Played through a Kemper Profiler today

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 23 Apr 2021 12:57 pm

A friend who is a great guitar player and budding pedal steel player dropped by today with his Kemper Profiler. Went from my new Sierra to Hilton VP to my PA.

I was a bit thrown off because I'm use to hearing my amp in back of me and I thought the sound of the Kemper sounded thin until we put a backing track on and realized it was like listening to the steel as if it were recorded and mixed.

Not saying I would run out and buy one of these gizmos but I must say it was quite the experience playing through this device.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 23 Apr 2021 3:21 pm

Hey Len,

I'm with you. I have a friend, i'm helping him to learn to play guitar. He ordered one of these things and couldn't wait to bring it over and show it to me. After about an hour of his demo, i took him into my practice room, and turned on my little Victory Duchess, i could see him sorta have buyers remorse. And this little Victory amp has it all.

Here is what i use instead of a Kemper

The Victory Pedal Size Amp. Does all i need, and lite weight to. You can also use your favorite RI into it as well. And it has balanced out, for direct to board or FOH PA systems. All for about $850

https://www.victoryamps.com/v4-the-duchess-amplifier

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 23 Apr 2021 5:09 pm

George, I checked the specs on that amp. Very impressive. I'm guessing it delivers the goods. 180 watts seems unbelievable for a tube amp that small. Is it a hybrid?

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 23 Apr 2021 6:36 pm

Hey Larry, Yes it has a very stable Class D power section. It's absolutely silent.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 24 Apr 2021 5:55 am

Very cool George. I wasn't familiar with the tube compliment listed. Sadly I have never seen or heard one anywhere. I was aware of the company but no dealers in Missouri. As many years as I attended steel shows in several states it seems most players use the current status quo amplifiers. I did see a Headrush FRFR speaker and their pedal board here at at local show. The player I believe was Wally Davis from Illinois. Sounded very good in his hands.

Dave Diehl · Post by **Dave Diehl** » 24 Apr 2021 6:16 am

I have one of the Kempers and it's as good as anything I've every used... a little busy but once you get it setup to suit you, it gives great results.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 24 Apr 2021 6:22 am

I didn't realize it but the Kemper has been around for 10 years. I guess I'm the old dog looking at the new trick

Scott Denniston · Post by **Scott Denniston** » 24 Apr 2021 8:35 am

PostPosted: 24 Apr 2021 6:16 am Post subject:
I have one of the Kempers and it's as good as anything I've every used... a little busy but once you get it setup to suit you, it gives great results.

I'll add that it does take a while to dial in your sound with the Kemper. I'm enjoying mine but am still working on getting it sounding as good out in the world as it does through the earphones. I'm interested in trying the "Kemper Kone" speaker for that "amp in the room sound and feel. That is connected through the monitor output while you can still run your line(s) out to the pa. One might ask "Why not just use an amp instead?" My answer would be because the Kemper allows you to use a myriad of amp profiles with several mic set-ups with unlimited settings accessible with a button push. The fx are superb and the sound through the pa is studio quality. All in one little box. Len: Your friend should give it time and study and maybe ask questions on their forum when he runs into problems. I've read countless accounts of people that were baffled by it at first to the point of about giving it up and then wouldn't part with it a couple of months later. But then there's a lot to be said about not having to tinker too much with amps--just plug&play.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 24 Apr 2021 8:44 am

Hi Scott:

My friend is primarily a guitar player and is very savy
with high tech stuff. He also works in a music store and is constantly doing demos with programable gear. He has some very nice guitar-related patches in his Kemper unit. I got him started with pedal steel several years ago so he dialed in a patch for that. He thought I would get a kick trying the Kemper with my pedal steel.
Had a fun time playing through this item.

Scott Denniston · Post by **Scott Denniston** » 24 Apr 2021 1:16 pm

Sorry Len. I guess I was referring to George's friend who might be having a bit of buyer's remorse. A common experience with the Kemper until one works with it a bit.

Mike Holder · Post by **Mike Holder** » 27 Apr 2021 7:17 pm

Len; I posted a bunch of Kemper pedal steel amp profiles today for people to download free to get them started having proprietary steel related tones. Theyâ€™re in the Electronics and Recording sections of the Forum here, check em out!

Steve Mueller · Post by **Steve Mueller** » 27 Apr 2021 7:52 pm

That Victory amp looks very interesting. I'd like to hear one but would need to go to Nashville to do so.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 29 Apr 2021 4:46 am

Mike, thanks for the download information on the Kemper Profiler. I passed this along to my friend,

memphislim · Post by **memphislim** » 9 May 2021 12:58 pm

I've played tube amps for 30 years. Never had a solid state amp that I could really stand. My amps of choice were my Milkman and 70's Vibrosonic Reverb. That all changed when I got my Kemper 4 years ago. I love it so much that, after profiling my tube amps, I sold them.

Now the trick with the Kemper is to make your own profile from a rig that you already love. I took my ZB and ran it through a tube preamp with graphic eq, into my Vibrosonic and tweaked everything until I was happy. That sound I then captured, to a tee, with the Kemper. Now that profile is the main one I use with all guitars, each one having its own version of the profile saved to what sounds best with it.

I've tried several stock profiles that came with the Kemper and plenty of other profiles of famous amps, both for steel and guitar profiled by pros. None are usable for my purposes. The only ones that I can use are the ones I've created. They sound great to me because they captured an already great sound I was getting through the analog equipment I profiled. All of the other profiles I try need so much EQ and fiddling with that I give up and go back to my profiles. They all sound dry, flat and lifeless.

I'm saying all this so that anyone who "tries" a Kemper with someone else's profile who does not fall in love, is not trying a Kemper at it's best. Don't judge a kemper through someone else's ears. Capture your sound with a Kemper and sell all your amps, effects and pedals.

Kemper gives you the identical touch and tone of whatever you profile, plus 600 watts of headroom, no tube buzz, built in effects and the ability to save different amps, setups, eq's, rooms, guitars etc.

To truly know a Kemper is to love a Kemper. I never even dreamt of selling my Vibronsonics, had 2, but did so a couple of years after buying my Kemper because there will never be a use for them now that they are saved in my Kemper.

PS- I am not, never have been a paid endorser of this or any other amp. I just love it so, I couldn't help chiming in.

Scott Denniston · Post by **Scott Denniston** » 10 May 2021 6:59 am

I'm really hooked on mine too. I haven't even gotten around to profiling my favorite analog rig, (Sarno Rev into a VHT 2/90/2). In fact I've only been using commercial ready-made profiles I'm happy with. Questions: When you profiled your amps is there a mic you had the best luck with? Off/on axis? I have 57s and some large diaphragm condensers. Did you have good results in a small untreated room or should I go to a larger room and set up some sound absorption?

I'm sure you won't forget to save all your profiles on a flash drive or somewhere in case the Kemp does the unthinkable. Especially after you sell your amps.

memphislim · Post by **memphislim** » 10 May 2021 7:08 am

Scott, I'm no expert but I don't think either of those make a big difference. You're not really recording the sound of your amp like you're cutting a record. The Kemper is analyzing how it reacts to inputs it sends to your amp. I'm sure the room and mic have some bearing in the equation but that can be easily surmised once you create a profile. You'll know right away whether or not the sound is there because you can A/B the new profile with the rig you just profiled.

That being said, if you like the profiles you're already using better than any of your old rigs, then no need to bother profiling.

Terry Skaggs · Post by **Terry Skaggs** » 21 May 2021 6:40 am

I have had my Kemper for 5 years and love it..so does my back....I have different amp profiles I use for my Martin D-28, Beard Dobro and my Mullen Discovery. Really like the way it sounds in home studio and at live performances...I was understage at a Garth concert and saw the Kemper rack mounts they use. Good stuff. For full disclosure, my son is the North American General Manager for Kemper LOL

Mike Holder · Post by **Mike Holder** » 21 May 2021 8:16 am

Terry; Take advantage of the sounds I offered and see if they suite any of your personal preferences, you can find them in the â€œ Electronics â€œ or â€œRecording â€œ sections on the forum and as mentioned they are Free!

Michael Hartz · Post by **Michael Hartz** » 21 May 2021 3:33 pm

I recently took my Litlle Watler 50 profile and replaced the cab with the PF 350 speaker impulse I downloaded from Eminence and damn does it sound good. I also play my mando and 6 string banjitar thru it with profiles I created from profiling my Fishman Spectrum Aura. This thing is awesome especially if youâ€™re running direct into the board and use in-ears. I run stereo monitor out right into my in-ear rig and it sounds like Iâ€™m in the studio playing on an album. Consistently sounds the same night after night.

Terry Skaggs · Post by **Terry Skaggs** » 22 May 2021 5:54 am

Mike thanks for the profiles.....I loaded them yesterday and going to go through them today....good stuff there!!

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 23 May 2021 5:47 am

I don't think a lot off these guys fully understand what is going on with the Kemper and how it is used. Also, when you talk about profiling your tube amp, it is getting lost in description. For some, if it's not "plug and play" ... ."it ain't no good...".

Perhaps, explain what you mean when you describe what it does and the benefits. It is an extraordinary piece and should be better understood here....

memphislim · Post by **memphislim** » 25 May 2021 5:21 am

Tim the Kemper is plug and play right out of the box with the included profiles. Too many to mention. It is also plug after you create your own profile should you wish to do so.

Creating a profile is easy too. Just plug a mic into the Kemper and place in front of the amp you're profiling's speaker. Run a guitar cord between the two also. The Kemper will then send signals into your amp and analyze the out put via the microphone. After that is done the Kemper then asks you to play your guitar a little. Then, you can a/b the new profile and the original sound to tweak if necessary. Last step is to name the new profile and save.

The Kemper also has many, many built in effects that you can save to each profile along with speaker emulation if desired. If you want more info, just google it and there are many many online videos showing all about the Kemper.

Greg Lambert · Post by **Greg Lambert** » 31 May 2021 4:41 pm

George Redmon wrote:Hey Len,

I'm with you. I have a friend, i'm helping him to learn to play guitar. He ordered one of these things and couldn't wait to bring it over and show it to me. After about an hour of his demo, i took him into my practice room, and turned on my little Victory Duchess, i could see him sorta have buyers remorse. And this little Victory amp has it all.

Here is what i use instead of a Kemper

The Victory Pedal Size Amp. Does all i need, and lite weight to. You can also use your favorite RI into it as well. And it has balanced out, for direct to board or FOH PA systems. All for about $850

https://www.victoryamps.com/v4-the-duchess-amplifier

How the headroom for this amp?

Jim Fogarty · Post by **Jim Fogarty** » 1 Dec 2021 9:52 pm

Been trying out various profiles for steel with my Kemper Stage, and this one is amazing.....and it's free, on the Rig Exchange.

Highly recommended. Now I want to play a real Milkman!!

memphislim · Post by **memphislim** » 2 Dec 2021 4:37 am

Jim, I made that profile! Glad you like it. I ran my Zum Hybrid into a Digitech 2120 for precision EQ then to my Milkman Sideman. Good news is you don't need to lug around a Milkman, you already have it in your Kemper. It is identical minus tube hum, plus 600 watts of headroom if you have the powered version of the Kemper.