Kemper Profiler MK 2

[Dom Mcsweeney]

People capturing with a cheap $100 audio interface aren't going to produce "pro" level profiles.

what is a "pro" level profile?

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

You're a cheap date.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I've heard MK1 Kemper profiles that demolish QC and Helix Stadium

I very much doubt that.

 

[Orvillain]

To each their own, but until 2.0 has a chance to be compared to the others we still really don't know. Don't trust YouTube videos or influencers. The reason Michael Britt profiles typically sound the best in a mix is because he is also a touring musician.

I will say, for amp tones it's a wash between all of the companies at this point. I've heard MK1 Kemper profiles that demolish QC and Helix Stadium, and I've also heard the exact opposite. How good the Kemper sounds depends so much on the user, what mic's they used, how they placed them, what preamps were used, etc. People capturing with a cheap $100 audio interface aren't going to produce "pro" level profiles. QC and Helix come with models so they have other avenues.

For effects, I'm sorry - Kemper leads by a considerable amount. Helix is second, QC is a far third.

Honestly, it is this kind of fanboyism that just gets up people's noses.

 

[guitarsandcoffee]

Honestly, it is this kind of fanboyism that just gets up people's noses.

Call it what you will. A month ago I was in this forum saying goodbye to Kemper and dropping loads of unhappiness and criticism. I'm just giving you my experience across platforms. Take it, or leave it.

 

[OneEng]

what is a "pro" level profile?

For me, a great profile (paid or free) is one that works well over different pickup combos and different input levels and feels right even on different guitars.

Now, not even all tube amps manage that, so not sure how fair that is.

I like a profile that has good tone and a good set of efx tastefully applied.

Note, none of my criteria has anything to do with accuracy. It's about how it sounds in the mix for me.

 

[riffy]

Note, none of my criteria has anything to do with accuracy. It's about how it sounds in the mix for me.

What kind of mix? You and I have probably very different ideas of what would fit good in a mix. So that would be a completely subjective thing. Someone that put up a capture that I love you may absolutely hate. And vice versa of course. So I really can’t put my stock in what someone else says sounds good in a mix.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

What kind of mix? You and I have probably very different ideas of what would fit good in a mix. So that would be a completely subjective thing. Someone that put up a capture that I love you may absolutely hate. And vice versa of course. So I really can’t put my stock in what someone else says sounds good in a mix.

I’ll go a step further. IME what works in a mix isn’t the sound I’d like to hear unaccompanied.

 

[[Nathan]]

My overall take is that it’s exactly the same kemper but a little better, cool. Don’t see it magically winning anyone over, but if you’re in that ecosystem already then it’s a nice fidelity boost.

Capture accuracy wise, based on the underlying capture tech I wouldn’t even expect it to attain a “perfect capture”. It will always get close but has no chance of being perfect. It has other merits like being a complete unit, liquid profiling etc.

Keen to see what proxy brings

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

mixing engineer:

*the mix*

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

guitarist: [pays random pros on the internet all their money for pro mix ready IRs and pro mix ready captures....]

the mixing engineer: uses a DI box and mixes with completely different tones, and invoices for their time anyway

 

[Sascha Franck]

10 years ago, absolutely. At this point, STL Tonehub and Overloud TH-U already ate Kemper's lunch, and things have moved on since then (Tonehub has tracing, and obviously there's ToneX and NAM too).

You're missing an IMO obvious aspect of a plugin version: 1:1 parity between plugin and hardware. Apart from Line 6 and IK, nobody delivers that (and it's very limited with the Tonex as most people aren't using Tonexes just on their own).

Can't even say I made use of it all too often, but at the times I did, it was just gloriuos to sit there, create some nice presets, say, on the train and later on just drop them into my HX hardware. Not always having to unpack the pedalboard at home is yet another benefit.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Another more detailed comparison ... interesting would be my take (?)

Well if those profiles where the only reference I had of Kemper I’d say the Mk2 sound so markedly better than the MK1.

I’m talking profiles not the clip.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

You're missing an IMO obvious aspect of a plugin version: 1:1 parity between plugin and hardware. Apart from Line 6 and IK, nobody delivers that (and it's very limited with the Tonex as most people aren't using Tonexes just on their own).

Can't even say I made use of it all too often, but at the times I did, it was just gloriuos to sit there, create some nice presets, say, on the train and later on just drop them into my HX hardware. Not always having to unpack the pedalboard at home is yet another benefit.

I know it’s a big feature for you, but it’s more of a nicety than a big deal for me. When I’m recording the guitar chain is almost always a combination of tons of plugins and recreating it live would need some kind of compromise/figuring out regardless.

Usually when people bring their own presets to the studio, they get reworked in some way. It’s nice to have but in my experience, whatever you use live needs its own considerations for that environment (like switching, modulating parameters, accounting for playback method, simplicity) and plugin use in the studio has its own focusses.

 

[Chocol8]

To each their own, but until 2.0 has a chance to be compared to the others we still really don't know. Don't trust YouTube videos or influencers. The reason Michael Britt profiles typically sound the best in a mix is because he is also a touring musician.

I will say, for amp tones it's a wash between all of the companies at this point. I've heard MK1 Kemper profiles that demolish QC and Helix Stadium, and I've also heard the exact opposite. How good the Kemper sounds depends so much on the user, what mic's they used, how they placed them, what preamps were used, etc. People capturing with a cheap $100 audio interface aren't going to produce "pro" level profiles. QC and Helix come with models so they have other avenues.

For effects, I'm sorry - Kemper leads by a considerable amount. Helix is second, QC is a far third.

I hope they are paying you well for this bs. If the differences between MKII profiles and the real amp are easily heard in a YouTube video its going to be worse, not better, in person.

 

[Orvillain]

I hope they are paying you well for this bs. If the differences between MKII profiles and the real amp are easily heard in a YouTube video its going to be worse, not better, in person.

That's not even the bit that stuck out to me.

Claiming that Kemper leads in the realm of effects is just ... well.. it's just plain wrong. Objectively so.

 

[crispsandwich]

That's not even the bit that stuck out to me.

Claiming that Kemper leads in the realm of effects is just ... well.. it's just plain wrong. Objectively so.

It doesn't necessarily lead, but their reverbs and delays are up there with the best IMO.

 

[Jarick]

My overall take is that it’s exactly the same kemper but a little better, cool. Don’t see it magically winning anyone over, but if you’re in that ecosystem already then it’s a nice fidelity boost.

Capture accuracy wise, based on the underlying capture tech I wouldn’t even expect it to attain a “perfect capture”. It will always get close but has no chance of being perfect. It has other merits like being a complete unit, liquid profiling etc.

Keen to see what proxy brings

If Line 6 can get Proxy to run multiple captures in a preset and they are less DSP than an Agoura model, I might be shopping for a Stadium. Quality captures + modeling options + good effects + good interface = WIN

 

[mbenigni]

The correct explanation is: Tone Junkie doesn't understand this shit.

Moreover: Kemper doesn't want Tone Junkie to understand this shit.

 

[guitarsandcoffee]

I hope they are paying you well for this bs. If the differences between MKII profiles and the real amp are easily heard in a YouTube video its going to be worse, not better, in person.

I assume you have tried MK1 Kemper, MK2 Kemper, QC, and Helix Stadium in person? Or are you judging most/all of these platforms on what social influencers have to say and audio clips from YouTube which are compressed?

As I said previously; I was in these forums very recently bashing the hell out of Kemper and saying I was done. I do not consider myself a fan boy but a musician who has used multiple pieces of gear for several large performing centers.

In the end, these are all pieces of gear to accomplish a job; make music for an audience. Take my words as you will.