Which Amp Do I Need Next?

Which Amp Do I Need Next?

  • HXDA

    Votes: 10 52.6%
  • DG

    Votes: 4 21.1%
  • Neither, you already have it covered

    Votes: 5 26.3%

  • Total voters
    19
Gosh, I love tube amps. They're so appealing.

When folks tell me that they got a Kemper and now they can stop looking for real amps, I feel badly for them.

I may like them more than guitars. Get the amp.

I switched to an Axe FX for live, and it worked amazingly well. But It's pretty lackluster at home compared to my lovely tube amps. They are just so... juicy. Granted, the Kemper likely has better amp models. I like the Axe interface better, tho. No perfect solution.
 
I switched to an Axe FX for live, and it worked amazingly well. But It's pretty lackluster at home compared to my lovely tube amps. They are just so... juicy. Granted, the Kemper likely has better amp models. I like the Axe interface better, tho. No perfect solution.

The perfect solution is a great tube amp. ;)
 
I switched to an Axe FX for live, and it worked amazingly well. But It's pretty lackluster at home compared to my lovely tube amps. They are just so... juicy. Granted, the Kemper likely has better amp models. I like the Axe interface better, tho. No perfect solution.

But....but.....but..... what about the Archon?
 
The perfect solution is a Kemper :)


Haha. That's just wrong on so many levels!

The Kemper is a compromise substitute for the real thing, namely, a genuine tube amplifier.

The only problem the Kemper perfectly solves is the problem of not having enough gadgets.

Uh! A JMOD,, then you have everything covered. :D

You bet!
 
Last edited:
We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

No need to disagree, Bodia -- you can change my mind with a simple demonstration:

Just load an IR of the HXDA, and then -- without touching any controls on the Kemper -- perfectly match the semi-clean, the crunch, and the lead tones I got on the HXDA demo I posted a few weeks ago, using only the volume control on the guitar.

Then post a clip. If it sounds exactly like the real amp, with the same dynamics and touch sensitivity, we'll agree!

Here's the link to my post:

http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/demo-clip-how-the-hxda-responds-to-guitar-volume-control.24569/

See if you can make the Kemper respond the same way; if so, I'll be very impressed.
 
Last edited:
The perfect solution is a great tube amp. ;)

Well... not so perfect for quick in-and-out live shows. If I were the only rhythm player, yes, I could go nuts. But with another guitar and keys, I had to go very thin and clear. Not my preference in general, but worked better than a real amp in a crowded frequency range.

But at home and for recording, tubes all the way. I even have piles of tubes laying around the room just for extra goodness :p
 
Well... not so perfect for quick in-and-out live shows. If I were the only rhythm player, yes, I could go nuts. But with another guitar and keys, I had to go very thin and clear. Not my preference in general, but worked better than a real amp in a crowded frequency range.

But at home and for recording, tubes all the way. I even have piles of tubes laying around the room just for extra goodness :p

Ya know, I always forget about the hassles of playing short live sets. I agree that it's a great solution for that, if you can relate to the tones and feel.

But the "perfect" solution needs to be, well...perfect! ;)
 
Well... not so perfect for quick in-and-out live shows. If I were the only rhythm player, yes, I could go nuts. But with another guitar and keys, I had to go very thin and clear. Not my preference in general, but worked better than a real amp in a crowded frequency range.

But at home and for recording, tubes all the way. I even have piles of tubes laying around the room just for extra goodness :p

Last time I played, we were only doing two songs. Song 1 I needed Blackface type cleans with spring verb for rhythm and mild tweed fat tones with compression and slap for solos. Song 2 I needed clean with verb tone for rhythm and smooth singing sustain tone with stereo delays and light chorus for leads. And it's a low stage volume gig. So it would have been taking my Mark V25 and a cab, set for clean and singing, with anything else done with pedals, and pedal board or at least pedal power supply plus 3 or 4 pedals. Or I could do what I did, which is take my Atomic AmpliFire, which is barely bigger than my Fulldrive and get all 4 tones exactly as I wanted with no other devices needed. And at the volume I was at, it sounded as good as any tube amp! Even if I get loud, it's very close.

I struggled at first with the "guitar cab/speakers in the room" tone vs. the "produced sound off the record" tone. But not for long. When the tones are this good, you get used to hearing a "record" sound as opposed to a "speaker/cab" sound. And, if you don't, you can still have all the magic of the little box, by playing it through your guitar cabs instead of FRFR. Then you GET the sound/feel of that 12" speaker(s)/cab, which is what many are missing by the FRFR.

IMHO, and all, but I think it's gotten to the point where most people need both.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
No need to disagree, Bodia -- you can change my mind with a simple demonstration:

Just load an IR of the HXDA, and then -- without touching any controls on the Kemper -- perfectly match the semi-clean, the crunch, and the lead tones I got on the HXDA demo I posted a few weeks ago, using only the volume control on the guitar.

Then post a clip. If it sounds exactly like the real amp, with the same dynamics and touch sensitivity, we'll agree!

Here's the link to my post:

http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/demo-clip-how-the-hxda-responds-to-guitar-volume-control.24569/

See if you can make the Kemper respond the same way; if so, I'll be very impressed.

Wow, this response just makes me sad. I would have thought you'd be happy that I found something that provided the perfect solution for my needs, and situation. On top of that, it inspires me to play more now than I have in the last 30 years. The limitless abilities it provides gives me the ability to get out of a rut, and explore something different.

There are plenty of high end studios (and low end ones too), and musicians that use the Kemper in one form, or another, with perfectly acceptable results. Studio work, and live work, it's a valuable tool. Don't feel threatened by it. If lots of people sell their amps, there will be more for you.

I get that you're into tube amps, that's cool. I happen to like them too. I won't be getting rid of my Archon anytime soon. I won't be getting rid of the Kemper either. No need to disparage something that works well for others just because you don't happen to feel the same way.

I don't feel the need to "impress you", so I'll leave the gauntlet where you dropped it.

I hope this response isn't taken the wrong way. Not trying to offend, or anything like that. If I were trying to do that, I would have replied with something like, "suck it, Les." :D:p:)

Lets just agree to have separate opinions, and leave it at that. No need to regress even further.Especially here. Too classy of a place for that.

Hugs to you!

Wastelessness, sorry to have gotten us off track. For what it's worth, I still stand by my original answer of DG. I've had the HXDA, and LOVED it. I have never had the chance to play a DG, but would really like to check one out. Either way, you win!
 
I have to add one more thing about volume. I agree with most here, that the Archon has a great master. But, when my wife is in bed, I can't play it loud enough to sound "great." Good? Yeah, for sure. Great requires some tube juice. But that AmpliFire on the 5150 or Kornford or several others, sounds GREAT at low volumes. When I play after she goes to bed, it's ALWAYS the AF. You haven't lived until you'd done late night headbanging complete with stereo ping pong delays! LOL
 
actually, yes I got side tracked as well. And I did vote above. I voted HX/DA To get the thread back on topic, I think what I've heard from the DG is closer to the H or Custom 50. I don't know "how" close, without playing a DG myself, but it seems that they lean in similar directions. Fat/smooth gain. So someone with a Custom or H would probably get more use, more "Different tones" from an HX/DA.

I would love to hear from someone with a DG and an H or Custom, and get their thoughts on how close they are, or can be. I could be wrong here. Just the DG clips I heard made me think I could get similar tones with my C50. If someone who has both wants to invite me over for a jam, I'll bring the pizza rolls. :cool:
 
Wow, this response just makes me sad. I would have thought you'd be happy that I found something that provided the perfect solution for my needs, and situation. On top of that, it inspires me to play more now than I have in the last 30 years. The limitless abilities it provides gives me the ability to get out of a rut, and explore something different.

There are plenty of high end studios (and low end ones too), and musicians that use the Kemper in one form, or another, with perfectly acceptable results. Studio work, and live work, it's a valuable tool. Don't feel threatened by it. If lots of people sell their amps, there will be more for you.

I get that you're into tube amps, that's cool. I happen to like them too. I won't be getting rid of my Archon anytime soon. I won't be getting rid of the Kemper either. No need to disparage something that works well for others just because you don't happen to feel the same way.

I don't feel the need to "impress you", so I'll leave the gauntlet where you dropped it.

I hope this response isn't taken the wrong way. Not trying to offend, or anything like that. If I were trying to do that, I would have replied with something like, "suck it, Les." :D:p:)

Lets just agree to have separate opinions, and leave it at that. No need to regress even further.Especially here. Too classy of a place for that.

Hugs to you!

Wastelessness, sorry to have gotten us off track. For what it's worth, I still stand by my original answer of DG. I've had the HXDA, and LOVED it. I have never had the chance to play a DG, but would really like to check one out. Either way, you win!


Bodia, I'm completely with ya! You should absolutely, positively, 100% do what you want. I totally support that.

I figured you were being snarky for effect when you claimed the Kemper was the "perfect" solution; so my response was an equally snarky, "Have it do this, and I'll buy in."

I didn't intend to offend. Apologies if you were at all upset.
 
Bodia, I'm completely with ya! You should absolutely, positively, 100% do what you want. I totally support that.

I figured you were being snarky for effect when you claimed the Kemper was the "perfect" solution; so my response was an equally snarky, "Have it do this, and I'll buy in."

I didn't intend to offend. Apologies if you were at all upset.

The downside of trying to read into "emotion" in an email, or post. We're all good. No snark intended on my part. Hugs and kisses, to you and the Mrs (errr... that may be a little out of bounds. Just tryin' to ryhme since I saw McCartney Tuesday night). BTW....that guy can totally bring it at 75.
 
Dude! You saw McCartney? That is pretty cool!
Yup. Me and the Mrs went Tuesday night. Seats in the center of the 6th row. He was about 25 feet in front of us for 3+ hours....39 songs. No breaks. He didn't even take a drink of water, or anything, all night. Incredibly fun time. Great show, and super tight band.
 
Back
Top