Kemper - need more info!

[banjoze]

I wish we had a dry track of Angus playing one of his leads that we could reamp... (I assume this doesn't exist?) It would make it pretty easy to illustrate how freakin' awesome S-Gear sounds out-of-the-box. It also takes pedals very well, but so far I haven't even bothered with one.

[banjoze]

I read so many horror stories on the Duet2 that I picked up a used Duet1 instead. it is working very nicely.

[stratzrus]

Originally Posted by Gasp100

I've been pretty vocal that I did a complete 180 on the KPA and went from NO interest whatsoever to being enthralled by some of the clips I have heard (and some of the news I've been fed) about the KPA. But now we are into the $1850 range for a piece of gear... no matter how you slice it (unless you have cash to burn) that is a lot of scratch for one piece of gear. It's enough for me to decide that this thing better kick complete and utter ass. It will be at the epicenter of my little, sad recording and "live" playing world. It will be the brain and nervous system of my musical universe.

I don't see why it shouldn't, that's what the Axe II is for me now. I'm quite leery of clips but those who have been actually using the Kemper seem to love it. By all accounts it does "kick complete and utter ass".

Originally Posted by donbarzini

You are right about the Duet 1 vs. 2. I had to return the Duet 2 ultimately, it was just too buggy in OSX Lion so I exchanged it for an RME Babyface, less latency as well, been rock solid since moving to RME. I even noticed a difference with the instrument input on the RME. As of now, I am using one of those Waves PRS Guitar DI boxes going out to the RME via XLR at +4db, I like what that box does, especially with my strats.

I've got the RME Fireface 400 and have to agree. It works flawlessly, sounds great, and is incredibly flexible for such a compact piece of gear.

[donbarzini]

Originally Posted by banjoze

I wish we had a dry track of Angus playing one of his leads that we could reamp... (I assume this doesn't exist?) It would make it pretty easy to illustrate how freakin' awesome S-Gear sounds out-of-the-box. It also takes pedals very well, but so far I haven't even bothered with one.

the delay in S-Gear is also one of the best software delays I have used, even compared to Soundtoys Echoboy.

[football]

Originally Posted by donbarzini

You are right about the Duet 1 vs. 2. I had to return the Duet 2 ultimately, it was just too buggy in OSX Lion so I exchanged it for an RME Babyface, less latency as well, been rock solid since moving to RME. I even noticed a difference with the instrument input on the RME. As of now, I am using one of those Waves PRS Guitar DI boxes going out to the RME via XLR at +4db, I like what that box does, especially with my strats.

Yes, we're waaaay off topic at this point! Duet 2 has been a buggy, absolute mess! However, I'm starting to work again and am in the middle of two projects so haven't returned it yet. Got the RMA to return and it really needs to go back.

Do think in some ways it's DI sounds great but it is also just so damn quick and bitey in the high frequency range. Between the DI and whole circuitry of A/D D/A. It's like one of those super damn fast slew rate things that looks great on paper but is fatiguing in the real world... while still being somewhat cool if that makes any sense whatsoever.

Ah... I have an example... I remember trying a Carol Ann. It had the most amazing clean sound... but also had that holy shite quick percussive attack. It was actually VERY impressive... but was better for me to have my squishy Fender sound cause it was more forgiving/saggy for my old ears. That's my Duet 2 analogy.

I haven't moved on another interface cause I want something AT LEAST as good as that and there are very few options (obviously Babyface being one). May PM you at some point when I'm ready to make a change if that's ok?

[donbarzini]

Originally Posted by football

Yes, we're waaaay off topic at this point! Duet 2 has been a buggy, absolute mess! However, I'm starting to work again and am in the middle of two projects so haven't returned it yet. Got the RMA to return and it really needs to go back.

Do think in some ways it's DI sounds great but it is also just so damn quick and bitey in the high frequency range. Between the DI and whole circuitry of A/D D/A. It's like one of those super damn fast slew rate things that looks great on paper but is fatiguing in the real world... while still being somewhat cool if that makes any sense whatsoever.

Ah... I have an example... I remember trying a Carol Ann. It had the most amazing clean sound... but also had that holy shite quick percussive attack. It was actually VERY impressive... but was better for me to have my squishy Fender sound cause it was more forgiving/saggy for my old ears. That's my Duet 2 analogy.

I haven't moved on another interface cause I want something AT LEAST as good as that and there are very few options (obviously Babyface being one). May PM you at some point when I'm ready to make a change if that's ok?

PM me any time. We need more Kemper Info!

[Gasp100]

Originally Posted by football

I'm with you on this but want to point out the actual cost of some main ingredients in what he lists in his S-Gear video. That Lehle Sunday Driver is the box you're referring to. It's $200. It's an interesting box to me for sure. It then goes into an Audiofire 2 interface to get into the computer. I believe that is a $200 interface which that interface in particular I don't consider to be anything extra special at all.

The settings on the S-Gear are on the screen and in addition, I see that's the stock IR's he's using that default with that amp (and the extra eq's for those IR's I see are bypassed). Is there some Harry Houdini stuff going on that I might not be aware of??? Sure, could be, I wasn't there in person of course, so have no way of knowing what fairy dust is sprinkled in addition.

HOWEVER, I think it's quite likely that what we're hearing is just as the guy lists everything. I could also look into it further to try and get some more possible confirmation of all that.

He's got a Tokai Les Paul, some snazzy pickups in it (which likely help) and I think possibly one of the nice differences from most people plugging in to S-Gear is that Lehle Sunday Driver.

We all need an interface to get into the computer to use S-Gear, again, I only see the variable as the $200 Lehle and possibly those pickups. So to emulate his set up isn't too expensive if I want to try that route sometime.

I'm likely to get the Lehle someday to try it out anyway (liked some video demos showing functionality of it). That and the pickups are the only odd ducks I see in the bunch.

Of course, how we get into the computer is damn important with any simulator. I've had an Apogee Duet 1 and Duet 2 and even just those two items from the same company sound wildly different going DI into a simulator IMO.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

Yes, I guess those are my points exactly. Without the Lehle I don't think it will sound the same, or have the same crisp and immediate attack (that is just going by my own experiences). It's still a GREAT tone with all the pieces together and in fact, the full rig is still relatively cost effective. But the Lehle is almost 3x the cost of S-Gear itself to put things in perspective.
I really like S-Gear and I think the ability to load IR's (even the included cabs) is a HUGE part of it; I think if Guitar Rig allowed loading of IR's it would be really powerful.

[hoss33]

The Sunday driver interests me a lot. It just seems to enhance the sound of any guitar.

[banjoze]

Has there been a Kemper SG/Marshall/Angus type recording published yet? If so, I missed it.

(Btw, Kemper folks, you should join us in the reamping thread that ScottP revived. Would be cool to hear what the Kemper can do with that dry track reamped....)

[mdme_sadie]

Sorry for being a grump, but I still have no idea how anyone is hearing those tones as being even remotely close to ACDC tones. Phasing, compression, tone curve, distortion characteristics and detail anyone? I feel like I'm in a recurring Merv and the Magic Tones nightmare or MOR proportions, what happened to rock?

Peoples tastes have obviously been irrevocably changed by amp sims, and I'm clearly just out of touch, I don't want that "smooth" legato easy listening sound. I guess at least I can agree it goes beyond what a valve amp can do.

[banjoze]

I think he was referring primarily to the first 3 or 4 chords played at the beginning. It's not a clone of Angus (he plays an SG after all), but I personally find it pretty compelling as a natural sounding (not digital / modeled) Les Paul into a Marshall.

[mattball826]

Originally Posted by mdme_sadie

Sorry for being a grump, but I still have no idea how anyone is hearing those tones as being even remotely close to ACDC tones. Phasing, compression, tone curve, distortion characteristics and detail anyone? I feel like I'm in a recurring Merv and the Magic Tones nightmare or MOR proportions, what happened to rock?

Peoples tastes have obviously been irrevocably changed by amp sims, and I'm clearly just out of touch, I don't want that "smooth" legato easy listening sound. I guess at least I can agree it goes beyond what a valve amp can do.

watch out of for the gangs wanting to tar and feather you !!

i agree though. that's the bum thing about modeling. that weird phasy stuff that sits buried in the sound.

maybe profiling will be cleaner. well see.

[bmi]

[hoss33]

You can download the manual here:

http://kemper-amps.com/start

[mattball826]

sweet! thanks for link!