think he's about to be abducted by aliens
Hi Shane. Nice video and some great faces during the profiling :-)
However, there are a few flaws in the information.
First, the Kemper takes a snap shot of the amp including settings. It isn’t a 12:00 tone setting that you then match the Kemper knobs after profiling. The Kemper doesn’t try and mimic the real amp’s tone stack so turning a knob on the Kemper behaves very differently from turning the physical knobs on the real amp.
Next, the Kemper has an FX loop that can be placed anywhere in the signal chain and can be optimised for distribution pedals if required.
Finally the profiling process has a further stage to refine the sound.
Here’s a little clip I made after doing my first attempt at profiling. Its the clean channel on my Mesa Mark V:25. I recorded a DI signal and reamped it using a Two Notes Torpedo Reload then recorded the Kemper and original amp to different tracks and toggled between them. I literally cant tell the difference in the room on a set of Adam A7x.
ua-cam.com/video/A_r5elWBiYA/v-deo.html
Good work Shane! Been interested in how the profiling works... Keep it up man.
Super detailed video and nice review.
Now that you have had the Kemper unit for 3+ years, is your opinion still the same of how it performs and sounds?
I am looking for something for studio recording that is flexible and that sound great, especially for solos. Thanks.
Phil
NYC Area
Hi everyone, I have attached time codes in the description so you can skip ahead if you like. There was a time I thought this amp was going to be a glorified Fender Mustang but how wrong I was. A while back I had a chance to test one with Ryan who features on a series of videos we shot together and it really surprised me how great it works as a direct recording tool. This video took ages, if you like it please give it a 👍😃This is such a great unit - check it out here . Check it out on Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/Kemper
intheblues I still prefer a real amp with the Two Notes Torpedo
intheblues I greatly appreciated your honesty with the kemper! It’s great you show what setting this type of gear best works in! Things like the kemper solve some issues for studio recording and the touring musicians in my mind! I know if I were a touring musician I would want to avoid bringing my expensive valve amps I greatly cherish! Cheers from the US!
intheblues This is the first time i watched the profiling process..and i was shocked for that noisy "shock wave" sound lol...
Did you end up buying a kemper
A really cool review, thanks, both for letting me see/hear something I can't afford, and also for giving cons as well as pros!
Thanks for all the pros and cons. I hate it when all you hear is how awesome something is. Then you buy it and it has cons that make you regret your purchase. Love your honestly in all your videos.
Great review and "How-To" lesson on the Kemper Profiler -- Thanks Shane!
Can always count on you for an honest review Shane, thanks for the video!
I like that you profiled a Peavey Bandit. That's awesome.
As a 20 year pro and have owned multiple vintage fender amps and Marshall’s and dozens of other boutique amps, I’m going to say this. You mentioned it not taking pedals as well as an amp and you’re right. It takes pedals in front of the input Better than any amp I’ve played. It responds so much more smoother and really enhances the tone and profile. I’m sure it’s subjective to good or great profiles I’ve played as I’m not sure what profile you were using where it wasn’t delivering properly. Kemper is a beast. I still love amps as well, always will but the K is light years ahead of amps as well as a pedal platform. I’ll share some profiles with you if you’d like.
Wow this is my first time seeing a profiling in action. This is some space age stuff here! Great video.
I played one for the first time a few days ago, and it was actually a bit of a creepy experience. I've played a lot of modelling stuff over the years (I had an Axe-FX II for a few years), and it's kind of light-years ahead in terms of sound and feel. It just felt like playing an amp. The hype is real.
Hey Shane, its aanaad from the forum days. Been waiting for you to do this test for years haha. I think I must have bugged you about it a million times :D Your reaction to the profiling sound didn't disappoint hehe. I would profile the amp at the settings you like. Basically first get your recorded sound to how you like it then profile to get that snapshot. Also direct profiles (without speaker emulations) are great. One very important point about OD pedals is that you can profile your amp with the pedal in the chain and have that as a seperate profile. You can then use the footswitch to switch between profiles and have the same effect. You then also have that sound forever, so even if you lose your amp or pedal, you never lose that sound. A lifesaver for sure.
So profiling my thunderverb 200 might be a bit painful then...
Great demo! Volume issue when profiling was new to me - thank you for that!
If I was to buy every amp that I have a profile of in my Kemper, I'd need to fork out a few hundred thousand dollars. Pair it with a good FRFR cab at a gig and you'll get that "wall of sound" no problem at all. Can use third party can IRs. Built in effects are amazing. Super responsive to touch and guitar volume. If you play in a cover band, you can setup performances (up to 5 profiles) for every song. Just an amazing piece of gear. One more thing, my full kit (guitars, Kemper, FRFR cab, footswitch and cables) weighs under 80lbs. Your back will thank you in the long run.
Great video. What speaker would you recommend with the kemper in a room or gig situation in order to take advantage of the cab simulation? Just Any PA speaker?.
Great review. Amazing how far technology has come. I wonder though, if you wanted to have the Distortion to 12 o-clock position, would you need to re-profile the Bandit? Or is the Kemper e smart enough to emulate the low gain settings. I see you had the distortion at maxed out at 11 while you were profiling the bandit..
Hi Shane, just looked at this after you referred to it on your live stream today. Does the Kempfer have a built in speaker or if not where does the profiling process sound come from?
Thanks SO much for this video. I have wondering about the profiling process forever.
Quick question, how does the Kemper FX loop work? Where is it in the chain? Is it after the power amp and cab profiling? Can the Kemper profile the preamp and poweramp/cab separately?
Thanks.
Good for demos? If I'm paying 2k for an amp, it better be my main studio rig.
Feels like a silly question here - is the noise on the profile coming from the Peavy amp or some internal sounds from the Kemper?
This was interesting to see how the Kemper profiling works. I havent seen any other videos showing this, maybe coz of the noise ;)
Thanks for posting.
How is the switching lag between the presets? This is very essential to me and I tossed away almost every digital pedal for that. It annoys the hell out of me if there is some kind of lag. Unlike to most normal pedals, you kick it and you have it. I always feel it straight away when it doesn't.
I hardly see anyone talk about it or demo that.
Thanks for the great video though
Good question. The best way to run it would be set up your tone and turn effects on and off like you would external effects.
Michael Britt creates profiles with pedals - I guess he routes the signal going to the amp through various pedals- with great results I might add!
Great overview. Thanks! I'd seen written warnings about the volume during profiling process but yeah... Cheers!
One thing you can do to get the tone even closer is actually play through the amp before profiling and listening in your headphones to get it closer, then when its done you can refine the profile by playing chords and the kemper will listen to what its captured vs what its missing and it will piece together what its missing and bam, perfect. I do agree the kemper doesn't seem to take pedals that well, atleast mine seems like it over distorts the dirt pedals. but its hit or miss. sometimes the pedals sound great at home thru studio monitors or headphones and i go out and play live and my tone is god awful and really trebly.
Right on, highly recommend refining, it helps A LOT! Exact same here experience here with dirt pedals. KOT in the front of the Kemper is nowhere near the same what the amp sounds like with it. (DRRI) You can profile the dirt pedal in for good results but then you are locked at those pedal settings.
It doesn't matter how the starting profile before profiling sounds though -- doesn't affect profiling result (if that's what you mean).
Hey man, one thing to try if you bought the Kemper or still have it. Plug the pedals through the loop not in the front end. You can activate the pedals through the stomp boxes section. Mono Loop would be the effect you would dial up which accesses the loop you created with the pedals. Maybe I'm crazy but I found my pedals reacted better through that. Also I use a PA monitor as to keep my stage volume down because the wedge is aimed right at me. A PA monitor does sound a little different than a guitar cab of course. So some EQ settings seem to be in order to offset that. Just my 2 cents. Cheers!
Thanks for the information Tim! I didn't think of that. I'll give it a shot. Thanks mate.
The volume during profiling doesn't have to be all that loud. It is about taking one or more snapshot of how your amp works at your favourite settings. With some amps that will be with with the controls at max, but not always. The Kemper analyses what comes back through the mic depending of what noises it feeds to the amp. For A/B comparison of the real amp vs the profile one should be listening to the signal as received at the recording desk. The Kemper Profiling Amplifier is actually not designed to mimic the sound of a real amp in the room, although one may come close with one of the bigger FRFR-speakers designed for use with amp modellers.
Yeah that was my favourite settings there's something that makes the bandit rock once you turn it up at lower volumes it doesn't quite have the same throw of sound. :-)
I just purchased one this week.It'll be here on Thursday, but I only bought it because of new sounds that it has inside.Not necessarily, to make it up to another amplifier.I need a new sound.That's why i'm getting it. I'm a home studio guy. I put out nine albums so far and I need seven more by november. So I need to bring my sound better so I purchased it
Shane.. How bout a link to the mic. I'm a banjo player and I'm looking for something like this to mic my banjo
I definitely hear a difference in liveliness (in favor of the real amp).
If you want the feel of a wall of sound just run the kemper through a guitar cab. I also frequently use my Kemper with pedals. You just can't profile modulation effects. The kemper has an FX loop and it has loads of built in effects.
how do you do that cool lighting effect on your Kemper's buttons and knobs? Pretty cool
Rode M3, amazing microphone. Works soooo well on almost anything. Vox, Amp, acoustics, perc. A true swiss army knife.
Shane: This is the BEST Kemper vid ever! You are awesome!
JohnnyG thanks mate ☺️🎸
Hey Shane, great video, pairing the Kemper with something like a Mission Gemini 1 cab will get you closer to that amp in the room feel with the push and feedback. I use a passive version of the Kemper myself, and the Gemini Cab is rated at about 110watts, which gives you the headroom you need for the profiles in most situations.
As far as the pedals go you're right, it depends on which profiles you use, but I've found in a live situation the best use of the Kemper is really using it's remote and setting up some presets. In regards to gain, I just use the same amp profile set up on a different preset with the gain knob turned up a bit. The delays, verbs, and modulation effects are extremely good in the box itself, and things like the wah and compressors are good enough to not necessarily need to use pedals in front of it.
Lastly, I've found that the EQ on the Kemper is set to its own values, so by just matching the EQ on the Kemper and the real amp isn't always accurate. Eg. If you're matching the EQ on a Marshall Amp, the Kemper is going to go way too far with the same settings. On the other hand, if you're trying to match the EQ on a MESA amp, you really need to go further on the Kemper.
Needless to say, if I'm turning up to a gig where it's only a vocal PA, I tend to take my Deluxe Reverb and pedals instead. I've yet to find a powered FRFR speaker that can emulate the 3D sound of an open back combo. I don't think that's an issue with the Kemper, rather the gear you'd need to pair with it.
Bill Ruppert who does a lot for the EHX pedal demos uses a Kemper and runs pedals thru it all the time and it sounds great. There are profiles done for the Kemper with both amps and OD pedals and they sound fine also. Nice demo. Thanks for posting.
It sounds good with some pedals absolutely but they don't really sound exactly like they would otherwise in an amp especially when it comes to the tone and volume controls. I noticed this when testing out my pedalboard into it off camera. It wasn't bad by any means but it wasn't the same sort of vibe I was getting from the tube amp and two-notes. :-)
I reckon this is the next logical step in amp simulation and it wouldn't surprise me if we see a lot of companies jumping on the bandwagon to do similar profiling amps at reasonable prices in the next few years. Even Line 6 might get it right!
One thing I think that was not mentioned is, what is the volume set on the Peavey to profile it?
Great demo. May i ask what video camera you're using? Picture quality is very good.
It’s a Panasonic GH5
Can you use it without an amp or cabinet and connect directly to monitor speakers or headphones? How good are the amp models and effects/stomp boxes that come default with the Kemper? Thinking this would be great way to have tons of setups for recording/practice/live shows in compact space for what a high end single tube amp costs.
Nice video! Your Peavey's speaker was made about 20 minutes from my house.
why would you profile in a room that is not sound-treated? you will be inducing room sound (echos) into the profile, yes?
No it doesn’t create echos.
@@intheblues so... sound doesn't bounce off of those walls? I've been doing audio for a loooong time ( almost 50 years) and I've never heard of sound not bouncing off of hard surfaces till now. Can you explain how it will not pick up any room sound when you are in a room with hard walls and floor, ceiling etc? I would have assumed that you'd want to do a profile in a relatively echo-free environment so as not to color the actual sample. What do I know? I was just seeing what people were saying about this device and how much it cost. thx
TruthSurge it’s wired straight into the amp, similar to headphones more than miccing up something
If you record in a room and you like the sound you get, why does it matter? People record vocals in bathrooms because they like the acoustics. Every room has a sound, treated or not. Unless you're in one of those zero-echo chambers they have in science labs.
So let's say I profile 8 amps into the Kemper. Would I even need the amps anymore? A closet full of amps that never get used again seems a little weird. Can you buy/trade amp profiles with others?
Great video Shane. I think I'll continue saving for a '57 Bandmaster reissue 👍😊🎸
I think you left the distorted tab selected when you profiled the clean channel. Also for the feedback you talked about you definitely need a digital power amp and cab for the "amp in a room" feel. About the pedals I totally agree with you, not as good as a tube amp. Digital clipping happens a lot with overdrive pedals.
The Kemper sounds slightly warmer than the amp, but I think this is due to the profile being setup at max volume vs recording at a reasonable volume.
Couldn't you profile your amp with the pedal in front of it or does that cause issues too?
Hey are they anyway you can use a Helix line 6 through 2 amps some people tell me they work good through a regular and some tell me they dont, i was really thinking about buying one and i dont want to unless i here only you to demo because i know you are a honest person. so if they are anyway you can do it i would deeply appreceaite it ,so Shane please try to do this, and for the demo you done on the peavy and the kempler i couldnt tell the difference!
What happens if you profile a pedal and then use the Kemper between the guitar and your amp in place of the pedal? What would that sound like?
I respectfully disagree about the Kemper not taking pedals well. I got to use one for the first time recently. I picked a profile I liked and plugged my board into the input, placing all the effects in front. A couple of Wampler drives, a Muff and Empress delay. It sounded stellar and required minimal tweaking. If you use outboard effects and stack with the internal drives, that gets a little weird.
My experience is that the Kemper takes pedals at least as well as a Deluxe Reverb, AC15/30 etc.
Finally a good review of the Kemper....but maaaan, that Kemper on that barstool 🙈🙈😆😆!!!
i have a kemper too and i must say if you have a profile of a pedalfriendly amp the kemper does a amazing job as a pedal platform imo since the kemper has much more headroom that gives you mor possibilities .... i still have my tube amps and they have their place and advantages too but the kemper is a amazing tool even for bass and acoustic guitar... and it is the best device to bring acoutsic guitar to the stage ... hands down ... i posted a workflow to use match eqing the piezo signal to a miced signal, just like the tonedexer pedal but since the kemper has effects compressors loopers and a better eq this is unbeatable to make the best out of our acoustic guitar piezo pckup
I heard almost no difference in the dirt. The clean on the Bandit sounded a smidge cleaner and there was a sparkle on the top end on the Bandit that wasn’t there on the Kemper, but if there were no A/B one would probably not notice.
Tip - for speaker location use the torch on your smart phone if you hold it hard against the grill cloth you can see the speaker beneath it as the torch light shoots through the weave and not just the grill cloth itself.
I think you profiled the clean channel using the distorted option on the Kemper.
You might be right. It shouldn't make too much of a difference either way really. But I'll go back and check thanks mate.
So profiling is the only way to get a certain amp sound
The Kemper doesn’t have like 100 build in?
New to this and using a 60w tube Blackstar amp and the guitar sounds from Logic Pro x when recording
Another great video Shane
You can always use the non powered version and hook it up to an active monitor of the wattage that best suits you
For use live, it's already modeling the cabinet so you shouldn't play it through a guitar cabinet. You would need speakers with a flat response. Do you use studio monitors or a PA? How much do you have to spend on monitors or a PA for accurate sound for two situations, home use or on a gig?
Great demo and playing. I never realized they were so much trouble! I'll stick with my amp and pedals, but I can see why ppl with high end gear may want to use something like this.
EVAN!!! One of my favorite journalists of all time!!!
Excellent review Shane!! I’ve always wanted to understand how a Kemper is setup to profile an amp. Must say that process is noisy as hell!!!! I guess that’s a necessary evil but damn that was loud!!! Your profile on the Bandit was almost flawless and I can see the many uses a guitarist could have owning this amp. Me personally, it’s way too expensive for me and really don’t have a need for it. I would spend the money on a Universal Audio Ox or a Two Notes Torpedo. I could see using either of those before a Kemper, but that’s me. Thanks again Shane for more guitar knowledge!!!🎸🎸🎸🤘🏽🤙🏾👍🏽
The UA & the Two Notes are not in the ballpark of the Kemper. The Kemper will "Copy" any amp you put in front of it, the other 2 do other things.
hawg427 Exactly. I don’t need an amp profiler. I know that the UA Ox and Two Notes do other things than the Kemper.
If it's so loud while profiling, why don't you turn the volume down? Does having the volume set high on the amp effect the end result of the profile or what?
What cabinet can u use with a Kemper? Does it vary sometimes?
Can you download profiles that other people have made? Like suppose I wanna model a setup I don’t own, could I just download someone else’s amp profiles?
Mike Grise yes. Many profiles are available for free. Most people like to pay money to people like Michael Britt for his amazing profiles however.
Informative!
Thanks man! :-)
Holy Sonic Vomit! Thanks! No one goes over the profile portion. Sounds like aural warfare Thats intense Shane
If that’s how it sounds it’s only because the user has programmed it to sound that way
Great review and fun - profiling sounds like home renovation job! - think like most current software solutions they sound cold and sterile - but offer a huge range of additional options if your into software mods and chasing tone.
about the footswitch, people mod the Behringer FCB1010 to work with the kemper. The Behringer costs 100 bucks instead of paying 1000 for Kempers own footswitch.
Would GC mind if I paid them to stay after hours so that I can profile a half dozen amps. I don't have an amp collection, except those that reside in my Mustang III. Can you download profiles to the Kemper from some internet source..is there a profile data-base ?
Anybody got a dumble I can borrow for an hour?
Not going to mean much if you haven’t got a good mic setup ;)
Just epoxy the components in the Kemper. :)
You can always buy commercially available profiles of a Dumble. Or a Fuchs. Or a Two Rock. Or on and on and on.
@@MeTuLHeD yeah pro level profiles from Dumbles or similar amps. I'm curious about the profiles John Mayer has on his personal Kemper he uses for practice.
But what about playing it through a tube amp...like a 4 cable type thing?
Thanks Shane been waiting for this one!
Whats the name of the very first lick you play on the danelectro? It sounds so familiar
Would you confirm, that the Kemper is the only "modeler" that enables finely graduated dynamic play? That's what they say in my luthier forum and that's why that thing is so expensive. It catches the valves characteristics like nothing else does. And that makes it a masterpiece of engineering and programing (otherwise I wouldn't wonder why others don't copy it. I am waiting for the chinese since years ;-) ).
As a Linuxer I thought "guitarix" would be something like the Kemper, but the guitarix guys wrote "No, it's just modeling with some good EQing, IRing, convoluting, etc., but not profiling the valve's reactions". - Seems to be the best kept and most expensive secret in the guitarist's world...
P.S. Regarding your caveat about the hideously expensive foot switch: Since this video came out, they launched the Kemper Stage, which should take care of that problem (unless your back is screwed up and you don't enjoy bending down all the time).
What if you plug it in a big cab at low volume? Feedback and the wall of sound will be there...
Amen !!!
Great review Shane!!
Great candor!!
I found it difficult to hear a difference in the AB.
Can u test it with a band and see if it has the punch of a tube amp?
i dont understand. What speaker were you demoing this kemper device through in this video?
a question, i run my guitar through my iPad a lot through the pedal app then run iPad headphone through to the input on my tube amp so my question will it profile the sound that's coming from what i have setup in my iPad witch is playing through the input of my tube amp??