Kemper Profiler MK 2

[paisleywookiee]

Yes, giving the user control of the refine process is a huge responsibility for the user. And makes it extremely difficult to be exact each time.

Yes, and I had hoped they had made improvements to that with the MkII. However, judging by early indications from people like GuitarJon, it doesn't sound like they've done that, at least with the initial firmware.

Now readers can read all the words here and then listen to the clip to see how the words go along with what they hear.

That's fair. However, it's annoying to me that I'd dial in a tone, and get a different one, and your clip shows. If you like one of the tones, you won't necessarily like the other. Do you then try to EQ it? Redo the profile?

I have no doubt MK 2 will be more accurate but I also think the MK 1 can sound real.

Well, it's not though. It's the same process. I guess we're waiting for the profiling with the computer dongle?

There is no inherent cocked wah or whatnot. That sound does exist in the music realm, especially in 80s tones. I personally really disliked it but it has it's place.

I'm not the one talking about cocked wah tones, so I won't address that.

I have clips from when I had my Badlander and captured it with Tonex that I just can't tell what the real amp was, and I'm the one that did both the capture AND the recording/playing. That's all I want from a capture device.

 

[dws2384]

I still don't really get the Mk2 release though. The improvements they made are all great. But even if they weren't planning to overhaul the UX, why not at least bring the QOL features like WiFi or Bluetooth to other models?

This is what doesnt give me much hope for MK2 profiling being much better. They didn't even do basic upgrades to the units to unify the line.

-The player and stage have true impedance and the head and rack don't.
-Bluetooth streaming (which is handy as hell) is only in the Player.
-Why not move to USB-C (spare me the BS about how type B Is "more rugged" its not)

 

[Dimiguitar]

There is no inherent cocked wah or whatnot. That sound does exist in the music realm, especially in 80s tones. I personally really disliked it but it has it's place.

I don't think there's an inherent cocked wah in all profiles, but it often happens if profiling fails. I can see the point where the power amp of my Laney distorting, alongside preamp, starts to confuse the Kemper. Then the cocked wah bananza follows. Workaround for me has been to reduce distortion in either of the two or more stages.

 

[paisleywookiee]

-Why not move to USB-C (spare me the BS about how type B Is "more rugged" its not)

Anecdotal, but yeah I call bullshit on type B being more robust.

 

[dws2384]

Anecdotal, but yeah I call bullshit on type B being more robust.

Line 6 stadium - usb-c
Fractal VP-4 - usb-c
NDSP Nano Cortex - usb-c
Tonex One - usb-c

The only one to release a product in the past 2 years that's not USB-C seems to be Kemper. I think it's safe to say these companies will be using it moving forwards on any future products.

Not the same category but still high end products:

Strymon Big Sky MX and all the smaller ones- usb-c
Meris LXV, Merc X, Enzo X - usb-c
Eventide H90 - usb-c

 

[Orvillain]

Gotta love being ignored when you sincerely respond to people. That's how you know they're smoking copium.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Line 6 stadium - usb-c
Fractal VP-4 - usb-c
NDSP Nano Cortex - usb-c
Tonex One - usb-c

The only one to release a product in the past 2 years that's not USB-C seems to be Kemper. I think it's safe to say these companies will be using it moving forwards on any future products.

Not the same category but still high end products:

Strymon Big Sky MX and all the smaller ones- usb-c
Meris LXV, Merc X, Enzo X - usb-c
Eventide H90 - usb-c

Just to be clear, wasn't saying you were bullshitting; just that others who had said that were. It's good all of those devices are USB-C, because I feel it's a better connection, having been using it for 10 years already.

 

[dws2384]

Just to be clear, wasn't saying you were bullshitting; just that others who had said that were. It's good all of those devices are USB-C, because I feel it's a better connection, having been using it for 10 years already.

All good, I know. I was just adding to your comment before someone came and chimed in that USB-C isn't sturdy or 'pro' despite all signs that pretty much every other major company in this space seems to have used it on their newest releases and the entire world moving towards it as a unified cable type.

 

[Jarick]

Honestly I prefer USB-B over USB-C for these things because I'm lazy and like to use the nice long cables I already have

I can see smaller desktop units being better with USB-C especially if they're bus powered. And obviously anything that needs to be charged should be USB-C.

 

[dws2384]

Honestly I prefer USB-B over USB-C for these things because I'm lazy and like to use the nice long cables I already have

I can see smaller desktop units being better with USB-C especially if they're bus powered. And obviously anything that needs to be charged should be USB-C.

I thought it would be at least a few comments before someone said that Kemper shouldn't change to USB-C because owners already owned USB-B cables...haha

 

[Deadpan]

Which is the real amp is not the relevant question. Can you hear differences is the relevant question, and yes, I can. They are massive. The first clip has a very different mid-range texture, and the low-end seems more subdued than the second clip. Second clip has a smoother mid range.

I won't guess which is the real amp, but what I would say is, I preferred the second clip. I would not be happy with the first clip, whether it was the real amp or the Kemper.

We have had this same discussion in the NAM comparison thread awhile ago. Same type of differences.

The readers can judge for themselves

 

[Deadpan]

That's fair. However, it's annoying to me that I'd dial in a tone, and get a different one, and your clip shows. If you like one of the tones, you won't necessarily like the other. Do you then try to EQ it? Redo the profile?

Definitely understand.

I didn't EQ or adjust the profile at all. I did do the profile twice and I was picking a little hard while refining the first one.

 

[Dimiguitar]

We have had this same discussion in the NAM comparison thread awhile ago. Same type of differences.

The readers can judge for themselves

Couldn't find the thread. Anyone with a link? NAM has come significantly closer to source than Kemper in my own tests, so I'd like to see this comparison.

 

[Dimiguitar]

Old comparison of mine. Hope this doesn't count as trying to promote my channel or whatever. But pay attention to the mids of Kemper vs the real Laney. That is what I hope the new profiling fixes, the "mosquito" quality current profiling has produced for me.

 

[Deadpan]

Couldn't find the thread. Anyone with a link? NAM has come significantly closer to source than Kemper in my own tests, so I'd like to see this comparison.

Not sure what i was remembering but I think it was this and obviously it isn't NAM.

Thread 'Pick the real amp out from the emulations'

Dec 12, 2022

Apologies for posting this on that other forum, they get a fair bit of traffic which can be useful for a poll. Genuinely curious to know what people here think (presumably something more in line with my own thoughts).

So after seeing some posts on a facebook audio group (I know....) about how real amps exude a particular sound that emulations don't I had to chime in with a blind test and call out this kind of thing. I really can't stand when people repeat stuff they've read without being prepared to back it up.

The phrase used was that emulations lack "natural sounding dynamics and...

• MirrorProfiles
• Replies: 267
• Forum: Digital & Modeling

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[Jarick]

I thought it would be at least a few comments before someone said that Kemper shouldn't change to USB-C because owners already owned USB-B cables...haha

Oh it's everything lol. On my desk I used to have an HX Stomp, then a Quad Cortex, now a Kemper Profiler, etc. I had to go digging around looking for a USB-C cable to plug in and update my UAD Ox Stomp!

 

[Deadpan]

Couldn't find the thread. Anyone with a link? NAM has come significantly closer to source than Kemper in my own tests, so I'd like to see this comparison.

Or maybe it was this:

Post in thread 'NAM: Neural Amp Modeler' https://thegearforum.com/threads/nam-neural-amp-modeler.1698/post-353558

 

[Orvillain]

The readers can judge for themselves

I'm a reader. I'm judging for myself.

 

[hunter]

Most people don't realize that there is one real USP with Kemper, that no other platform has: the combination of their proprietary Kone speaker and in the Profiler the models of most common guitar speakers matched to that Kone (called Imprints).

If you run a powered Kemper or an unpowered one through a power amp to a Kone cab and set your preferred Imprint (V30, Greenback, ...) you get it very damn close to actual amp in the room feel, at any volume. The Imprint gives you a quick change of tone and you can adjust directivity of the powered Kone signal. It really works and is the one thing that makes it in my ears so superior to any digital solution out there.

 

[ian_dissonance]

Most people don't realize that there is one real USP with Kemper, that no other platform has: the combination of their proprietary Kone speaker and in the Profiler the models of most common guitar speakers matched to that Kone (called Imprints).

If you run a powered Kemper or an unpowered one through a power amp to a Kone cab and set your preferred Imprint (V30, Greenback, ...) you get it very damn close to actual amp in the room feel, at any volume. The Imprint gives you a quick change of tone and you can adjust directivity of the powered Kone signal. It really works and is the one thing that makes it in my ears so superior to any digital solution out there.

I’ve always wondered about that. When you play out are you using different speaker models or sticking to one? Mic’ing the Kone or DI? In theory it seems cool (same with the speaker modeling in the PowerCab) but in use I’d probably just pick one and stick with it for consistency live. For recording if I’m not mic’ing a cab it wouldn’t even come up.