Axe Fx Ii Vs Kemper Profiling Amp Options

[Bogdan Radovic]

Thanks a lot guys! I'm learning a lot about both units this way.

How about their tone for direct recording, going straight to the audio interface?
Which unit works better in this scenario or they are both equal?

Just based on reviews and features, I'm leaning towards Kemper.... though I don't think I'll be getting any of these two units soon (I first need to upgrade my audio recording setup and bass oriented gear).

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[Rammikin]

How about their tone for direct recording, going straight to the audio interface?
Which unit works better in this scenario or they are both equal?

As you know, that's an extremely complicated question to answer. You should be skeptical of anyone who tells you the tone of one is "better" than the other. Both are capable of extremely high fidelity emulations of amps and cabinets. They can even do excellent emulations of each other. Now that both have tone matching capabilities and both are rack mountable, they're getting even more similar. The differences are the things that have been mentioned above like routing, effects, I/O, editor, presets, parameter control, retail distribution, etc.

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[maharzan]

Axe has a direct USB recording which is awesome.. I m using it as an audio interface itself.

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[Todd Simpson]

PRICE:

I don't know how the "$1,000" MORE for AXE got started but if you look at the actual prices it's really not that much more. Couple hundred or few depending on where you buy. The prices are pretty comparable. Given how close they are in price it really comes down to the player.

KEMPER: Holy Grail of Tone, "Cork Sniffing" (in a good way) Tube Guys who often despise fake/digital gear, really like the KEMPER for it's "Alive", "Pristine", "Tube Brilliance". Pure tone from any amp you can imagine in one box.

AXE: Let's be honest, lots of METAL GUYS, love this one for it's impressive (though perhaps not perfect) tone and flexibility in building your own custom effects chain for guys who used to have a HUGE rack full of gear and floor pedals. Does HIGH GAIN in a way that is truly impressive and you can drive that on the front with a MISHA OD and it won't fall apart.

Todd

These are "BROAD STROKE GENERALIZATIONS" to be sure and only bring them up to illustrate the types of folks who seem to be gravitating to each. Of course there are exceptions or there would be no rules But hopefully it provides some insight in to which does what for whom.

TOdd

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[Lovtscho]

For sure bith units will satisfy anyone of us I believe. What I like about the Kemper is the fact that it has a special send return mode for distortion and overdrive pedals. As a collector I own many of them and with most modelers a good sounding combination is almost impossible to achieve. This is possible with the Kemper which is a big PLUS for me.

BTW: i own a THR-x rightnow and i am amazed how great this little practice amp sounds

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[Todd Simpson]

With all due respect I have to agree to disagree that "with most modelers a good sounding combination is almost impossible to achieve." as the combination of an overdrive like the dead horse or even a keeley tube screamer sounds AMAZING with the Axe FX and with various software modelers. I use OVERLOUD TH2 with a BULB DELUXE OD in front and it's just the heaviest thing I've ever heard to be honest.

Misha Mansoor from Periphery turned me on to this idea of pre amping a sim with a OD and it's been great. Here is a recent track where I used the Bulb Deluxe in front of the Overloud TH2 plugin. I have yet to find a real amp that could reproduce this type of tone since the frequency range on the guitar tone is just so broad. Dipping in to bass guitar territory and up to about 6k.

https://soundcloud.com/techniqueswithtodd/solo-backing-track-six-demon

For sure bith units will satisfy anyone of us I believe. What I like about the Kemper is the fact that it has a special send return mode for distortion and overdrive pedals. As a collector I own many of them and with most modelers a good sounding combination is almost impossible to achieve. This is possible with the Kemper which is a big PLUS for me.

BTW: i own a THR-x rightnow and i am amazed how great this little practice amp sounds

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[smckeown]

I know this is way late, but in case anyone is researching these…

I have been searching for years for really good guitar tone for the way I play - by myself quietly in a house with other people, where I can't play loud. I've tried numerous things without success. I'm a frugal person, so I tried to look for things that had good reviews from users but cost reasonable. I bought S-Gear a few months back, and found myself constantly fiddling with it, and not being able to get a tone I liked. This was the last of many purchases, btw.

Then I said to myself "quit around and spend some heavy duty money, swing for the fence, on a high end amp. I looked at several (Mesa Mark V, Splawn Nitro, for example). But I couldn't play them hardly in my house. BTW, if you get a l pad box, like Torpedo Live or the Palmer 003, you CAN play these amps full out, at low volumes, and maintain 100% of the tone. But I also looked that the Axe FX II and the Kemper Profiling Amp (KPA).

Long story short - I bought the KPA (with a 45-day return policy if I wasn't satisfied). As soon as I plugged in, it just worked. Sounded super - no weird sounds, digital hiss or fizzling of sustained notes! Sounded awesome - even through my studio monitors (KRK Rokit 5s). At low volume, and high volume. Volume didn't matter. I was so jazzed, I went out and bought a powered PA speaker - a Yamaha DXR10, in case i were to play with a group of people or something. I don't need it, but I wanted it just in case, and Guitar Center had a used one for $399, which is a steal for this. It sounds awesome through this PA speaker. Feeds back, everything.

For recoding, this would work perfectly for me. And just for playing. Now, I NEVER find myself endlessly fiddling with settings and all. I have not tried the Axe FX. But I cannot see how it would sound better than the KPA. I know there is more flexibility in ins/outs and some routing stuff, but I don't need al of that. I already had an interface, so I don't need it to do that.

Bottom line - know what your needs are, and what your current pain points are. I'm cool with my KPA purchase and won't second-guess that decision at all. And I approached this with a "money is not an issue" mindset.

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[zeus]

I hope you guys don't mind me resurrecting this thread for a few quick questions!

I find myself debating between purchasing the Axe FX II or Kemper, but what's most important to me are the following:

- I want to be able to play on tones that are precise replicas of guitar tones from previous recordings (like the Black Album tone, Pantera tone, Manowar tone, etc.) and download the presets from the internet because I'm not big on tweaking my tone for hours.
- Must be able to be used in home practice, rehearsal with band, and at shows
- I don't think I would use the "profiling" feature on the Kemper because I don't have access to a bunch of nice amps to capture their tone. I would mostly use tones created by other users from the internet.
- Versatile enough to cover any guitar tone from any record. I play in a cover band and I would like to have to option to achieve any tone. (I know that's a huge stretch, but with technology these days, why not try?) Again I would be finding these tones creating by others from the internet.
- I don't do a ton of tweaking so the endless parameters don't hold much appeal for me. I usually like to make a few quick adjustments and play.

I have been searching YouTube and Kemper seems like it mimics a live amp better, but the Axe Fx can copy a previously recorded guitar tone better from a famous record.

Do either of the two amps fit what I'm looking for better?

Thank you.

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[Todd Simpson]

Short Answer?


GET A KEMPER



Simple reason is this requirement you mentioned/

"want to be able to play on tones that are precise replicas of guitar tones from previous recordings"

That's what a kemper does. People do the profiling for you and post the patches for free online which is handy The axe fx has a similar feature but it's not quite as accurate. If you really are more focused on the actual tones, get a kemper. Simple as that It's the most accurate emulation of real amps on the market IMHO.

But if you have any number of other requirements, then I'd say axe fx. But you don't seem to so kemper

I hope you guys don't mind me resurrecting this thread for a few quick questions!

I find myself debating between purchasing the Axe FX II or Kemper, but what's most important to me are the following:

- I want to be able to play on tones that are precise replicas of guitar tones from previous recordings (like the Black Album tone, Pantera tone, Manowar tone, etc.) and download the presets from the internet because I'm not big on tweaking my tone for hours.
- Must be able to be used in home practice, rehearsal with band, and at shows
- I don't think I would use the "profiling" feature on the Kemper because I don't have access to a bunch of nice amps to capture their tone. I would mostly use tones created by other users from the internet.
- Versatile enough to cover any guitar tone from any record. I play in a cover band and I would like to have to option to achieve any tone. (I know that's a huge stretch, but with technology these days, why not try?) Again I would be finding these tones creating by others from the internet.
- I don't do a ton of tweaking so the endless parameters don't hold much appeal for me. I usually like to make a few quick adjustments and play.

I have been searching YouTube and Kemper seems like it mimics a live amp better, but the Axe Fx can copy a previously recorded guitar tone better from a famous record.

Do either of the two amps fit what I'm looking for better?

Thank you.

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[zeus]

Short Answer?


GET A KEMPER



Simple reason is this requirement you mentioned/

"want to be able to play on tones that are precise replicas of guitar tones from previous recordings"

That's what a kemper does. People do the profiling for you and post the patches for free online which is handy The axe fx has a similar feature but it's not quite as accurate. If you really are more focused on the actual tones, get a kemper. Simple as that It's the most accurate emulation of real amps on the market IMHO.

But if you have any number of other requirements, then I'd say axe fx. But you don't seem to so kemper

Thanks Todd.

I was totally on the same page as you until a couple of days ago, when I was on YouTube to check out different samples of the Kemper and Axe FX. I came across this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntyDuejehLc

This replica tone of Master of Puppets was created with the Axe Fx II, and sounds absolutely spot on. So do his tones for all of Metallica's albums. The way the creator of the video describes it, the Axe Fx excels better at recreating tones from records in the past, like Master of Puppets or Ride the Lightning, by tweaking the endless parameters to your liking. While the Kemper can profile a live amp, the Axe Fx has the parameters to tweak to recreate a tone of the past more accurately. Since my needs are creating tones of the past, is the Axe Fx superior in that regard? I know that the Kemper can profile a live amp in a studio setting, but could it profile a recording of guitar that a band made in 1985?

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[wrk]

Short Answer?


GET A KEMPER



Simple reason is this requirement you mentioned/

"want to be able to play on tones that are precise replicas of guitar tones from previous recordings"

That's what a kemper does. People do the profiling for you and post the patches for free online which is handy The axe fx has a similar feature but it's not quite as accurate. If you really are more focused on the actual tones, get a kemper. Simple as that It's the most accurate emulation of real amps on the market IMHO.

But if you have any number of other requirements, then I'd say axe fx. But you don't seem to so kemper

Hm, can not completely agree with that.
With the Kemper someone will have a kind of "exact" profile of his or someone's amp, this doesn't mean it will sound exactly like on the record.

If records are your reference, i think you can get easier results using the tone match feature in the AxeFX. Here you try to match the tone to a record and not emulate the amp. I think this approach is way more handy as the profiling feature. Considering that the Axe includes already an endless list of "profiled" amps. Combined with the use of cabinet IR's just gives you more flexibility imo.

I'm an AxeFx user and i'm more convinced by the whole concept of it. The Kemper is for sure a great sounding device as well, just wouldn't call it the "Holy grail of Tone" compared to the AxeFx as stated earlier.

Anyway, both units are sound wise so high end and it doesn't really matter which sounds closer to the original or does the emulation/profiling job better. Only gear-heads can discuss endlessly this tiny little difference ... LOL

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This post has been edited by wrk: Dec 12 2013, 08:59 AM

[SpaseMoonkey]

Rawragh! I own the Kemper, must come in to add the battles between the 2! Fight and flames begin now!

Remember when you try to get the tone of a record it is more than just amps. It deals with mics and so on. Look at Metallica they don't use the same amps they did in the 80s as now. Heck Kirk uses I believe a Fortin Amp that Randall built, he still can rock the same exact tones he did back then now. They are doing a concert (or have done) in Antarctica using an Axe FX-II.

I am in no way upset with going from a real tube amp to my Kemper. I know recording is way easier. I also use a PA Speaker for playing loud, which is rare. I typically just turn on the Kemper, click open Reaper, toss on my headphones. Make 2 tracks, 1 for a backing or drums (my metronome) and a track for my guitar. Then look at the clock and I lose 2+ hours.

I bought the Kemper over the Axe due to everyone saying you just click a tone maybe move the eq on it like a real amp and done with it. I always viewed the Axe more like my old Line 6 gear, have to edit it up before I can use it. Anymore they are both all over artists use both, recording studios use both.

NiN, Trivium, Jimmy Buffet, Keith Merrow, Depeche Mode, ECT - Kemper
Periphery, Devin Townsend, Jeff Loomis, Guthrie Govan, Steve Vai, ECT - AXE FX

So in the end you get a top notch item! I bet either way you go you won't be let down.

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[Todd Simpson]

IMHO. You really can't rely on youtube for critical listening. It's just too compressed and processed to be relied upon for detailed listening. Get in front of a KEMPER and an AXE and and trust your ears I've heard both up close and while I personally would choose the axe fx for it's flexibility, the KEMPER edges it out in terms of "Tone Clone", IMHO, but that's just one guy with one set of ears. It sounds like you are now leaning toward the axe fx though which is the one I'd pick. But either way, you'll be in good shape.

Thanks Todd.

I was totally on the same page as you until a couple of days ago, when I was on YouTube to check out different samples of the Kemper and Axe FX. I came across this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntyDuejehLc

This replica tone of Master of Puppets was created with the Axe Fx II, and sounds absolutely spot on. So do his tones for all of Metallica's albums. The way the creator of the video describes it, the Axe Fx excels better at recreating tones from records in the past, like Master of Puppets or Ride the Lightning, by tweaking the endless parameters to your liking. While the Kemper can profile a live amp, the Axe Fx has the parameters to tweak to recreate a tone of the past more accurately. Since my needs are creating tones of the past, is the Axe Fx superior in that regard? I know that the Kemper can profile a live amp in a studio setting, but could it profile a recording of guitar that a band made in 1985?

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This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Dec 12 2013, 05:16 PM