Axe FX II and Kemper Profiler (Yes, another one...please read!)

FractalAudio said:
We don't set the shipping costs, UPS does. Our online store connects to their server and fetches the shipping cost. The weight or size of an item is only one factor in the cost. Insurance ends up being a significant portion.
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Guess you could start giving a check box to waive things like insurance and signature requirements. If folks want to save a few bucks by taking the risk of damage as UPS package handlers see how far they can chuck the box into the truck, and then don't mind letting it sit on their doorstep all day etc, guess more power to them.

I'm sure there would be quite a few threads started from people whining how its somehow Fractal's fault that they got a damaged unit even though they knowing waived insurance to save a few bucks lol
 
mbrown3 said:
I mostly use a couple of effects at any given time, and tend to rotate between 2-3 basic amp tones (clean, crunch, “searing lead”). I want those tones to be as amazing as possible, then I’ll add delay or compression or whatever. I’m a semi-professional player...that is, I make part of my income from music. I do occasional session work (mostly for local or regional acts) and I play in two regular gigging bands, an average of 6-8 times a month. My current amps: Egnater MOD50 with most of the modules and an Egnater oversized 112 cab, and a Mesa Boogie Road King with 212 Road King cab. Those are my main ones (I also have an Egnater Rebel 30 I use for rehearsal). Capturing the ranges of sounds from those two amps (which are many) is crucial.
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With the above scenario, the Axe-FX II XL and MFC-101 Mark III is precisely what you need. The Kemper is nice, but takes longer (IMHO) to tune in for your specific needs.

Take a look at the Wiki with all the different Amp Simulations available in the Axe-FX: Amp: all models - Axe-Fx II Wiki

I have used a Kemper a couple of times and was not overwhelmed with the quality of the tone. With FAS and Cliff (first one to answer your post/owner of the company), the passion drives the ever & "for the better" changing technology. These guys know what they are doing and do it remarkably well.
 
I have both. I highly recommend getting both and spending as much time as possible getting to know them.

It's a small investment that could save you huge aggravation. Plus you'll have the peace of mind knowing you have what's best for you. The way the two units approach tone is very different and user's response has been so individual it's almost pointless to give recommendations.
 
Axe FX II vs Kemper Profiler (Yes, another one...please read!)

If willing to spend 2k on a piece of kit a few quid difference shipping shouldn't be a deal breaker.


The cost of the units is important of course.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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FractalAudio said:
The feel with V18 software is better than the Kemper IMO (I have two of them). A year or so ago the Kemper felt slightly better. But the Axe-Fx caught up and surpassed it. But I'm biased so my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt.

Not sure where you got $80 for shipping costs. Ground shipping is typically around $30.
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Now I do not really know what Kemper sounds or feels like, I have only seen a few audio clips, but with the firmware 18 the AXE is pretty much feeling like a tube amp. No modeler that I know comes even close. I grew up on modelers so I know the difference now is huge. Don´t want to overhype things, but yes it is THAT good :)

The reason I am saying that it feels like a tube amp: I went to check out a local amp maker and his amps with my teacher some many years ago. We brought our POD 2.0 beans to "compare". We never pulled the PODs out. There was no comparison, it just felt amazing. The event immediately came into my mind when I started fiddling with the version 18 with headphones only. the FEEL was absolutely like that day with all those tube amps we tried out. I was kind of startled and did not want to believe it. But it still feels that way, when I plug into the AXE. Huge improvement in the feel department. All right I am done talking about the "feel" :)

as far as complexity goes, you can have very simple presets in the AXE - amp cab delay reverb. Or just Amp and Cab. you could make one preset that would cover your needs - clean, dirty, soaring lead and you would not have to make another preset for ever. :) But if you change your mind, you can go crazy with complex patches and intricate sounds. And you can change your mind anytime. That is the beauty of it :)

ultimately it is up to you. Good luck :)
 
Don't know why this thread continues.........the OP knows all he can about both units without actually trying them for himself......he needs to try them & decide. It's not that difficult to do this if one is serious.

The OP says money is no problem. Well then it costs relatively nothing to try both & decide as I've explained in this thread.

You can easily get your money back & only eat the shipping costs for the AxeFx if you return both. If you decide to keep one, then great, you've made an informed decision from hands on experience with both of the top digital amp units. Imagine that!

Both are very very good pro level top of their game units...........if you can afford it, or want to afford it, then owning both doesn't suck! Cliff himself owns both! lol
 
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I have both the Kemper rack mount and axe fx 2. At first I preferred the Kemper because of simplicity, however in the long run that is what has made it the paperweight it is to me today. It was incredibly easy to make it sound good. I felt I max'd out its potential very quickly, and as my playing style evolved, I found myself wanting to experiment with different sounds, which brought me to the axe side. You have to think to yourself, will the Kemper be enough? I would rather create my own sound, than use a profile of someone else's rig. With the axe, the tonal possibilities are literally endless.
 
Axe FX II vs Kemper Profiler (Yes, another one...please read!)

luke said:
I call BS on this. You continue to insinuate Fractal is trying to rip you off by over charging for shipping.

We have no idea where you are located, nor do we know where you Road King came from. Maybe your amp traveled 40 miles and the Axe Fx has to go 3000, we have no idea. However, we do know when a new person comes to a forum and makes accusations under what begins to appear to be false pretenses, we refer to them as an internet troll. If this thread isn't straight trolling it certainly is getting very close. In the end, you don't need the complexity of the Axe Fx and seem dissatisfied from the start, so just get the Kemper and spare everyone the aggravation and accusations.
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Whoa! I actually think this has been one of the best Kemper vs. Axe Fx threads I've read. OP seems very even handed in pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of both units and the forum members, Cliff included, have all been very balanced and civil. Don't think OP is trolling at all. GC and Sweetwater etc. do have free shipping on stuff. That's because they build the cost of shipping into the retail price structure. I know, managed a GC store for years. Fractal is a smaller company and Cliff didn't build shipping into the cost of the product. I run Gigwrx Labels, labels for pedalboards. We don't build shipping into our costs either. I was shocked to see what it costs to ship less than a pound of product in the US, but even more so for international! It's crazy!

I truly don't see it as a "money grab" on Fractals part. Especially considering I started on FW5 and I'm on FW18 now, have gotten about 100 amps, more Fx, new Drive blocks, better algorithms for Delay, Reverb, Rotary etc., more cabs, new Ultra Res cabs, etc. etc. etc. all for free since my purchase. If there was a "money grab" mentality at Fractal, these huge upgrades would have cost us a lot of $$.
What you will get with the purchase of the Axe Fx is an awesome forum with truly dedicated users that are very supportive and help us all get the most out of our box. You'll also get Cliff, the most tone driven maniac I've ever seen! His, and the rest of the FAS team ridiculous dedication to improving this product is awesome and they are listening to the user base to make improvements too!
I'm not a fanboy by any account. I know the Kemper does some great things and has produced some great tones. But at the end of the day, I've never felt better about any purchase I've ever made as far as money goes.
To the OP: FWIW, I'm a Clean, low gain, mid gain Strat player. Very little in the way of EFX. Reverb and delay mostly. I'm a tube junkie from way back and have been playing 35 yrs. the clean Fender/JTM/Plexi/Dumble etc. tones I get are amazing. Sold all tube gear and pedals and have never looked back.
Look up Tyler Grund here on forum, he's posted some great clean and driven low gain clips! May help you decide.

Try both if you can, but I can highly recommend the Axe Fx if not.

Good luck!!


Sent from my iPhone
 
Andyjp said:
FFS who gives a monkeys ass about the shipping costs? Not the point of the discussion surely.
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Are you kidding? When making major purchases I always let very small fractional costs that are completely orthogonal wrt the merits of the various options become a deciding factor in a decision that will for all intents and purposes last me many years.

Scoff if you must, but a $50 dollar saving in shipping, assuming you keep the item for five years translates to $10/year (that's 83 cents a month bishes!). With current interest rates, you could have an extra $51.23 added to your net worth as a result at the end of life of the product.

You could go to Starbucks two or three times with that kind of dough.
 
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JRod4928 said:
How the hell has an AXE vs KEMPER thread turn into an argument about shipping? Aren't there more important things to argue about?

Like how vastly superior the AXE is compared to the kemper? :devilish:
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One would think, yet again, did you read the whole thread ? Fractal's shipping cost are seemingly preventing the OP from buying one, which is the very reason we are discussing it.
 
Buy the Axe FX, play it a while, sell it, buy the Kemper, play it a while, then sell the Kemper and buy another Axe FX, the end, problem solved!
 
zenaxe said:
Are you kidding? When making major purchases I always let very small fractional costs that are completely orthogonal wrt the merits of the various options become a deciding factor in a decision that will for all intents and purposes last me many years.

Scoff if you must, but a $50 dollar saving in shipping, assuming you keep the item for five years translates to $10/year (that's 83 cents a month bishes!). With current interest rates, you could have an extra $51.23 added to your net worth as a result at the end of life of the product.

You could go to Starbucks two or three times with that kind of dough.
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All I'm saying is there are too many posts about the shipping. Those costs are fixed. It's up to the OP to decide if he's wiling to pay them.

The other points are more worthy of discussion .
 
To the OP....We have a lot in common. I too have the Egnater Modular gear (M4 and Mod 100). I also have an AxeFX and a Kemper. My thoughts on this...

-Both units do what they do and do it well. I've used the Axe a lot longer than the Kemper, and know it better. While the Axe is much deeper in it's capabilities, it doesn't have to be used that way. The Kemper is more limited but can be "simpler" to use. However, I sometimes find myself wanting the (almost) limitless tweak-ability of the Axe. I personally find both units easy to dial and you can do down the rabbit hole chasing tones on both of them....Or not. I agree with Cliff that the feel has improved a good bit with 18 Beta.
-The Axe sounds and feels better to me in the way I use it live which is Direct FOH and to a pwr amp and 4x12 cab on stage. The Kemper feels different and more "modeller" run this way.....to my ears.
-They both sound good in a studio environment. Again, the Axe has more flexibility here, but do you want/need that?
-The MFC is a no brainer for the Axe. The Kemper remote looks good too.
-The Axe works great with my tube amps in a 4CM or as FX only. Kemper works here too, but not as well IMO.
-I like having them both...But....I use the Fractal live all the time and rely on it more for recording as well.

This being said, you just need to try them both, as everyone else has said. No substitute for that.
 
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