Any Kemper users on here?

[Embenny]

If you are studio-literate, you can absolutely profile your own amps. My experience has been that most dissatisfaction comes from people who want "in the room" amp tone. What you get is "mic'd up and fed through monitors" tone. For someone used to using in-ears, or working in a studio, this is a non-issue. After all, that's the tone the audience hears (can't remember the last gig I did where the guitar amp's speakers were responsible for filling the room).

I've locked in to my favourite profiles, and it's like taking 2-3 reliable tube amps that are being mic'd by the same tech in the exact same dialed-in spot on the speaker every time. Every engineer and studio musician I have met has been in love with it. At band rehearsals, it's a mixed reception. Anyone used to hearing monitored/mic'd amps loves it; anyone who lugs around a 4x12 because they want their jeans flapping from the wind and is used to listening off-axis to giant speakers in the room is unimpressed.

Conclusion: it's the real deal. Throw it through a poweramp and cab if you want the in-the-room experience (with speaker sim disabled) or send it to a PA/in-ears/FRFR cab if that's how you like to work. I still love tube amps and play with them for fun when I have the chance, but my portability and flexibility with the Kemper are just ridiculous. I can't go back.