Using Kemper with the Helix

[ZSchneidi]

I too think in a live situation it would be a total waste to carry the kemper with me.

Thats why I would like to have it just for me and maybe recording purpose.

 

I might do it the same way i did it with the helix. Maybe get one and test it for a couple

of week and if it can't convince me just send it back.

 

Yesterday i tried to improve my Mark IV sound and its pretty exhausting.

Took me at least 2 hours and trying several different IRs and setups to come to a point where

i just switched to my current preset and think "yeah I guess I will just stick to that one".

 

There are just some things the Helix can't provide.

[DunedinDragon]

I too think in a live situation it would be a total waste to carry the kemper with me.

Thats why I would like to have it just for me and maybe recording purpose.

 

I might do it the same way i did it with the helix. Maybe get one and test it for a couple

of week and if it can't convince me just send it back.

 

Yesterday i tried to improve my Mark IV sound and its pretty exhausting.

Took me at least 2 hours and trying several different IRs and setups to come to a point where

i just switched to my current preset and think "yeah I guess I will just stick to that one".

 

There are just some things the Helix can't provide.

 

 

Did you tweak Bias, BiasX, Sag, etc?  Did you try parallel IRs with an adjustable split?  Did you try using a parallel room IR with an adjustable split?

 

Maybe it's not that Helix can't provide it, but your lack of experience can't provide it yet...

[ZSchneidi]

Did you tweak Bias, BiasX, Sag, etc?  Did you try parallel IRs with an adjustable split?  Did you try using a parallel room IR with an adjustable split?

 

Maybe it's not that Helix can't provide it, but your lack of experience can't provide it yet...

 

 

Believe me i tried EVERYTHING possible.

 

I have the Mark IV amp block  to a splitter to 2 parallel IRs otherwise i wouldn't even come close to anything usable.

I tried various different IRs with different mics and positions, different speakers etc. I tried like 40-50 different IRs

from ownhammer. Hard to find the ones I needed. I found some that sounded good and used them dialed them

via splitter to sound pleasant. I set two EQs behind the IRs after recombining them. One parametric to sculpt the Q on specific frequencies.

Because that characteristic is one big point im missing. Took me at least half an hour to dial in only the Q. Because its so

subtle. I needed to fine tune the amp over all the Bias, Sag etc. I tried every possible setting. Even run the whole patch through a

frequency analyzer in my DAW to see where I'm lacking.

 

So in terms of tone I really did everything the Helix has to offer I believe.

I don't put an amp and a random cab into my patch and expect it to sound good and come here to complain.

 

As i said before I'm not a tone engineer i have limited knowledge. But I have 15 years of experimenting behind me and know

one or two things ;)

 

So I think I can say the Helix offers extreme potential to sculpt the sound of an amp model for sure.

But all this has limits.

 

I guess we all can agree that every amp out there has its own sound. So if I want that Mark V kinda sound I won't ever get it

from a Mark IV amp right ? I heard matched Mark IV models on the Fractal that were matched against a Mark V and the

result was stunning. But thats the point without this matching I have no chance to get there. The only way I know that would

give me the result I want was to take an actual Mark V which I don't have (obviously) and create my own specific IR to use it

in my patch..

 

Ola Englund did that with a IIC+ IR on the Helix and the result was quiet good.

But I won't be able to do that thats the whole point here. I have not enough knowledge to do something like this.

And not the equipment.