Greetings from a new Kemper user. This is how I ended up buying a Kemper.
About 2 years ago I decided to try the modelling stuff (bad back) and after studying all the options, I decided to go for the Line 6 Helix mainly because of price and interface. The Helix interface and editor are a joy to use, but finding a good tone has been a long lasting struggle and a steep learning curve. I first tried the FRFR route, going through a pair of Alto TS212’s but I didn’t like the sound at all. Next was the Matrix Q12A, sound got better but still not even close to what I wanted. Things got better when I started using a Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 and a guitar cab; the sound was now acceptable and useable, although still not on par with my valve amp. Playing the Helix through the return of my valve amp gave the best results. I used the Helix with the Powerstage 700 for rehearsals, but when gigging, I used my valve amp with the Helix for effects only.
A few weeks ago, the other guitar player in our band said he was thinking of selling his Kemper Powerhead (he used it 1 or 2 times for rehearsal but I didn’t pay too much attention then) and I asked him if I could try it before he sold it, just to get a feel of what the Kemper was capable of. I played it through my guitar cabs and was a Kemper addict within less than a minute. I was instantly blown away with the sound, just couldn’t believe how good it sounded, a totally different league than the Helix.
I also profiled my tube amp, a Kauffmann MkI 50W, a Dutch amp that is very Friedman Smallbox-like) through the line-out of the amp, so just an amp profile (I have put them on Rig Exchange). I played the profile through 1 half of my Marshall 1960, the Kauffmann through the other half, using an A/B box and I just couldn’t hear a difference. At a certain point, I even didn’t know whether I was playing the tube amp or the Kemper.
So I decided to buy the Kemper (actually within minutes, even before profiling my amp) and sell my Helix, my tube amp and effects. I just love the Kemper, it’s a 1-piece-solution, the effects are more than good enough for my needs (just a bit of reverb and delay and sometimes a phaser or chorus) and it sounds like a valve amp without the con’s of a valve amp.
I also play the Kemper at home through my studio monitors (JBL 305) and again, it sounds way better than the Helix ever did through the same monitors. In fact, I really like how the Kemper sounds through the studio monitors (although I often change cabs in the profiles to one of the few cabs I prefer). It obviously sounds different from going through a guitar cab, but not worse. So when gigging I use 2 light 1x12 cabs (I could do with 1 but 2 look nicer ?) for having my sound on stage and go straight from the Kemper to the FOH. Super light set up, and super easy and fast to set up. Life has become a lot easier ?.
Greetings from Belgium,
Mario