kemper profiler stage

[mickie08]

Hey, anyone ever use one of these. They are SUPER pricey. Like 1700 pricey...

BUT, sounds are killer, can mic and save your own am sounds, etc.

I need a DI rig that I can run an acoustic AND an electric in and not have to carry around an amp and huge pedalboard. I like the look and sounds of it though the programming is some work to adopt to. I also like the display adjusts to being in the sun as we do ALOT of outside gigs right in the sun.

Anyways, thoughts...

Other options could be the line 6 Helix, HX Stomp, Fractal ax8, Akai Gigboard.

[kingkiller]

Not that my opinion carries much weight as I’m mostly a bedroom guitarist nowadays, but a line 6 Helix has always been something I’ve eyed. I don’t have all the gear to get proper good profiles from a Kemper, and I don’t really have the patience to deal with something that complex. Helix seems to have it all in one board and be relatively easy to use. But I’ve had limited experience with both, so take that for what it’s worth I suppose.

[Thomas]

I have the Klemperer Toaster head. It’s bloody amazing, it sounds incredible. I use it mainly for recording and it’s incredible.

I prefer a desktop to pedal for that reason (tho I can use my Line6 HD500X as a midi controller if I wanted to.

[mickie08]

thanks.

May be on the back burner as I acquired a new amp this weekend on an unexpected trade. But still eyeing it.

Well see how the next month or so goes.

[sunshiner]

It's impressive how a modelling piece of gear that is on a very expensive side has got such a favorable reputation and is so requested by the crowd, like guitarists, that is notorious to be super conservative about things. It must be really good

[Fakir Mustache]

The thing about that one is that you can record sounds you like into it. People with large amp collections get them for touring, and I think you can also record distortion pedals along with the amp into it. I think you can't record delay pedals though.

[Josh]

those things are cool as hell, I eyed one up at GC recently, didn't try it out but it was really cool. I don't have any experience with modeling stuff aside from my laptop and my boss multi effects but if you're looking for a blessing to get one of those you got it, they're dope. watched a couple videos on how it worked because I was skeptical and was pretty blown away by all it could do.

[ekwatts]

It's impressive how a modelling piece of gear that is on a very expensive side has got such a favorable reputation and is so requested by the crowd, like guitarists, that is notorious to be super conservative about things. It must be really good

But it's really expensive which must mean it's really good. Guitarists are conservative AND stupid. Always remember that.

My mate bought a Squier Bass VI when they very first came out. His dad played it and loved it so.... went out and bought the Fender Pawn Shop version that had been released the year before that was nearly £600 more expensive. Because that would make it even better. Obviously. I mean, duh. Not that it wasn't good, but it was the way he just went out and dropped £800 on a spendier version of a guitar that he already liked because that's how he has been conditioned.

He owns a Fender Custom Shop 12 string Telecaster that he paid big bucks for back in the mid-90s and it's actually a piece of shit. Basically because the pickups are piss-poor. Just some generic Fender bullshit. But he won't change them because he thinks keeping the piss-weak pickups that came from the "custom shop" factory are inherently better, because why-oh-why would Fender install substandard pickups in a £1500+ guitar, eh?

I'm not saying the Kemper isn't good. It's a fucking amazing piece of kit, and I am genuinely really impressed by the technology. But I also couldn't ever be cajoled into parting with that much cash for something that doesn't necessarily inherently sound "better" than other far, far, far, far cheaper options. If you got that cash, splash.

[Doog]

I personally really see these as pro touring or studio gear; to avoid dragging vintage stacks around the world, or to capture a million very convincing sounds under the close scrutiny of the studio, without the cost and space issues.

Are you really gonna be making use of ALL of that tech that you're paying through the nose for? How many totally different preamp/poweramp/speaker/cabinet combos would you really wanna be using at a show without it becoming inconsistent from a mix perspective?

I'd sooner look at something like the Helix- great sounds, everything in one unit, really designed for live usage.

[ekwatts]

I personally really see these as pro touring or studio gear; to avoid dragging vintage stacks around the world, or to capture a million very convincing sounds under the close scrutiny of the studio, without the cost and space issues.

Oh yeah, of course, that's really what it's designed for. As amazing a piece of kit as I think it is, it's definitely not designed for me and that's why I don't really desire it, but why it confuses me that so many others who are not, and, most likely, will never be in the position to utilise it to that degree find it so desirable.

[Bacchus]

I think these look class. I'd love one for tinkering for days. Modelling is pretty much at the point that it's surpassed good enough years ago, and it's pretty much at the point where it's 99.9% of the way there. I'm generally on board with modelling now (although I'll never swap my valve amp for anything).

However, yeah, what doog said. Although these seem like great bit of kit, I'd want to be sure that I can't do what I need to for a tenth of the price. Your case is made more complicated by it needing to do a good job on acoustic too.

Before spending that sort of money, I'd want to check if something like a Roland Cube (or Boss Katana if you want something a bit more spendy looking) wouldn't do a decent job after a day or two of tweaking.

[Doog]

I personally really see these as pro touring or studio gear; to avoid dragging vintage stacks around the world, or to capture a million very convincing sounds under the close scrutiny of the studio, without the cost and space issues.

Oh yeah, of course, that's really what it's designed for.

yessssssss and I'm underlining that in contrast to Mickey's needs, gawwwshhhhh

[sunshiner]

But it's really expensive which must mean it's really good. Guitarists are conservative AND stupid. Always remember that.

My mate bought a Squier Bass VI when they very first came out. His dad played it and loved it so.... went out and bought the Fender Pawn Shop version that had been released the year before that was nearly £600 more expensive. Because that would make it even better. Obviously. I mean, duh. Not that it wasn't good, but it was the way he just went out and dropped £800 on a spendier version of a guitar that he already liked because that's how he has been conditioned.

He owns a Fender Custom Shop 12 string Telecaster that he paid big bucks for back in the mid-90s and it's actually a piece of shit. Basically because the pickups are piss-poor. Just some generic Fender bullshit. But he won't change them because he thinks keeping the piss-weak pickups that came from the "custom shop" factory are inherently better, because why-oh-why would Fender install substandard pickups in a £1500+ guitar, eh?

I'm not saying the Kemper isn't good. It's a fucking amazing piece of kit, and I am genuinely really impressed by the technology. But I also couldn't ever be cajoled into parting with that much cash for something that doesn't necessarily inherently sound "better" than other far, far, far, far cheaper options. If you got that cash, splash.

I'm very sceptical about it myself despite the fact that I will probably never get to mess with it and have a first hand experience. But I just see that guitar vloggers who used to swear by analogue equipment are now switching to Kemper and seem not to have any prejudice against it

[paul_]

I personally really see these as pro touring or studio gear; to avoid dragging vintage stacks around the world, or to capture a million very convincing sounds under the close scrutiny of the studio, without the cost and space issues.

There was a pretty fearmongery article on Reverb or in a magazine recently that was going "KNOPFLER AND MAYER ARE USING KEMPERS LIVE, THAT'S IT LADS, TUBES ARE CANCELLED"

[Thomas]

The thing I like about the Kemper is that I can get the Orange sound I like without having to actually fork out Orange money or that one sound. Plus all the boutique amps that I’d be unlikely be able to afford (if I ever actually saw one IRL)that I have profiles of. It’s the versatility of the thing.

At the time I got mine I was thinking of buying a either a Friedman or a Princeton amp until my friend who already had a Kemper (and great Friedman and Fender profiles) let me have an extended blast on the thing. It sounded great to me and it was actually CHEAPER than either the Friedman or the Fender and I can do everything from that perfect Fender sound to heavy as shit, I don’t need to mic up, it takes up less room, no re-tubing or servicing.

Something that’s worth noting for anyone trying one in a shop is that the Kemper obviously lives and dies by the quality of the profiles and there’s thousands of them out there that are worlds better than the ones that come pre-loaded. Most of them have too much fx on them for my tastes (tho you can switch those off obv) or are those “blues lawyer tones that I’m not into.

For the record I did try the Helix too. It didn’t sound that different to my Line6 HD500X (it seemed like a more fancy packaged version of the same sounds for way more cash) where the Kemper actually sounded like a real amp. The Line6 had more effects, but I already have them in the HD, and in any case I tend to use either amp dirt or my pedalboard for fx. I think it’s also telling you can buy the Helix stomp (basically the same thing in a tiny pedal) for a fraction of the cost of the full Helix.

I did keep one Fender tube amp but sold all the rest which more than covered the cost of the Kemper. I also have zero GAS as far as amps are concerned.

It’s not like the dude paying an extra £600 for the “proper�Bass VI, it’d be more like paying an extra £600 and having access to all the guitars he could ever want.

[Doog]

I personally really see these as pro touring or studio gear; to avoid dragging vintage stacks around the world, or to capture a million very convincing sounds under the close scrutiny of the studio, without the cost and space issues.

There was a pretty fearmongery article on Reverb or in a magazine recently that was going "KNOPFLER AND MAYER ARE USING KEMPERS LIVE, THAT'S IT LADS, TUBES ARE CANCELLED"

hahahah

I've yet to use one, but I'm 100% behind the idea. I ended-up tracking all of the electric guitars on my current project using plugins because it literally sounds better than every guitar sound I've tried to capture myself, and is totally tweakable after the fact, and also extremely easy to edit/redo parts months after the fact.

Only downside is the slight tiny latency that you can feel more than hear. #LatencyIsInTheFingers

�They�need�to�release�a�slightly�simplified�combo �version�

I don't wanna model amps, but I'll gladly download existing ones from the information superhighway

[Josh]

^this
lately really been fucking with amps on my DAW. they sound good. even the garageband ones sound pretty damn good.

[mickie08]

I know when kemper came out they were like 4k


The profiler stage is a pedal board and basically the same pri e as a helix.

I like the fact that I can sample amps and/or buy amp profiles (you can buy a dozens of live sampled.amps for like 50.00. It also feels more natural.59 me than a helix

BUT, I just took a fender prosonic in on trade so I have a little more time (I needed a rig to gig with) and can wait till othe kemper stage hits the used market. 2hen I can pick up a used one for 1k I'll do it.

[Doog]

even the garageband ones sound pretty damn good.

100%, I'm using GB for this project and it's killing it, with a few shitty UX issues in the DAW itself. Will fork out for Logic down the line for sure tho.

The profiler stage is a pedal board and basically the same pri e as a helix.

Ahhh I missed this aspect, my bad

I guess ultimately if you prefer the experience, then it's worth it, esp at a used price. Still kinda feels like using a pneumatic drill to crack an egg but I'm not clued in on the kinda gig/sets you're doing.

[mickie08]

even the garageband ones sound pretty damn good.

100%, I'm using GB for this project and it's killing it, with a few shitty UX issues in the DAW itself. Will fork out for Logic down the line for sure tho.

The profiler stage is a pedal board and basically the same pri e as a helix.

Ahhh I missed this aspect, my bad

I guess ultimately if you prefer the experience, then it's worth it, esp at a used price. Still kinda feels like using a pneumatic drill to crack an egg but I'm not clued in on the kinda gig/sets you're doing.

I do about 160 gigs per year. Some of them are casinos where we have to play entirely direct. Not even stage monitors. All in ear sound and DI instruments. Also on weekends I often play 2 4 hour gigs basically back to back (say 12-4 then maybe 6-9 or 6-10). So small, easy to use, but not compromised sound wise..

I Have a killer PA system so that takes away that issue of DI rigs (only being as good as the PA they are in. soundcraft ui24 mixer, qsc tops, subs, and monitors. All in all about 11K total watts max. The QSC's work great with DI rigs or micing amps.

One reason I want DI as well is that I play mostly acoustic. When I do play with an amp for a few songs it throws the whole stage mix off for everyone pullingthe acoustic out of the monitor and having the amp all on 1 side (most rooms we do not mic amps) So if I run DI and can set patches for acoustic and electric, then the stage mix stays consistent throughout. As a vocal heavy band with 4 singers that is an important thing for us.