MikeM wrote:
Wow. I looooove these threads.
Nothing can match the dynamism of tubes. Easy as that.
However the thing that is awesome about the Kemper (I can never get the name right), Is you can (Or will be able to in the future, I'm not sure if this actually works, in fact I have no idea how swapping models works on this amp, but if it's not possible now, it won't be long until it is) visit a friend with a Blonde Bassman, and some crazy awesome drive pedals etc, and then make a profile for different EQs and pedals. You want to swap from a Blackface Tremolux, with a nice mid scoop to a Deluxe with a Tube screamer in front of it? Just jump to the next model. I think that'd fantastic. I've watched videos on it, and although it's not as dynamic as an actual tube amp, the modeled tone is bloody close. And so what if you have to have 3 models of the same amp, worth it if you can get all the tones you want out of it.
One thing that this b1scuit (lol) is wrong about is this crap about eq matching. Bullshit bro. An eq in the middle of your preamp stage is massively dynamic. Turn down the bass and you get less saturation but keep majority of the volume, turn up the treble and bump it into saturation to get some searing leads. Eq matching can not do that.
If I for one thought that NOTHING can match a tube amp, would I have spent a tube amp's money on an Axe-FX? ? hehe
"although it's not as dynamic as an actual tube amp"
THIS is exactly my point regarding the mention of EQ matching and how I'm thinking the Kemper works, that it's linear. It only has a pre-defined amount of dynamics since it doesn't model all the different components of what makes a tube amp dynamic.
That's what I said I was wondering about earlier. How it feels. Do the profiled tones each have a unique feel, replicating that of the used amp, like the Axe-FX for example, or did the creators model one amp's feel and that algorithms is then applied to all profiles?
I never said that EQ matching can replicate the preamp stage of a tube amp. Boosting treble gives more saturation, etc. I KNOW this since that's what I said... Boosting the treble on a tube amp, doesn't JUST give more treble, it also changes the response a little. ("a little" is putting it gently)
These are merely questions to find out more how the Kemper works and to figure out the unit's strong and weak points.
Read it again. Or in other words, if you have made your tone with the Kemper, a simple EQ boost afterwards with a PEQ isn't gonna have the same results as boosting the treble on the tube amp itself. Pretty sure everyone knows this.
So it makes sense that if you did in fact wanted that little treble boost on the tube amp, you'd have to make an entirely new profile with the new changes on the amp, SORT of like EQ matching in the sense that you can't make individual components sound different afterwards.
Judging from videos, it looks like the Kemper only a makes snapshot of the entire set up. With EQ matching you also just get a snapshot of that exact tone. From there on, there's only so much you can do to alter that tone.
No amount of EQ AFTER the Kemper made it's profile or you EQ matched a tone, will yield the same results as changing settings on the tube amp, or using a different mic, changing the mic position, etc.
So if you miced the Blonde Bassman with a crappy mic, nothing in the Kemper or an tone gotten from EQ matching will alow you to make it sound as if you miced it with a SM57 mixed with a Royer R121.
If anyone can shed some light on this unit, then do so, or if this is not the way it operates, then please tell me. I have an Axe-FX and I'm simply stating how I understand this Kemper unit to operate, and giving my thoughts in comparison to how the Axe-FX operates and my experience with it.
If nobody tries to actually help in figuring out this thing's weak and strong points, how much help is that to OP? How's he gonna figure out which one would suit him better?
