Influence of tube amp head on KEMPER signal

Guitar Flow · September 4, 2021 at 7:57 AM

Hey guys,

I have a KEMPER (not a power head) that I use to go into clean input via monitor out on my 100W tube amp from Peavy.

About the output of the Peavy I then also go a 1960A Marshall Cab with Greenbacks.

As described in the manual, this should be no problem as long as I turn off the Real Cab. Simulation off. I have also done that.

Now the question arises:

How far does the Peavy Head influences my sound?

I mean the cab influence is obvious and ok. But the Tube Amp?

In the end, only the signal from the Kemper must be amplified. Are tubes possibly even disadvantageous?

The tube amplifier alters the sound of the Kemper Signal afterwards in addition.

Comparing the sound only with the headphone signal can't be the solution, because the cab sound is different anyway.

Do any of you have experience with this?

ST · September 5, 2021 at 6:18 AM

Hi, Guitar Flow.

Check out this excerpt from the Kemper Main Manual (see link at the bottom of this message).

Here are some resources for you.

? Kemper Manuals and Quick Start guides ?

? Rig Manager Download and Documentation ??

? Kemper Tutorials & Demos (videos) ?

? Before you buy Commercial Rigs and Profiles check out the Rig Manager for Rig Packs and Rig Exchange

? Kemper FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Download the Kemper Rig Packs

Download Main Manual 8.5 English

Wheresthedug · September 5, 2021 at 9:41 AM

A tube power amp will colour the sound to some extent but some people like that others don’t.

The tubes themselves will colour the sound when driven into saturation. At low volume this shouldn’t be an issue as the tubes aren’t being driven hard enough to start saturating and distorting but as the volume increases this could become significant.

However, a potentially bigger issue could be the design on the power amp itself. Many guitar amp designs actually create some of their signature tone from the power amp. You can test this by plugging the same preamp into different power amps. It is possible to build a tube power amp that doesn’t colour the sound (you can still buy hi end tube HiFi amps for example) but because of the inefficiency of tubes they need to be very high output relative to the actual volume as you can only run them to the point before they start distorting which is pretty early in their range.

you can use a tube power amp and if you like the way it sounds then keep doing it. Personally, I prefer not to.

Guitar Flow · September 12, 2021 at 7:50 AM

Thank you so much guys!
Correct. I found that passage in the manual lately.

To be honest, I don't go over the first to indicators of my volume knob on the tube amp. So as you said @Wheresthedug this should not be a huge issue right?

Nevertheless I would like to build my own cabinet in the style of the Marshall 1960 cabs.
I'll buy the Kemper Kones but I'm not sure which Transistor amp to use.

Do you have any recommendations or experiences with good transistor amps for this reason. I shoot for 100W.

Wheresthedug · September 12, 2021 at 10:26 AM

I don't have any experience with transistor power amps as I have a power head but there are plenty of others on here who do so hopefully you will get some good input. There are several other threads already about power amps so it would be worth doing a search on the forum and looking at some of them.

BayouTexan · September 12, 2021 at 4:44 PM

Seymour Duncan PowerStage lineup seems to be most popular SS amps for your purpose.