So...Can the Kemper Profile Mesa Amps? Let's test it.

[Bruce]

Oh I’m sure it CAN. The question is how well? The next question is how important is accuracy in modeling/profiling in regards to getting your job done? I completely understand those who are interested in razor thin differences too close to call in modeling. I can definitely appreciate that, too. I’ve done plenty AxeFXIII tests in comparison to the real amps and spent some time dialing in too close to call tones. In fact, I had a session a few years ago with sloppy track naming and recorded a bunch of BE100 and FAS tracks. The next day I really had no idea which was which.

At the end of the day though, for ME, or for anyone working in music on any level, what is most important is does it sound good and are you comfortable playing through it?

 

[northern_fox]

In fact, I had a session a few years ago with sloppy track naming and recorded a bunch of BE100 and FAS tracks. The next day I really had no idea which was which.

This is truth - once you remove the A/B isolated comparison, it mostly doesn't even matter anymore. You can do so much worse just by picking the wrong IR than you can using any different modeler

 

[TimOwens316]

Have you ever actually listened to a cocked wah? Should I record some bits for you?

Yes, I used to own a Boss GT-10

 

[SeeD]

Yes, I used to own a Boss GT-10

.....and I used to shit my pants






jk

 

[Bruce]

.....and I used to shit my pants






jk

How did you get it to stop?

 

[Sascha Franck]

Yes, I used to own a Boss GT-10

I still have mine. No cocked wah experiences here.

 

[SeeD]

How did you get it to stop?

It`s all in the

 

[crispsandwich]

This is truth - once you remove the A/B isolated comparison, it mostly doesn't even matter anymore. You can do so much worse just by picking the wrong IR than you can using any different modeler

Very true.

 

[Sascha Franck]

This is truth - once you remove the A/B isolated comparison, it mostly doesn't even matter anymore. You can do so much worse just by picking the wrong IR than you can using any different modeler

Every bit this.
Once you're past a certain quality level (which all of the big guys and even some smaller ones deliver these days), IMO it all comes down to playing feel and certain personal things.
And of course the latter is very important. In case you had an amp for years or bought one because it was *that* sound you were looking for, you will very likely not be happy with a less than accurate profile (even if you may not even be able to distiguish the two in a re-amped recording of your own) or a less than accurate component modeled version of that amp. I can perfectly understand that.
At the same time, I'm absolutely happy that I never developed that kind of relationship with any kind of guitar equipment, so I can just grab any decent modeler (or profiler), look what they have on offer and call it a day. I'd guess it's saving me quite some money and headaches, too.

 

[DrewJD82]

Spend 8 hours listening to distorted guitars through studio monitors, at a certain point it it turns into a bunch of pitched white noise and you find yourself asking why the hell we get so wrapped about in this stuff. While ‘pitched white noise’ is a bit hyperbole, I don’t feel it’s all that much hyperbole.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Spend 8 hours listening to distorted guitars through studio monitors, at a certain point it it turns into a bunch of pitched white noise and you find yourself asking why the hell we get so wrapped about in this stuff. While ‘pitched white noise’ is a bit hyperbole, I don’t feel it’s all that much hyperbole.

Fwiw, for some sort of perspective, I can only recommend to get ahold of some professionally recorded multitracks and dissect what's happening there. Very often, the individual sounds don't seem to be anything to write home about. But in context, they just work.
Here's an example of some IMO most excellent tracks (beware, it's sort of Americana/Country/Poprock). You only need to enter any mail adress to get the DL link:

James Dupre Remix Competition January 2024

producelikeapro.lpages.co

When you listen to the electric guitars soloed, they're defenitely solid but nothing making you think of any exclusive guitars, amps or whatsoever. But when you turn them up in the mix, you will likely notice that they need pretty much no tweaking (which, btw, is true for most of the other tracks as well). These guys simply know how to set up a solid sound and then just arrange and play great.

 

[Byrdman]

Spend 8 hours listening to distorted guitars through studio monitors, at a certain point it it turns into a bunch of pitched white noise and you find yourself asking why the hell we get so wrapped about in this stuff. While ‘pitched white noise’ is a bit hyperbole, I don’t feel it’s all that much hyperbole.

And IMO at some point we are our own worst enemies spending countless hours and dollars chasing/looking for tones...

 

[Bruce]

Spend 8 hours listening to distorted guitars through studio monitors, at a certain point it it turns into a bunch of pitched white noise and you find yourself asking why the hell we get so wrapped about in this stuff. While ‘pitched white noise’ is a bit hyperbole, I don’t feel it’s all that much hyperbole.

To me after a half hour everything sounds like a chainsaw.

 

[DrewJD82]

To me after a half hour everything sounds like a chainsaw.

Depending on the genre, that could be a REALLY good thing.

 

[TimOwens316]

To me after a half hour everything sounds like a chainsaw.

 

[Mongillo19]

Not sure where else to put this but did you get your Kemper Player yet @Foxmeister

 

[Foxmeister]

Not sure where else to put this but did you get your Kemper Player yet @Foxmeister

I did - I've had it since the 29th of last month.

As a hardware unit, I think it is really well thought out and works surprisingly well, considering it doesn't have a screen.

Tonally, I didn't have much time for many of the presets that came with the device (usual story!), so I replaced half of them with profiles from Michael Britt, which seem very well put together. I know it isn't as "accurate" as the ToneX, but it sounds good and is a substantially more premium device than the ToneX pedal.

I'm also mostly okay with the fairly meagre set of effects it currently has, except the drives, which I don't think there are enough of, and what is there rate as merely acceptable in my book.

The biggest "miss" for me is a very minor point, and that is you have to use WiFi to use Rig Manager mobile, which is a bit of a pain in the arse when you've got multiple networks that you want to use it on. I'm hoping they will bring Bluetooth connectivity to Rig Manager in the future.

 

[timbuck3]