Helix latest 3.7 firmware has an effect called a "Feedbacker". From the youtube vids it looks like it is much more flexible than the Digitech Freqout.
To the OP, we would all love for @CK to put one of these effects into the Kemper :). You are not the only one that would love to get feedback at bedroom levels.
It isn't just feedback, but also harmonic resonance you lose without external speakers moving air near your string.
I think Helix just released something that simulates feedback, but it can't do lots of the things I love about real FB like moving the guitar around to get different pitches of feedback 😃.
I am all in on iem and silent stage with v drums, but if you play classic rock with lots of leads, you need a monitor on stage near your guitar. Note, I think you also need a plexiglass shield to help keep the noise out of the vocal mics!
Also helps having a good strat and single coils on the neck pickup.
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My 3 days with the Toaster has been great. This is the first time I have ever heard the Kemper in person. I have Tonex, Fractal, TMP and Headrush, as well as some NAM capabilities. I like this better all around. The Youtube shills (some of them) carry on about how the Kemper is "long in the tooth" and some complain about some sort of midrange effect. Truthfully I had bought into some of that and was of the idea that somehow Kemper was "behind the curve" technology wise.I have not found any of those to be the case. The Kemper has skyrocketed to my favorite of all, and I cannot hardly bring myself to use the other stuff (even though I have to in order to support some folks). It is easier to use, I can get the sound I want with precision, I can dive in deep using Rig manager (which I think is laid our very well), or I can just grab a knob and tweak my rig without the use of anything external.
And man oh man, the sound. I just can't get over it. Responsive, reactive, clear, and inspiring.
The effects are so natural and organic. All of my profiles are very deep and pleasant. I have profiled some of my favorites from the other platforms directly into the Kemper and they sound better in the Kemper than where they came from. (that is no exaggeration).
I am so glad I made the investment, and will likely be a Kemper user for a long time. I just don't think there is anything better. Eyeing the player now for an easy transport from studio to stage for those Sundays when its a lighter set.
Loving it.
Welcome!
Congratulations! When I made my maiden journey into Kemper land (2013), My first impressions were similar to yours. Coming from a tube amp setup, my intent was to lighten the load and speed setup and tear-down times. I really didn't think I would be able to achieve the tone of a real tube amp .... which I had been using for decades.
Since that time I have had the opportunity to gig and compare my KPA rig with not only other friends tube amp rigs, but with other friends Fractals and other digital amp setups in great detail (An entire evening each with lots of alcohol consumed in the process).
The standout feature for Kemper for live use (for me) has been how quickly I can achieve a sound I am looking for. My friends Axe FXIII can certainly create any sound I can, but what takes me a few minutes could take him an afternoon!
There are tons of very very knowledgeable people on this forum, and nearly all of them (I would say >95%) are very patient, helpful, and respectful of each other. The forum, the rig manager, and the continued free updates make the Kemper an easy recommendation for me. I have helped convert several gigging musicians over the years :).
Enjoy your Kemper!
And so the request for Layout E begins
If you give a mouse a cookie .... 
I'm always afraid to do beta releases I'll have to wait for the full version. I hope it doesn't take as long as the last gap between them.
I fiddle with the beta's at home, then revert back before the weekend gig .... usually. I have brought the previous full release on a usb stick and risked it a few times. I'm getting lazy in my old age :). I have been lulled into this position because Kemper has never given me any issues with a Beta that I didn't first see at home and know I couldn't gig it. Anytime my beta works for a long practice session, it has also worked for a gig (which makes sense).... for the times that I have used the beta.
Also, this one doesn't seem like an architectural change like Morphing (as an example), or unification with the Player. Those are more high risk IMO. This one just adds a couple of new efx. None of the old stuff should be effected.
Anyway, I certainly understand not wanting to get things in an unstable condition for a gig. Most of us have had our fingers slapped for taking too many risks at a gig with gear before I am sure :).
YES!!! THANK YOU!!!! Now I only have performance master volume left to wish for!
Click your heels together three times and say "There's no device like Kemper"
On system page 4/12, you can now choose from 4 layouts instead of 3. It displays the Rig Name in a large font, as requested by the public.
Woot! Woo Hoo!
Thank you, Thank you Kemper!
This is great news :).
Love this company. You can take my Kemper when you pry it from my cold dead hands!
I use a little pure cab (very little ... 0.3-3) on most rigs since I also go straight into the PA. To my ear, a little pure cab smooths out the tone out of the FOH speakers and is more pleasing.
The best way to mix your reverb (and other efx) on the KPA is to do it with the PA. You want to make sure the rig sounds beautiful out front. If it is a little dry or a little wet in your IEM's .... buck it up buttercup :). The point is not to mix down with headphones and then HOPE it sounds good through the FOH. Mix it with your FOH and then have your mixer (if you have a digital one) eq your IEM send to make it sound as good as possible in your IEM's.
Display MoreThis is exactly what I did, and it does the trick.
I dusted off my Focusrite 8i6 and hooked it up to the KPA using the SPDIF connection. Now the Focusrite 8i6 is acting as the interface, however, so I just need to turn the SPDIF Output in the control panel of the KPA to anything other than Off.
Ideally I wanted to use the KPA as the sole interface, so I don't have to touch any knob whether I want to record just guitar or guitar and vocals simultaneously. But since I have the toaster that's not possible, and have to throw in the Focusrite 8i6 interface into the equation.
Now I am curious about using my PRE-73 DLX preamp with the KPA and whether it will add some noticeable analog warmth and coloration to my overall tone. But I will address that in a separate thread.
Thank you vm for your answers.
You don't want to do it any other way really. This is really the best solution.
Space! I hardly ever gig now, maybe 4-5 times a year. This will work really well on my desk. And after playing with it I could do 99% of what i need with this and my Keeley Compressor + in front of it. No MIDI controller.
I used to get by with a single channel amp and a delay pedal...
Crazy isn't it?
Used to get along with a dual channel amp and an EQ pedal used as a boost n shape for leads. Now, I can't gig without my Kemper rack and foot controller :).
Spoiled rotten we are :).
I much prefer stereo for IEM. Not for the guitar FX (I run the guitar in mono virtually all the time anyway) but for the rest of the band mix. I find having the band spread in a stereo mix lets the guitar sit better. Its not a deal breaker. If a venue can’t supply stereo mono is still fine but stereo is a nice luxury to have.
I like it too, but because I really like the stereo reverb and ping pong delay effect :). Still, most bar bands don't have the equipment needed to achieve a 4 person stereo IEM mix (would require 8 aux outputs in addition to the 2 outputs for the mains for a total of 10 outputs minimum). Then, a wired setup for the band would require a minimum of a 4 channel stereo headphone amp rack unit (about $350 for the Art one I have as a backup) or 1K wireless IEM setup per person (which is what my band has).
With the XR18 that the OP has you can pay about $1K for a package having four P16m's and a P16I POE switch to power them with. This is actually a pretty inexpensive way to get 4 wired stereo IEM stations with individual personal mixers for each musician.
Silly question - why do you need a headphone amp? I use a regular IEM set up straight out of the aux, no headphone amp.
Do you mean if you are trying to use a wired headphone rather than a wireless?
Yes. That is what I was suggesting for the OP for a wired IEM setup at minimal cost. If you have IEM wireless transmitters, the aux does go straight to the transmitter; however, wireless IEM's (decent ones) are about 1K per mix (belt pack and transmitter).
With the $10 P1 headphone amp, you get an IEM setup for one person for the cost of an XLR cable :).
I use the Behringer P16 monitoring system over the Ultranet port on both the XR18 and X32 digital mixers. I have 4 of them in my studio. Each allows a different 16 channel mix for each musician. Not the cheapest solution but but they work with headphones, powered speakers and IEMs and let each musician dial in their own mix right there in front of them or if using wireless IEMs the P16 doesn't need to be on stage. no app needed. I have never compared the cost to other solutions because I never needed another solution.
The Behringer P1 is on sale now for under $10.00: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/P…cB&gclsrc=aw.ds
A P16m (a single one) costs $189: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/P…uction_products
Both of these are excellent ways to get a great monitor mix on the cheap with an XR18.
Specially, the XR 18 aux out needs to go into a headphone amp.
I think you are overthinking this....
Plug your guitar into the XR18 and your IEM into one of the XR18 aux out. You cna then have a separate mix of just your guitar ( but why would you) or your own band mix that doesn;t impact the FOH.
The advantage of mixers like the XR18 is you can connect your phone to control your own mix in real time.
That way you can have whatever band mix you want plus its only one output, so nice and simple.
This is the only right answer. You will need a headphone amp though. Look up on YouTube a video on how to get iem mixes from the XR18. I have done this many times.
Then use your phone remotely to control the mix and the volume. Works wonderful.
Buying a stage?
I don't understand people, wanting a display, lots of effects and possibilities, lots of switches, but then they buy a Kemper Player.
I agree. A used Stage at 1K would be a better way to go. In fact, a used Kemper Stage is about as great a value as can be had today. Nothing else even comes close IMO.
Wow. Lots to digest here.
First, cost of development does not dictate price of a product. The market does. Any company that is pricing their goods based on a cost plus model is doomed to go out of business (you don't really think it costs Microsoft >$200.00 for that little cardboard box do you?).
Second, lets talk about market (that absolutely does matter).
The major competitors in and around the player's competitive landscape are the Fractal FM3 {$850}, Helix Stomp HX {$650}, and XL {$700}.
I would argue that THESE products and their pricing is why Kemper is charging too much for the Player upgrades.
Now, even the FM3 can't do 10 slots (8FX+Amp+Cab), so none of this is exactly apples to apples ..... but I don't think your average consumer is going to be this informed when they make their buying decision. What they will see is an FM3 with a screen, and LCD scribble strips for all 3 buttons compared to the Kemper Player. I would argue that this is a tough sell (although you might get some people that see the expensive Kemper as "premium" and buy it simply because it IS more expensive than the others).
Another thing to keep in mind is that it is always advantageous to price a product higher at launch and then lower the price later. No one is going to complain if you lower the price. The opposite ..... not so much. I suspect, in the future, pricing will come down.
Having said this, Kemper has now eliminated one of my key complaints with the Player. With level 2 and especially level 3, I can use a Player as a backup and throw go rig. I wasn't even expecting level 3.
I've been wanting the part where they fixed the rig volume knob to 12:00. I always laugh when people talk about Kemper being "old" and wanting a Kemper II etc. Many people just need to have the latest greatest before you do so they can tell you how great it is compared to the "old crap" that you have. Like the people that have to be the first to see a movie that comes out.
I remember when the ADA preamp came out. Expensive, but everyone raved about how amazing they were. A few years later everyone had them and they were "80s" sounding and I had to beg to sell mine for for $75.00. Now since they are more rare they are super great again and go For $800.00+.
I look at it this way, few people think about getting rid of their "old" 68 Plexi because it doesn't have a touch screen or integrate with the latest Omnivex cosmic bitrate inverter using a Linux operating system. "New" units are still trying their best to compare to amps like this. Great sounding can never be "old".
The Kemper has already saved me over 5x what it cost me. I used to spend around $2,000.00-$4,000.00 a year with my GAS addiction, but the Kemper has all but put out that fire. Once in a while I'll get the urge to buy maybe an an old JTM, DSL40, Soldano or tweed blues Jr. but then I realize it would just be a novelty I'd likely sell like I did my ENGL, EVH and Blackstar amps that I found the Kemper could reproduce more consistently than the "real thing". I kinda miss having G.A.S. but now I can spend money on things like the light bill and fast food.
I had one of those ADA's along with a bunch of other wonder gear. I had some great tube amps as well. As you said, I get more consistently good tone with Kemper across a MUCH greater range of amp tones than I could ever attain with any other rig I ever had. I used to change my rig up every few years. Have a great fender rig going on? You miss the grit of a Marshal. Have a Marshal, can't get a heavy sound like you need with a Mesa. Have a Mesa, miss the clean tones of the fender ;).
Have a Kemper, save your back and have it all :).
I am not sure at this point if I will ever change my rig again. Had my KPA Rack since 2013. Longest running rig of my life and I am 58. Been playing since I was 15 ..... so that is quite a few rigs!
I may miss having GAS, but my wallet and my wife don't!
It does seem to fill a spot for people who wants a simpler capturing device. Nothing else seem to do that.
Agree.... but is that enough to sell lots of units? I think it is a strange contraption.
