New Amp -OR- Midpriced modelers -OR- Is anyone here (still) playing a Tonex?

[dmatthews]

The Kemper is the better option, you’re good to go with what you have. Kemper and Fractal Audio are the established, tried-and-true options, and you can’t go wrong with them. Both have set the bar for performance and customer interaction/support that make silliness like what IKM is doing look cheap and childish. I don’t think it’s going to fly with users over the long haul.

Time will tell. I’m out of it now, happily sticking with my FM9s. I also recently did some gear dealing and am testing a Fender Tone Master Pro, and it’s impressive. Not really the same target audience as Fractal or Kemper, but a unique take on what a player wants… more focus on the interface and less on the number of amps/cabs/effects/options/routings/etc. Super easy to use, I haven’t read the manual yet and have built presets already. Good sound, looks to be made well. Now comes the million-dollar-question… is Fender going to support it like the top guys, or be a douchey corporate Clint like IKM?

Again, time will tell. Til then, it’s a fun thing for playing with. My FAS gear is solidly ensconced in slot #1 and slot #2 for the foreseeable future. Glad you have yours sorted too!

Cool to see you experimenting and acquiring knowledge on various newer options out there. Will be interested to hear your overall thoughts on the Fender.

 

[RickP]

Cool to see you experimenting and acquiring knowledge on various newer options out there. Will be interested to hear your overall thoughts on the Fender.

I thought about doing a post here, but wasn’t sure if it would be redundant to what’s online. It really looks like their design meeting had two questions, and that’s what they answered:

1. What do most guitarists actually use from these mega-boxes?
2. How can we make using our box most exactly like using an amp and pedalboard?

That’s what they did. It’s a pretty ingenious setup, really, and I have to think the next-gen Fractal and Kemper stuff are going to take some ideas from the TMP. I’ll get a little more familiar with it and throw a post in on it. I can always expand on it if there is interest.

 

[RC Mike]

Fender has a unique opportunity in front of them. I think they're making a long-term play for capturing new guitar players. Particularly younger ones. I'd lump myself in as a "new" guitar player due to where my skills are.

Fender's Play instructional service had an awful lot of investment built into it during the pandemic. It's really pretty good. I've got a subscription to it for $15/year, but I haven't touched it in a while. They have licensed songs to learn, along with downloads for presets for their Mustang amps for each song. That's a pretty great way to have learners sound like the song without messing with settings on their own. I'd imagine that ties in with their TMP and FRFR offerings, too. It'd be stupid if it doesn't.

I think I also get 10% off on Fender's online store with the Play subscription. For me, that'd work out to be a pretty good deal--if Fender's products were interesting to me.

I do think it's interesting that Fender has a modeling product that reproduces their competitors' products' sounds.

 

[aamefford]

Please do report back on how you find the Tone Master Pro after some time with it. I’m curious, as it seems to have the most modern interface. Funny to me, that for me, the oldest and newest devices have interfaces that make the most sense to me. My pod go just never seemed intuitive to me. I’ve only owned the pod go and Kemper though. The TMP seems pretty iPhone like, so I assume it would be natural to me.

 

[Bogner]

I Have Always Been Impressed With Kemper, Especially When They Lowered Their Pricing A Few Months Ago Because Their Build Costs Went Down And They Wanted To Pass That Benefit On To The Consumer. You Don't See That Very Often Now A Days. Usually, Once A Price Point Is Met It Is Never Lowered. I Have A Lot Of Respect For Kemper.

 

[aamefford]

Does Kemper charge sales tax on items sold directly from their website? Asking for a friend...

 

[aamefford]

Does Kemper charge sales tax on items sold directly from their website? Asking for a friend...

Apparently they do not. Also apparently, I just bought a refurbished Power Kabinet.... I'm thinking of juggling my little Mesa MKv25 combo and 1x12 cab and the Power Station. Or not. Mostly I wanted to try the Power Kab.

 

[dmatthews]

Apparently they do not. Also apparently, I just bought a refurbished Power Kabinet.... I'm thinking of juggling my little Mesa MKv25 combo and 1x12 cab and the Power Station. Or not. Mostly I wanted to try the Power Kab.

Ooohhh. Dove into the deep end I see!
Nicely done sir.
When it comes, and you get a chance to play at "volume" (like alone ) put the Power Kab volume at max, and give the Kemper Power amp boost a push up to about 50%.
Then... Do your best representation of Marty McFly striking a chord and get ready for some pant flap.
I think you're going to like it...

 

[aamefford]

Then... Do your best representation of Marty McFly striking a chord and get ready for some pant flap.
I think you're going to like it...

NICE! That will be awesome. I probably won’t do that often, but just knowing that I can. I was entertaining the thought of a 2x12 with kones, and some kind of amp. Then this popped up at a great price considering it has the 3 year warranty.

Edit - Plus, this just seems the easiest, cleanest “rig” with the Stage.

 

[dmatthews]

NICE! That will be awesome. I probably won’t do that often, but just knowing that I can. I was entertaining the thought of a 2x12 with kones, and some kind of amp. Then this popped up at a great price considering it has the 3 year warranty.

Edit - Plus, this just seems the easiest, cleanest “rig” with the Stage.

Yes, it's definitely the most compact, and it will sound fantastic.
Even though it was not necessarily meant to be anything more than a personal monitor on stage, I have done a 100 - 200 person gig with it, with or without going to FOH/PA.
It laughs at loud drummers.

 

[Bogner]

Apparently they do not. Also apparently, I just bought a refurbished Power Kabinet.... I'm thinking of juggling my little Mesa MKv25 combo and 1x12 cab and the Power Station. Or not. Mostly I wanted to try the Power Kab.

My Man!!!!!

I Am So Proud Of You And Happy For You! You Did A Very Good Thing!!

 

[aamefford]

My Man!!!!!

I Am So Proud Of You And Happy For You! You Did A Very Good Thing!!

Pretty sure my lovely wife will say "Baby, you did a bad, bad thing." Anyway, it gets here tomorrow finally after some weather related delays. I'll report back in a few days.

I sense some gear juggling, mainly my Mesa 1x12 open wide body cab and possibly the Fryette PS2 *may* go on the chopping block - mostly for space issues. The Mkv25 combo will probably stay for a while up to indefinitely. It does its thing well, and I suspect it has hit max depreciation already and should hold value kinda sorta until I figure out what I want to do. The Kemper manages consistent tone regardless the volume level for me, save for the Fletcher Munson "Louderer is betterer" effect. The UI and Rig manager software are perhaps dated and spartan (or perhaps not), but it all makes decent sense to me. The Helix stuff just didn't, which is weird, because I don't think it's all that different. Maybe just because I have a little more time around guitars and stuff now. The Kemper covers the bedroom playing needs well. The little mesa works well with a volume box in the loop to the point the Power Station *could be* redundant.

*IF* I were to trade in the little mesa for a different flavor, I'd want:
Small head and cab or small combo
20 to 50 watts OR larger, if it will play nice at home playing levels ~75 db
Reasonably light and transportable, say 35 lb or under. Maybe more if a head and a cab, each under 35 lb. No old man balls busted!
Probably, but not necessary a channel switcher. Could be clean or crunchy with gain stacking
Great clean without pedals
Great crunch, preferably without pedals (Marshall-ish or mesa-ish flavor?)
Option for higher distortion, either with or without pedals
The simpler the construction inside, the better. ideally chassis mounted sockets, turret board. Sort of the opposite of the MKv25 circuit boards, relays and ribbon cables.
-OR- a 100 watt Triple Crown
EDIT to add the used price would have to be on par with the used price of my Mkv25, so no 100 watt triple crown.

Last thought - can I get a line out from my mesa (such as from the PS2) into the Kemper, and then out either through an IR I import, or into the Power Kab and out using the speaker imprints? Seems I probably could; thesis more of a curiosity, and maybe a way of playin the mesa via line out without the CabClone analog cab sim.

Ok, enough. Some of this prattle is because this thread has proven really useful to me as a chronicle of my fits and spurts of GAS and rig building, and others' comments along the way.

 

[dmatthews]

Pretty sure my lovely wife will say "Baby, you did a bad, bad thing." Anyway, it gets here tomorrow finally after some weather related delays. I'll report back in a few days.

I sense some gear juggling, mainly my Mesa 1x12 open wide body cab and possibly the Fryette PS2 *may* go on the chopping block - mostly for space issues. The Mkv25 combo will probably stay for a while up to indefinitely. It does its thing well, and I suspect it has hit max depreciation already and should hold value kinda sorta until I figure out what I want to do. The Kemper manages consistent tone regardless the volume level for me, save for the Fletcher Munson "Louderer is betterer" effect. The UI and Rig manager software are perhaps dated and spartan (or perhaps not), but it all makes decent sense to me. The Helix stuff just didn't, which is weird, because I don't think it's all that different. Maybe just because I have a little more time around guitars and stuff now. The Kemper covers the bedroom playing needs well. The little mesa works well with a volume box in the loop to the point the Power Station *could be* redundant.

*IF* I were to trade in the little mesa for a different flavor, I'd want:
Small head and cab or small combo
Probably, but not necessary a channel switcher. Could be clean or crunchy with gain stacking
Great clean without pedals
Great crunch, preferably without pedals (Marshall-ish or mesa-ish flavor?)
Option for higher distortion, either with or without pedals
20 to 50 watts OR larger, if it will play nice at home playing levels ~75 db
Reasonably light and transportable, say 35 lb or under. Maybe more if a head and a cab, each under 35 lb. No old man balls busted!
The simpler the construction inside, the better. ideally chassis mounted sockets, turret board. Sort of the opposite of the MKv25 circuit boards, relays and ribbon cables.
-OR- a 100 watt Triple Crown

Last thought - can I get a line out from my mesa (such as from the PS2) into the Kemper, and then out either through an IR I import, or into the Power Kab and out using the speaker imprints? Seems I probably could; thesis more of a curiosity, and maybe a way of playin the mesa via line out without the CabClone analog cab sim.

Ok, enough. Some of this prattle is because this thread has proven really useful to me as a chronicle of my fits and spurts of GAS and rig building, and others' comments along the way.

Thou hast been Kempered...
Kidding kind of, but the thing is it's a well rounded multi venue, and capable device.
I love my H, and especially my Custom 50 combo. That said there is very little the Kemper cannot do in any situation.
And dayum... it just works... and it's easy for me, and for sound guys.
Done... (for me)...

 

[dmatthews]

Did you get the Kab yet? If so, what do you think so far?

 

[aamefford]

Did you get the Kab yet? If so, what do you think so far?

It comes in tomorrow, Wednesday 01/24 between noon and 4 pm pacific time. I’m not sure where in my corner it’s gonna fit. I’ll probably move the Mesa rig down the hall to its eventual new home. I’ll get it up and running by the weekend and strum power chords badly, and otherwise check it out.

 

[You_Narf]

Hi there, fairly new member here but I've been getting involved more....

I have tried just about every amp modeling pedal out there, and ironically always found myself going back to the UAFX pedals (Ruby, Dream and even the newly released "Lion"). There's just something about the way that UAFX's modeling interacts with effects pedals that others never seem to get. UAFX pedals seem to have that extra 5%.

I used a Pod Go and Helix for a good while bit neither of those, for some reason, could produce a good, balanced clean sound for me. Not sure why, there seemed to be volume issues and I'm not sure if that's a soundboard output issue clashing with the pedal or what. It really annoyed me so I went from using those MultiFX pedals to the single amp modeling UAFX pedals at the end of an all analog pedalboard. Since then I have experimented with other amp Sims but nothing ever came close - for me.

That said, I've just ordered the Spark Go modeling amp just for "bedroom" practice and so that'll be arriving today. Along with a Vox Amplug Brian May Headphone amp. I have been hearing alot about these things so figured I'd try then since they're cheap lol

 

[aamefford]

Hi there, fairly new member here but I've been getting involved more....

I have tried just about every amp modeling pedal out there, and ironically always found myself going back to the UAFX pedals (Ruby, Dream and even the newly released "Lion"). There's just something about the way that UAFX's modeling interacts with effects pedals that others never seem to get. UAFX pedals seem to have that extra 5%.

I used a Pod Go and Helix for a good while bit neither of those, for some reason, could produce a good, balanced clean sound for me. Not sure why, there seemed to be volume issues and I'm not sure if that's a soundboard output issue clashing with the pedal or what. It really annoyed me so I went from using those MultiFX pedals to the single amp modeling UAFX pedals at the end of an all analog pedalboard. Since then I have experimented with other amp Sims but nothing ever came close - for me.

That said, I've just ordered the Spark Go modeling amp just for "bedroom" practice and so that'll be arriving today. Along with a Vox Amplug Brian May Headphone amp. I have been hearing alot about these things so figured I'd try then since they're cheap lol

Hi and welcome! I used a Dream 65 for most of a year. I have nothing but good things to say about it. It was behind a couple of analog drives and in front of a Keeley Caverns, which I think is all digital reverb and delay. Crystal clean to some fairly gnarly preset tones in the Dream. I thought about getting the Lion to add to that setup. In the end, the Kemper came highly recommended so I decided to try something new. So far, it is working well for me. Those UA modeling pedals are pretty amazing though for sure.

 

[Bogner]

Pretty sure my lovely wife will say "Baby, you did a bad, bad thing."

My Positive And Her Negative Get You To Neutral...See How I Helped You There?! Ha!!

Have You Thought Of Ridding Your Other Gear And Going With The Mesa TC-100 Rig And Just Having That And The Kemper Rig? I Could See That Really Working For You Based On All You Have Mentioned In All These Various Threads/Posts. You Would Have A Great Tube Rig And A Great Profiling Rig. You Would Have Power And Attenuation And All Tonal Spectrums Covered. When/If You Put A Pencil To The Pricing Of Everything In Question You May Be Much Closer Than You Think You Are Or Even Ahead Depending On What Existing Gear You Choose To Sell. It Might Be Worth Burning A Few Brain Cells On To Ponder. Look Forward To Hearing Your Experience On The Kab!!!!!!!!!

 

[aamefford]

My Positive And Her Negative Get You To Neutral...See How I Helped You There?! Ha!!

Have You Thought Of Ridding Your Other Gear And Going With The Mesa TC-100 Rig And Just Having That And The Kemper Rig? I Could See That Really Working For You Based On All You Have Mentioned In All These Various Threads/Posts. You Would Have A Great Tube Rig And A Great Profiling Rig. You Would Have Power And Attenuation And All Tonal Spectrums Covered. When/If You Put A Pencil To The Pricing Of Everything In Question You May Be Much Closer Than You Think You Are Or Even Ahead Depending On What Existing Gear You Choose To Sell. It Might Be Worth Burning A Few Brain Cells On To Ponder. Look Forward To Hearing Your Experience On The Kab!!!!!!!!!

Yup! Thank you for the help! My lovely wife and I have a don’t ask, don’t tell as long as I don’t tank the family finances. I don’t race cars and I quit racing motorcycles many years ago. My camera and guitar habits are cheaper. You make a good point. Selling the little Mesa and the Fryette PS2 would get me within shooting distance of a used TC 100 watt head. Since it goes down to 3 watts, as long as the master volume works well in the low end of travel, it would work. I’d eventually have to buy or build a 2x12 for it. It would be handy for shouting down the neighbor’s bass heavy cars once in a while as well. Anyway, no real hurry. The Kemper does way more than all I need. I had to redirect the Kab to the UPS store for pick up. I should get it tomorrow.

 

[Bogner]

Yup! Thank you for the help! My lovely wife and I have a don’t ask, don’t tell as long as I don’t tank the family finances. I don’t race cars and I quit racing motorcycles many years ago. My camera and guitar habits are cheaper. You make a good point. Selling the little Mesa and the Fryette PS2 would get me within shooting distance of a used TC 100 watt head. Since it goes down to 3 watts, as long as the master volume works well in the low end of travel, it would work. I’d eventually have to buy or build a 2x12 for it. It would be handy for shouting down the neighbor’s bass heavy cars once in a while as well. Anyway, no real hurry. The Kemper does way more than all I need. I had to redirect the Kab to the UPS store for pick up. I should get it tomorrow.

I Have To Admit I Was A Little Sad To Discover You Raced Motorcycles And Gave That Up... I Get It Though...