Got the Kemper - Review and clip

[Audioholic]

Ok here is some of my initial thoughts and feelings on this unit after plugging it in straight and going through some of the presets.... I have owned most of the name brand modelers, the best being Fractal audio Standard, while a generation below the current offering, that is all I can compare it to and I am sure Axe II is a step up.

The good:

This this sounds more like a mic'd up amp then ANY modeler I have ever tried. ever.. If you are used to hearing your amps with a mic on your cab, then you will know what I am talking about. This sounds like the amp and cab are in the other room while you track it. I don't hear fake, I don't hear imitation, this really can and does sound like you are micing up a real cab. I don't hear artificial stuff in the high end. Of course this has its down sides as well as I will get to later. The Kemper comes loaded with a decent amount of presets, mostly covering clean and light gain amps with a fewer high gain amps, at least that is what I got from going through presets. Some of the amps have a few variations, different mics used etc. To me if feels plenty fine to play through, I wasn't fighting with the unit or anything. The efx, much more limited then what the Axe FX has to offer, but still they sound fine and good to me. I am using most of my efx in my DAW anyway and tracking dry guitar, so this is not an issue for me at all. You can post eq and add gain to any profile, and they sound good. While I am sure it doesn't react exactly like it would changing the settings on the real amp, they sound good and do what you want to the amp. the presence has a nice top end to it, not brittle. As far as realism, this is a big step up for me. The profiles react to picking attack and gain adjustments just great. There is a depth and dimension to the sound that just sounds right to me. The high distortion sounds great to me, not artificial. I will say it one more time, real. I have yet to even scratch the surface and update the unit, load in user profiles etc. and that to me I KNOW will take this to the next level. The Axe FX always sounded slightly blanketed to me, something was missing, specially in the top, specially in the depth department. it sounded more direct where as the kemper sounds more lively to me right out of the gate. In the mix one might never really notice or even care, but since I have been going back to micing my amp, it may not always sound the best at first, BUT in the mix and with a little processing, it 9/10 sounds better then what I could get with the axe. Something about micing that moving air, and honestly, I really do hear that on the kemper, pretty impressed knowing I have only begun to find good patches..

The things to consider:
as with all modelers, it comes with plenty of presets that you will never use. Not that they are bad, just not always applicable. The downside of this unit offering what I feel is the most realistic representation of a mic'd up cab, is that sometimes it doesn't always sound great right away. Some of the profiles I feel could of used better mic placement, or used a better cab, in which I don't think there is as much post editing as you get with the Axe or others. Some of the profiles seemed small and boxy, some worked great. I would of liked to see some mic combinations in the profiles, for instance a royer mixed with a 57 etc, but that is where user profiles will excell. The Axe FX, who tries to give that polished finished sound right out of the gate. So someone who may be expecting huge stereo rigs, with monster efx and all, you may not jive with the kemper, at least right away. As of now, there is no stereo rig setups. I hope this will be adjusted in the future, being able to use one amp profile on the left and another on the right, that would seriously kick arse. I am sure it could be implemented. Going through the presets took just a little bit to get used to, not really loving the patch organization, but then again I literally just got on it, so there may be things I am missing. Its not a high gain monster,, YET. I am sure once Ola releases some of his profiles though, that will be a huge game changer. Just hearing one of his songs sounded friggen great.


So that is my initial thoughts on opening up the kemper and trying it out. Bottom line for me, out of the box I really can hear its potential, and know that it will only get better. I am very happy with my choice.. I was on the axe II wait list, but in all honesty, I can't wait months for my number to come up, and last time I paid to jump the line, this time the price tag to do so just is rediculous to me, no way I was gonna shell out that much money this go around. I can't wait to actually lay down some finished tracks with the kemper and will post clips. in the meantime, here is me just noodling around on some of the presets. PLEASE understand I am not trying to impress with my playing here, literally just recorded a few of the patches to give an idea of what some of them sounded like, sloppy mindless chords and wanking at times, but I hope it will give an idea of what I got right out of the box, only slight eq adjustments, used a strat and les paul here. I really can't say kemper is better then axe FX and vice versa, I think they are different approaches and that is where their strength and weakness lies. For me, I think I made the right choice with kemper this go around. doesn't mean kemper is the right choice for YOU and so forth.

please leave any questions in here. I am a total noob with this box so I may not be the most helpful. I think I have found the right solution for me to get the most realistic direct tracks when I can't mic up my amps.

Click here to play link:
http://www.energiestudios.com/Files/...%20Presets.mp3

[jeff5x0]

Thats some nice rack gear! Good review as well. I love the baby monitor on top of the Kemper lol! Enjoy!!!!!

[Audioholic]

Oh that's not a baby monitor. It's a new bass guitar modeler Don't let the small size fool you ;-).

[Jasonbax]

Can you make a clip of a 5150 III using the profiles on the kemper site?

[Audioholic]

Originally Posted by Jasonbax

Can you make a clip of a 5150 III using the profiles on the kemper site?

I have a 5153 myself and plan on doing a profile sometime soon when I get a chance. I have been pretty happy with my recorded tone of that amp, and will make one blending a ribbon and 57 most likely in the very near future. I have yet to try any other use profiles.. If I download that one before I will make a clip sometime soon

[Audioholic]

ok been downloading some user patches, some VERY good, some sucky. just got to wade through. Def have some great great high gainers now. like killer stuff to me

[shasha]

Several of those cleans sounded really good to me (I was trying to keep track, but you definitely went through a lot of patches).

I don't want to be all buttheaded here, but I didn't thnk that the high gain stuff was very good either (I think that it was the profiles). I agree the stuff that I heard Ola doing with it sounds like its going to be frickin brutal...which is funny because that's not what I usually listen to or play. Its almost like its fun to see just how insane he can get.

The crunchy and overdriven stuff sounds pretty good too.

[t3oi]

Good review and thanks for posting. The Kemper appears to have a very solid base to it for an initial release and should only get better.

[Audioholic]

Originally Posted by shasha

Several of those cleans sounded really good to me (I was trying to keep track, but you definitely went through a lot of patches).

I don't want to be all buttheaded here, but I didn't thnk that the high gain stuff was very good either (I think that it was the profiles). I agree the stuff that I heard Ola doing with it sounds like its going to be frickin brutal...which is funny because that's not what I usually listen to or play. Its almost like its fun to see just how insane he can get.

The crunchy and overdriven stuff sounds pretty good too.

The first high gain patch I really dug, and I know it will sit KILLER in a mix. IT sounds like a rippin real amp to me, double track, add bass and bam, that will be a killer track. I have downloaded a few really good high gain tracks now.

[Audioholic]

Just profiled my first amp, Pretty amazing technology. The mic'd amp sounded pretty much identical to the profile. Its pretty much indistinguishable. for the good and bad. This thing is amazing.

[jeff5x0]

What did you profile and did you put the profile up at the rig exchange? hint hint

Edit: Nevermind, you did the 5150 right? I already downloaded gonna try it later!

[shasha]

Originally Posted by Audioholic

The first high gain patch I really dug, and I know it will sit KILLER in a mix. IT sounds like a rippin real amp to me, double track, add bass and bam, that will be a killer track. I have downloaded a few really good high gain tracks now.

Well there you have it, different tastes. I didn't care for that particular high gain sound, but I'm not the one that's playing it. As long as it works for you that's all that matters. Honestly I really don't do a lot of ridiculously high gain stuff so that's probably why the clean and overdriven stuff caught my attention more.

[Audioholic]

Originally Posted by jeff5x0

What did you profile and did you put the profile up at the rig exchange? hint hint

Edit: Nevermind, you did the 5150 right? I already downloaded gonna try it later!

Yup I did the 5153. Its up on the exchange, will do more of that amp later as well as an Engl, I am supposed to be working but I can't take my hands off this box. haha.

[Johnkenn]

Are there a lot of Fender amp profiles available? Divided By Thirteen? Interested in the crunchy tones...

[Audioholic]

Originally Posted by Johnkenn

Are there a lot of Fender amp profiles available? Divided By Thirteen? Interested in the crunchy tones...

There is a list of the stock ampsthatcome and there are user profiles of fenders. Do t think I have seen any /13 profiles yet but I am sure some will come at some point. There is something to keep anyone happy I believe already at this point.