yorolpal
1rst to my ol pal Rain...you are so right...I'm sorry to have hijacked your thread as I apparently have. I got off on a tangent and I apologize. Again whether anyone even checks out any new technology to see if it might work for them or not is for them to decide. I know how much of a fanboi I can sound like at times...again if I've given anyone the wrong impression about my thoughts about tools and tone or the price of tea in China for that matter...chalk it up to the ravings of an old...but experienced...old player and producer. I've always said I try to let my music and production techniques speak for themselves. So be it.

Ol Pal, never worry about "hijacking" any of my thread. None of this is all that serious and I guess that we were simply speaking of different things and from perspectives - that's the only thing I felt I needed to clear. Once that is out of the way, I don't even think we actually disagree.

Thanks ol pal, I appreciate it:-)
 

Sorry to keep the thread derailed, but regarding the Kemper: Mr. Olpal, your observations are correct - it IS everything you mention in your posts.


I've found that once folks actually try one, they're hooked.
Having outstanding versions of Bogners, /13, Dr Zs, Vox ACs, along with tons of Mesas, Peaveys, Marshalls et al AND being able to profile your own stuff is just off the charts!  
 
I saved up my ducats for about a year before I dove in - plus I wanted to see how the rack version looked.
I went with the lunchbox, since the rack version doesn't have the lights around the knobs, which are too retro-cool to do without.
 
I didn't get the power amp version since I wanted (needed) a Full Range Flat Response powered speaker anyway to use for volumizing acoustic g and bass (via the POD XTL with the bass pack).
I can see why people with their fave cabs would want the powered version though.
 
Another huge selling point for me is for reamping.
The age-old issue of being able to play better with a tone all greased up in reverb and slathered in delay ...but is 100% wrong for tracking.
Via spdif, the Kemper can spit out 2 monos - the fx'd version on the left and the dry DI on the right.
Then just send the DI track spdif out back into the Kemper, swap out a more appropriate un-greased tone, spdif it back into Sonar, press record and sit back with a big fat grin on your face!  
 
This thing, honestly, is exactly what I was looking for as a guitar-recording solution. 
I lurves it!

I'm glad my inspiration to play or record is not governed by what type of
amp or effects may be in the chain.
 
As long as they are decent enough to use I can get "my" sounds.
 
The energy created by "pushing air" is without doubt very pleasing but
it is also an energy that is not complete to me if all the instruments aren't "pushing air".
 
Should I be playing with other musicians then amplification is in order. For recording
using an amp rather than a sim while playing to tracks is just not needed. 
 
Another great thing is that my monitors will definitely push enough air to cause hearing damage. Sure
don't need an amp if you have the monitors, can control the software and don't have issues that limits
ones versatility and/or enjoyment.
 
Now if I had a working studio I'd have to have a Kemper. Space saving and obviously a great
unit that is much cheaper than having a storeroom full of amps and...it could make me money renting it
out. :)
 
 
 
 
 
 

My favorite part of playing through my amp is having my computer off.

gswitz
My favorite part of playing through my amp is having my computer off.

I also find that it's one of those things that helps. For years, the computer was always involved either running software or because I was using a POD or speaker emulated output and monitoring through my audio interface. Now it's just me, the guitar and the amp. 
 
I also must admit that as minimalist as I wanted to keep things in my "home studio", having a couple of amps and a bunch of guitars as well as some hardware makes the place feel a bit more lived in and more suited to creation. The Marshall logo is one of those very comforting things to me, for whichever reason.
 
That being said, I spent last night testing different combinations, including using the pod as a pedal in front of a Marshall at some point, mic'ing the Spider - which I can see myself do for certain things... It's all good. It's still working with actual speakers and mics. That being said, my favorite thing to play is actually the smallest/most simple one. 

Just stumbled on this one.  Try just listening without watching and see if you can tell what's playing when.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwqYAOVQeZE
 
Wish my Amplitube 3 was this good.  Dern.

One thing I really enjoy. If I'm not jamming with the fellas, is to use SONAR too build a simple set of chord changes with a bass line, some keys and drums and then play that through my monitors at full volume. I've got some monitors that can get loud like a P.A. but stay clean like a H-Fi. As was mentioned, they'll hurt you before you hurt them.
 
Then I loop record improv passes on guitar with zero forethought. The zero forethought part is easy for me because even though I did lay out the chords I don't have the schooling to know where they are gonna take me.
 
I have the amp in the same room with the monitors and it's all going on at electric jam sound levels.
 
I like to use what ever amp and speaker combo I haven't used in a while and I go about finding something to play. I react to the quirks I can get out of the speaker and I see what I can come up with. Just sort of looking for riffs and such.
 
By the sixth or seventh pass I have intuited some sort of narrative and if it's a good day I'll nail something that I still enjoy listening too the next day.
 
I've never had a concern about bleed, because the amp is just as loud as the monitors but it's a few feet away from the closet monitor and when it's cranking into the microphone you pretty much get a nice clean guitar tone. You can go searching and find some bleed yet in practice in is rarely apparent in a mix.
 
It's almost as much fun as jamming with the guys... it's visceral, spontaneous, and it fullfills my curiosity.
 
I really enjoy hearing the guitar presented through one of my favorite flavors of guitar speakers... it's a completely different experience than when you listen through speakers that are just made for reproduction.
 
I think that's where the fun really happens for me.
 
 
best regards,
mike
 
 

Funny how one thing leads to another based on your state of mind.
 
After following Ol Pal's link, in spite of me being a Marshall guy, I ended up checking out Orange stuff - and here's one that's got me interested.
 
 

 
I like little amps. This one is 20 Watt (more than loud enough for me) and one tube (12ax7) at preamp stage.  (BTW, I'll also say that IK Multimedia did a great job w/ AT Orange. Some of the best emulation they've done, imho.)
 
As I shopped I kept putting stuff on my wishlist. A little Blackstar stack would be nice. If I had a bit more cash, Hugues and Kettner make some cool little stacks too.
 
TBH, I didn't even manage to check out the Kemper. If I had the money for it, there's plenty of amps I'd like and I'd probably put that money aside for some of those. A Hiwatt, a little Mesa Boogie, maybe a Engl...
 
That's if I had all the Marshalls I want. 
 
Again, Ol Pal, this is nothing against your point - Buddah knows that the circumstances in my life changed my priorities. If I took a step back in my old shoes, a Kemper would be the holy grail to me.

Rain
Funny how one thing leads to another based on your state of mind. After following Ol Pal's link, in spite of me being a Marshall guy, I ended up checking out Orange stuff - and here's one that's got me interested.   I like little amps. This one is 20 Watt (more than loud enough for me) and one tube (12ax7) at preamp stage.  (BTW, I'll also say that IK Multimedia did a great job w/ AT Orange. Some of the best emulation they've done, imho.) As I shopped I kept putting stuff on my wishlist. A little Blackstar stack would be nice.

My wife bought me the Marshall Class 5 head and cab for Christmas. It's surprising how loud 5 watts can get. I put a Mullard EL84 and two old RCA gray ribbed 12AX7's in it. It sounds like a miniature Plexi!