I have struggled to find a solution for a cab for the Kemper as well. Although my goal is maybe a little simpler as I just want something that sounds great like my cabs do with real tubes when playing at home. I do not tour so I just want to have something with some chest thumping feel. I have the powered rack version and can seem to dial in direct profiles with with some tweaking. However, the majority of profiles out there are studio packs. They are becoming more available but it would be nice to have a great solution for both studio and direct. When it comes to the home user.
With that being said, I normally run studio profiles into some 8 inch studio monitors. That is okay and generally do not have to tweak much to get a good sound provided the profiles are good. However, I would like to run a cab or something comparable to a 212 or 412. So I thought to give a FRFR powered cab a shot. I tried a Mission Gemini 2. I thought the cleans sounded great but the chug rhythm tones were crazy to dial in. I found myself twisting the knobs quite a bit but at the end of the trial it was a no go.
The Gemini 2 FRFR seemed very boxy sounding as you moved back from it. Upclose it was had some punch and then as I backed up it just felt honky and lack of low end. I tried adjusting the EM Power dial as well to dial back some harshness which helped but still left something to be desired. Unfortunately I was trying this unit at someone's apartment. The room was very sensitive to standing waves which may have ruined my experience as I am used to playing in a treated home studio without subfloors as in an apartment.
The point to all this is I do not know if there is a good solution for a Kemper to give you that tube amp feel thump in the chest as a cab will with tubes. I am hopeful to try the Friedman ASM 12 or the line 6 power cab to see if they are any better than the Gemini 2 was. I also hope to get another shot at the Gemini in my own environment . Although seems like a lot of money for a unit that might not perform well in multiple environments. Maybe I am using the Kemper not the way it was intended. It works great for recording and I can imagine FOH situation. I want it to shine in a home studio when I try to raise the roof as well. Nice to have options of amps with the Kemper when I get bored of a certain tone. Just be nicer if when I do change tone that the Kemper can set me back in my chair like a tube head does thru a 412.
I am hopeful that maybe the Kemper Cone Cab or whatever it is that might be released at NAMM in a week, might be the solution for people like me that want to be able to run studio profiles at higher SPL than studio monitors. Maybe get an empty 212 cab and stick in two of the new celestion speakers that Christopher Kemper mentioned during last years Winter NAMM preview of the Kemper Cab. Sounds like the speakers were going to be offered on their own. Let the Kemper's DSP do the work thru the new Celestion made exclusively for Kemper?
Tone is in the ear of the beholder. So I might be way in left field on all this. My ears just have not found the solution for the Kemper yet. I have been a Kemper user since not long after they started showing up on you tube and think it is amazing. Just looking to have my cake and eat yours too! Thanks to anyone that might have some suggestions. \m/