@@timjoseph887I have them, they are insane. One of the best ones he makes is in his free pack on rig manager, its like a 69 super lead thats boosted , great for zztop especially into greenbacks or whatever that speaker was on master of puppets
Interesting review from a first time Kemper user. I laughed at the "there aren't many effects" and then you scroll through a few dozen variations of wah alone. Kemper has almost any effect you want but it is conceptually different than Helix. Helix thinks more in pedal emulations vs Kemper, which is more like rack effects. For instance helix may have 4 different chorus pedal emulations. Kemper will allow you to adjust a main Chorus algorithm in a ton of different ways. It's just two different approaches, neither is better than the other.
THere aren't a ton of effects, but there are a ton of effects presets. The effects themselves are power full enough to do a lot of different things though--I'm happy with my kemper.
After watching about a dozen or more Kemper reviews on TH-cam, this is by FAR the best one!! Thanks for getting down to brass tacks and just showing how useable this thing is (or not). I have the Fractal FM3 and the Helix Floor. I love the Helix form factor. It's simply the best in that regard. Though, I played a Kemper Stage at NAMM, and it feels and sounds so natural. In spite of the weak display, I think the Kemper may be my one!! It sounds and feels right!
I am not a pro but I have played guitar for 45 years. I have both a Helix LT and a Kemper (toaster version, with Remote floor unit). I have to say, the Kemper is the nuts. Yes, it falls down on the display, and they are only just delivering decent editing software, but it is so worth going through the (small) learning curve. This is not a modeller - it's a different concept entirely, it's about real-world amps and cabs. I also have found a superb Van Halen tone! Now the Helix is great for effects, and I have used it as a backup amp when my 'real' amp (Mesa Boogie no less) failed at an outside gig, and it was Ok, but really, the powered Kemper (600W amp inside, not all models have this) with a real guitar cabinet just feels and sounds like a true amp. I can bypass the cab for the real cabinet behind me, and include it when sent to front of house. And I am really not into tweaking, I am into playing guitars with amps and effects. I will be gigging with it when lockdown is over, no question. Also, I have recorded with it into my PC - not with USB - use the S/PDIF output. It is superb. I promise you.
@@cragginshred Sorry, just seen your reply. Yes, the Top Jimi one. But I've since discovered the Bert Meulendijk BE100 pack and it is so good, I have set up three performances around that alone (except for acoustic patch), different gain stages from clean to leads. I am playing with others, but keep coming back to that pack.
@@iansimmons735 owned a real BE deluxe 100w head. No Kemper or fractal versions come cloes. they are all dark compressed (amp is too) and sterile. Is the Bert profile free? share it so I'm not searching, thanks!! Top Jimi Marshall ones have been my go to
For me, sound quality is 100% the most important thing--I don't expect that for everyone else, I guess. But it's hard to rationalize worrying about UI and ins and outs and all of that stuff. I don't think either is really harder to use unless you get locked into the mindset or don't understand how each works from the onset.
I had a hard time making the transition from Helix to Kemper. Not a lot of tutorials to the Stage yet, but the amps are superior....I am told Kemper is coming out with Kemper Editor....that ought to make the transition a little smoother....
the reason the two sound different is the way they model amps, kemper is basically a sample of a real amp that is known to sound good already, while helix models the circuitry of a amplifier for a schematical perspective. so imagine lets say its modeling a plexi, well it would be like a brand new plexi right out of the box and not broken in, out of 10 brand new plexi's it would sound like the average of them, not the one that sounds best. thats why you have to tweak the power/sag and eq effects of the amp in order to properly compare it with a kemper, because the kemper is a sample of a broken in and warmed up amp run at the correct voltage (110/220 etc), and most likely the best amp out of say 10 off the line.... Theres downsides to both. For the Helix it means you have to tweak it. The downside for the kemper is, when you want to tweak it or change the eq, its like manipulating a wav file on a track, so when i add bass or take away treble, it will react like using the eq on a mixer, where as the helix models the circuitry and potentiometers of the original amp and you will get a different sound effect. to better explain that imagine this, if i have a real plexi in the room and i turn up or down the bass knob, you should know that it sounds completely different then if i leave the bass knob in place and just alter the bass with a parametric eq pedal. Also the kemper will have a hard time mimicing the amp when different input gains are applied(ex: turning your guitar volume down to 6 or 7 on a cranked plexi gives you an awesome clean tone). To sum it up, the kemper models an amp at its peak performance at the point in time where it was captured (where the knobs were set) but a helix can model the organicness of an amp
I own the Kemper rack for many years and I can tell you that that small screen in enought. Also as a player I know what my presets are...it is very simple. And the tones are killer
I'm looking forward to your thoughts after you really get into the Kemper. I've gotten frustrated with my Helix sound and feel a bit. My toaster should arrive Wednesday.
wow. I should have looked at this a while ago. This thing is impressive and intriguing! First off it sounds incredible AF, and second the way you got a volume swell out of hitting the boost mod instead of an interruption, and then blast of volume...thats everything!
Glen Stadig the TopJimi sounds weren’t free but cheap like $14.99 or something. It was the first thing I did within 20 mins of plugging it in I installed those sounds.
@@sasmitha8446 It has its limitations. I have to toggle between a couple of presets to make it work. Basically I have three scenes for clean, rhythm, and lead tones. This doesn't allow me to turn effects on and off on the fly. The additional presets are for pitch shifts for alternate tunings. It works... but it is a designated backup unit. My AX8 is my main rig when I decide to use this type of rig rather than an amp. Hope that helps!
sounds great. the wah and VH tone seem exceptional. but great playing BTW. The thing/interface looks like a mess at first glance but makes sense as you explained it....(but I'll keep the Helix.)
Nice review, Chris. Finding amps can be hard (like you trying to find the Dumble), but I found that keeping the amp sorted by gain makes it a lot easier for me... not sure how you have it sorted.
Kemper It wasn't that hard for me. I pretty much had it down in a couple of days. Helix same thing. It just depends on the person using it. the tone of the amps are way better then Helix. There is no comparison Period. They're both different IO have the rack & the floor love them both!
Correction: Kemper has a global noise gate. You only need to add a gate to a specific profile if the gain of that profile exceeds your global gate setting and creates noise.
hell ya! VH tone is awesome! I just ordered my kemper stage profile, I've been a helix floor user for 6 years, need that amp feel that everyone is talking about concerning the Kemper stage profile..
Great video, great playing too. It would be cool if they would put a video line out so a person could connect a video monitor. I have trouble seeing a small video display on some of the floor effects units, and I remember you saying the screen on this one was crap. That might be doable with the usb line and a laptop. Great sounds.
All the tones ranged from decent to really good. Until you hit the EVH. That EVH preset is legit HOLY SH*T perfect. Damn. That EVH tone alone is worth the price of admission.
I own an EVH 100w, so if it comes close enough I may well be able to sell that amp (not sure I'll ever fully wean myself off of my tube amps) and have all sorts of other profiles as a bonus 😎
I've held off from getting the Helix. I was thinking about getting the Kemper, but I think I will not like the same things you mentioned. I want the large screen, and routing options. But the Kemper seems like it will have better sounding amps. Almost want both and put the Kemper in a effects loop in the Helix. Just used as an amp. Kind of seems a waste.
I’ve always said that the Kemper has the best amp tones of any digital unit...I really just wish they’d put a decent screen on this one...it’s impossible to read from six feet up.
I havent seen the Kemper stage in the flesh, but i would also be worried about the readability of that small screen being 6 foor 4 and in my late 40´s with eyesight that isnt quite what it used to be just a few years ago, mostly a problem close up though. Although horribly dated and small, I can see why they went that kind of display at least initially, its probably dirt cheap and readily availible.
@@christaggart2084 It's sort of like a chef - you come up with fabulous recipes that are kept secret. Don't divulge the secret, my friend, it's yours - sign your name to it and throw away the key!!
Thank you for a very honest assessment. I know the Kemper sounds amazing. When I initially got my Helix I was torn.. I had also just got an AX8 and thought about a Kemper instead. But I jumped at the Helix because I didn't want to buy an extra board to play live at the time. The AX8 was great but very complicated. There are almost too many parameters and like the Kemper, had an original Gameboy screen that sucked. I could not seem to make my own patches. They always sounded like crap. But thanks to a couple of great makers I had usable ones. As a first batch Helix guy, I actually used the AX8 live for awhile and even though the Helix was a ton easier it was lacking models of amps and effects initially and sounded nice but not great. After a couple updates I realized Helix was going to keep getting better so I sold the AX8. A good friend has recorded numerous albums with his, Kemper and I have heard it in oersin many times. I agree it is a bit more amp like and sounds fantastic. The interface scares me in the floor unit. My vision is bad and I seem to tweak often in church and I am not sure how practical it would be. I still may get one down the road. Maybe trade a guitar or wait til used units, start to hit the street.
Kemper is another great addition to the floor units out there but helix is simple to dial in actually. put a looper first in chain and loop some riffs then start your eq process amp, dirt pedal, eq save it DONE. Tilt EQ is a great addition.Only issue with Kemper your stuck with whatever profile you use,
I own a Helix LT and a Kemper Stage. Your comments regarding the Stage's ease of use are somewhat misleading. I assume you've mastered the usability aspect of the Helix LT and since you're new to the Kemper (which has a much different interface than the Helix) it appears a bit difficult. It's really not and shouldn't be a deterrent for anyone looking to pick one up.
Seth Schanher ya eh, I was hoping for the other answer lol. Have a helix right now but more of a plug and play kinda guy. Would u say helix is more plug and play or is kemper? Thanks for answering my questions
231danman Once you settle on a profile, the Kemper definitely takes less tweaking than the Helix. I’ve owned a Kemper Head since 2014, but swapped it for the Stage for portability. Although It took some time to find the right profiles, I rarely ever bother with tweaking anything on the profile as it just sounds so damn good. With the Helix, I find I spend a hell of a lot more time tweaking to find the perfect amp tone, but once I find it, my tweaking is done. Helix has much better routing options, better drives, and better synth options. The Kemper’s routing is limited, has better reverbs, and better pitch shifting. I find all other effects to be pretty comparable on both devices. Kemper’s screen is nothing compared to the Helix, but this doesn’t bother me as everything on the Kemper is color coded and easy to identify on stage. The expression pedal is personal preference...I have a Mission EP1-KP for the Stage which is awesome. The expression pedal on the LT is what it is and mine is currently giving me fits. I know that’s a lot of words to answer your question, but the bottom line is that if you’re simply looking for a no nonsense, minimal tweaking, near exact clone of any amp you desire in terms of both tone and feel, the Kemper wins.
Great video. Have you tried the Pasadena Proud presets from LIne 6? I've heard lots of comments on those presets. What I have learned about the Kemper is that it all comes down to the initial profile. I learned to never edit a profile, just select until I find one that I like Once you find the profile, you are done. The tones you have in the Kemper sound fantastic. New subscriber and I hit the like buttons.
How can you have this hanging half (the pedal even more) over the abyss??? Boy, my OCD kicked in really hard!!! ;-) The live tuner is the one thing i miss with the Helix - and don't understand why it's missing. Even much older/cheaper units have that.
Love the content, great review! Does it feel more like a tube amp than the Helix w/IRs? I’m very happy with the Helix but I wouldn’t say no to Stage if it offers something in the amp department that the Helix doesn’t.
For a modeler it sounds fantastic. What are you using to move air with this thing. Love these things for home recording but the FRFR stuff never jived with me.
If it had a bigger colour display and an expression pedal I would buy this but will probably go with boss gt 1000...would love to hear your thoughts in the gt 1000 and if I should go for something else ?
hey Chris - I love every sound that you have on here.....where can i get them so i can have the exact sounds.....lol....yeah call me lazy...BTW you are an excellent guitarist and have inspired me....lol
@@gdhi11 I was thinking more like a Digitech 2112 honestly. But this is a SERIOUSLY lacking UX compared to Helix, Headrush or AXFX 3 which is what it's competing with.
@@adambickford8720 The Helix definitely does have better UI--I'm not disputing that. I owned one for 2 years. The day I bought it I spent an hour with the headrush first. The Helix sound better so I bought it. 2 years later, I decided to sell it because I got tired of spending 6-8 hours dialing in patches. I bought the kemper after 2 half-hour sittings with it. It just made sense. UX is so much more than just color coding (touch sensitivity on the Headrush) and color screens. The fact that I didn't have to drag things around and create these complicated routings meant I didn't need all of that. Honestly, I think Kemper wins for more meat and potatoes players in a lot of cases. I'm rarely stringing more than 4 pedals together in real life, why do I need to be able to do it in parallel in a modeler? I'm still using Helix Native--I think it's got some great qualities--I just couldn't justify the amount of non-productive time I was spending on Helix. I don't feel that way at all with the Kemper, an hour here or there, but mostly it's just easier.
@@gdhi11 I'd agree, while limitless routing is nice I think most end up with a fairly similar chain. The big thing for me is the scribble strips. I hate trying to memorize 'what does pedal 3 do on patch 5?'. I like just reading that it's a klon, TS or whatever.
@@adambickford8720 totally joking btw, but; not an issue with the Kemper, there aren't any Klons, or really any usable drives other than a TS--and the assigned buttons have a light that indicates the family of effect. All that aside, I barely used the scrible strips on mine. I was actually kind of kicking myself for not getting the LT, then I realized it was only slightly smaller than the big-guy. I don't think any of these products has the small part of the form factor down yet.
I would get the Kemper and Fractal Axe FX III as backup- best of both worlds. Helix is ok but not in same league as Kemper or Fractal which are professional quality level.
I have the helix rack …this guys is selling kemper rack for dirt cheap was thinking of putting in same rack with helix and running kemper into helix 5 cable method cuz I run in stereo … what u think boss ..too much I have the three spaces
Still wish Someone would make a stage profiler how to video. Everybody just blows by how you save a preset, edit, etc. As an older rocker I love it but am struggling with setting it up for my usage. Headrush was a walk in the park compared to this but can’t achieve these tones.
You need to watch all the Kemper videos and more. And read the manual. You will eventually wrap your head around it. Looking back it seemed overwhelming but it’s not that hard to use. But you do need to do your research.
My advice is go through all the sounds and some from rig exchange and purchase and favorite all the sounds you like. Tonejunkie has some killer fender tweed sounds. Once you have your favorites organize them by copying them to performances. Then tweak effects. Morphing and assigning pedal switches is easy. Personally I think the interface is great. The screen sucks but the layout is actually quite good.
The VH sound is very good. The Kemper screen would drive me nuts and the lack of an onboard pedal is big downside. I don't have a lot of time on my Helix mixing sounds because I usually download user patches and tweak them, but I think the screen on my Helix is excellent. It looks as the Kemper can be difficult to work with.
and Line 6 is the complete opposite! Now if Kemper and Fractal had a love child with Helix better routing and user interface it would be a game changer. Especially if they added in features from Bias FX2 Amp to switch tube models and preamp configurations.
Seems to me as far as usability, especially in a live setting, the Helix’s screen read outs showing the pedal, etc that is set for each foot switch is significant. This is exemplified by your statements during the course of the video expressing uncertainty as to what was saved in each foot switch. With a standard individual pedal set up you know what your stomping by the recognizable markings on the pedal itself. I wish you would have shown more about how it would be used in a live gig set up, such as can you assign a different footswitch to activate different effects and amp models programmed for each song in your set?
Kemper really dropped the ball by failing to add a color LCD screen like the competition as well as improving their crappy interface. They could have stolen the crown from Fractal and Line 6 easily if they would up their game. I did notice the Kemper Profiler head unit had software bugs when I was trying it out recently and it kept crashing. Would love to see this compared to the new upcoming Fractal FM3 floor unit. I find Kemper and Fractal sound way better than Line 6 but Helix has easiest user interface.
Thaw video sells me on the kemper lol, the wah and the tones sound better to me than the helix. Quick question why u went with the stage model instead of the lunchbox or the rack ?
If you buy the Kemper Toaster or rack unit, which is approximately the same price as the Stage unit, you still have to buy the Kemper remote or a MIDI controller. The Kemper remote is about $480. The stage is cheaper when you consider that you get all of those features together.
@@robertsimpson5801 But at $1700 for the Stage alone, how many average Joe players can afford one?! Like all the $1800-$2000 guitars out there, I have no choice but to make do with what I have.
@@ZzzzzzzxxxzzzYZ4 sorry, buddy. Unfortunately, that is just the way that the guitar processor market is at the moment. The Helix is only a few hundred cheaper, unless you go for the LT model. The Axe FX III is quite a bit more expensive. But then again, no one says you have to use products this expensive to get good tone... Use what you have. Im sure it sounds fine. These devices are really more for the convenience of the giving musician.
You said the Kemper doesn't sound like something that is trying to "model an amp", and that it sounds like an real amp. Sort of saying that's what the Helix is doing, trying to "model an amp". But then you said if you had to choose one, it would be the Helix. Why?
Thanks for the video! I've been on the fence between axefx 3 and the Kemper. From the sound comparisons that I've listened to, I've favored the Kemper for amp tones. I was leaning towards the axefx 3 for the amps and effects because the Axefx 2 and 3 still sound pretty good. However, the Kemper sounded so close to an actual amp that I couldn't tell the difference. This Kemper Stage has effects built in, so now I'm considering this over the others. I could use my personal pedal board with a Kemper, but it would be nice to not need all of my individual pedals anymore. That's why this Kemper Stage is so appealing. Can it do a A+B dual signal, and run line B as Midi? Or can I program Midi into it when it's hooked up to my computer?
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Best review I’ve seen, so honest and felt really unbiased! Thank you just what I needed
After several years of yearning for a Kemper, I finally ordered this model today. Top Jimmy Brown Sound is going to melt my brain. 🤘🏻🤘🏻
How is it ?
EXCELLENT! The brown sound pack is perfect for Van Halen!!!
@@timjoseph887I have them, they are insane. One of the best ones he makes is in his free pack on rig manager, its like a 69 super lead thats boosted , great for zztop especially into greenbacks or whatever that speaker was on master of puppets
9:10 "As far as effects go, there's not that many in here" ...then proceeds to spend over a minute scrolling thru effects.
Interesting review from a first time Kemper user. I laughed at the "there aren't many effects" and then you scroll through a few dozen variations of wah alone. Kemper has almost any effect you want but it is conceptually different than Helix. Helix thinks more in pedal emulations vs Kemper, which is more like rack effects. For instance helix may have 4 different chorus pedal emulations. Kemper will allow you to adjust a main Chorus algorithm in a ton of different ways. It's just two different approaches, neither is better than the other.
THere aren't a ton of effects, but there are a ton of effects presets. The effects themselves are power full enough to do a lot of different things though--I'm happy with my kemper.
Ditto.. I only need Delay, Chorus, Wha & Verb for 90 percent of the gig. The rest, I can get in pedals.
Just got a Kemper Stage and LOVED the noise gate on the input that left all four (pre) stack FX slots free.
That Van Halen tone is exactly like the album. Wow.
After watching about a dozen or more Kemper reviews on TH-cam, this is by FAR the best one!! Thanks for getting down to brass tacks and just showing how useable this thing is (or not). I have the Fractal FM3 and the Helix Floor. I love the Helix form factor. It's simply the best in that regard. Though, I played a Kemper Stage at NAMM, and it feels and sounds so natural. In spite of the weak display, I think the Kemper may be my one!! It sounds and feels right!
Great review! Especially for folks that want to possibly get this to replace their Helix. Great playing, and I truly appreciate your time with this.
I have no desire to replace my Helix, BUT .. I do want one of these as well.
Thanks man!
I found with my Kemper the more I learn about it the better I can make it sound, which is obvious, but often only after someone says it again.
I am not a pro but I have played guitar for 45 years. I have both a Helix LT and a Kemper (toaster version, with Remote floor unit). I have to say, the Kemper is the nuts. Yes, it falls down on the display, and they are only just delivering decent editing software, but it is so worth going through the (small) learning curve. This is not a modeller - it's a different concept entirely, it's about real-world amps and cabs. I also have found a superb Van Halen tone! Now the Helix is great for effects, and I have used it as a backup amp when my 'real' amp (Mesa Boogie no less) failed at an outside gig, and it was Ok, but really, the powered Kemper (600W amp inside, not all models have this) with a real guitar cabinet just feels and sounds like a true amp. I can bypass the cab for the real cabinet behind me, and include it when sent to front of house. And I am really not into tweaking, I am into playing guitars with amps and effects. I will be gigging with it when lockdown is over, no question. Also, I have recorded with it into my PC - not with USB - use the S/PDIF output. It is superb. I promise you.
That's what I doo, a real cab is a must!! What EVH profile are you using? The Top Jimi sounds good until you hit the low E then it farts out
@@cragginshred Sorry, just seen your reply. Yes, the Top Jimi one. But I've since discovered the Bert Meulendijk BE100 pack and it is so good, I have set up three performances around that alone (except for acoustic patch), different gain stages from clean to leads. I am playing with others, but keep coming back to that pack.
@@iansimmons735 owned a real BE deluxe 100w head. No Kemper or fractal versions come cloes. they are all dark compressed (amp is too) and sterile. Is the Bert profile free? share it so I'm not searching, thanks!! Top Jimi Marshall ones have been my go to
Never mind the looks, it sound great. EVH tone sounds awesome.
For me, sound quality is 100% the most important thing--I don't expect that for everyone else, I guess. But it's hard to rationalize worrying about UI and ins and outs and all of that stuff. I don't think either is really harder to use unless you get locked into the mindset or don't understand how each works from the onset.
I had a hard time making the transition from Helix to Kemper. Not a lot of tutorials to the Stage yet, but the amps are superior....I am told Kemper is coming out with Kemper Editor....that ought to make the transition a little smoother....
the reason the two sound different is the way they model amps, kemper is basically a sample of a real amp that is known to sound good already, while helix models the circuitry of a amplifier for a schematical perspective. so imagine lets say its modeling a plexi, well it would be like a brand new plexi right out of the box and not broken in, out of 10 brand new plexi's it would sound like the average of them, not the one that sounds best. thats why you have to tweak the power/sag and eq effects of the amp in order to properly compare it with a kemper, because the kemper is a sample of a broken in and warmed up amp run at the correct voltage (110/220 etc), and most likely the best amp out of say 10 off the line.... Theres downsides to both. For the Helix it means you have to tweak it. The downside for the kemper is, when you want to tweak it or change the eq, its like manipulating a wav file on a track, so when i add bass or take away treble, it will react like using the eq on a mixer, where as the helix models the circuitry and potentiometers of the original amp and you will get a different sound effect. to better explain that imagine this, if i have a real plexi in the room and i turn up or down the bass knob, you should know that it sounds completely different then if i leave the bass knob in place and just alter the bass with a parametric eq pedal. Also the kemper will have a hard time mimicing the amp when different input gains are applied(ex: turning your guitar volume down to 6 or 7 on a cranked plexi gives you an awesome clean tone). To sum it up, the kemper models an amp at its peak performance at the point in time where it was captured (where the knobs were set) but a helix can model the organicness of an amp
A VERY ILLUSTRATIVE COMMENT! Thank you for a marvelous clarification.
The Kemper is mostly for those that immediately want the sound to be just right, while the Line 6 Helix and the Fractals are more of for the tweakers.
Hi Chris! Thanks for this tone demo, great EVH tone and playing. Can you please confirm the profile is CT-MeBo Heartat 44 from ChopTones?
The Van Halen tone though 😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Craig Willis feel Your Love Tonight off the 1st album. It’s spot on.
Craig Willis it does. Just without the slides up to the notes. I’d concur with yourself 👍🏻
I own the Kemper rack for many years and I can tell you that that small screen in enought. Also as a player I know what my presets are...it is very simple. And the tones are killer
I'm looking forward to your thoughts after you really get into the Kemper. I've gotten frustrated with my Helix sound and feel a bit. My toaster should arrive Wednesday.
Another cool feature, I believe is that you can load profiles from external sources, just like any Kemper.
great video. very informative.
i love your honesty.
and yeah great guitar playing
wow. I should have looked at this a while ago. This thing is impressive and intriguing! First off it sounds incredible AF, and second the way you got a volume swell out of hitting the boost mod instead of an interruption, and then blast of volume...thats everything!
Sounds like a real amp!
It sounds incredible. Congratulations, I love mine.
dude you nailed eddie's tone on the kemper
Agree on most of your points and the EVH tone is phenominal - If you could share it are point out settings that would be cool. - great walk through
Glen Stadig it’s probably in there for free. It’s from TopJimi.
Glen Stadig the TopJimi sounds weren’t free but cheap like $14.99 or something. It was the first thing I did within 20 mins of plugging it in I installed those sounds.
@@peterdentremont7296 top Jimi and Britt are ready to go from the zip file. I rarely have to tweak them. Occasionally I'll dial gain back though.
Great demo/review! Really making me consider one. I currently play an AX8 and really like it. I also have a Helix HX stomp as a backup.
Do you have any problem with having just three switches with the stomp?
@@sasmitha8446 It has its limitations. I have to toggle between a couple of presets to make it work. Basically I have three scenes for clean, rhythm, and lead tones. This doesn't allow me to turn effects on and off on the fly. The additional presets are for pitch shifts for alternate tunings. It works... but it is a designated backup unit. My AX8 is my main rig when I decide to use this type of rig rather than an amp. Hope that helps!
Very informative and practical. Thanks for posting.
sounds great. the wah and VH tone seem exceptional. but great playing BTW. The thing/interface looks like a mess at first glance but makes sense as you explained it....(but I'll keep the Helix.)
Nice review, Chris. Finding amps can be hard (like you trying to find the Dumble), but I found that keeping the amp sorted by gain makes it a lot easier for me... not sure how you have it sorted.
Nice review. Really appreciate it. I’m a helix guy but eventually will get the Kemper.
You were just piddling around and pulled up a very convincing SRV tone. Was that a stock preset? Pretty impressive to me (Helix owner 3+ years)..
Thanks man! It’s just a random MBritt profile. Called SRV.
Hi Chris. Which profiles are you using for the Van Halen tones? Sounds pretty awesome - of course being able to play as well as you do does help too 👏
I wish the kemper had a built in pedal like the helix
I run my Kemper Stage into a HX Stomp, the Stomp acts as my audio interface into Reaper, works great :-)
Kemper now has USB audio interface inbuilt...
Hey Chris! Love that VH preset! Was that in the Kemper or did you purchase or program it?
Kemper It wasn't that hard for me. I pretty much had it down in a couple of days. Helix same thing. It just depends on the person using it. the tone of the amps are way better then Helix. There is no comparison Period. They're both different IO have the rack & the floor love them both!
Correction: Kemper has a global noise gate. You only need to add a gate to a specific profile if the gain of that profile exceeds your global gate setting and creates noise.
I found that after. :)
gonna have to wear magnifying glasses to see the screen at a gig, and bring back the old sticker labels to label functions
hell ya! VH tone is awesome! I just ordered my kemper stage profile, I've been a helix floor user for 6 years, need that amp feel that everyone is talking about concerning the Kemper stage profile..
EVH tone way on point. You have a patch in the Kemper Library thing? I have a powered toaster
sounds better than my helix for sure
Sounds perfect for 80’s hair metal!
I believe there was some Dokken in there😁
Good guitarist and demo. Did good job of discussing the tool.
Good review. Thank you!
Great demo and tasty playing. Thanks for sharing!
Great video, great playing too. It would be cool if they would put a video line out so a person could connect a video monitor. I have trouble seeing a small video display on some of the floor effects units, and I remember you saying the screen on this one was crap. That might be doable with the usb line and a laptop. Great sounds.
I found the unit to be very user friendly : /
kemper should make a small stomp like helix did that way could run it with a helix hx effects for best of both worlds)
This things tone slaughters the helix... That van halen tone is enough to buy that fucking thing jesus. I"m blown away.
All the tones ranged from decent to really good. Until you hit the EVH. That EVH preset is legit HOLY SH*T perfect. Damn.
That EVH tone alone is worth the price of admission.
if EVH is what you looking for, buy, an evh
I own an EVH 100w, so if it comes close enough I may well be able to sell that amp (not sure I'll ever fully wean myself off of my tube amps) and have all sorts of other profiles as a bonus 😎
What vanhalen profile did you use here?
I've held off from getting the Helix. I was thinking about getting the Kemper, but I think I will not like the same things you mentioned. I want the large screen, and routing options. But the Kemper seems like it will have better sounding amps. Almost want both and put the Kemper in a effects loop in the Helix. Just used as an amp. Kind of seems a waste.
Get the Kemper and use real pedals. The only negative is the small window. Just my opinion.
I’ve always said that the Kemper has the best amp tones of any digital unit...I really just wish they’d put a decent screen on this one...it’s impossible to read from six feet up.
I havent seen the Kemper stage in the flesh, but i would also be worried about the readability of that small screen being 6 foor 4 and in my late 40´s with eyesight that isnt quite what it used to be just a few years ago, mostly a problem close up though. Although horribly dated and small, I can see why they went that kind of display at least initially, its probably dirt cheap and readily availible.
No it doesn't run audio through USB. You can however just use an XLR from the main output to the interface or board.
Best VH1 tone ever. Please , please share. Much appreciated.
It’s a modified TopJimi tone.
Chris Taggart hi Chris do you know the name of the Top Jimi profile please?
@@christaggart2084 It's sort of like a chef - you come up with fabulous recipes that are kept secret. Don't divulge the secret, my friend, it's yours - sign your name to it and throw away the key!!
@@Cluless02 A good guitarist but such a narrowed-mind guy !!!
This review is great but I want to talk about how awesome you are at guitar for a second!
Thanks! I’ve been doing it for awhile. :)
You know you can use both at the same time.. The helix can be used as an FX unit.. Just use the sends/returns on the Kemper..Best of all worlds..
Where do you have it connected?
to studio monitors, CLR, FRFR ..... real amp cab ?? It sound amazing
You absolutely need to share where you got that EVH profile. It's dead on.
Not that many fx? I respectfully disagree. There's tons of great fx.
09:50 "There are hardly any..." *scrolls through like 25 different Wahs* "now we're ALREADY at distortions..." ;) :D
I love this review, very honest and to the point.
Thank you for a very honest assessment. I know the Kemper sounds amazing. When I initially got my Helix I was torn.. I had also just got an AX8 and thought about a Kemper instead. But I jumped at the Helix because I didn't want to buy an extra board to play live at the time. The AX8 was great but very complicated. There are almost too many parameters and like the Kemper, had an original Gameboy screen that sucked. I could not seem to make my own patches. They always sounded like crap. But thanks to a couple of great makers I had usable ones. As a first batch Helix guy, I actually used the AX8 live for awhile and even though the Helix was a ton easier it was lacking models of amps and effects initially and sounded nice but not great. After a couple updates I realized Helix was going to keep getting better so I sold the AX8. A good friend has recorded numerous albums with his, Kemper and I have heard it in oersin many times. I agree it is a bit more amp like and sounds fantastic. The interface scares me in the floor unit. My vision is bad and I seem to tweak often in church and I am not sure how practical it would be. I still may get one down the road. Maybe trade a guitar or wait til used units, start to hit the street.
Horrible, horrible, horrible screen for sure.
What speaker/speakers are you playing through in the video? Sounds great! Thanks
Alto TS312
Kemper is another great addition to the floor units out there but helix is simple to dial in actually. put a looper first in chain and loop some riffs then start your eq process amp, dirt pedal, eq save it DONE. Tilt EQ is a great addition.Only issue with Kemper your stuck with whatever profile you use,
Great review! :) Thanks!
Great sound.
I own a Helix LT and a Kemper Stage. Your comments regarding the Stage's ease of use are somewhat misleading. I assume you've mastered the usability aspect of the Helix LT and since you're new to the Kemper (which has a much different interface than the Helix) it appears a bit difficult. It's really not and shouldn't be a deterrent for anyone looking to pick one up.
Seth Schanher if u were stuck on a island and could only have the kemper or helix, which one would it be? Assume the island has electricity lol
231danman Probably the Helix. But that island better have WiFi too so I can get 2.9 😜
Seth Schanher ya eh, I was hoping for the other answer lol. Have a helix right now but more of a plug and play kinda guy. Would u say helix is more plug and play or is kemper? Thanks for answering my questions
231danman Once you settle on a profile, the Kemper definitely takes less tweaking than the Helix. I’ve owned a Kemper Head since 2014, but swapped it for the Stage for portability. Although It took some time to find the right profiles, I rarely ever bother with tweaking anything on the profile as it just sounds so damn good. With the Helix, I find I spend a hell of a lot more time tweaking to find the perfect amp tone, but once I find it, my tweaking is done. Helix has much better routing options, better drives, and better synth options. The Kemper’s routing is limited, has better reverbs, and better pitch shifting. I find all other effects to be pretty comparable on both devices. Kemper’s screen is nothing compared to the Helix, but this doesn’t bother me as everything on the Kemper is color coded and easy to identify on stage. The expression pedal is personal preference...I have a Mission EP1-KP for the Stage which is awesome. The expression pedal on the LT is what it is and mine is currently giving me fits. I know that’s a lot of words to answer your question, but the bottom line is that if you’re simply looking for a no nonsense, minimal tweaking, near exact clone of any amp you desire in terms of both tone and feel, the Kemper wins.
CHL9136 $1700US
Great video. Have you tried the Pasadena Proud presets from LIne 6? I've heard lots of comments on those presets. What I have learned about the Kemper is that it all comes down to the initial profile. I learned to never edit a profile, just select until I find one that I like Once you find the profile, you are done. The tones you have in the Kemper sound fantastic. New subscriber and I hit the like buttons.
Wow, that EVH tone is killer... Perfect!!
dude the Kemper will get you closer to evh than any other modeller
How can you have this hanging half (the pedal even more) over the abyss??? Boy, my OCD kicked in really hard!!! ;-)
The live tuner is the one thing i miss with the Helix - and don't understand why it's missing. Even much older/cheaper units have that.
Love the content, great review! Does it feel more like a tube amp than the Helix w/IRs? I’m very happy with the Helix but I wouldn’t say no to Stage if it offers something in the amp department that the Helix doesn’t.
It definitely plays like a real amp.
@@christaggart2084 Is the Van Halen tone a preset on the Kemper? Thanks
I love this presentation, great job!
Great video thanks
Nice playing ! Nice touch. Thanks for the review
For a modeler it sounds fantastic. What are you using to move air with this thing. Love these things for home recording but the FRFR stuff never jived with me.
If it had a bigger colour display and an expression pedal I would buy this but will probably go with boss gt 1000...would love to hear your thoughts in the gt 1000 and if I should go for something else ?
WHat is the loud white noise through the whole video. Is that from the unit?
hey Chris - I love every sound that you have on here.....where can i get them so i can have the exact sounds.....lol....yeah call me lazy...BTW you are an excellent guitarist and have inspired me....lol
It's not a usb audio interface.
Dude can play!!😮
Awesome tone. Are you connected to an Amp? What kind? Also what did you use for video/audio Recording? Thanks.
Alto TS312 speaker, and I record everything on my iPhone. Super hi-tech. :)
Hey man great video thanks. Are you sending the audio to your studio monitors? Or to what are sending the audio?
great tones man thanks
Seems decent but I'm just not willing to rollback to a late 90's UX. I'm far too lazy to memorize what buttons do, helix has spoiled me.
90s? Did you ever have a digitech RP1? Kemper isn't nearly as bad as even the last gen of Fractal.
@@gdhi11 I was thinking more like a Digitech 2112 honestly. But this is a SERIOUSLY lacking UX compared to Helix, Headrush or AXFX 3 which is what it's competing with.
@@adambickford8720 The Helix definitely does have better UI--I'm not disputing that. I owned one for 2 years. The day I bought it I spent an hour with the headrush first. The Helix sound better so I bought it. 2 years later, I decided to sell it because I got tired of spending 6-8 hours dialing in patches. I bought the kemper after 2 half-hour sittings with it. It just made sense.
UX is so much more than just color coding (touch sensitivity on the Headrush) and color screens. The fact that I didn't have to drag things around and create these complicated routings meant I didn't need all of that. Honestly, I think Kemper wins for more meat and potatoes players in a lot of cases. I'm rarely stringing more than 4 pedals together in real life, why do I need to be able to do it in parallel in a modeler?
I'm still using Helix Native--I think it's got some great qualities--I just couldn't justify the amount of non-productive time I was spending on Helix. I don't feel that way at all with the Kemper, an hour here or there, but mostly it's just easier.
@@gdhi11 I'd agree, while limitless routing is nice I think most end up with a fairly similar chain.
The big thing for me is the scribble strips. I hate trying to memorize 'what does pedal 3 do on patch 5?'. I like just reading that it's a klon, TS or whatever.
@@adambickford8720 totally joking btw, but; not an issue with the Kemper, there aren't any Klons, or really any usable drives other than a TS--and the assigned buttons have a light that indicates the family of effect.
All that aside, I barely used the scrible strips on mine. I was actually kind of kicking myself for not getting the LT, then I realized it was only slightly smaller than the big-guy. I don't think any of these products has the small part of the form factor down yet.
I have one of these on the way! Nice Extreme at the end.
I am afraid to use this on stage. People having a lot of problems with switches. Any long term experience about that?
Appreciate the review. The Kemper is on my shopping list. Maybe, a Helix later.
I would get the Kemper and Fractal Axe FX III as backup- best of both worlds. Helix is ok but not in same league as Kemper or Fractal which are professional quality level.
I disagree. I’ve had all three and I sold the Kemper and AX8. They are all good units but in the end Helix wins.
What amp should I use with kemper/helix?
congrats bro sounds epic
I have the helix rack …this guys is selling kemper rack for dirt cheap was thinking of putting in same rack with helix and running kemper into helix 5 cable method cuz I run in stereo … what u think boss ..too much I have the three spaces
Still wish Someone would make a stage profiler how to video. Everybody just blows by how you save a preset, edit, etc. As an older rocker I love it but am struggling with setting it up for my usage. Headrush was a walk in the park compared to this but can’t achieve these tones.
You need to watch all the Kemper videos and more. And read the manual. You will eventually wrap your head around it. Looking back it seemed overwhelming but it’s not that hard to use. But you do need to do your research.
My advice is go through all the sounds and some from rig exchange and purchase and favorite all the sounds you like. Tonejunkie has some killer fender tweed sounds. Once you have your favorites organize them by copying them to performances. Then tweak effects. Morphing and assigning pedal switches is easy. Personally I think the interface is great. The screen sucks but the layout is actually quite good.
The VH sound is very good. The Kemper screen would drive me nuts and the lack of an onboard pedal is big downside. I don't have a lot of time on my Helix mixing sounds because I usually download user patches and tweak them, but I think the screen on my Helix is excellent. It looks as the Kemper can be difficult to work with.
jealous much?
Great video! I'm looking forward to giving one a blast.
its amazing how Kemper and Fractal can get the sound so right...and the interface soooo bad.
and Line 6 is the complete opposite! Now if Kemper and Fractal had a love child with Helix better routing and user interface it would be a game changer. Especially if they added in features from Bias FX2 Amp to switch tube models and preamp configurations.
Seems to me as far as usability, especially in a live setting, the Helix’s screen read outs showing the pedal, etc that is set for each foot switch is significant. This is exemplified by your statements during the course of the video expressing uncertainty as to what was saved in each foot switch. With a standard individual pedal set up you know what your stomping by the recognizable markings on the pedal itself. I wish you would have shown more about how it would be used in a live gig set up, such as can you assign a different footswitch to activate different effects and amp models programmed for each song in your set?
Kemper really dropped the ball by failing to add a color LCD screen like the competition as well as improving their crappy interface. They could have stolen the crown from Fractal and Line 6 easily if they would up their game. I did notice the Kemper Profiler head unit had software bugs when I was trying it out recently and it kept crashing.
Would love to see this compared to the new upcoming Fractal FM3 floor unit. I find Kemper and Fractal sound way better than Line 6 but Helix has easiest user interface.
Nah
Thaw video sells me on the kemper lol, the wah and the tones sound better to me than the helix. Quick question why u went with the stage model instead of the lunchbox or the rack ?
I’m lazy. I don’t want to carry a bunch of shit. :)
If you buy the Kemper Toaster or rack unit, which is approximately the same price as the Stage unit, you still have to buy the Kemper remote or a MIDI controller. The Kemper remote is about $480.
The stage is cheaper when you consider that you get all of those features together.
Yes those are good points. I’m mostly use it for live shows and would get nervous with a few grand sitting at my feet within drink drop area lol
@@robertsimpson5801 But at $1700 for the Stage alone, how many average Joe players can afford one?! Like all the $1800-$2000 guitars out there, I have no choice but to make do with what I have.
@@ZzzzzzzxxxzzzYZ4 sorry, buddy. Unfortunately, that is just the way that the guitar processor market is at the moment. The Helix is only a few hundred cheaper, unless you go for the LT model. The Axe FX III is quite a bit more expensive.
But then again, no one says you have to use products this expensive to get good tone... Use what you have. Im sure it sounds fine. These devices are really more for the convenience of the giving musician.
11:58 almost sells this thing for me right there
Good Video!!
You said the Kemper doesn't sound like something that is trying to "model an amp", and that it sounds like an real amp. Sort of saying that's what the Helix is doing, trying to "model an amp". But then you said if you had to choose one, it would be the Helix. Why?
Dude, the ONLY thing I care about is the tones! What the display screen looks like doesn't make it sound better.
Thanks for the video! I've been on the fence between axefx 3 and the Kemper. From the sound comparisons that I've listened to, I've favored the Kemper for amp tones. I was leaning towards the axefx 3 for the amps and effects because the Axefx 2 and 3 still sound pretty good. However, the Kemper sounded so close to an actual amp that I couldn't tell the difference. This Kemper Stage has effects built in, so now I'm considering this over the others. I could use my personal pedal board with a Kemper, but it would be nice to not need all of my individual pedals anymore. That's why this Kemper Stage is so appealing. Can it do a A+B dual signal, and run line B as Midi? Or can I program Midi into it when it's hooked up to my computer?