Hi guys,
so after playing a Kemper with a Friedman ASM-12 at a guitar store I was blown away and I am currently selling my amp and effects rack to switch to a KPA rig. The unpowered Kemper with that Friedman sounded so good, I had so much fun just playing and having hundreds of different sounds at my fingertips. But here comes the hard part - I tend to overthink buying guitar stuff and just couldn't walk away with that setup. I have been playing the guitar for 25 years, on stage for over 10 years and tried so many amps and setups. Nothing had it all, well...there was the tone, but I had an amp rack, an effects rack, a floorboard and and and. And before and after each show I found myself tweaking and reconfiguring my rig. No I hope the Kemper is the answer to all my problems. Just a simple KPA with a Kemper remote and a cabinet with sounds that blew me away. So I started to pick my brains.
But before ordering all the stuff at my dealer I find myself lurking around this forum trying to find the answers for all my questions that came up...So I know there have been several threads about some of those questions, I apologize in advance, but here we go...
So I tried an unpowered Kemper with the Friedman ASM-12. Perfect!
This is what I had in mind. Use the Kemper and Friedman at our rehearsal space, use another monitor wedge in front of me for vocals and other band members. But well, here we go...
1) Should I go with a powered or unpowered Kemper rack unit? I think I will go rack because it is easer to transport. I am also convinced that FRFR is better with the Kemper. And on stage it won't be a problem because I don't need a cab because 95 % of the time the sound engineer told me to turn down "that fu("$! loud amp" and I only heard my guitar through the monitor wedges. So anything I should consider besides that? Is it worth the extra bucks for the powered version "just in case"?
2) The Friedman was connected via the Mains Out of the Kemper (Only XLR connection). But I heard one should use the Monitor Out for monitoring and use the MO for FOH. Well I don't plan to go stereo, is it possible to use both Mains Out XLRs for both the Friedman and the FOH? But then I can't control my stage volume, right? Anyone using his Friedman via a XLR to TLR cable via the Monitor Out? Some are complaining that method reduces the sound quality of the Friedman enormously. What is the best way to fix it?
3) The Friedman gave me that Amp in the room feeling. Couldn't try it with a drummer. Is it loud enough to keep up with a drummer?
4) Friedman then the way to go for me or is there something that you would rather choose? I loved the punch that ASM had. Maybe Matrix wedge? I like having a wedge, but not a must.
5) Is it good to program the Mains Out with the Friedman for the FOH? How do you do it? Well I want to know what the FOH will get before I get to a show.
6) Do you bring your FRFR cabs or wedges to shows to have YOUR sound with you on stage? Then the weight of the Friedman is something to consider. Normally the FOX monitor sound was the thing I was getting with my amps. Didn't hear my cabs on stage.
So that is it for now, please I need your advice and help. Too much to think about