Powered Kemper Kab or Monitors

    Hello everyone!

    I have just joined Kemper Club recently and I am amazed!

    That was my leap into Digital modelers and I am selling all my tube amps soon :D

    I want to get either Powered Kemper kabinet or a studio Monitors (yamaha hs8 which people suggest mostly).

    I am only a bedroom player in an appartment so I dont want to go too loud with my rig.

    Did anybody have the same dilema as me?

    Thanks in advance!

    Welcome, have fun here in the forum and with your Kemper! Enjoy this incredible machine as much as most of us here do... but it sounds like this already going on. Very good :thumbup:8)

    For your question I'd say it depends a lot on how you plan to use it. If you will make recordings or often play along any playbacks / mp3 track etc. then I would go for the studio monitors as those give you full stereo experience and are more versatile for those applications. If you play for yourself and want to enjoy great sound and feeling only then the Kabinet is definitely a great choice on bedroom level as well. Personally here I'm on studio monitors (Adam A7x) but I use them for much more than only the Kemper. In the rehearsal room and for live gigs I have cabs with a Kemper Kone in as well...

    Thanks man!

    It seems you have a point there with playing along playback etc.. so far I was using my looper with tube amp so I was hearing everything from my cabinet. Perhaps I could have better experience when using monitors in stereo. I think I need to try at least! I will get them online with 30days test option. I wish I could get kemper kab for test but I dont trust International carriers ;)

    Just be aware that the feeling is a bit different with studio monitors. For that reason Kemper has built the Kabinet to give you more of the "amp-in-the-room" feeling. If you have used tube amp with cab until now you are probably absolutely used to this. So give it some time listening in the new setup before you finally decide. For some it takes quite a bit of time to adjust the hearing and all that to that different situation...

    Yeah I read about all this somewhere already. Thats why I want to get monitors for at least 2-3 weeks to try ;)

    if I am not satisfied I will somehow try to get Kemper Kab and see for myself.

    But honestly I feel like a whole new chapter opened in my life because of the KPA :D

    At first I plugged it into FX Loop of my Peavey 6505 - I could hear characteristics of real amps when checking different profiles however I was not blown with this. That is until my 2nd attempt in the late evening when I plugged headphones. Oh boy! I didnt notice when 2hours passed :D I could even feel chugs in my chest when playing heavy riffs which never happened with my tube amp - not unless I cranked it which was never possible in the apartament.

    Happy!

    Thanks again!

    If you tried Kemper in the FX Loop of my Peavey 6505 and then you buy studio monitors, you will be dissapointed.

    As deadman42 said, it really depends on how you plan to use them. For playing at home and/or recording I much prefer my Adam A7x monitors over a cabinet; particularly at low volume. However, if you plan to play just guitar and want the same feel as a regular guitar cabinet then I would go for the powered Kabinet or a powered FRFR. In an idea world you would have both.

    When chosing studio monitors a lot depends on the type of music and the size of your room. For metal or a large room you probably want the larger speakers of something like the HS8. However, for anything other than low tuned chugga, or if you have a small room, you should be fine with smaller drivers like HS7 or equivalent from other manufacturers.

    Quote from skoczy

    If you tried Kemper in the FX Loop of my Peavey 6505 and then you buy studio monitors, you will be dissapointed.

    I read your post and tried again through the 6505.

    The result is the same. The sound over headphones is miles ahead then the one I get from 6505 power amp.

    It is disturbing for me to see you stating that playing through monitors won't satisfy me :/

    Anyways, I am still planning to get minitors first. If I am somehow not pleased with the result I will thank think about kabinet.

    But honestly even when I just checked how it sounds with a simple 5.1 TV audio my wife came to ask where that nice sound is coming from :D

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    As deadman42 said, it really depends on how you plan to use them. For playing at home and/or recording I much prefer my Adam A7x monitors over a cabinet; particularly at low volume. However, if you plan to play just guitar and want the same feel as a regular guitar cabinet then I would go for the powered Kabinet or a powered FRFR. In an idea world you would have both.

    When chosing studio monitors a lot depends on the type of music and the size of your room. For metal or a large room you probably want the larger speakers of something like the HS8. However, for anything other than low tuned chugga, or if you have a small room, you should be fine with smaller drivers like HS7 or equivalent from other manufacturers.

    I was thinking about HS7 or A7x but then I watched reviews etc For me it will be something I want to stick with for another 5 years at least so I want to get relatively best for this budget. If I am wrong with my thinking please slap me.

    best is very subjective and also situation specific. Larger drivers in small rooms can create lots of problems with bass frequencies unless you do a LOT of bass trapping. Often it is better to not create the problem in the first place than to try to tame it once it exists.


    Also, many people just prefer HS 7 over HS8 or A7x over A8x because they tend to be more balanced in the mid range which is where the guitar frequencies sit. I haven’t done a side by side comparison so can’t tell you which will work best but I am definitely a big fan of my A7x. If I wanted more bass I would add a sub rather than go for the bigger driver.

    Well I guess I might've been caught with the idea of 8''s without prior knowledge.

    Maybe I really should start with 7''s hmm.

    Like I said earlier I will order from a shop which gives 30days return so I think I will be getting 7'' and 8'' to double check. You made a good point with the bass traping which I totally forgot about.

    I have monitors, and an assortment of other options, like powered stage monitors, cabs, etc. I'm also a bedroom player. I use my monitors, JBL 308, more than anything else. HS7 or similar is fine.

    My room is treated with bass trap panels and I always recommend spending as much on room treatments as monitors, mics, or other gear. It really makes the biggest improvement IMO.

    Powered Kab is the better option if you are looking for something dedicated for only playing guitar with the Kemper, since it will do multiple imprints options or Full Range.


    Studio monitors are a better option if you want something that has uses outside of the Kemper. Such as if you also do any home recording/mixing or plan to use with other modelers

    Quote from ejanuska

    I always recommend spending as much on room treatments as monitors, mics, or other gear. It really makes the biggest improvement IMO.

    Absolutely!!!


    I have never understood why audiophiles spend hundreds of thousands of pounds/dollars/euros on equipment but put it in a shit sounding room. A half decent setup in a well treated room will sound better for a fraction of the cost. Guitar speakers are no different; even a Vintage 30 isn’t immune from the laws of physics ?