The fact that the Kemper and Quad Cortex are still in production at all is a testament to their quality and impact on the industry. Owners shouldn't take offense that something finally supplanted them. The only thing that should irk people who have purchased them more recently is that the cost of these devices has remained so high for so long. It was just a matter of time before someone came along to crush them in the price/quality ratio.
Get what you are saying. But, to be honest, the qc and the Kemper are still a bang for your buck. If you want a full rig with fx etc wich is portable, the qc and the Kemper are still leading. I mean, yeah the ToneX sounds great. But not better or worse than its competitors. But don’t have the possibility to use fx in a good and easy way. You still have to use your pedalboard and have an extra DI for it. So if you add it up, you might got even pricier than Kemper and co.
@@M.Holland Exactly. If you are a studio musician, then the Tonex is a great choice, and great value for what you are getting. However, if you are a live guitarist, the QC and the Kemper have a lot more features that most guitarists do use that the Tonex doesn't have. Kempers and QC have just about every built in effect you would ever want. The Tonex doesn't. Kemper and QC have stereo effects that can be in stereo. The Tonex, you literally have to buy two of them to go stereo. That's $800 for the Tonex now. If you don't have the effects you need, then you need to buy them individually (gets pricey) or buy an effects processor to supplement. Now we're looking at an additional $400 for the effects. Now we're at $1200 for a Tonex. You can buy a used Kemper for $1200 and have everything in one single unit. Kemper and QC still have plenty of valuer for the price. It just depends on the guitarists needs.
@@M.Holland If you want a full rig, pedal boards and all, nothing comes close to the Axe-FX. Kemper is peanuts compared to Fractal, even the older Axe FX II had it beaten in that regard, the III has godly amounts of DSP to run rigs only David Gilmour or The Edge could tax. Can't fully judge on the Quad Cortex but I think it doesn't threaten the Axe FX III either.
As a kemper owner I'm honestly still happy with my purchase. It works for what im doing. But if I was in the market for buying a new amp, I'd easily go with the ToneX or a plugin of some sort! Thanks for doing honest shootouts and consumer infomation 😁
@@c1ph3rpunk so true man. i’ve had the same line 6 firehawk for YEARS at this point and it does exactly what i need it to do. i’ve considered upgrading but for the time being i have no need to, it gets the job done for fuxking around and playing songs and that’s exactly what i need it to do at the moment. 100% agree that the best gear is what you have at the moment
That's the whole deal. I don't really get why people get upset. If something you already have is working perfectly, why switch? If you're on the lookout for something new, then go for what's economic and does the job
Here's what I don't get: You've been really going hard at shaming Kemper and AxeFX owners for spending thousands on their rigs, when the ToneX is $399. I'd be willing to bet that the VAST majority of Kemper and AxeFX owners have had their rigs for at least 3+ years. The Quad Cortex was released in 2022. The ToneX was released in February of this year, 2023. So how the hell can you shame someone for not buying something that was literally not available (or in some cases, not even created) when they made their original purchase?? For someone who is all about science and logic, you seem to not really comprehend how time works. 🤔
I've had my Kemper since 2014 😂 There's no way I'm gonna sell it to buy a Tone-X, I've had too much fun with it over the years.. and seen it too many times out live powering great sounding guitar tones from big bands. It's never gonna not sound good. The ironic thing is, I love gear.. so I was totally open to picking up a Tone-X when I first heard about it.. as another tool & for a bit of fun. But the more and more shilling videos I see, like Glenn's constant flood of them, the more put off I am
The reality is that any profiling device or modeler today produces tones that are essentially indistinguishable in a mix from one another…to professional musicians and studio engineers and producers. To music consumers, especially those who are listening to music on their iPhones or iPads, there is not only no difference what-so-ever, but they don’t even care in any way. So, what differentiates one profiler or modeler from the others is ease of use, the completeness of the on-board cabs and effects, the cost of the units and personal preference. There is really no one best unit, there are a lot of really great choices.
I Am a Kemper owner and I am not Mad what so ever ! I love all the new Tech coming as I use all this stuff for inspiration and as Tools of the Trade... Buy what you can Afford !!!! use what is available to you. lets stop pitting one against the other all these products are amazing IMO..........😎
ToneX does not contain the profiler... you need a PC with an additional software and lots of time. ToneX does not contain many effects, while Kemper in the meantime contains so many high quality effects. ToneX has no routing options at all. and so on... Kemper making Profiles is an Art... but you still get the best profiles, if you invest money. I hoped for falling used prices for Kemper, when the ToneX came out, to get a 2nd Kemper... but still 1200 EUR+... this makes clear what Kemper users think.
@@mrnorbotron3308 And, if you do not want to create your own profiles... else you still need the PC! If you never want to do profiles by yourself, are fine with the available profiles and already have the required external effects and are fine with carrying those external effects with you, feel free to use ToneX. I can't live with all that limitations.
Switching from neural plugins to the Kemper was life changing for somebody that loves playing guitar like me. I’m glad that this technology continues to improve and is getting cheaper but I would not change my Kemper for anything else at this point. The amount of available profiles on Kemper is something that will take years for other platforms to implement and one of the things I enjoy the most. Also, Kemper keeps releasing firmware updates with huge improvements 10 years after releasing the hardware, I like the idea of buying something that will last long rather than buying into the hype and changing gear every year. Hopefully Tonex and similar technology will continue to evolve, we all win this way.
@@pramesh.gurung to me yes! The high gain sounds are not that far but the low gain and edge of break up is extremely different and better with the Kemper.
“Life changing “ is the kind of thing ppl hear about with Kempers. Tone X only says money saver, but that doesn’t breed inspiration. It’s just another black box on the floor. If I really wanted to save money I could just use a guitar vst and program the notes with midi. No one will tell through the mix! lol. Meanwhile Glenn will be pushing Tone X 2.0 next year as the first Tone X boxes get binned and forgotten.
Umm, I own everything that has been thrown against Kemper, and Kemper still wins. There's nothing that can compare, and now that they've introduced the liquid profiling, your monetary videos on subpar devices shall be diminished. These comments about the Tonex "crushing" Kemper are laughable, at best.
Yeah I bought TONEX with this attitude being pushed and that thing may work for whatever setup and needs some have but it was a HUGE disappointment for me and didn’t work at all outside of me ditching everything I need with it on my pedalboard. Recently got a Kemper and it’s hands down out the gate better for my needs. God forbid I expressed that in the TONEX group on Facebook without being considered as incompetent and not knowing how to use it. Well that can be a fair assessment I suppose in this world of gear having seen plenty of examples BUT this pedal has several well regarded issues with the input gain problem. Guess what? There’s a work around for that! Here’s how…..oh you really have to play with it to get your preferred useable sounds…..yeah that’s an understatement. I spent a solid week with this thing and my $400 wasn’t letting me accept it despite obviously wanting to and hoping I’m just an idiot not using it right. This thing is for simple box head players and if you’re not that and still use it? Cool. Congratulations! Glad for you! But this thing sucked my ass for me and getting the Kemper used I could have saved $400 and a bunch of time with this POS. It doesn’t happen often that when some piece of gear finds a following and misses the mark to some that the dick riders of said gear will go on offense to attack their punching up subject. Thay should have been my first warning to stay away from this thing. It really has no business being pushed as a Kemper killer. They don’t even compete in my estimation
Not really sure what your point is, if it’s the cost of the other units then the comparison doesn’t work. I for one wouldn’t buy the ToneX, it’s not got anywhere near enough features compared to the other units. This is subjective but I want the effects and the routing options the more expensive units offer, I also don’t want to need a computer to clone my amps, I want to do it directly on the hardware itself. I currently own Helix, Kemper and recently purchased the Headrush Prime, the Prime is way faster at cloning than the Kemper and from what I’ve heard the ToneX is a long winded process that needs a computer, audio interface and software etc. I agree that the actual capture on the ToneX sound as good as the others options, and if this is all you’re after great. But it’s not in the same category as a QC, Kemper or HRP when it comes to the full functionality they offer. I’m a fan of your videos, but I don’t really agree with you on this one 🙂
Firstly, glad to hear you can open an umbrella! Glenn, agree the captures are all very close, but there is a little difference between all those devices. I have the tonex, QC and a kemper. The tonex doesnt really have effects and so if you have a pedal board with your effects then it can be an amp replacement. QC and kemper can be a rig replacement. I also really love the fact I can just put these models into the DAW with the tonex app as an extra option to the plugins I have. One thing I will say about the kemper as someone in the software industry for years - the fact that they continue to improve and support hardware that old and it keeps sounding better and becoming more usable is incredible. Anyway, options are cool. Peace to all
Can't wait til you try NAM and, no doubt, shoot it out against ToneX. No compromise (and arguably even better than ToneX) sound quality for anyone's home studio, and for free.
I don't own any of these units, or any like them... But I feel like it needs to be said, Glenn you're using these things out of context and kind of being a dick about it. First, people bought their QC/Fractal/Headrush/Helix/Zoom/Boss-GT/Positive-Grid/Kemper ect units possibly years ago now, the ToneX just came out... it's a process where the price came down over years, it's literally one of the reasons I never jumped on with the Helix/QuadCore/Fractal ect, also I never really liked what I heard when I did mess around with them. Now maybe I'm wrong but the ToneX is just amp sims, the QC/Fractal ect do amps but also have effects, tuners, recording capabilities. Comparing them and then claiming people have wasted their money on the QC/Fractal/ect years before ToneX came out is just not logical... nor is the fact that the ToneX on it's own is just a bunch of amp plugins without delays, distortion, reverb ect. I like that you (Glenn) do these back to backs, that you give out content on how to record or gear demo's ect... I'm not shitting on you as your efforts are much appreciated by a community of over 500k subs. I suppose sometimes it feels like in your own personal journey to accept a switch from real amps VS digital amps, you became almost like angry... If I'm not mistaken there is a free Neural amp sim online, making the ToneX obsolete, unless you consider one has a physical pedal and the other is pure digital... just like ToneX is amp plugins where as the rest have effects and are older. One day it might be possible that someone will create a physical hardware that can download any/most plugins from any company (like your computer can!) and all of these individual platform pedals become a limiting and dead tech. It won't mean people wasted their money or were stupid for buying what was out before something better came along.
@@KingKong-mp6gj What basic features do you feel the KPA is missing? I’ve used mine for 7-8 years for gigging and recording with just two expression pedals and nothing else and never felt it lacked anything, indeed it had features I’d not seen before anywhere else?
tbh I can't overstate how important the snare bottom mic is, in which you can dial in a cutting snare without having to worry about cymbal bleed that might creep up if you're boosting too much treble on the top mic(s), (edit 1) in which inexperienced or even seasoned mix engineers can get thrown off which they resort to sample blending. Don't fear the rattle. edit 2 : snare bottom mic can also help to bring up the ghost notes, too.
I think we can stop baiting Kemper owners at this point as you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that the Kemper is something like 10 years old! When there were only two options, of course, the prices for things would be much higher. As the technology has gotten better, it’s gotten cheaper so it’s no surprise that new things can do the same as older things for less. But you’ve gotta love Glenn, the king of tests, proof and results “the Kemper seems like it’s just missing everything above 8K here...” Sitting there listening in his DAW but doesn’t pull up an eq or spectrum analyzer to show what is actually happening! What a beaut!!😂
@@SpectreSoundStudios Gelln, while you're here, I reiterate my suggestion of using FMIT (Free Musical Instrument Tuner, or something) to assess how well guitars hold their tune, it might yield interesting results ;)
Axe Fx user here. I really like the sounds I'm hearing from that little box. I'm concerned about the amount of CPU memory it can handle. For example, I can run wet, dry, wet on the Axe Fx. I can program a custom harmony and store it in Global. Run several effects (and parallel and series/parallel Fx chains) at once without maxing out memory. I'm not sure that the TONEX can do this. And we all know how crappy our effects unit sound whaen the CPU is maxxed out.
Well, there is something that cannot be yet surpased, and it is the kemper reliability, there is no a single reliability problem on the kemper side and its an equipment more than 10 years old. Another thing is that the kemper is already an ecosystem and a well tought out, the kemper kab is marvelous, the kemper management of amp parameter (not tone stack, but I will come to that), and the way it separates the cab part from the amp part, is wonderfully realized and not as well implemented by others. But the cherry on top, its it keeps evolving, liquid profiling sounds like a silly marketing ploy, but now we have it on our hands it changes the game, a liquid profile can be your be all end all for your favorite amp.
I've been playing my Kemper for over 10 years now. Countless gigs, and I'm still loving it. Playing in cover bands I use quite a few different profiles with different effects to sound like the songs I'm playing. The Kemper still gets the job done and has paid for its self many times over. I don't see a reason to change. If I didn't already have a Kemper, then I'd have to do a lot of research to see which one would fit my needs.
Watched this in my car on break and listened through my car stereo. In the mix I couldn’t hear a difference at all. Solod yeah it’s there but not crazy and I thought the tone x sounded the best
Great video Glenn, I grabbed a cheap NUX that came up for sale 2nd hand. As an old guy I was really sceptical, but the tones and consistency just make it great for recording. I can plug any guitar in, go to a present & know exactly what I’m getting.
Guitar gear and professional audio gear doesn’t price that way. This isn’t consumer grade crap. Guitar pedals like ToneX is priced comparably to its size and purpose. It looks like it’s trying to compete with Strymon.
I think all 3 are great products, I was saving for a QC when tonex came out and since I already had effects i went with the tonex strictly for cost reasons..and it has been damn good for playing live so far, everybody in the band is impressed with the heavy tones it dishes out, even the drummer lmao ..still waiting for that driftwood capture Glen! Lol
Why does everyone keep forgetting that the kemper ist not just a profile player like the tone x. You can gig with the kemper and need no other stomps. Try that with the tone x... no delays, just compressor and not even a hall reverb. If you buy external pedals to ads effects that the kemper already has, you spend a lot more than than 399 or whatever. If you just want to record with profiles , that is another thing. Sure. But than you could use the NAM for free and complain that 399 is far too expensive in comparison. It's a silly comparison.
1:04 honestly, you could easily only be changing the text on screen and I wouldn't know. It all just sounds good! Glad that if I get into guitar playing, I don't have to break the bank to get some good gear.
Would have loved if you'd given us a reamp of the amp through the same IRs, but the time is here: We no longer need tube amps to get utterly crushing metal tones.
Well, I don't really get the point in this can-you-hear-the-difference-thing. Of course there are differences - but these are no longer differences on the quality side. Just some frequencies here and there. In total all of the items simulate tube sounds on a high level, it sounds totally believable. What we will see in the future is price dropping.
Thanks Glen, you just made me change my mind. I was about to get me a Kemper so I can profile my Donner amp that came with my new Donner Electric Guitar Beginner Set. Now that I saved I few buck I'll get me a couple of Amazon Basics pedals to complete my Rig. Thanks man.
Yeah this argument is one of those things I say to each their own. I seriously regret selling my EVH 5150 III but I really don't mind using Positive Grid software on my recordings and I even use it live these days. I go by what sounds good, not what breaks my bank.
The Kemper is 11 years old and still holds its ground. It's only normal that tech improves and smaller/cheaper versions are made. I've been enjoying amp profiles for the past 8 years, so I paid around 250 usd per year for a great deal of flexibility and superb tones. And unless the unit dies on me and it's too expensive to repair I'll be using it in the future as well so my total cost of ownership will continue to decrease. Plus if you really are looking for something to get mad at, neural Amp Modeler is free and apparently is closer to the real amp than all profilers (there's a null test on UA-cam)
I spent money on my Kemper 7 years ago. Back in the day it was impressive. Now I wouldn’t buy a Kemper, because indeed there are cheaper solutions which may or may not offer the same features, but I wouldn’t sell it either. Why would I? It works just fine. I wanted the QC mainly for the integrated computer interface, but I already have tons of neural plugins and a decent interface.
This just underlines that guitarists, just like any hobbyists, like their gear. And seldom for any real world reason other than that they like their gear. It's not like anyone in the audience will hear, or care, what gear you are using. And in a mix it just doesn't matter. What you as a player like to hear/feel when standing in front of an amp or recording is entirely subjective. And that is okay. Just don't expect anybody else to care.
@@shitmandood You're confusing liking something with being detached from reality, and denying the very existence of a very basic bias. Sorry to tell you, your Gibson does not fart unicorns.
To Anyone wanting to try the software out for capturing your own amps: I wanted to test how the software sounds on my own amp setup. The company has the amp capture process locked behind a $100 paywall, so you can't even try the capture process to see how it sounds for your setup. Figured i warn someone before they waste a couple hours like I did.
Man. Technology has come a long way from when I bought my Zoom 505B pedal in 2001. My best friend gave me a Line 6 Floor Pod X3 recently and I thought that was mind blowing enough.
Hey Glenn, I just got a Tonex and am already packing up some of my smaller amps I had purchased to try different tones to sell off but i am having trouble deciding on the best option for getting that "amp in the room" sound out of my Tonex. I have been into amp modeling for years but bought amps again a few years ago because i hated playing through my computer. A lot of people are in the "power amp and guitar cab" camp and the more research i do a lot of people are in the "powered FRFR" space especially with how some of them like the Laney LFR212 and Line 6 Powercab are being made to look and feel like guitar cabs. Do you have any thoughts on this?
gotta say, I'm surprised by the missing highs in the Kemper profile as a Kemper owner, more often I've been struggling with missing low-end, although I do a lot of tweaking once I have my profiles
I know you’ve gotten tired of the V30 sound over the years, but this has to be one of my favorite guitar tones you’ve done. Would also love to see and episode on dialing in a lead guitar sound.
Tonex really needs to make a podgo style of effects processor! The whole point for me to buy podgo was to have everything in one place. No cables, no dicking around. Just plug in and have everything in one place. The only thing those cheaper ones are lacking is amp capture. If they made it affordable, I bet it would take off pretty well
Why would I be mad about a new device, that does the same in a mix, as a Kemper does, when that device was not available, when I bought my Kemper, neither was the QC. I just won't buy any of those devices, because I already have the Kemper.
Never having bought one and being a bedroom studio hobbyist, I can't hear any significant difference. Then again logic + free amp sims and IRs has always been enough for me.
I own a Kemper Powerhead, & I am glad that people can now experiment with profiling amps for a fraction of the price. Yes I spent nearly $2000 AUD for it, but its exceeded my expectations from what I expected. The release of the ToneX for such a cheap price will only put pressure on the larger companies to make something way better than what's currently available to justify the price. In the end, its a win-win for everyone in te long run.
Great stuff as usual. But my question is - what about the ToneX vs a Pod GO? the Pod GO rocks and I think it's only $50 more, but it's a different thing. It's solely a modeler - but it does it well for the price. Plus, all of the effects you can get are nuts. People get mad at me for using the Pod GO as an FX unit on my Dual Rectifier, but the effects are pretty good. Just wish it had smidge more DSP though.
Great video as always. Wondering what you’re doing with the 6505 combo? I’ve had one for many years, and back in to gigging it’s sounding very 1x12-ey (obviously). But still my old faithful, got it for about £500-600 about 10 years ago.
Kemper owner. I'm not bothered. If anything - it just makes this technology more accessible to other people. It'd be really dickish to be upset about that. haha
They sound identical in the mix and before I knew which was which in the DAW, I already thought the Tones sounded best. I have an Iridium but this sounds great. Soon it will be time to compare it to the Neural Amp Modeler.
I think nowadays is only about which gear you feel more comfortable with. Because they all sound awesome! I have a Kemper profiler and the only reason I don't sell it is because the power head function, since i play live. But if I ever retire from live gigs, i will defenitely consider switch to TONE X Great video!
HEEEEEEEEY GLENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! I'm a bass player and I'm looking to replace my decade-old bass preamp and maybe ditch amps all together. Do you think it makes sense for a BASS PLAYER to buy one of these Tonex pedals instead of buying something like a SansAmp or a Darkglass pedal to replace on stage amplification? (Or will your new secret bass product replace all of them?) I appreciate what you do here! Thanks!
I bought the Tonex pedal, bad experience, it had an issue, a lot of noise, and the noise only disappear when the pedal was plugged through usb to my Mac, so I returned it and ask for a new one but the new one came with the same issue. Conclusion Tonex is not for me. 🙁
This is a great comparison. I can hear the differences on my weak ass TV speakers, yet in the mix, sounds the exact same. Great example of how you can spend a lot of time trying to fine tune a tone, then in the mix it needs more adjustment. Thanks for the video Glenn, love seeing your progress on guitar as well!
Why so much dunking on the kemper, QC etc? They along with the helix were the game changers at the time and proven platforms are still worth it to a lot of players. The cheaper options now available definitely sound just as well. The market will correct itself.
i find that high gain sound shitty on a kemper but i don’t play metal and i much prefer the feeling of the kemper while playing. so tonex got returned the same day lol
For my use, the quad cortex is cheaper, I can process 4 captures or more at the same time (4 tonex x 500: $2000) plus a ton of effects, process voices and use it as an audio interface. only one quad cortex can process a whole band at the same time (2 guitars + 1 bass + 1 microphone).
I could hear a change in tone in the mix between the Kemper and the others, but the visual cue definitely helped with that. I could not hear any difference at all between the QC and ToneX in the mix. Also, the Sennheiser 421 is your best sounding desk mic yet!
Glenn! What are your thoughts on creambacks for a high gain metal tone? My cab has 4 g12h-75 creambacks and i think i want to upgrade it. Is there a speaker i can pair with them to help their metal tone if i didnt want to replace all 4?
GLEEEEEENN! Appreciating your hunt on affordable, but still authentic guitar tones with what modern technology can achieve nowadays. Incredible what the ToneX can put out for that money. However though, I do not see it - completely - replacing my Kemper anytime soon, simply for the reason that I do not mainly use it for tone but rather as an effects machine. Not just Delay and Chorus, but also Pitch shifting of all kinds, EQ effects (e.g. telephone), crazy looping stuff, you name it, I came to require a lot of it with the songs I'm playing live. While replacing all of this with external effects might possibly save me money, I had some bad time with managing huge pedal boards in the past. There's just so many points of failure that can fuck up your signal chain, like faulty patch/power cables, accidental knob turns and so on. For me, the time and headache this had cost me are definitely more worth spending it monetarily on the Kemper instead. On top of it, I require a lot of MIDI controlled FX automation which seems not possible with your usual pedals. Maybe with some fancy FX board, if any of those is capable recreating the quality of the Kemper effects, but there are none that I'd know about. I hope you can comprehend my point here on why I think that the Kemper might still be a valid purchase for some. Still, I'll patiently await what ToneX (or other manufacturers) will put out in the future. If one of those things is able to recreate what the Kemper can FX-wise I might consider moving on. Heck, maybe you could even hook the ToneX pedal into the FX loop of the Kemper to replace the amp profile, so you could have the best of both worlds! With all that being said, not all of us Kemper and Axe users are ass-headed brand worshippers, some of us are decent and know how to use the hardware - although expensive - to make it worth its money. Have a nice day, and fuck you Glenn!
Exactly I don’t understand the comparison at all. The Kemper is an all in one machine. The ToneX is nothing but amps. Owning a ToneX to hook into the Kemper wouldn’t bring any value, except maybe humble bragging lol 😆
@@shitmandood Well I take it from this video that the Kemper's profile ain't as true to the original as the others, so that might be something to consider
I have a powerhead and foot controller...Not only can I profile any amp, I also have killer effects (..Kemper has come a long way ....) , I also can push my recto 412. It truly sounds amazing and is so versatile, never let me down...Tried a QC, cool, but more $$ and can't power a cab. Would I sell my Kemper to get ToneX? NO FRIGGIN way...Do I think it sounds good and want a ToneX...? For $300 used, HELL YES! I mean, that's just silly..Just wish it had a few more built in fx...Thanks Glen!
With regards to the amp capturing I think the kemper being harder to dial in versus the tonex is maybe down to the tonex has pre recorded riffs that it uses to refine its captures where as the kemper relies on the players playing , so the tonex results would be more consistent. It also could be down to processing power, the kemper’s processor is old, maybe the new kemper updates are focusing more on the usb capabilities and might try using the computers power to do a profile
I've been watching Glenn talking big about the ToneX and how it's the Kemper/QC killer and all that but it really doesn't sound good to me and I'm impressed how Glenn likes it. Especially the way the ToneX distortion sounds on the high frequencies. I've heard so many ToneX captures and all of them sound weird and kinda digital on the high end.
The Music industry has been trying to turn music gear into a consumable product for the last several years. The UA-camrs (ironically) both complain about it and promote it at the same time. Get some gear and get good at it, that is all that really matters.
The fact that the Kemper and Quad Cortex are still in production at all is a testament to their quality and impact on the industry. Owners shouldn't take offense that something finally supplanted them. The only thing that should irk people who have purchased them more recently is that the cost of these devices has remained so high for so long. It was just a matter of time before someone came along to crush them in the price/quality ratio.
Get what you are saying. But, to be honest, the qc and the Kemper are still a bang for your buck.
If you want a full rig with fx etc wich is portable, the qc and the Kemper are still leading.
I mean, yeah the ToneX sounds great. But not better or worse than its competitors. But don’t have the possibility to use fx in a good and easy way. You still have to use your pedalboard and have an extra DI for it. So if you add it up, you might got even pricier than Kemper and co.
And, ToneXshall, in turn, be overtaken
And the most intelligent comment in the history of UA-cam goes to! Thank you sir. Pin this perfect comment.
@@M.Holland Exactly. If you are a studio musician, then the Tonex is a great choice, and great value for what you are getting. However, if you are a live guitarist, the QC and the Kemper have a lot more features that most guitarists do use that the Tonex doesn't have. Kempers and QC have just about every built in effect you would ever want. The Tonex doesn't. Kemper and QC have stereo effects that can be in stereo. The Tonex, you literally have to buy two of them to go stereo. That's $800 for the Tonex now. If you don't have the effects you need, then you need to buy them individually (gets pricey) or buy an effects processor to supplement. Now we're looking at an additional $400 for the effects. Now we're at $1200 for a Tonex. You can buy a used Kemper for $1200 and have everything in one single unit. Kemper and QC still have plenty of valuer for the price. It just depends on the guitarists needs.
@@M.Holland If you want a full rig, pedal boards and all, nothing comes close to the Axe-FX. Kemper is peanuts compared to Fractal, even the older Axe FX II had it beaten in that regard, the III has godly amounts of DSP to run rigs only David Gilmour or The Edge could tax. Can't fully judge on the Quad Cortex but I think it doesn't threaten the Axe FX III either.
Glenn is the next Billy Mays. Imagine him screaming at old ladies on QVC at 2am.
lol Glen selling useless bs at 2am would be the best.
The next Billy Mays and simultaneously the Anti Billy Mays
But will Glenn grow a beard then dye it vantum black like Billy?
@@PooNinja as Spinal Tap would say none blacker er.
You mean like this? ua-cam.com/video/gcYYAPySTNg/v-deo.html
As a kemper owner I'm honestly still happy with my purchase. It works for what im doing. But if I was in the market for buying a new amp, I'd easily go with the ToneX or a plugin of some sort! Thanks for doing honest shootouts and consumer infomation 😁
More power to you, dude.
Folks dumping their Kemper, and going with a ToneX, is actually buying into the hype.
The best gear: paid off and working.
@@c1ph3rpunk so true man. i’ve had the same line 6 firehawk for YEARS at this point and it does exactly what i need it to do. i’ve considered upgrading but for the time being i have no need to, it gets the job done for fuxking around and playing songs and that’s exactly what i need it to do at the moment. 100% agree that the best gear is what you have at the moment
Honestly, this is the most level-headed response to his review of Tone-X.
That's the whole deal. I don't really get why people get upset. If something you already have is working perfectly, why switch? If you're on the lookout for something new, then go for what's economic and does the job
Here's what I don't get: You've been really going hard at shaming Kemper and AxeFX owners for spending thousands on their rigs, when the ToneX is $399.
I'd be willing to bet that the VAST majority of Kemper and AxeFX owners have had their rigs for at least 3+ years. The Quad Cortex was released in 2022. The ToneX was released in February of this year, 2023.
So how the hell can you shame someone for not buying something that was literally not available (or in some cases, not even created) when they made their original purchase?? For someone who is all about science and logic, you seem to not really comprehend how time works. 🤔
he is sponsored by IK
I've had my Kemper since 2014 😂 There's no way I'm gonna sell it to buy a Tone-X, I've had too much fun with it over the years.. and seen it too many times out live powering great sounding guitar tones from big bands. It's never gonna not sound good. The ironic thing is, I love gear.. so I was totally open to picking up a Tone-X when I first heard about it.. as another tool & for a bit of fun. But the more and more shilling videos I see, like Glenn's constant flood of them, the more put off I am
@@Wagoo maybe you should buy superior gear and watch fewer videos
The reality is that any profiling device or modeler today produces tones that are essentially indistinguishable in a mix from one another…to professional musicians and studio engineers and producers. To music consumers, especially those who are listening to music on their iPhones or iPads, there is not only no difference what-so-ever, but they don’t even care in any way. So, what differentiates one profiler or modeler from the others is ease of use, the completeness of the on-board cabs and effects, the cost of the units and personal preference. There is really no one best unit, there are a lot of really great choices.
The only difference I noticed is there were different words on the screen.
Would be interested to hear your thoughts on the new free Neural Amp Modeler and all of the community captures up at ToneHunt?
I Am a Kemper owner and I am not Mad what so ever ! I love all the new Tech coming as I use all this stuff for inspiration and as Tools of the Trade... Buy what you can Afford !!!! use what is available to you. lets stop pitting one against the other all these products are amazing IMO..........😎
ToneX does not contain the profiler... you need a PC with an additional software and lots of time.
ToneX does not contain many effects, while Kemper in the meantime contains so many high quality effects.
ToneX has no routing options at all.
and so on...
Kemper making Profiles is an Art... but you still get the best profiles, if you invest money.
I hoped for falling used prices for Kemper, when the ToneX came out, to get a 2nd Kemper... but still 1200 EUR+... this makes clear what Kemper users think.
ToneX is a PEDAL and you don't need thos effects, it is your Amp-Substitude
@@mrnorbotron3308 And, if you do not want to create your own profiles... else you still need the PC!
If you never want to do profiles by yourself, are fine with the available profiles and already have the required external effects and are fine with carrying those external effects with you, feel free to use ToneX.
I can't live with all that limitations.
Glenn, thank you for the high pass filter on the lead tip. And forget about the tones…let’s talk about the bad ass bass playing in that clip! 🤘
Now that I've listened with my eyes, the differences are really apparent
The prism interface looks really clean!
Thank you Glenn for the community service you've done to the viewers worldwide.
Respect from Malaysia 🇲🇾
✊🏽🙂
Switching from neural plugins to the Kemper was life changing for somebody that loves playing guitar like me. I’m glad that this technology continues to improve and is getting cheaper but I would not change my Kemper for anything else at this point. The amount of available profiles on Kemper is something that will take years for other platforms to implement and one of the things I enjoy the most. Also, Kemper keeps releasing firmware updates with huge improvements 10 years after releasing the hardware, I like the idea of buying something that will last long rather than buying into the hype and changing gear every year. Hopefully Tonex and similar technology will continue to evolve, we all win this way.
life changing?? is the gap that huge with neural plugin?? i had hx stomp .. didn't like it. i am back to neural plugin.
@@pramesh.gurung to me yes! The high gain sounds are not that far but the low gain and edge of break up is extremely different and better with the Kemper.
“Life changing “ is the kind of thing ppl hear about with Kempers. Tone X only says money saver, but that doesn’t breed inspiration. It’s just another black box on the floor. If I really wanted to save money I could just use a guitar vst and program the notes with midi. No one will tell through the mix! lol.
Meanwhile Glenn will be pushing Tone X 2.0 next year as the first Tone X boxes get binned and forgotten.
Umm, I own everything that has been thrown against Kemper, and Kemper still wins. There's nothing that can compare, and now that they've introduced the liquid profiling, your monetary videos on subpar devices shall be diminished. These comments about the Tonex "crushing" Kemper are laughable, at best.
Yeah I bought TONEX with this attitude being pushed and that thing may work for whatever setup and needs some have but it was a HUGE disappointment for me and didn’t work at all outside of me ditching everything I need with it on my pedalboard. Recently got a Kemper and it’s hands down out the gate better for my needs. God forbid I expressed that in the TONEX group on Facebook without being considered as incompetent and not knowing how to use it. Well that can be a fair assessment I suppose in this world of gear having seen plenty of examples BUT this pedal has several well regarded issues with the input gain problem. Guess what? There’s a work around for that! Here’s how…..oh you really have to play with it to get your preferred useable sounds…..yeah that’s an understatement. I spent a solid week with this thing and my $400 wasn’t letting me accept it despite obviously wanting to and hoping I’m just an idiot not using it right. This thing is for simple box head players and if you’re not that and still use it? Cool. Congratulations! Glad for you! But this thing sucked my ass for me and getting the Kemper used I could have saved $400 and a bunch of time with this POS. It doesn’t happen often that when some piece of gear finds a following and misses the mark to some that the dick riders of said gear will go on offense to attack their punching up subject. Thay should have been my first warning to stay away from this thing. It really has no business being pushed as a Kemper killer. They don’t even compete in my estimation
listening to the shootout in the studio with the good studio monitors, i don't hear the difference in either three of them
Not really sure what your point is, if it’s the cost of the other units then the comparison doesn’t work. I for one wouldn’t buy the ToneX, it’s not got anywhere near enough features compared to the other units. This is subjective but I want the effects and the routing options the more expensive units offer, I also don’t want to need a computer to clone my amps, I want to do it directly on the hardware itself. I currently own Helix, Kemper and recently purchased the Headrush Prime, the Prime is way faster at cloning than the Kemper and from what I’ve heard the ToneX is a long winded process that needs a computer, audio interface and software etc. I agree that the actual capture on the ToneX sound as good as the others options, and if this is all you’re after great. But it’s not in the same category as a QC, Kemper or HRP when it comes to the full functionality they offer.
I’m a fan of your videos, but I don’t really agree with you on this one 🙂
I've been wondering if there's acoustic amp sims in the ToneX.
Firstly, glad to hear you can open an umbrella!
Glenn, agree the captures are all very close, but there is a little difference between all those devices. I have the tonex, QC and a kemper. The tonex doesnt really have effects and so if you have a pedal board with your effects then it can be an amp replacement. QC and kemper can be a rig replacement. I also really love the fact I can just put these models into the DAW with the tonex app as an extra option to the plugins I have.
One thing I will say about the kemper as someone in the software industry for years - the fact that they continue to improve and support hardware that old and it keeps sounding better and becoming more usable is incredible.
Anyway, options are cool. Peace to all
Can't wait til you try NAM and, no doubt, shoot it out against ToneX. No compromise (and arguably even better than ToneX) sound quality for anyone's home studio, and for free.
Yes, it’s on my list!!
Yea I thought this was a NAM video...
@@tommj4365 I bet it will have a similar headline, tbf
I don't own any of these units, or any like them... But I feel like it needs to be said, Glenn you're using these things out of context and kind of being a dick about it.
First, people bought their QC/Fractal/Headrush/Helix/Zoom/Boss-GT/Positive-Grid/Kemper ect units possibly years ago now, the ToneX just came out... it's a process where the price came down over years, it's literally one of the reasons I never jumped on with the Helix/QuadCore/Fractal ect, also I never really liked what I heard when I did mess around with them.
Now maybe I'm wrong but the ToneX is just amp sims, the QC/Fractal ect do amps but also have effects, tuners, recording capabilities. Comparing them and then claiming people have wasted their money on the QC/Fractal/ect years before ToneX came out is just not logical... nor is the fact that the ToneX on it's own is just a bunch of amp plugins without delays, distortion, reverb ect.
I like that you (Glenn) do these back to backs, that you give out content on how to record or gear demo's ect... I'm not shitting on you as your efforts are much appreciated by a community of over 500k subs. I suppose sometimes it feels like in your own personal journey to accept a switch from real amps VS digital amps, you became almost like angry... If I'm not mistaken there is a free Neural amp sim online, making the ToneX obsolete, unless you consider one has a physical pedal and the other is pure digital... just like ToneX is amp plugins where as the rest have effects and are older.
One day it might be possible that someone will create a physical hardware that can download any/most plugins from any company (like your computer can!) and all of these individual platform pedals become a limiting and dead tech. It won't mean people wasted their money or were stupid for buying what was out before something better came along.
As a kemper spokesman (self appointment just now) I'm quite happy to accept stuff has moved on for the better.
I just bought a line 6 pod hd pro x for 235 bucks and I’m super happy with it. Sounds great and it’s all i need.
That Kemper still updates the device without having to upgrade as per Fractal keeps it relevant for me.
I would take an EOL AxeFx from 2007 over a KPA any day. At the rate Kemper is adding basic features they may catch up in 10 or 20 years though.
@@KingKong-mp6gj What basic features do you feel the KPA is missing? I’ve used mine for 7-8 years for gigging and recording with just two expression pedals and nothing else and never felt it lacked anything, indeed it had features I’d not seen before anywhere else?
@@KingKong-mp6gj Liquid Profiling is basic? More like market leading.
*_The best tone out of all of them is that snare!!! 🥁_*
tbh I can't overstate how important the snare bottom mic is, in which you can dial in a cutting snare without having to worry about cymbal bleed that might creep up if you're boosting too much treble on the top mic(s), (edit 1) in which inexperienced or even seasoned mix engineers can get thrown off which they resort to sample blending.
Don't fear the rattle.
edit 2 : snare bottom mic can also help to bring up the ghost notes, too.
like your sarcasm lol,but it would be great if this guy would stop talking about guitars at all
I think we can stop baiting Kemper owners at this point as you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that the Kemper is something like 10 years old! When there were only two options, of course, the prices for things would be much higher. As the technology has gotten better, it’s gotten cheaper so it’s no surprise that new things can do the same as older things for less. But you’ve gotta love Glenn, the king of tests, proof and results “the Kemper seems like it’s just missing everything above 8K here...” Sitting there listening in his DAW but doesn’t pull up an eq or spectrum analyzer to show what is actually happening! What a beaut!!😂
Indeed, a bit of analysis wouldn't have hurt.
Ok, great suggestion! I’ll try that next time
@@SpectreSoundStudios Gelln, while you're here, I reiterate my suggestion of using FMIT (Free Musical Instrument Tuner, or something) to assess how well guitars hold their tune, it might yield interesting results ;)
Axe Fx user here. I really like the sounds I'm hearing from that little box. I'm concerned about the amount of CPU memory it can handle. For example, I can run wet, dry, wet on the Axe Fx. I can program a custom harmony and store it in Global. Run several effects (and parallel and series/parallel Fx chains) at once without maxing out memory. I'm not sure that the TONEX can do this. And we all know how crappy our effects unit sound whaen the CPU is maxxed out.
Well, there is something that cannot be yet surpased, and it is the kemper reliability, there is no a single reliability problem on the kemper side and its an equipment more than 10 years old. Another thing is that the kemper is already an ecosystem and a well tought out, the kemper kab is marvelous, the kemper management of amp parameter (not tone stack, but I will come to that), and the way it separates the cab part from the amp part, is wonderfully realized and not as well implemented by others. But the cherry on top, its it keeps evolving, liquid profiling sounds like a silly marketing ploy, but now we have it on our hands it changes the game, a liquid profile can be your be all end all for your favorite amp.
Please so a video about how to dial in lead tones for plugins and digital amps like the Quad Cortex, Kemper, ToneX, etc. Thanks ahead of time!
I've been playing my Kemper for over 10 years now. Countless gigs, and I'm still loving it. Playing in cover bands I use quite a few different profiles with different effects to sound like the songs I'm playing. The Kemper still gets the job done and has paid for its self many times over. I don't see a reason to change. If I didn't already have a Kemper, then I'd have to do a lot of research to see which one would fit my needs.
I’ve heard most ppl that buy a Kemper usually buy more than one. Wonder what Glenn thinks of that. No point buying two Tone X I guess. 😂
Most people who use kempers are stuck playing in cover bands
@@weareparkerful ? I’ve spotted quite a few Kempers at concerts at the BOK Arena in Tulsa, OK. But whatever. You do you. Lol
@@stevemorris7344 I was just being sarcastic
But whatever
Watched this in my car on break and listened through my car stereo. In the mix I couldn’t hear a difference at all. Solod yeah it’s there but not crazy and I thought the tone x sounded the best
Great video Glenn, I grabbed a cheap NUX that came up for sale 2nd hand. As an old guy I was really sceptical, but the tones and consistency just make it great for recording. I can plug any guitar in, go to a present & know exactly what I’m getting.
Even better than the Tone X I bet!
The nux mg30 is stupid good considering what it costs.
Thanks Glen - Im getting a Tonex pedal soon and i cant wait... Ive been using Amplitube 5 in the studio for a while already...
44 inch Plasma TV's were over 10 grand in like 2001. You can get an equivalent now for 150ish. Technology makes jumps sometimes and we all bennafit.
you would need an OLED to be comparable with the black levels of plasma
Guitar gear and professional audio gear doesn’t price that way. This isn’t consumer grade crap. Guitar pedals like ToneX is priced comparably to its size and purpose. It looks like it’s trying to compete with Strymon.
I think all 3 are great products, I was saving for a QC when tonex came out and since I already had effects i went with the tonex strictly for cost reasons..and it has been damn good for playing live so far, everybody in the band is impressed with the heavy tones it dishes out, even the drummer lmao ..still waiting for that driftwood capture Glen! Lol
Why does everyone keep forgetting that the kemper ist not just a profile player like the tone x. You can gig with the kemper and need no other stomps. Try that with the tone x... no delays, just compressor and not even a hall reverb. If you buy external pedals to ads effects that the kemper already has, you spend a lot more than than 399 or whatever. If you just want to record with profiles , that is another thing. Sure. But than you could use the NAM for free and complain that 399 is far too expensive in comparison. It's a silly comparison.
I bought a Pod Go last year. I wonder how that compares to the ToneX since they are in a much closer price range compared to the Cortex or the Kemper.
1:04 honestly, you could easily only be changing the text on screen and I wouldn't know. It all just sounds good! Glad that if I get into guitar playing, I don't have to break the bank to get some good gear.
Still waiting for the secret to that bass tone. Was that via the modelers or the thing you have teased?
Would have loved if you'd given us a reamp of the amp through the same IRs, but the time is here: We no longer need tube amps to get utterly crushing metal tones.
I'd say that I like the green strip's sound a tiny bit better. Really digging the shredding, btw.
Ola thinks Kemper and QC sound better than Tonex
I wish to know Acle Kahney's take on this given that he had changed up to the kempers for touring
He swapped to KPA 8 years ago, from an Axe FX Ultra...
Well, I don't really get the point in this can-you-hear-the-difference-thing. Of course there are differences - but these are no longer differences on the quality side. Just some frequencies here and there. In total all of the items simulate tube sounds on a high level, it sounds totally believable. What we will see in the future is price dropping.
Glenn fricker, as I live and breath, is working on learning Van Halen.
Super proud of ya man, keep it up!
Ty! It’s still got a way to go, but it’ll happen eventually!
Hey Glenn, have you tried the Joyo Preamp House already?
I like watching and listening to Glenn! It’s refreshing seeing you just be you.especially when you go off about something. Keep it up!
Thanks Glen, you just made me change my mind. I was about to get me a Kemper so I can profile my Donner amp that came with my new Donner Electric Guitar Beginner Set. Now that I saved I few buck I'll get me a couple of Amazon Basics pedals to complete my Rig. Thanks man.
After hearing that jam, I left most blown away by the fucking snare. The guitars all sound good, but man that snare.
Yeah this argument is one of those things I say to each their own. I seriously regret selling my EVH 5150 III but I really don't mind using Positive Grid software on my recordings and I even use it live these days. I go by what sounds good, not what breaks my bank.
Glenn what guitar is the dude playing at 0:48 to 0:54 ? Schecter maybe? Looks and sounds cool.
Cheers from NZ 😎🎸🤘
Ola just said on his channel the Kemper and Quad both have a better sound capture than the Tonex. Decisions decisions on who to believe 😂😂😂
I’m this case I’m thinking it’s Ola
Ola would be more accurate...this guy here is a little "click bait-y"
The Kemper is 11 years old and still holds its ground.
It's only normal that tech improves and smaller/cheaper versions are made.
I've been enjoying amp profiles for the past 8 years, so I paid around 250 usd per year for a great deal of flexibility and superb tones. And unless the unit dies on me and it's too expensive to repair I'll be using it in the future as well so my total cost of ownership will continue to decrease.
Plus if you really are looking for something to get mad at, neural Amp Modeler is free and apparently is closer to the real amp than all profilers (there's a null test on UA-cam)
I spent money on my Kemper 7 years ago. Back in the day it was impressive. Now I wouldn’t buy a Kemper, because indeed there are cheaper solutions which may or may not offer the same features, but I wouldn’t sell it either. Why would I? It works just fine.
I wanted the QC mainly for the integrated computer interface, but I already have tons of neural plugins and a decent interface.
This just underlines that guitarists, just like any hobbyists, like their gear. And seldom for any real world reason other than that they like their gear. It's not like anyone in the audience will hear, or care, what gear you are using. And in a mix it just doesn't matter. What you as a player like to hear/feel when standing in front of an amp or recording is entirely subjective. And that is okay. Just don't expect anybody else to care.
Usually, they like their gear because they already paid for it. Sunken cost fallacy, and all that jazz.
@@CyberChristno they like their gear because they wanted it. If you had to settle because you didn’t have the money then you might not like your gear.
@@shitmandood You're confusing liking something with being detached from reality, and denying the very existence of a very basic bias.
Sorry to tell you, your Gibson does not fart unicorns.
I'd honestly be curious to see how much you could get out of an old Pod HD500 or such, Glenn, and compare it with those.
Love the video. Thanks man!
To Anyone wanting to try the software out for capturing your own amps: I wanted to test how the software sounds on my own amp setup. The company has the amp capture process locked behind a $100 paywall, so you can't even try the capture process to see how it sounds for your setup. Figured i warn someone before they waste a couple hours like I did.
Man. Technology has come a long way from when I bought my Zoom 505B pedal in 2001. My best friend gave me a Line 6 Floor Pod X3 recently and I thought that was mind blowing enough.
Hey Glenn, I just got a Tonex and am already packing up some of my smaller amps I had purchased to try different tones to sell off but i am having trouble deciding on the best option for getting that "amp in the room" sound out of my Tonex. I have been into amp modeling for years but bought amps again a few years ago because i hated playing through my computer. A lot of people are in the "power amp and guitar cab" camp and the more research i do a lot of people are in the "powered FRFR" space especially with how some of them like the Laney LFR212 and Line 6 Powercab are being made to look and feel like guitar cabs. Do you have any thoughts on this?
gotta say, I'm surprised by the missing highs in the Kemper profile as a Kemper owner, more often I've been struggling with missing low-end, although I do a lot of tweaking once I have my profiles
I know you’ve gotten tired of the V30 sound over the years, but this has to be one of my favorite guitar tones you’ve done. Would also love to see and episode on dialing in a lead guitar sound.
Ty! It’s coming!
In a shootout between Glenn and EVH I can't even tell the difference. Even with the titles changing the difference is too subtle.
Tonex really needs to make a podgo style of effects processor! The whole point for me to buy podgo was to have everything in one place. No cables, no dicking around. Just plug in and have everything in one place. The only thing those cheaper ones are lacking is amp capture. If they made it affordable, I bet it would take off pretty well
Ola thinks that Kemper sounds better than the Tonex... ;)
Most Kemper owners should be very happy once they have downloaded the new software upgrade 👌👍
It’s been a long time coming but it’s here now 👷♂👌
Why would I be mad about a new device, that does the same in a mix, as a Kemper does, when that device was not available, when I bought my Kemper, neither was the QC.
I just won't buy any of those devices, because I already have the Kemper.
We need more 80's exemples like this , if you need some Glenn I'd be happy to help
the only question i really have is wheres the kemper profile used in the shootout, i would not mind trying it out
I'm pretty sure I got it right starting with the kemper then completely loosing all frame of reference and not knowing what and when the changes where
Never having bought one and being a bedroom studio hobbyist, I can't hear any significant difference. Then again logic + free amp sims and IRs has always been enough for me.
I own a Kemper Powerhead, & I am glad that people can now experiment with profiling amps for a fraction of the price. Yes I spent nearly $2000 AUD for it, but its exceeded my expectations from what I expected. The release of the ToneX for such a cheap price will only put pressure on the larger companies to make something way better than what's currently available to justify the price. In the end, its a win-win for everyone in te long run.
That Van Halen tone sounded mint!❤❤❤❤
Great stuff as usual. But my question is - what about the ToneX vs a Pod GO? the Pod GO rocks and I think it's only $50 more, but it's a different thing. It's solely a modeler - but it does it well for the price. Plus, all of the effects you can get are nuts. People get mad at me for using the Pod GO as an FX unit on my Dual Rectifier, but the effects are pretty good. Just wish it had smidge more DSP though.
I have Kemper, Fractal, Pod GO, JVM, 6505+, 5150III, and I use the Pod GO more than all of them. It just does everything in one box.
@@JohnSmith-oe4bwif you want cheap, sounds like pod go is best
@@shitmandood - it's got all the bread & butter sounds, is easy to program, has a small footprint, and has an expression pedal. You're good to go 👍🏻
Yes, the how to get a lead tone video is eagerly awaited.
P.s. The tone with the Prism IR should sound great with a real solid bass following along.
Great video as always. Wondering what you’re doing with the 6505 combo? I’ve had one for many years, and back in to gigging it’s sounding very 1x12-ey (obviously). But still my old faithful, got it for about £500-600 about 10 years ago.
I’m working on a video on how to upgrade it for cheap!!
Awesome can’t wait
@@SpectreSoundStudios I bought my 5150 (head AND cab with the "Shit"field speakers) used for $650 5 years ago
Kemper owner. I'm not bothered. If anything - it just makes this technology more accessible to other people. It'd be really dickish to be upset about that. haha
He is saying Kemper sounds dull and muted, but I think it sounds the best. TONE X is amazing, sounds as good as Kemper and better than Quad.
They sound identical in the mix and before I knew which was which in the DAW, I already thought the Tones sounded best. I have an Iridium but this sounds great. Soon it will be time to compare it to the Neural Amp Modeler.
Mendel bij de Leij has an excellent comparison of these three, really worth checking out.
The Glenn Fricker album has to happen.
I think nowadays is only about which gear you feel more comfortable with. Because they all sound awesome!
I have a Kemper profiler and the only reason I don't sell it is because the power head function, since i play live. But if I ever retire from live gigs, i will defenitely consider switch to TONE X
Great video!
HEEEEEEEEY GLENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
I'm a bass player and I'm looking to replace my decade-old bass preamp and maybe ditch amps all together. Do you think it makes sense for a BASS PLAYER to buy one of these Tonex pedals instead of buying something like a SansAmp or a Darkglass pedal to replace on stage amplification? (Or will your new secret bass product replace all of them?)
I appreciate what you do here! Thanks!
Think kemper is coming for competitors with their 800 pedal. I love my stage, haven’t had gear acquisition for amps since I got it.
I'll stick to my kemper though. I know it, I like it and I don't need the bothersome exchange for a magic frequency no one will hear live.
I bought the Tonex pedal, bad experience, it had an issue, a lot of noise, and the noise only disappear when the pedal was plugged through usb to my Mac, so I returned it and ask for a new one but the new one came with the same issue. Conclusion Tonex is not for me. 🙁
Glenn playing EVH, awesome 👍. Great channel keep up the good work. ☮️
Glenn , have you reviewed NAM software? If there’s conflict of interest please discard the question
The Kemper is much, much more than an amp. There you go.
This is a great comparison. I can hear the differences on my weak ass TV speakers, yet in the mix, sounds the exact same. Great example of how you can spend a lot of time trying to fine tune a tone, then in the mix it needs more adjustment. Thanks for the video Glenn, love seeing your progress on guitar as well!
Why so much dunking on the kemper, QC etc? They along with the helix were the game changers at the time and proven platforms are still worth it to a lot of players. The cheaper options now available definitely sound just as well. The market will correct itself.
The cheaper profilers do a good job on metal, but with cleaner just breaking up sounds, nothing comes close to a kemper
i find that high gain sound shitty on a kemper but i don’t play metal and i much prefer the feeling of the kemper while playing. so tonex got returned the same day lol
For my use, the quad cortex is cheaper, I can process 4 captures or more at the same time (4 tonex x 500: $2000) plus a ton of effects, process voices and use it as an audio interface. only one quad cortex can process a whole band at the same time (2 guitars + 1 bass + 1 microphone).
I could hear a change in tone in the mix between the Kemper and the others, but the visual cue definitely helped with that. I could not hear any difference at all between the QC and ToneX in the mix.
Also, the Sennheiser 421 is your best sounding desk mic yet!
Glenn! What are your thoughts on creambacks for a high gain metal tone? My cab has 4 g12h-75 creambacks and i think i want to upgrade it. Is there a speaker i can pair with them to help their metal tone if i didnt want to replace all 4?
GLEEEEEENN! Appreciating your hunt on affordable, but still authentic guitar tones with what modern technology can achieve nowadays. Incredible what the ToneX can put out for that money.
However though, I do not see it - completely - replacing my Kemper anytime soon, simply for the reason that I do not mainly use it for tone but rather as an effects machine. Not just Delay and Chorus, but also Pitch shifting of all kinds, EQ effects (e.g. telephone), crazy looping stuff, you name it, I came to require a lot of it with the songs I'm playing live. While replacing all of this with external effects might possibly save me money, I had some bad time with managing huge pedal boards in the past. There's just so many points of failure that can fuck up your signal chain, like faulty patch/power cables, accidental knob turns and so on. For me, the time and headache this had cost me are definitely more worth spending it monetarily on the Kemper instead. On top of it, I require a lot of MIDI controlled FX automation which seems not possible with your usual pedals. Maybe with some fancy FX board, if any of those is capable recreating the quality of the Kemper effects, but there are none that I'd know about. I hope you can comprehend my point here on why I think that the Kemper might still be a valid purchase for some.
Still, I'll patiently await what ToneX (or other manufacturers) will put out in the future. If one of those things is able to recreate what the Kemper can FX-wise I might consider moving on. Heck, maybe you could even hook the ToneX pedal into the FX loop of the Kemper to replace the amp profile, so you could have the best of both worlds!
With all that being said, not all of us Kemper and Axe users are ass-headed brand worshippers, some of us are decent and know how to use the hardware - although expensive - to make it worth its money. Have a nice day, and fuck you Glenn!
Exactly I don’t understand the comparison at all. The Kemper is an all in one machine. The ToneX is nothing but amps. Owning a ToneX to hook into the Kemper wouldn’t bring any value, except maybe humble bragging lol 😆
@@shitmandood Well I take it from this video that the Kemper's profile ain't as true to the original as the others, so that might be something to consider
I have a powerhead and foot controller...Not only can I profile any amp, I also have killer effects (..Kemper has come a long way ....) , I also can push my recto 412. It truly sounds amazing and is so versatile, never let me down...Tried a QC, cool, but more $$ and can't power a cab. Would I sell my Kemper to get ToneX? NO FRIGGIN way...Do I think it sounds good and want a ToneX...? For $300 used, HELL YES! I mean, that's just silly..Just wish it had a few more built in fx...Thanks Glen!
With regards to the amp capturing I think the kemper being harder to dial in versus the tonex is maybe down to the tonex has pre recorded riffs that it uses to refine its captures where as the kemper relies on the players playing , so the tonex results would be more consistent. It also could be down to processing power, the kemper’s processor is old, maybe the new kemper updates are focusing more on the usb capabilities and might try using the computers power to do a profile
Or, if the ToneX takes 15 minutes to make a capture then Refine the Kemper Profile for 15 minutes.
Kemper has no equal in my mind
I've been watching Glenn talking big about the ToneX and how it's the Kemper/QC killer and all that but it really doesn't sound good to me and I'm impressed how Glenn likes it. Especially the way the ToneX distortion sounds on the high frequencies. I've heard so many ToneX captures and all of them sound weird and kinda digital on the high end.
The Music industry has been trying to turn music gear into a consumable product for the last several years. The UA-camrs (ironically) both complain about it and promote it at the same time. Get some gear and get good at it, that is all that really matters.
I think you're missing the point of the kemper if im honest. The kemper is designed to emulate ANY amp you want, you can profile them yourself to.