Kemper Profiling amp- "amp clone" beyond modeling!

Started by RicardoLove, March 02, 2011, 04:42:09 AM

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mbenigni

#25
Incindentally, I just showed a pic of the Kemper to a drummer friend (because I'm obsessed now) and he said, "Oh man that thing looks like a f***ing dishwasher!"  I can't stop laughing... although I'd have gone with "washing machine" myself.

It's especially funny because just last week he was showing me a refrigerator that looks like a half-stack:

Between the two, you'd have the wildest kitchen ever.

Elantric

#26
I think it looks like a cross between a 1952 Telefunken signal generator and a Grundig radio.



I totally dig the looks, the ergonomics, every knob I need is instantly accessible at the gig, and no need for a GUI editor and lugging a laptop just to change a speaker cab profile, and the original color is easy to read the controls on a dimly lit stage.

There is a blank space in the rear where a mono power amp section will go. (shown at MuscMesse last week).




Namba  / Kemper Gig bag is available too:



But even though the firmware is still a work in progress, if you follow the Kemper forums and make a list of the known bugs  to avoid and work-arounds - there is enough here for me to get very excited about with much anticipation for Wednesday when my KPA arrives from back east.


FWIW - its 14 3/4" x 6 1/2" x 8 1/2" (192mm x 250mm x 112mm)

mbenigni

Don't get me wrong, I love the looks, too, and was thinking more along the lines of a 50's era oscilloscope or strobotuner or something.

It may not be the most portable device in the world, but it looks like a very "hands-on" UI, which is refreshing these days.

Meltdown

I smell a serious case of "gas" floating around here ;D
Looking for some glue to seal my wallet shut.
Visit my website!
http://www.tachyonmusic.com

Bill Ruppert

The Kemper is hands down the coolest looking of gear I have ever owned.
It reminds me of old Ham radio gear.
And I'm an old Ham! W9WCR









Elantric

Very cool Bill!

I dig that old Heathkit gear
My granddad was WB6LMH based in San Gabriel, CA and had QSL cards from all over the globe

I see a logo resemblance too


 

tekrytor

#31
CQ CQ, my pop was N7BIW for 3 or 4 decades. I forgot my own call. Yeah I thought that logo and the foreground radiation looked familiar. AARP? NO. CCCP? NO. Anyway, I'm drooling! Very serious 50s sci-fi retro vibe with awesome tones. Thanks for sharing!

Love that fridge too!
SY-300/BeatBuddy/VoiceLive 3/GR-55(v1.50)/33/1/50/700/VGA-7/V-Bass, Yam-G10, GPK-4, DIY X-Bee HighlyLiquidCPU "Cozy-Lil-Footie", FCB-1010, other MIDI stuff, Godin Freeway SA and various other GK equipped controllers, Sonar X1, Audacity, KXstudio, Misc devices

mbenigni

QuoteThere is a blank space in the rear where a mono power amp section will go. (shown at MuscMesse last week).

Out of curiosity, what are you (and Bill) using to monitor the Kemper right now?

Elantric

#33
I understand Bill is using a pair of Genelec 1101A's  in his home studio. He spends most of his time in Chicago recording studios with a direct feed to their board/protools/studio monitors.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2239.msg12817#msg12817
Most folks these days seem to like a pair of QSC K12 for on stage monitors. Thats what Dweezil Zappa was using when I saw him a couple months ago.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=5326.msg36446#msg36446

mbenigni

#34
Quote from: Elantric on March 27, 2012, 09:03:03 AM
Most folks these days seem to like a pair of QSC K12 for on stage monitors.

Yeah, I've been eying these, along with the KW122.  The JBL PRX looks like a considerable bang for the buck as well, and it's a bit lighter.  And I'm reading good things about Meyer Sound and Turbosound.  Meyer Sound is presumably out of my price range, but this Turbosound falls in line with the QSC stuff:  http://www.amazon.com/Turbosound-Milan-Powered-Loudspeaker-Speaker/dp/B003E237YC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332880954&sr=8-1

P.S.  Just bumped into the Yamaha DSR.  It's reviewing favorably vs. the PRX, and I generally like the sound of Yamaha products, so that's a serious contender.

Elantric

#35
Im also hearing good things about the EV ELX112P

http://www.electrovoice.com/product.php?id=1066




Nice price too at $479 ea here:
http://www.proaudiostar.com/ev-sale?gclid=CKXyuYf_h68CFSMHRQod7zeY-Q

mbenigni

#36
Quote from: Elantric on March 27, 2012, 02:09:57 PM
Im also hearing good things about the EV ELX112P
...
Nice price too at $479 ea here:

Oh, cool.  I've always been a big EV fan, as well.  That $479 price looks like a moving target though; may have been a blem.  They've got an open box for $499 now, and the new ones are $599.  (Or, for the exact same price, the very same speaker plus stand and cable??)  A bargain either way.

P.S.  Just finished the video - really great overview.  Would have loved if the Yamaha had been included.  Right now the EV looks very nearly like a lock, so thanks very much for the heads up.  I'm quite tempted by the JBL just because of it's light weight (always a big plus IMO) but the EV wins out on price and features.  (The Yamaha is a little more expensive than I originally thought - I'd been looking at the price on a restocked unit.)

P.P.S.  zZounds is still listing a B-stock ELX112p at $479.

mbenigni

#37
I was a mouse click away from pulling the trigger on the ELX, but once you start looking at EV it's like opening Pandora's box... sxa360... zx5... and lots of opinions indicating that the ELX doesn't keep up with other (admittedly more expensive) EV products. 

Never easy buying gear without listening...


Scratch that.  Bought it.  Just can't argue with the price.

Elantric

#38
Please post a review of the EV ELX!


I just got my Kemper

Damn -

This KPA (Kemper Profiling Amp) is WONDERFUL!

I've decided to play with it for a day or two before I update the
firmware - just to become familiar with it.

Mine still has the Dec 2011 firmware #6895

Quick take -
This is the first guitar amp modeller where I finally have surgical
controls over the amp dynamic range, compression, adjustable clean to
slightly breakup to full crunch, or anything in between.

Other DSP Tube Amp modelers seem like using a hammer, and have no life.

Using the KPA on headphones after three hours, I feel like I'm using $50K worth of boutique tube amps, with the best mics  at a session at Abbey road with Alan Parsons or Geoff Emerick or Hugh Padgham providing me my tracking feed.

There is simply no comparison - After playing my KPA, my Roland and Line 6 gear all feel like a 1990 Zoom 9002 



The KPA is a keeper, and many of my other gear may be going on ebay a
lot sooner!
Thanks to my friends (Bill Ruppert) for letting me be part of the journey!

mbenigni

QuoteUsing the KPA on headphones after three hours, I feel like I'm using $50K worth of boutique tube amps, with the best mics  at a session at Abbey road with Alan Parsons or Geoff Emerick or Hugh Padgham providing me my tracking feed.

Gaaah!  Stop!  I haven't even told my wife I bought the ELX yet!   ;)

Will post a "review" of the ELX but it will probably just boil down to "I'm happy" or "I'm not, quite", since I don't have many comparable products to compare it with.

Charles5150

Elantric, just before you sell your VG-99....  ;)

What about selecting a nylon guitar patch in VG-99, feeding the input of the KPA with the guitar output of the VG-99 and make a profile of a pretending electric-to-nylon amp ? Wouldn't be interesting ?

Elantric

#41
The KPA profiling seems to be focused on Amps, and distortion  stomp boxes.


Its not a guitar modeler, but a few KPA owners have profiled acoustic guitar bodies , which could be loaded in the Cab Sim slot, to act as a EQ 

But - I will sell lots of other gear - EXCEPT my VG-8, VG-88, VG-99, GR-30, GR-55 - Those units excel at doing unique non guitar things.

But for bread and butter Guitar recording with an exceptional Pro sound and micro-precision control of EQ and dynamics,  - Wonderful guitar Tones come very easy with the KPA - without the need to compromise.

It helps if you have 40 years experience recording guitars (like I do), so I have a slight regret that tools of such high caliber as the KPA have arrived so late in life for me.       

whippinpost91850

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR "HOLY GRAIL OF TONE". YOU'RE ANALYSYS ALONG WITH BILLS ,MAKE ME WANT ONE EVEN MORE :P.... I MAY HAVE TO BREAK DOWN AND TAKE THE PLUNGE. I HAVE TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM USING MY TUBE STUFF , BUT THE MODELING IN THE GR55 AND MY ELEVEN RACK, JUST DOESN'T QUITE DO IT. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO CLONE EVEN THE #4 CHANNEL IN MY EGNATER IE4 PREAMP.

Elantric

#43
The Kemper Profile exchange has a few Egnators already profiled.

The Kemper has only been available in the USA for 4 months, and already the Kemper Profile Exchange has  100's of amps profiled. Each file is only 4k - store all profiles on a small USB thumb drive, or email them to friends.
http://kemper-amps.com/page/render/lang/en/p/175/do/Rig_Exchange_Download.html


Load them into the KPA with a USB stick in the rear USB host port.

I might make better use of the big hole in the rear of the KPA power amp to design my own Fender Tube spring Reverb tank clone and install that in the rear of the KPA.

To really nail those early 1963 Surf tones, I must run Guitar > Tube Reverb > Guitar Amp - in that order.

whippinpost91850

Thanks, It's cool to know there are allready some Egnaters,Bruce is a friend of mine and he has tweaked my IE4 a little to suit my taste.
Yeah, that is the only way to truly get the "Surf Tone". I used a Mosrite and a 335 through  a Tube fender reverb and a Baseman W/ 2-12 cab ,back in 63 when I was only 13....I had to work 2 paper routes and scrimp and save to get that stuff back then ;D

musicman65

Ordered my KPA today. The GAS pains where just too much...   ;D

bd

Elantric

sorry if I contributed to the hole in your bank account!

The KPA works extremely well for my needs, but each individual must evaluate the suitability of this piece of gear for your own needs. 

mbenigni

#47
I've decided to buy one if and only if I manage to sell $1850 worth of gear next month.  Possible but not likely.  So if I'm meant to have one...

Elantric

#48
I'm reminiscent of 1990's, and using a WinClone Intel 386 PC a bit too long past its prime, and then borrowing a friends new hyper fast Pentium based PC.
I could never go back to working on my old PC, and had swap out the motherboard for the latest generation to maintain my sanity.

So word to the wise - if you are cash strapped and simply could never afford a Kemper  - then I advise do not go near it - it may spoil you!

Wait 18 months for the next generation Kemper to come out and then buy a gently used 1st generation Kemper  - but this tool seems like it may hold its value a whole lot longer than any other DSP based guitar Amp processor I know of.

But if you value your time, and have the funds available - the Kemper is a fantastic tool to accomplish your musical expression both live and in the studio.   Its that good.

Charles5150

I allways do this type of math every time nice gear crosses my way:

1850 / 365 = 5 dollars a day, if you were to use it for a year only

I spend more in tobacco or coffes....