Strictly personal opinion: for me the Tonex One has been revolutionary. I have owned several boutique amps, but what’s the point of owning if you’re nervous about gigging and hauling them? What’s the point of good home/studio tone if it can’t faithfully be replicated live? The Tonex One Dumble Pack and Fender FR12 have resulted in the most pleasant gig I believe I’ve ever had. I only used one OD pedal (Archer) across a 3 hour set. Every other tone was in the dual mode Tonex One. Add the tilt back legs and a competent sound guy, perfect separation and brilliant tone. Crazy when a $180 pedal can replace a $5k amp
But three ToneX One pedals gives you access to six Captures, plus Reverb and a Compressor, and three ToneX One's cost the same price as a Kemper Player which gives you access to 50 Profiles and hundreds of FX options. So I'm mot sure.
I did my first gig with the Tonex one last week and was very happy with it. I keep it analog in front with a Cali76, Keeley Muse and the Gladio then a Halo after. I have my own Mesa Lonestar Special captures perfectly dialed in the Tonex. It’s a very simple setup without much to think about so I can enjoy playing instead of fiddling. Two DI s to house and monitors done. Fits in the carryon with a change of clothes easily. Kemper is collecting dust…
I've used the Tonex One on every gig as an amp replacement running DI into my PA. I run my pedalboard as usual, just run the cables into the Tonex instead of my Boss Katana Artist. I use the ODS Dumble Pack for clean and a little dirt...I stack Tube Screamer, Vintage Rat and Blues Driver. Tonex is a great pedal platform. Most times I'm just using the BD2 but on occasions I'll stack the others dending on what I need. I gig 2-3x a week. I love NOT having to lug around an amp and the tones I'm getting from this setup are amazing! I have people telling me all the time how great the tone is! Thank you IK Multimedia!!!
I am not a professional but I recently got into running Tonex on my Ipad and using loopy Pro software. The tones I am getting are fantastic and the Loopy Pro allows me to use all sorts of auv3 or similar software for instance I have a pack of Nembrini Audio reverbs, delays, phasers, flangers, etc. etc. I use an Xsonic Pro interface/pedal with this setup along with my 12.9 inch ipad pro and it is the most amazing portable setup I could ever imagine. It sounds fantastic. I have excellent live looping ability, and It even runs my midi keyboard and my midi drum unit easily. In fact the ipad can power the whole show for a few hours. Tonex is a real game changer for me now. I am sold on it.
I think it will be Neural Amp Modeler that is going to be on top, Leo Gibson did quite some extensive testing and NAM beat all competition in terms of accuracy of replicating the original tones, it's also free and open source and products are coming out so you can stick it on your pedal board like MOD Dwarf.
Ik Multimedia has a real opportunity here to come up with a bigger pedalboard that doesn't just represent Tonex + effects, but Tonex + Amplitube within a pedalboard at
I think a "ToneX Pro" is likely, and perhaps even at the price point you mention. I also think there's no way by the time you're done buying profile packs and effects packs that you'd be spending at least as much if not more on a Helix/Fractal/Neural/Fender/Kemper/BluGuitar/etc. Interesting concept though.
After the success of the tonex I'd be really surprised if they don't. That might even have been the plan from the beginning. Get everyone to buy this because it's cheap, people discover how good the tone is, and then release a bigger version that will get everyone to buy a second product.
I have recently gotten the Tonex One and paired it with a GFI Enieqma. It's game changing and the both of them together are like less than half the price. Tons of makers out the doing captures, it's just hard to beat.
Just picked up a tonex one yesterday and that's how I'm running it. I also started making captures of my go to amps in the HX stomp (the badonk and vitriol) as backups in case anything goes wrong with my stomp. I haven't noticed any added latency or noise issues in the loop and the captures have been spot on with the advanced training.
I use a Kemper for recording atr home . I have struggled to get a decent soundfrom it despite changing speakers , audio interfaces etc Have found some rigs that I really like to use but that has been as a result of buying a lot of sows ears that I struggled to turn into any form of 'purse'. Have settled with the rigs I like and no longer chase and buy new rigs that sound great in the reviews on You Tube along with the 'examples the record on a lot of sites. But found what I hear on the sites and you tube is not what comes out of my kemper.. Thinking about trading for an Audio Ox Box or something similar. Might have another look at Tone X again.. Love your playing sir.
DImehead put that amazing NAM into a pedal and I bought it recently. It's as basic as that Tone X stuff and I had exactly your thoughts: Kemper offering the all in one solution with good effects, proper UI, and in a sturdy housing is what made them become an industry standard. This road-worthy package is what I'm missing from IKM and Dimehead. However, the latter is relatively new to the capturing/profiling world, so it's very understandable if it'll take a bit of time.
100% agree on the Tonex gap with all-in-one. I have a hunch that IK's strategy is to go down market first to democratize profiling. I suspect the all-in-one is next. To me, Kemper is the Windows XP of profiling. Solid in its day, but getting a bit dated now.
What it sounds like through a PA system is that's all that matters, that's why so many big touring bands are still using Kempers. What guitarists do at home is irrelevant.
Kemper made a good product and have supported it forever. IK Multimedia’s goal is to sell you as many bonuses after the initial product as they possibly can, which tells me once they can’t sell anymore they’ll drop the unit for a new one. I very much hope companies like Kemper stay on top.
I would really like to see them do a ToneX with the other things in it .. But, even as it is, I think the fact that you can't simultaneously get with&without-IR signals out is a problem. I know of 2 professionals who have bought other devices because of that limitation. And it's something that the HX Stomp, GTKcore and most other things can do. Also, if they built a power amp into it so it was an alternative to the BluGuitar Amp-N and Blackstar Amped-N devices, I think it would find much more traction (for the same reason). And finally, it _really_ needs an FX loop if it's going to go that route .. Shame .. so nearly there ..
I'm still happily rocking an AXE-FX II...still sounds great! May pick up a QC or something but just to play around with. I'm still SUPER happy with my AXE-FX and the few Neural plugins I have. But that's just me.
Tonex is definitely taking over for many reasons. I think two that come to mind are: 1. They are focusing on most guitar players today 2. They are providing software to use Tonex tones beyond just the pedal It’s a smart way to capture the market. Many players have tonex on their board even alongside full size Helix devices so there’s a clue for ya. I’ve yet to see Kemper’s Player Profiler on boards. Rarely see them anywhere and technically offers more than the smaller Tonex pedals or even the bigger one. I think Kemper got too comfortable with their place at the top and will struggle to catch up as their competition has opened up an array of new products.
I do think one of the strengths of items like helix, kemper and fractal that I think currently make them more viable for some users is the ins and outs. There’s a lot that Kemper does in my right (outside of the effects). And that’s one reason I won’t be moving over. But not everyone needs that stuff. They’re both obviously great sounding.
I found the Kemper simpler and easier to get a nice sound out of, but I wasn't ever looking for it to emulate a particular amp. It was just about good tones.
And they need usb port, i have friends who play all over the world and they don't have even Kemper with them, they have just USB stick that they stick to the Kemper on stage and voil'a, their rig is on Kemper.
I recently got the full sized TONEX pedal to augment my Helix. Similarly I'm using either Helix Native or Amplitube/TONEX plugins in the box. I still go to my Nembrini plugins and the Laney/Aurora DSP IRT. Just very recently took a chance and updated Guitar Rig to ver7, mainly for the accessible looper, but to be fair their amps are sounding better in ver7 as well.
having compared Kemper and fractal, I went for Axe Fx III as it had more and had more YT people and vibrant community. Tonex one is size wise, plus what they give you good value for my board. I also like the idea of captures of captures. I go solid state in Thailand as valve amps are less durable. I have played with Mooer Prime P1 and Nux Mighty Air. All very low price. Tonex are allowing the increase in choice with its own community at a low entry price. Could it allow me to sell my Fractal, if it has comparable models and irs sure it could. Just like I downsized my expensive board with fractal will Tonex allow me to downsize the Fractal. Time will tell, especially as my amps will be Katana I and Katana artist gen 3. So this is true for kemper too 😅😅
Lucky for those that will be buying kempers at a discount in the future. There are profiles of pretty much every amp out there and it still sounds absolutely killer in 2024. I don't see myself ever selling mine. The CZcams gear review rabbit hole throws contentment out of the window, it's easy for someone that gets all of this great equipment for free to spend hours and hours comparing every nitpicky detail but it's up to the viewers to keep that in mind and really focus on what matters - make good music with what you have. If you already have a Kemper and you are not making killer sounds, it's not the Kemper's fault.
First to adopt technology is always expensive and a very bad value proposition. Kemper is vastly overpriced compared to every other option available today, however like you stated it is completely irrelevant in the same way that a $3,000 is a horrible value proposition compared to a perfectly fine $1000 guitar (or whatever). To reinforce what you also said or implied-everyone just needs to make music and not get caught up in GAS (although infomercials like this video and all the CZcams gear infomercials make it difficult to resist)
The Tonex does sound slightly more detailed than the Kemper when using proper tone models, but in a band context, absolutely nobody will ever hear a difference. While I do like the Tonex a lot (and use it in the loop of a Stomp XL which works great), I still prefer the Kemper Stage for gigging. Reasons: Less latency compared to running the Tonex through repetitive DA/AD conversions, great reverbs, delays, and drives built-in, far far easier to edit live on the system (the Tonex librarian is a nightmare), no need for a separate Midi switcher to make good use, far far superior tweak-ability (clean and distorted portions of the sound, clarity, sag, definition, pick sensitivity, etc. ad lib), far far easier to create setlists (performances) which are matched in volume (on the Kemper basically all profiles have the same volume, and volume and gain are completely independent, on the Tonex even models in the same collection have humongous volume differences), SPDIF out for zero-latency monitoring through a proper interface or AD converter, support for 48 and 96 kHz, re-amping support, wireless editing, perfect integration with Kemper cabs, morphing feature, global EQ settings for each output including proper high and low cut... While I do understand part of the hype, those saying the Kemper is a dinosaur or outdated, have no idea what they are talking about. It is a far more complete and capable device, and for something built in Europe, the price is perfectly ok.
I think the Kemper toaster / rack still wins on many fronts with the immediate ability to dial things in and save there and then, Rig manager is cool but I do wonder where they will go next.
All I know is that my Tonex pedal in conjunction with my Helix LT and Powecabs sounds extraordinary. I am currently in Tone Nirvana. I will say this, my favorite amp of all is still the Helix Litigator followed by my Tonex 2Rock and Tonex Z-Wreck.
Man I tried both tonex’s and could not get a good sound out of it. Idk if I was doing something wrong but I was a long time Kemper user and never had an issue. I’ve also used every other modeler under the sun and could figure those out.
Has anyone else noticed that your basic amp tone isn't really all that amazing until you add your wet effects at the end? I can see how the Tonex could really be a great option.
What in God's Great Green Earth is the Guitar Brand and Model are you playing?... I have run into your platform for the first time just this few days via CZcams, First and foremost that Seared My First Impression: You are a Hell of a Guitar Player, even while your programs seems to focus on Specs and Info about Guitars, Gear and Amps, The greatest impression was on your Chords Progressions and Guitar Soloing expertise, almost Genius on what he puts into his Licks, way yet beyond his Chords, Accuracy and Spreed!...Simply Amazing!!!
I think it's a smart move by IK to get people in the door and incorporating their ecosystem into existing rigs at an entry level price and tech point before releasing a flagship model. Once they do release a flagship model, there will be much less apprehension about the quality of tones and hardware that all of the other companies have dealt with at launch. If they could keep MSRP at or below $1000 then they will absolutely dominate the market.
I guess by "top spot", we mean amp capture devices. I see a lot of Helix, Fractal, and Quad Cortex everywhere. I rarely see a Kemper in the wild these last few years.
kemper lost a ton of would-be customers, like myself, into their ecosystem when we were all on a 4 month waiting list leading up to summer gigs. Many of us just bought the tonex One or full pedal. Now that I’ve purchased (the required) captures, I’m in it. Plus, we now see, through scientific online tests, the IK captures are more accurate granted the creator knows what they’re doing with input level/processing.
oddly enough, as an active pro in wedding/top-40 bands, IK do a horrendous job capturing on their own device. They all seem to have a rumble in low end that the “depth” control isn’t sufficient to get rid of. The only captures that have worked for me (been through a ton) are those from Amalgam, SSD, and even then, only the direct captures. Add to that, Everyone’s IRs are ok in isolation, I suppose, but just don’t have the eq footprint for a band. (boxy, rumble, honky, etc). I have to use amalgam with ML MOFO cab. It’s the only thing that works for me. Note: Studio Rats matchless clean is amazing, but falls apart with pedals in front due to, again, IR quality. Cabs just don’t sound good (less impact on clean amps; less at least).
anyway, IK could have REALLY nailed the Joe Dumble pack, but IMO, failed for pro use. Brent Mason, a trusted GUITARIST - GIGGING PRO, was highly involved/invested into his captures/packs. It takes a versatile, active gigging PRO to create captures with the most technically knowledgeable engineer. He is STILL kemper’s biggest selling point. but hey 🤷🏻♂️ they couldn’t move product down lines of distribution.
I picked up the full sized and Tonex One pedals, they're really awesome. I gotta say though, if I paid $250k for a Dumble ODS, I'd be really upset! I mean, they're OK, but there are so many better amps.
Raw amp tones, arguably the single most important aspect of Kemper ecosystem, has been surpassed by several companies, with prices that are much more competitive. Kemper has become a grandpa.
I've had my Tonex for almost a year now and I love it BUT...I still think the software is a mess. To download captures, then tweak them, then save them, then load them into a preset, then to transfer to the pedal is a joke. It should be load into pedal, tweak, save. DONE! The fact that so many people complain about the software and they only make it more bloated with each update is so irritating. That fact alone has me thinking Quad Cortex just so I can have great tone and effects in one pedal.
I am a former tonex pedal owner and I agree it is a fantastic piece of gear; whether it sounds good is irrelevant as it’s only as good as the captures you load into it. What I found to eventually dislike is the lack of additional features such as tuner, simple fx such as delay and maybe chorus…. And also the constant charging for new amps or packs of amps. Over time I felt I could spend more than the original cost of the pedal in constantly chasing new amp packs. I decided to sell on my tonex before I got too invested into it
Lots of amazing free captures to choose from on Tonenet. No need to waste money unnecessarily. A delay and a drive slot is what should have been included, though.
i work on live gigs and kempers disappear through a dense mix, so your solo is not even heard .they always have some weird inherent compression and they lack presence, once you know that sound you can always spot it,most guitar players are using the same few presets by michael britt that work so they sound the same...kemper is history tonex is on the right path but all modelers suffer from the same issues, for me the friedman ir d looks like an improvement over all the modelers if you have to go direct since it has a real tube preamp section which is the most important part.
It will tbh , I have a fender twin here, a two rock and also a lot of amp Sims, the tone X is absolutely the real deal, it's making me question why do I keep my boutique amps , the paid for packs sound phenomenal and 90% to my real amps after mic 🎤 them up . Scary
ToneX will only take over if the people that profile with kemper and QC also want to use this system and if IK is able to organize their app. I don't own a ToneX but, from what i've heard, it's a bit of a mess.
There is ENDLESS absolutely ENDLESS pro musicians that have profiled their amps in STUDIOS. That offer their profiles for a whole heck of a lot cheaper than $99.00 really?🤔 seems like people just don’t get Kemper. I mean they come up with endless FREE updates such as liquid profiling and it’s extremely great. It’s supposedly what everyone was wanting but while liquid profiles are available on a large scale it’s kinda hush. So all the CZcamsr recommending that l buy a $179 or $399 unit then buy multiple pedals for the front and expensive modulation effect for after the unit knowing that the CZcamsrs will be tempting my wallet with a latest greatest drive pedal and modulation effect within 3-6 months. I really enjoy when l see 2 tone x pedals on a board for multiple amps 😂🤣 l agree we live in wonderful times. We have so so many great units available to purchase and keep purchasing. 😂🤣 pick a unit and rock it.
In the touring world it still is. Every hire house has one and you can pretty much tour with just your USB stick and get one in at each venue. As for the bedroom guitar market, they dominate in terms of number of quality captures commercially available. (I still have a Kemper, but have switched to ToneX)
Strictly personal opinion: for me the Tonex One has been revolutionary. I have owned several boutique amps, but what’s the point of owning if you’re nervous about gigging and hauling them? What’s the point of good home/studio tone if it can’t faithfully be replicated live? The Tonex One Dumble Pack and Fender FR12 have resulted in the most pleasant gig I believe I’ve ever had. I only used one OD pedal (Archer) across a 3 hour set. Every other tone was in the dual mode Tonex One. Add the tilt back legs and a competent sound guy, perfect separation and brilliant tone. Crazy when a $180 pedal can replace a $5k amp
But three ToneX One pedals gives you access to six Captures, plus Reverb and a Compressor, and three ToneX One's cost the same price as a Kemper Player which gives you access to 50 Profiles and hundreds of FX options.
So I'm mot sure.
I did my first gig with the Tonex one last week and was very happy with it.
I keep it analog in front with a Cali76, Keeley Muse and the Gladio then a Halo after. I have my own Mesa Lonestar Special captures perfectly dialed in the Tonex.
It’s a very simple setup without much to think about so I can enjoy playing instead of fiddling. Two DI s to house and monitors done.
Fits in the carryon with a change of clothes easily.
Kemper is collecting dust…
I've used the Tonex One on every gig as an amp replacement running DI into my PA. I run my pedalboard as usual, just run the cables into the Tonex instead of my Boss Katana Artist. I use the ODS Dumble Pack for clean and a little dirt...I stack Tube Screamer, Vintage Rat and Blues Driver. Tonex is a great pedal platform. Most times I'm just using the BD2 but on occasions I'll stack the others dending on what I need. I gig 2-3x a week. I love NOT having to lug around an amp and the tones I'm getting from this setup are amazing! I have people telling me all the time how great the tone is! Thank you IK Multimedia!!!
I am not a professional but I recently got into running Tonex on my Ipad and using loopy Pro software. The tones I am getting are fantastic and the Loopy Pro allows me to use all sorts of auv3 or similar software for instance I have a pack of Nembrini Audio reverbs, delays, phasers, flangers, etc. etc. I use an Xsonic Pro interface/pedal with this setup along with my 12.9 inch ipad pro and it is the most amazing portable setup I could ever imagine. It sounds fantastic. I have excellent live looping ability, and It even runs my midi keyboard and my midi drum unit easily. In fact the ipad can power the whole show for a few hours. Tonex is a real game changer for me now. I am sold on it.
I think it will be Neural Amp Modeler that is going to be on top, Leo Gibson did quite some extensive testing and NAM beat all competition in terms of accuracy of replicating the original tones, it's also free and open source and products are coming out so you can stick it on your pedal board like MOD Dwarf.
Ik Multimedia has a real opportunity here to come up with a bigger pedalboard that doesn't just represent Tonex + effects, but Tonex + Amplitube within a pedalboard at
I think a "ToneX Pro" is likely, and perhaps even at the price point you mention. I also think there's no way by the time you're done buying profile packs and effects packs that you'd be spending at least as much if not more on a Helix/Fractal/Neural/Fender/Kemper/BluGuitar/etc. Interesting concept though.
After the success of the tonex I'd be really surprised if they don't. That might even have been the plan from the beginning. Get everyone to buy this because it's cheap, people discover how good the tone is, and then release a bigger version that will get everyone to buy a second product.
I have recently gotten the Tonex One and paired it with a GFI Enieqma. It's game changing and the both of them together are like less than half the price. Tons of makers out the doing captures, it's just hard to beat.
Great video ! Make a video tonex with HX in the send/return as amp
Just picked up a tonex one yesterday and that's how I'm running it. I also started making captures of my go to amps in the HX stomp (the badonk and vitriol) as backups in case anything goes wrong with my stomp. I haven't noticed any added latency or noise issues in the loop and the captures have been spot on with the advanced training.
@@IfSwineFlu thanks cool
I use a Kemper for recording atr home . I have struggled to get a decent soundfrom it despite changing speakers , audio interfaces etc Have found some rigs that I really like to use but that has been as a result of buying a lot of sows ears that I struggled to turn into any form of 'purse'. Have settled with the rigs I like and no longer chase and buy new rigs that sound great in the reviews on You Tube along with the 'examples the record on a lot of sites. But found what I hear on the sites and you tube is not what comes out of my kemper.. Thinking about trading for an Audio Ox Box or something similar. Might have another look at Tone X again.. Love your playing sir.
DImehead put that amazing NAM into a pedal and I bought it recently. It's as basic as that Tone X stuff and I had exactly your thoughts: Kemper offering the all in one solution with good effects, proper UI, and in a sturdy housing is what made them become an industry standard. This road-worthy package is what I'm missing from IKM and Dimehead. However, the latter is relatively new to the capturing/profiling world, so it's very understandable if it'll take a bit of time.
100% agree on the Tonex gap with all-in-one. I have a hunch that IK's strategy is to go down market first to democratize profiling. I suspect the all-in-one is next. To me, Kemper is the Windows XP of profiling. Solid in its day, but getting a bit dated now.
What it sounds like through a PA system is that's all that matters, that's why so many big touring bands are still using Kempers.
What guitarists do at home is irrelevant.
Kemper made a good product and have supported it forever.
IK Multimedia’s goal is to sell you as many bonuses after the initial product as they possibly can, which tells me once they can’t sell anymore they’ll drop the unit for a new one.
I very much hope companies like Kemper stay on top.
I would really like to see them do a ToneX with the other things in it .. But, even as it is, I think the fact that you can't simultaneously get with&without-IR signals out is a problem. I know of 2 professionals who have bought other devices because of that limitation. And it's something that the HX Stomp, GTKcore and most other things can do.
Also, if they built a power amp into it so it was an alternative to the BluGuitar Amp-N and Blackstar Amped-N devices, I think it would find much more traction (for the same reason).
And finally, it _really_ needs an FX loop if it's going to go that route ..
Shame .. so nearly there ..
I'm still happily rocking an AXE-FX II...still sounds great! May pick up a QC or something but just to play around with. I'm still SUPER happy with my AXE-FX and the few Neural plugins I have. But that's just me.
Tonex is definitely taking over for many reasons. I think two that come to mind are:
1. They are focusing on most guitar players today
2. They are providing software to use Tonex tones beyond just the pedal
It’s a smart way to capture the market. Many players have tonex on their board even alongside full size Helix devices so there’s a clue for ya. I’ve yet to see Kemper’s Player Profiler on boards. Rarely see them anywhere and technically offers more than the smaller Tonex pedals or even the bigger one. I think Kemper got too comfortable with their place at the top and will struggle to catch up as their competition has opened up an array of new products.
Awesome video! Do you have any captures available?
I do think one of the strengths of items like helix, kemper and fractal that I think currently make them more viable for some users is the ins and outs.
There’s a lot that Kemper does in my right (outside of the effects). And that’s one reason I won’t be moving over.
But not everyone needs that stuff. They’re both obviously great sounding.
I think the modular idea of IK is actually a format that may stick around longer. As guitarists how often are switching out pedals?
Love my all in one Kemper Stage. Simple quick and pro tones with pro effects... Get asked all the time about my rig after shows..
I found the Kemper simpler and easier to get a nice sound out of, but I wasn't ever looking for it to emulate a particular amp. It was just about good tones.
Affordability and more competition really feels like Kemper is going to have a tough ride in keeping consumers buying their product.
The $99.00 ToneX amp packs is a total put off.
You can buy excellent profile packs of most amps starting at 3.99 Euros from Guido Bungenstock, etc.
And they need usb port, i have friends who play all over the world and they don't have even Kemper with them, they have just USB stick that they stick to the Kemper on stage and voil'a, their rig is on Kemper.
I recently got the full sized TONEX pedal to augment my Helix.
Similarly I'm using either Helix Native or Amplitube/TONEX plugins in the box.
I still go to my Nembrini plugins and the Laney/Aurora DSP IRT.
Just very recently took a chance and updated Guitar Rig to ver7, mainly for the accessible looper, but to be fair their amps are sounding better in ver7 as well.
Comes down to price, portability, and form factor. Kemper is like the refrigerator racks of the 80s, where Tonex is a modern day pedal.
having compared Kemper and fractal, I went for Axe Fx III as it had more and had more YT people and vibrant community. Tonex one is size wise, plus what they give you good value for my board. I also like the idea of captures of captures. I go solid state in Thailand as valve amps are less durable. I have played with Mooer Prime P1 and Nux Mighty Air. All very low price. Tonex are allowing the increase in choice with its own community at a low entry price. Could it allow me to sell my Fractal, if it has comparable models and irs sure it could. Just like I downsized my expensive board with fractal will Tonex allow me to downsize the Fractal. Time will tell, especially as my amps will be Katana I and Katana artist gen 3. So this is true for kemper too 😅😅
Lucky for those that will be buying kempers at a discount in the future. There are profiles of pretty much every amp out there and it still sounds absolutely killer in 2024. I don't see myself ever selling mine. The CZcams gear review rabbit hole throws contentment out of the window, it's easy for someone that gets all of this great equipment for free to spend hours and hours comparing every nitpicky detail but it's up to the viewers to keep that in mind and really focus on what matters - make good music with what you have. If you already have a Kemper and you are not making killer sounds, it's not the Kemper's fault.
First to adopt technology is always expensive and a very bad value proposition.
Kemper is vastly overpriced compared to every other option available today, however like you stated it is completely irrelevant in the same way that a $3,000 is a horrible value proposition compared to a perfectly fine $1000 guitar (or whatever).
To reinforce what you also said or implied-everyone just needs to make music and not get caught up in GAS (although infomercials like this video and all the CZcams gear infomercials make it difficult to resist)
The Tonex does sound slightly more detailed than the Kemper when using proper tone models, but in a band context, absolutely nobody will ever hear a difference. While I do like the Tonex a lot (and use it in the loop of a Stomp XL which works great), I still prefer the Kemper Stage for gigging. Reasons: Less latency compared to running the Tonex through repetitive DA/AD conversions, great reverbs, delays, and drives built-in, far far easier to edit live on the system (the Tonex librarian is a nightmare), no need for a separate Midi switcher to make good use, far far superior tweak-ability (clean and distorted portions of the sound, clarity, sag, definition, pick sensitivity, etc. ad lib), far far easier to create setlists (performances) which are matched in volume (on the Kemper basically all profiles have the same volume, and volume and gain are completely independent, on the Tonex even models in the same collection have humongous volume differences), SPDIF out for zero-latency monitoring through a proper interface or AD converter, support for 48 and 96 kHz, re-amping support, wireless editing, perfect integration with Kemper cabs, morphing feature, global EQ settings for each output including proper high and low cut... While I do understand part of the hype, those saying the Kemper is a dinosaur or outdated, have no idea what they are talking about. It is a far more complete and capable device, and for something built in Europe, the price is perfectly ok.
I love running Boss MT-2 Metal Zone models into the Dumble Overdrive Special models ... so tasty
If I hadn’t spent 20 years collecting amps then I’d be all over this stuff
Yeah, but the older you get, the less able you are to carry them! This stuff sounds like all your amps and well, the times they are a changin'!
I’m there with you man. Except I have 15 years on you. I still want one though. Haha. I may just do it soon.
I think the Kemper toaster / rack still wins on many fronts with the immediate ability to dial things in and save there and then, Rig manager is cool but I do wonder where they will go next.
On bang for the buck, gotta tip your cap to Tonex. Pretty darn amazing for little $$.
All I know is that my Tonex pedal in conjunction with my Helix LT and Powecabs sounds extraordinary. I am currently in Tone Nirvana.
I will say this, my favorite amp of all is still the Helix Litigator followed by my Tonex 2Rock and Tonex Z-Wreck.
02:50 sold me
Man I tried both tonex’s and could not get a good sound out of it. Idk if I was doing something wrong but I was a long time Kemper user and never had an issue. I’ve also used every other modeler under the sun and could figure those out.
Has anyone else noticed that your basic amp tone isn't really all that amazing until you add your wet effects at the end? I can see how the Tonex could really be a great option.
What in God's Great Green Earth is the Guitar Brand and Model are you playing?... I have run into your platform for the first time just this few days via CZcams, First and foremost that Seared My First Impression: You are a Hell of a Guitar Player, even while your programs seems to focus on Specs and Info about Guitars, Gear and Amps, The greatest impression was on your Chords Progressions and Guitar Soloing expertise, almost Genius on what he puts into his Licks, way yet beyond his Chords, Accuracy and Spreed!...Simply Amazing!!!
I think it's a smart move by IK to get people in the door and incorporating their ecosystem into existing rigs at an entry level price and tech point before releasing a flagship model. Once they do release a flagship model, there will be much less apprehension about the quality of tones and hardware that all of the other companies have dealt with at launch. If they could keep MSRP at or below $1000 then they will absolutely dominate the market.
Like, if Tonex captured J Mascis’ rig, I would probably by Tonex tomorrow.
I guess by "top spot", we mean amp capture devices. I see a lot of Helix, Fractal, and Quad Cortex everywhere. I rarely see a Kemper in the wild these last few years.
kemper lost a ton of would-be customers, like myself, into their ecosystem when we were all on a 4 month waiting list leading up to summer gigs. Many of us just bought the tonex One or full pedal. Now that I’ve purchased (the required) captures, I’m in it. Plus, we now see, through scientific online tests, the IK captures are more accurate granted the creator knows what they’re doing with input level/processing.
oddly enough, as an active pro in wedding/top-40 bands, IK do a horrendous job capturing on their own device. They all seem to have a rumble in low end that the “depth” control isn’t sufficient to get rid of. The only captures that have worked for me (been through a ton) are those from Amalgam, SSD, and even then, only the direct captures. Add to that, Everyone’s IRs are ok in isolation, I suppose, but just don’t have the eq footprint for a band. (boxy, rumble, honky, etc). I have to use amalgam with ML MOFO cab. It’s the only thing that works for me. Note: Studio Rats matchless clean is amazing, but falls apart with pedals in front due to, again, IR quality. Cabs just don’t sound good (less impact on clean amps; less at least).
anyway, IK could have REALLY nailed the Joe Dumble pack, but IMO, failed for pro use. Brent Mason, a trusted GUITARIST - GIGGING PRO, was highly involved/invested into his captures/packs. It takes a versatile, active gigging PRO to create captures with the most technically knowledgeable engineer. He is STILL kemper’s biggest selling point. but hey 🤷🏻♂️ they couldn’t move product down lines of distribution.
Jeeebus the harmonics around 01:00, I've repeated it 10 times now
I'm pretty sure Tonx already did
anyone else having a problem with tonex one making high pitched digital noice no matter the noise gate settings? or is my unit just bust?
I picked up the full sized and Tonex One pedals, they're really awesome. I gotta say though, if I paid $250k for a Dumble ODS, I'd be really upset! I mean, they're OK, but there are so many better amps.
ik multimedia could do 4 mini pedal versions of their x pedals
Raw amp tones, arguably the single most important aspect of Kemper ecosystem, has been surpassed by several companies, with prices that are much more competitive. Kemper has become a grandpa.
I've had my Tonex for almost a year now and I love it BUT...I still think the software is a mess. To download captures, then tweak them, then save them, then load them into a preset, then to transfer to the pedal is a joke. It should be load into pedal, tweak, save. DONE! The fact that so many people complain about the software and they only make it more bloated with each update is so irritating. That fact alone has me thinking Quad Cortex just so I can have great tone and effects in one pedal.
I am a former tonex pedal owner and I agree it is a fantastic piece of gear; whether it sounds good is irrelevant as it’s only as good as the captures you load into it. What I found to eventually dislike is the lack of additional features such as tuner, simple fx such as delay and maybe chorus…. And also the constant charging for new amps or packs of amps. Over time I felt I could spend more than the original cost of the pedal in constantly chasing new amp packs. I decided to sell on my tonex before I got too invested into it
Lots of amazing free captures to choose from on Tonenet. No need to waste money unnecessarily. A delay and a drive slot is what should have been included, though.
I dont like these digital effects or amps. Still love the analog effect pedals and tube amps. They are the best.
i work on live gigs and kempers disappear through a dense mix, so your solo is not even heard .they always have some weird inherent compression and they lack presence, once you know that sound you can always spot it,most guitar players are using the same few presets by michael britt that work so they sound the same...kemper is history tonex is on the right path but all modelers suffer from the same issues, for me the friedman ir d looks like an improvement over all the modelers if you have to go direct since it has a real tube preamp section which is the most important part.
If I were to spend silly money on another modeller, it would be a Fractal.
It will tbh , I have a fender twin here, a two rock and also a lot of amp Sims, the tone X is absolutely the real deal, it's making me question why do I keep my boutique amps , the paid for packs sound phenomenal and 90% to my real amps after mic 🎤 them up .
Scary
Fwiw, I'm struggling to see any compelling reason to buy a Kemper (used or new) in 2024. What do I run? Tonex One in the loop of a FM9.
ToneX will only take over if the people that profile with kemper and QC also want to use this system and if IK is able to organize their app.
I don't own a ToneX but, from what i've heard, it's a bit of a mess.
There is ENDLESS absolutely ENDLESS pro musicians that have profiled their amps in STUDIOS. That offer their profiles for a whole heck of a lot cheaper than $99.00 really?🤔 seems like people just don’t get Kemper. I mean they come up with endless FREE updates such as liquid profiling and it’s extremely great. It’s supposedly what everyone was wanting but while liquid profiles are available on a large scale it’s kinda hush. So all the CZcamsr recommending that l buy a $179 or $399 unit then buy multiple pedals for the front and expensive modulation effect for after the unit knowing that the CZcamsrs will be tempting my wallet with a latest greatest drive pedal and modulation effect within 3-6 months. I really enjoy when l see 2 tone x pedals on a board for multiple amps 😂🤣 l agree we live in wonderful times. We have so so many great units available to purchase and keep purchasing. 😂🤣 pick a unit and rock it.
My Kemper is the all in one unit for me.
Second half of the performance was a little crazy…you taking steroids John? 🤨
there's a NAM loader peedal now, no reason to keep messing with IK's awful customer experience now.
It’s brave you think Kemper is in the top spot to begin with. It’s not 2010 anymore bro.
In the touring world it still is. Every hire house has one and you can pretty much tour with just your USB stick and get one in at each venue. As for the bedroom guitar market, they dominate in terms of number of quality captures commercially available.
(I still have a Kemper, but have switched to ToneX)
@@jamesbennettmusic2154 that’s not what I’m hearing in the guitar world forums
@@jamesbennettmusic2154 I've been to hundreds of concerts. Never seen Kemper on stage. Not once.