Neural DSP Quad Cortex | Kemper Profiler Stage | HX Stomp | AXE FX III - Comparison (no talking)

[@GuitarBonedo]

Subscribe: bit.ly/GuitarBonedoSub Article: bit.ly/Quad-Cortex-vs-HX-Stomp-vs-Kemper-vs-AXE-FX-III-comparison Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/guitar.bonedo/

[@MrTyphoontyphoon]

but the AXE FX is to to sold on thomann ? awkward

[@Burkhimself]

All this shows is that the technology is here now. Most in the audience will not be able to tell the difference between any of these vs the real amps. Great time to be alive and playing guitar…..

[@dougsteeleguitar]

Perfectly conveyed. The world has a tin ear anyway.

[@PHeMoX]

Actually, 99% of that is due to how this 'test' is done though. This wasn't live play into all these devices. This is just a demo track they ran through it, like a speaker. Don't get me wrong, it'll never be exactly the same in how it should respond when playing through a real amp, however modelling tech has gotten good enough to a point of it barely making a real difference. But I still think the test is kind of dumb when all you do is run a recorded track through it. I see this a lot on large music gear websites online and it is literally the most worthless way of showing how something sounds. It's never going to be representative.

[@KingKong-mp6gj]

@@PHeMoX They don't run the full track through it but the prerecorded DI-signal of the guitar, which makes things comparable and should be done by more reviewers imo. The backing track is added on top of that and it would be better without it but bonedo is more for musicians than for guitar and amp snobs i guess.

[@marcelopescuma]

I'm a Kemper owner and to me all sound really fantastic! I can understand people mentioning the pros and cons of having one or another (form factor, price, size, inputs/outputs) etc, go with what best suits your needs (and wallet)... really great to be a guitarist these days!

[@fletmok3548]

I get paralysis from all the options available lol

[@Utubewrk123]

@@fletmok3548 I end up using the same 3 sounds. It’s too many options for me too. Unless I want to sit there for hrs and go through them, tweak them and they sound different the next day anyway. And add in an overdrive pedal.

[@orbithesun1]

‘really great to be guitarist these days” only for gear manufacturers. The public can give two craps for guitar music these days.

[@sacredgeometry]

@@fletmok3548 Then dont go for the axe fx. I get paralysis from not having options when I am trying to do sound design.

[@fletmok3548]

@@sacredgeometry But you wouldn’t though as you’d have no option but to play the sound you are left with 😎

[@guillaumemarchand4557]

I own the QC, but IMO in this test the HXStomp wins, not because its the best, but because its holding up to gear that sells 2-4 time its price!!!

[@ariraphiel39]

exactly

[@Brekdiaz]

Exactly my impression before reading this comment.

[@TVoltG]

I sadly had to go through an all except the QC and ultimately kept the Line 6 HXStomp. Have since bought a Helix Rack and Board because of how good they are. All of them were good I fell for the Helix use and tones.

[@Utubewrk123]

@@TVoltG did you get the QC or not? Or you got it and returned it because I don’t need another modeler or profiler. I love my amps and I worked hard for them and I’m a big pedal addict. But tbh the size and the screen of the QC is what I wish came out first. I can’t keep spending and spending on every new piece of gear. I have #gas. I love buying gear but tbh I play for hrs with amps and really use just one pedal. Distortion, overdrive or fuzz. Maybe a compressor for funk. That’s it. Clean, crunch and high gain. I don’t like modulation. I have a modeler that’s overlooked and sounds and feels like a great amp. The Yamaha double hd100 new at $800. Plug in and play. No need for a computer just play through your guitar cabinet. That’s what I use anyway with the Kemper and helix but I have to add an overdrive to help with sound and feel and tweak it. It’s never fully satisfying. Oh ok I’m half asleep I just re-read your post. You skipped buying the QC. I passed on mine but it will be coming up again in a few months and I don’t know what to do. If I get it the helix and it’s a brand new floorboard in space Gray will be sold and some pedals.

[@TVoltG]

@@Utubewrk123 it's the curse of the net. Everything is the new must haves. Lol. I am 2 years now with my Helix setup. I have no urge for anything else. I had a bunch of pedals and such incorporated with it when I first started with it. I am down now to a CAE wah and that's it. I actually enjoy the internal fuzz's, overdrives, delays, etc.. I run it all with tube power. I didn't get into the Helix for me to go compact. I run it using the preamps amp models straight into my two old JCM2000 DSL 100 heads, into 3 412 cabs as a wet/dry rig. I run the power on both heads around 5 which is loud and control the overall loudness with the Helix. From late night quiet tones to full on gig volumes are there and sound great at any volume. I have found my main "amp" tones using the REVV Blue in the Helix. But have love for about 9 other in there as well and have some setup for some different flavors. I also have a dedicated clean setup with a couple snaps. I have snapshots from from lower gains to higher gain sounds to lead. Like I said, I am happy with the internal effects and overdrives. I don't overthink this. I use the Helix like a "real" preamp and I adjust my Marshall clean side tones to make the preamps tones shine. It's perfect for me. My other guitarist I play with is now using almost the same setup now as me using an old Marshall JCM2000 and a newer JVM 50 watt. I try to stay off the new things being pimped out now. I am happy with all my setup has to offer. Good night and good luck on your quest.

[@heikkileppanen9605]

For me the guitar player here wins, excellent playing! QC is going to be great...

[@Michael-pm1tq]

To my ears I like the Kemper the best, it has a really satisfying natural tone without getting too muddy. The Fractal is a close second with it's more hifi approach, but the range of effects and processing power is worth the consideration to buy it over the Kemper. The HX Stomp is fantastic option for the price and can even be an interim while you save up for the other units. The QC has a whole lot of potential but it's not quite there yet with the current firmware.

[@sacredgeometry]

Agreed although I would say that the difference could easily be narrowed if you spent the time to. That and the axe has a suite of accurately modelled effects that go with the amps which the kemper falls shorter on. With the kemper it's like you have a hyper accurate snapshot and as you move away from the default position the less and less it sounds like the amp. Where as the Axe sounds reasonably consistently accurate across all of its settings. Thats the main reason I went axefx instead of Kemper even though I have long been an Access advocate. Either way if price isn't an issue and you want accuracy out of the box with no faff go Kemper, if you want accuracy and want to dial in your sound go Axe, if you are on a smaller budget go HX. I cant see any legitimate reason to go QC yet unless you are into the interface. It seems a bit lacking compared to everything else especially when you factor in cost. Also... what gigging musician wants to deal with a capacitive touch screen on their device? That sounds like a literal nightmare.

[@542magoo]

TOTALLY AGREE 100%

[@mlewmisc]

Keep in mind the IR used plays a huge role in the sound (just like a speaker does for a real amp). I have an HX stomp and using Celestion IR’s vastly improves the sound over the stock cabs imo. For this reason, the hx stomp is an incredible value.

[@DominiqueHeine]

Absolutely. People underestimate how big of an impact everything after the actual amp has on the overall sound. (Speaker, cabinet materials/construction/dimensions, mic, mic placement)

[@Jaredt771]

This was extremely well done. Fantastic playing and such a great way to test and compare these units. HX Stomp is impressive for holding up, but I was most impressed by the QC followed by the AXE FX III. The Kemper has this plastic thing to the attack of the note and I remember feeling that way when I had one as well. Once again, thank you for this and well done!

[@kcussrebutuemos4815]

Add a real pedal like an overdrive etc. in the front. They all need help with feel and sound. Just my opinion.

[@jhn7971]

@@kcussrebutuemos4815 Yeah, tube amps they are not. Great for getting a great “sound alike” but not “feels like”...

[@adgtr]

perfeito

[@OnePercentersDotNet]

Every one of them sounded great and with some tweaks to the EQ could have been made to sound exactly like each other. Goes to show that you can focus on the price and specific features that you think are important and know you'll get great sound no matter which unit you select. Like another said, this is a great time to be a guitarist!

[@gauravlama2079]

Each modeler sounds fantastic.

[@midiot777]

First let me say that they all sounded great. But having played thru all of these amps, with the exception of the Freidman, in the studio, I have to give an edge in realism to the Kemper. Great comparison. Thanks from Vegas.

[@dustsculpture]

If you're good you can play music on anything. Gear doesn't matter anymore.

[@Utubewrk123]

True but starting at 14 I had unplayable gear. It’s a miracle I stuck with it. But I do believe you only get better gear when you get better. When you deserve it. But I could limbo under my first guitar’s action. The second one was electric. I saw SRV on tv. I was a a kid and working and bought a horrible peavey patriot and a 15 watt crate amp that broke. Still stuck with it. Finally, got a fender American standard from it turns out the same guitar store Seymour Duncan got his start many yrs earlier. He would wind pick ups on an old record player. I still have it and waiting to sell it. It’s an 88 bought new from the factory so it’s an 89 but I use guitars with humbuckers these days. I never gelled with the strat at that time. I couldn’t get the gain out of those particular pick ups. Great guitar though. Looks mint.

[@heliopentagnaguimaraesneto7548]

Gear doesn’t matter, talent doesn’t matter, hard work, skills, nothing matters. The cult of mediocrity.

[@rflessati]

Kemper is awesome. Thx for sharing the settings you used on the profiles.

[@peterdentremont7296]

Well I own a kemper stage bought it about a year and a half ago. I was worried about the QC never really liked the line6 my dad has a helix and I sold lots of pods back in the day. This video confirmed I made the right decision. I was worried about the QC but still think the kemper is way better. I wish I had a few of the QC features but am happy. If I played modern metal more than occasionally I would would lean axeFX or Line6 but for a broader edge of breakup tone and for dynamics the Kemper is King!

[@painterofwords5761]

I don't know nuthin about nuthin but just buy them all. Record a track of each and get over it already. We used to complain that Fender didn't sound like Marshall which didn't sound like Vox so we just had to use use all of them and be happy with that. now we can be happy we have all the best options ;)

[@joanesinu]

The Axe FXIII has the edge over the others. I had a kemper and sold it, now I have a real amp with Line6 HX effects.

[@guitarlohk]

They all sound good to me! So the choice will be based on cost (HX Stomp) and portability (HX Stomp and QC).

[@mingury]

I have owned all but Quad Cortex, Helix Stomp is quite amazing for the price and holds up against others very well. Surely with good IRs and eq it can match others. Quad Cortex sounded best on this video to me.

[@Allann882]

Or maybe the marketing

[@harumann]

They all sound great. The Axe-FX III is outstanding, specially on the high frequencies. I would take any small box for easy portability, and the Axe-FX III, without any doubt, for studio and serious gigs.

[@doriangrey4392]

agreed while gently cuddling my FX3. Yes, I am biased.

[@henrikhenriksson9004]

Axe fx 3 all the way! So much air and sparkle

[@DavidSL2H]

Amazing test, i liked better the Axe in all samples, conversely the Line 6 less, but for the price is a no brainer, it sounded great anyway. QC and Kemper were second and third depending on the clip . I wonder if the impulse selection was the same as it is a great part of the final outcome of the modelling. Thanks for this great work.

[@felipealonso8409]

I'm proud owner of an HX stomp since this last pandemic year. I've been all tubes and analog type of player, but decided to open up and I compared and read as much I could before buying. If you know your sound, you'll have no problems dialing it in. IR's are 70% of how it will open up. Mostly interested in getting AXE FX 3 now, due to all the routing capabilities.

[@boleofficial9291]

All great units,but to my ears, Kemper is still the more natural (as a real amp behaves). Cortex is the youngest,but i thing with the next update....cortex will be far better than others. Well done,id like to hear the same but without bass and drum. Anyway ,one of best comparison videos for sure. Cheers

[@HiredGoonage]

agree with what you said except "cortex will be far better than others". How so?

[@boleofficial9291]

@@HiredGoonage hi,man- i said that just because on a video i already noticed than its head to head to kemper. I owned fractal ax8,and line 6 hx,and they are booth great units,but to my ears kemper sounded more realistic if compared with the real amps- Honestly,i didnt expect,but in a matter of tone capturing,cortex is already better then fractal or line 6. That doesnt mean than fractal or line 6 are bad units. Depends what you play and what you expect from them. To me,the most important part is a substitution of a real amp,with some preamp option able to give me the closest sound possibile. I m usin ethos overdrive for that now...and im pretty satisfied.cheers

[@ariraphiel39]

Axe III - The most consistent, Kemper - Sounds the most alive/real, HX Stomp - hung with all competitors, QC - Kinda flat, I think Neural Captures wouldve sounded better than the modeled amps

[@liedgitarrist]

That is absolutely true!

[@vonbleak101]

Man i know there are big differences in terms of functions/features, but in terms of pure tone they are all really close and more the point they all sound great... Man that HX Stomp really holds its own for raw tone againt the big boys...

[@METALHAWK]

To me, the Axe was quite impressive. Kemper also is outstanding (little bit more open and organic than QC), then the HX.

[@fredyliechti7105]

Well done! They all sound great, considering the price HX Stomp is all you need.

[@mojohead7954]

Kemper still holds up fantasticly being 10 years old. Yes, I know it is a profiler not an amp modeler.

[@mjjura]

Honestly, after hearing this and many other examples through my studio monitors and hedphones, I am certain there is no need to spend a dime more than Line6 HX. Maybe the playing feel is better elsewhere, but those who strive for that should use real amps. To my trained ears, AXE FX sounded most artificially polished, while Line6 sounded most like a good mixed guitar, except maybe on VOX 30 where quad was a bit more chewy. But the difference is neglidgable, and change of speaker IR would make more difference than upgrade in processing. Not worth it. I own Strymon Iridium, BTW.

[@sona3486]

Clearly you’ve never played an Axe FX III...

[@dougnulton]

Loved the “copyright friendly” rendition of Everlong for the Friedman models lol.

[@roflagain1]

Look at the list of artists who uses each of the products. These are the experts that put the product to the test in their studio or live environment. Real world use leads the top guitar players to lean toward the best product. Ignore the fanboys and those with overly emotional opinions. See who actually uses the products in a professional environment. You’ll see who the winner is…clearly.

[@notalkguitarampplug-insrev784]

To me AxeFxIII and Kemper are both the best sounding. In a different way. Kemper more organic, more realistic of all BUT AxeFxIII sounds sometimes better than a real amp. Then HX stomp is very impressive for its price, and last QC. It’s flat,

[@ariraphiel39]

This is my EXACT thoughts. Literally word for word my same thoughts

[@TraceTaylor3]

Hard to pick a winner but the line 6 to me sounded by far the worst. I’ve had several line 6 units including a helix and they always seem to have that digital grind that you just cannot get rid of in that unit. I have not owned a quad cortex but I I do have a kemper rack and a fm3. You can just about get any sound you’re after out of these two units and I love to tweak but I can never tweak out that digital grind in any product by Line 6.

[@chrisallen6010]

That's interesting. I own none of them and thought the Kemper sounded the worse, QC the best with Axe and Stomp in a toss up. We could both use the same equipment and end up with a completely different opinion on what sounded best. It matters not, my playing will always be outdone by the quality and flexibility of these products.

[@DoctorMcFarlandStudios]

In the mix they all sound like real amps to me. They are all just tools for tone creation. The playing really shines in this video and matters more to me than the tone sometimes.

[@rdpete]

Just going off sound impressions, not total capabilities or price point 1. Kemper - Sounds like an amp in the room, record ready. It does have something in the midrange missing though, and some flatness to it. 2. AXIII - still sounds digital :( but really good digital 3. Quad Cortex (recently canceled pre-order) - Has the speaker pushing air "woof", but the high end just sounds fake, a step above Boss GT. 4. HX - Sounds thin. Im sure with an IR that could change quickly. In some of these examples, I liked the HX more than the QC. I currently own none of these, but in the market... again... if I had to choose, Kemper

[@kcussrebutuemos4815]

I canceled the quad cortex too. I end up with my amp and pedals anyway. Helix and Kemper will always be a tweaker’s delight. I plug into a great amp and a great pedal and play for hrs.

[@rdpete]

Coming back 6 months later, just save your money and get the HX Stomp ;)

[@Niksounds]

On plexy and ac30 quad cortex is outstanding

[@Yekzelf]

Axe-Fx because in each clip it has that raw realistic edge which sets it apart from the others.

[@bradhill935]

as the gain increased you could hear the Line 6 start to fall behind, but behind enuff to warrant the $ difference? a good EQ would make a big difference & help the line6 get there...all the others are great & are close to the real deal

[@kmw5100]

As a Helix owner and having never for a moment been unhappy with my tones. I think it's time I get a quad cortex. I'm absolutely blown away. There's something about the high end harmonic content that it just gets right. The kemper as usual seems to be missing all of it outright, the helix way overcompensates in the high end harshness by trying to capture some of that top end sparkle of a real amp, and the axe fx is somewhere in the middle of those two. The quad cortex just nails it. Impressive.

[@AaronNGBnTech]

The real winner here is the hx stomp sounding at least 95% as good than those monsters for $600 usd

[@SB-nt9fp]

All of these prove to me that I made the right choice getting rid of all my amps, foot pedals, and rack effects and going with AxeFX (would be happy with a few of these frankly). And I had some classics that went for big $$$. Don't miss them for a second. Great time to be playing guitar.

[@BaselineHypocrite]

As a QC and HX Stomp owner, these tools are all super capable. This video was really well done. My main takeaway - which I understand is 100% subjective, and influenced by my personal preference, the device settings in the video, the device I’m listening on, and a multitude of other factors - is that the Kemper seemed to always sound more open when following the QC. Like more natural breathing if that makes sense. Then things boxed up a bit and seem like more of a Kung fu grip on the sound when transitioning to Stomp. Just, overall liked the noise from the Kemper in this comparison.

[@maseratination]

I experienced exactly the same as you described, but still buying the FM9 because I love all the effects and have no intentions of keeping any pedals.

[@ovoono3050]

Axe Fx for me! It really captures the character of the amps. None of them sound bad, but Axe is a level above to my ear.

[@AnthonyBencomo]

You’re wrong. Your opinions don’t matter. Quad cortex wins. Jk!

[@leonardofigueredo2913]

emm, no....

[@hydeane]

@@AnthonyBencomoNeither does your opinion!

[@makikogi]

Yes I like that one

[@8rk]

Honestly these would all work for me. I'm gonna go with the QC because I really love Neural DSP plugins and eventually those can be played through QC as well and I love their design in general. But yeah... My tube amps are gone now. 100% happy with tones modelers provide in 2021 and even prefer them to mic'ed tube amps in a lot of cases.

[@ejRecording]

Didn't know it'll do neural thanks

[@MikeyMike706]

I sold my Kemper for the Rev D20. The speaker is a Friedman ASC10. It was highly recommended and wow does it deliver. I hear the FM9 is stupendous. But honestly, everything here sounds great. Digital sound is really affordable considering how many amps and effects you can get from one unit.

[@Many141]

Hx has organic tone and feel. It feels like real amp and analog effects, specifically with IR. Its user friendly, small to carry, many possibilities to connect with other devices, And serious tone. Its amazing that it covers all kinds of music. I play jazz with it and people like it. I use it for Live and recordings. Dont have to suffer from devices. Away from the price, I’m satisfied with my choice.

[@mathieupelletier4392]

Axe III for me. The QC is close but Fractal effects are so much superior. Kemper still holds up... For the price, the HX stomp is also interesting!

[@jorgemm1000]

Axe has upgraded much its software, and that has helped it a lot.

[@user-zr5xy5pv8w]

1. Kemper 2. Axe fx 3. Quad cortex 4. Line 6 They all sounds really close in mix, juz a little bit diffrence in feel, dynamic and sounds. By the way, very good comparision. Good job.

[@MrTelecosta]

They all sound good, one amp model( or profile) might sound a bit better in one of the units but it’s all very close. If price is a concern the Hx stomp is a no brainer, if money isn’t a concern the Axe Fx for the sheer power and flexibility is a good choice also (the other two are algo great on their own). Everyone of them wins!

[@chikenoza]

QC sounds the best but HX Stomp holds up so well, this is amazing! Great video, thank you so so much!

[@denikarabenc]

I liked Kemper and the Fractal the most (except the clean). Is it the most close to the real amp? Dunno, and at this point I don't even care because this sounds amazing

[@ALIASZARDOZ]

Hey ! Nice work... Yessss... very huge and nice work. Honestly, all of those equipment are great sounds and it's very very very difficult to say : this one is the best. It's only question of tastes and colours. Great work chaps !!! It is a pleasure to listen to this video (and the other's of course) All my best. Phil from Dunkirk

[@jazzcat1056]

I,like the Kemper on each patch the best. There is an openness to it. My only hesitation in buying one is whether or not they are going to come out with something new.

[@flowwiththeblood]

Great video. All sounded great for high gain sound but for clean and low/mid gain, all struggle to sound not fake. I have Kemper Stage, Line 6 HX Stomp, AXE AX8 and can confirm.

[@RickHollis]

Great comparison, thank you. I liked the way the all important mids sat in the track with the Kemper on most of these.

[@AdamLangdon]

Came for the comparison, stayed for the playing. To my ears, the Quad sounds like the sound I hear in my head. I own a Stomp and love the tones I get, but man, did that sound great…

[@pambilia]

This is such a great comparison! I have been watching videos and reading reviews trying to decide which one to get, and now it has become even more difficult haha. To me all of them sound amazing! 🤷‍♂️

[@bille77]

But then it's a PERFECT no brainer sinxe the Helix is by far the cheapest.

[@Theliraan]

Oh my gosh, one of the best comparisons ever. Thanks for work!

[@shaynestilllife]

My preference in tone was Quad Cortex sounds crisp and clear on every example. Axe fx was almost as good. Then Helix and Kemper tied for this almost. I would lean toward helix a bit though.

[@Vingsworld]

Great video! It's between the AxeFX and the QC for me, but I think the QC just edges it with a bit more vibe / attitude. I've been thinking about getting one of the new AxeFX floor units, but now I don't know ^^

[@slickcross]

The Kemper wins for me. 2nd place is the Axe Effects.

[@bensavage8286]

What an awesome video, thanks for putting it together. I own a Helix and I love it. They all sound reasonably close, but for some reason the Kemper really stands out to me.

[@maseratination]

Bose BT Sport Earbuds: I enjoyed the sounds best in this order 1 Kemper 2 QC 3 Axe FX 4 HX Stomp Having said this my choice for my ever first multi-effects unit.is ......... 🥁 🥁 🥁 The Fractal FM9.

[@EricMarinko]

They all sound good, my preference landed on a different modeler in each case. Shout out to the HX Stomp for punching above it's weight class.

[@AmpAHolic-wn6mr]

Kemper, Quad, Axe, line 6. For those that can’t here a difference, congrats. Plan on saving a lot of cash.

[@Kouman]

hands down QC for the win! just WOW

[@ricklachaine5406]

First of all I want to say this is very well done, hats off to the individual that did this. I don't have any of these units as I'm satisfied using Amplitude 5 for recordings I do at home. Once you know the ins and outs of Amplitude it sounds killer. I no longer play live so I don't really care about what is best for live use. The thing to remember however with Amplitude ( or others similar ) is to have a good instrument input on audio interface ( not just the typical Hi-Z ) and to properly gain stage before going in to the DAW and then into the plug-in itself. All these units appear to be equally fantastic but if I returned to live playing I would get myself a low powered tube amp, a few quality pedals, and stick a mic on it. Many people spend way too much time tweaking these digital boxes instead of playing their guitar. Be an original, be an innovator. That's why we'll always remember EVH, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Hendrix, an so many others. I know some will roll their eyes but it's just my 2 cents.

[@Guttalaser]

What do you mean when you say "have a good instrument input on audio interface ( not just the typical Hi-Z )"... what kind of instrument input do you use to go into your DAW and Amplitube?

[@ricklachaine5406]

@@Guttalaser hello, I used to use a Steinberg Ur242 with an Hi-Z instrument input and now I use an Audient ID4. The instrument input on the Audient sounds WAY better and feels WAY better as well. Way more headroom on the input which also works better if your using hotter pickups. I use Duncan JB bridge and 59 neck on my guitar. The input on this interface feels more like an amp and Amplitude and others sound much better. I also use Waves PRS Supermodels, Studio Devil Pro, Waves GTR 3.5 and they all sound better with the Hi-Z input of the Audient.

[@Guttalaser]

@@ricklachaine5406 ok now make sense... it's an Hi-Z instrument inut anyway! Well, it sounds a bit better/fuller maybe because the Audient use a JFET D.I input... something like the J48 from Radial that is a Jensen active D.I.

[@ricklachaine5406]

@@Guttalaser hello, you're right about all you said. I meant the "hi-z" on the Audient sounded great. I started playing guitar at 12 and still play everyday at 61. Based on my experience the input on the Audient makes a difference that I feel and hear.

[@bits-bytes]

Wondered initially what you mean. What is in your opinion "the typical Hi-Z"? Depending on the price or brand of recording interface? My experience: the Hi-Z inputs of an UFX III are really great (as the transparent working mic inputs are). I am plugging my guitars into it and can send the guitar signal to everywhere, where I need it. a) to the amps (stereo setup of JCM900's), b) to VSTi, c) for reamping purposes. Pickups I am using: Gibson Classic 57 on different guitars (Les Paul, 335, ..) and Texas Specials on a Tele clone. Am also using the UFX III as parallel effect loop for the two Marshalls to insert external stereo FX (Lexicon PCM 81/91) 100% wet. A friend of mine told me he got ear fatigue when playing through the AXE FX. When listening through the sound examples the AXE FX III had more treble compared to eg QC. QC had some nice vibes in the Deluxe and Plexi demo. Kemper sounded in some demos more defined but was missing a certain "mojo". Lets put price aside (if you are hunting for excellent tone), in some demos the Helix sounded worse (kind of "smeary" distortion). From the feature set and from operational perspective (Rack/pedal solution) my choice would be AXE FX. But from other reviews I noticed that the operation of the software is not so nice and maybe too much parameters. Also 3 Rack Units is quite large, my rack would become too high. So ... I think I will try the QC for this reason. My $0.02 to this topic. But this is very subjective and depends maybe also how sensitive your ears are. I am currently only talking about what I hear ... how it is if I would play life ... thats possibly a different story. I think one would have to check side by side .. but it would be a huge amount of work to compare QC, Kemper and AXE FX III on your own and to compare it fair. Fantastic work has been done in this review. I think even the levels have been matched nicely. Applause!

[@bernardhossmoto]

Very, very good comparison. The more the gain goes up, the less you can hear subtle differences. Over all the clips the Neural and Line6 products sounded the best to me in this clip (Kemper the worst).

[@dannychane]

For me Helix. Not because it sounds the best. The deal breaker for me was Helix Native. You can play and dial your tone at home while leaving your rig at home.

[@keithseator9295]

I own the QC and noticed that they are using the amp models and not any neural captures here. To my ears the captures sound better than the models on the QC. I thought the AXE FX possibly sounded the best and maybe the HX stomp the worst as it was a bit darker, but would be hard pressed to pick one out in a blind test.

[@gregkonji]

I have the quad cortex as well and I think the captures are much better than the models. However owning all these units but the fractal I've found I usually like models in recordings and captures for real life playing. Captures usually have nuances that are more real sounding but aren't friendly in a mix. For example most of the Kemper sounds here needed reduction in the low frequencies to not be so muddy but I know the Kemper sounds really good for in room amp sound. The quad cortex allows both methods so I think it's the best of both worlds.

[@HiredGoonage]

the sounds you hear are simply what the player dialed in. Each of these could have been modified further to brighten, darken, etc

[@tonyvanover2253]

Very Interesting. To me the line 6 still pretty digital sounding compared to others, though not Terrible. Some amps were more pleasing on the QC, Some Kemper, some Axe FX though all were very good. Ive been a kemper owner forever and love it. Waiting for QC because its hard to justify a stage just to not have to bring the lunchbox.

[@MichaelSnoswell]

I have the HX STOMP and here I notice it sounds more boxy with harsher distortion. For live shows I add a midi controller for better/faster switching but I'm considering upgrading to the Fractal FM9 (once they're available! sound same as AXEIII) for two clear benefits: the quality of the effects, especially the reverb, and because you always get trails when switching between scenes. Yes I know you do with Snapshots but they're somewhat limited. With the FM9 I'd have enough switches so no midi controller. Also on the STOMP wah pedals have a significant lag that is close to unusable for me. Also it doesn't quite get the creamy smooth lead sound my old Mesa Mk3 used to get but I tried an FM3 and Fractal is much closer. The Kemper sounds quite good in this video, but somewhat "thin" - maybe with some more tweaking it'd be more similar. I'd like to think these guys did a Fourier analysis to match frequency loudness but I suspect they didn't so really - this isn't a true apple vs apple test, but still informative.

[@ariraphiel39]

Kemper & Axe III took the cake, the QC sounded a bit stiff. Axe III was the most consistent through out the models. If I chose an overall winner its the Fractal. Kemper was my favorite overall but on a few the Axe sounded better.

[@g35man02]

All 3 sounded great and agree with most of the comments. No one listening at a gig would be able to tell the difference. I own the KEMPER stage, the stomp and a fractal fm3 and for me the Kemper is my main choice. Sounds are great and it’s awesome for gigging. Really easy and laid out well. The stomp was not as flexible live with only 3 buttons and I developed a love hate relationship with it! I will say the stomp is the easiest to record with via the usb and sounds great. If budget is an issue than can’t go wrong with the stomp

[@christianfilouler]

With the FM3 you can record just as easily as with the Stomp. How do you mean that exactly? I use a my Kemper first and an record most with the FM3

[@killnoni5032]

Axe fx sounds like a vintage amp! I also liked quad cortex for modern feeling. I’d definitely buy either of them.

[@scudmunch]

They all sound great, and in a live situation any would work well. The Fractal unit shows why it's the target the others are trying to hit. Overall best sound with the highest price tag to boot!

[@jimcowleys2018]

The fractal did sound a bit more ballsy.

[@adam872]

Honestly, they all sound great and pretty close to each other. I reckon the AXE-FX comes into its own the higher the gain, but overall I would want the Quad Cortex, with the Line 6 sounding shockingly good for the money.

[@Corey_G]

Great Video! 😊👍 There are very faint differences between these modelers…. The sounds are so close in many cases between each once dialed in. Great Tones from all, thanks for including settings.

[@kaptnmeier9018]

Everyone of them shines in its own way. The Axe sounds most natural to me, the Kemper sounds very nice and smooth, the DSP sits well in the mix but sounds a little thin and fizzy for me. The winner for me is the HX Stomp, because of the incredible pricing and the simple interface, sounding better than the DSP and on the same level as the Kemper and barely noticeable weaker than the AXE.

[@leosatrianylll]

Owned the Fractal FX3 and Kemper and now I got the HX stomp. Fractal just destroys on FXs, no contest here. They all sound great thou. Also a Fractal alone can do the same as 2 or 3 Kempers. For a Studio the Fractal is also a no contest. To my use the best is the HX stomp. Sounds great, good for play in the room, good to gig and simple recordings.

[@cengiz-taskin]

I think; if it was aimed to get the best tone out of each box; the difference would be less between these units. Hx stomp has so much potential with a good IR and tweaking.

[@darrellstyner0001]

I have the HX Stomp and think it's an amazing device for the price and size, but if I'm honest the sound doesn't hold up to the others. To my ears the QC is the clear winner. There's just more resolution to the sound. I'm not wild about the Axe FX as everything sounded too crunchy.

[@johnnya.9661]

I own an AXE lll and FM3, Kemper toaster and Stage, UA OX Box and most recently a QC with the lastest update 1.4. Having "hands on" experience with all of these units, in my opinion they all deliver good sound. Where I feel the QC has the edge on all of them is in the dynamic picking hand feel. If playing heavy overdriven sounds it's not as apparent. When playing more subtle blues, jazz, chord melody style guitar its VERY apparent. All of the units other that the QC seem to have some kind limiting/compression going on that negates a realistic dynamic feel IMHO (some brands more than others). PS: nicely done demo vid.

[@YeshuaAlBhagwani]

Thank you good sir! I have been scouring the internet for peoples opinions of the QC with the newest update. All of the cons people seem to mention in these videos from right when the QC was released always seemed to me like issues that would get worked out with time (namely lack of effects). I was 12 when the kempers hit the scene so I dont know if this is true, but I heard from early adopters that the kempers were kind of Eh right when they first dropped too, and now I can name multiple big name acts who tour only with Kempers. Im leaning towards the QC at the moment.

[@joaovitorferrazcatrinck4979]

hey, anybody knows wich songs/riffs is he playing ? some are AMAZING. The Friedman and the JCM800....

[@r.llynch4124]

QC for me. Capture amps pedals is why. It's better than my Kemper imo

[@Guttalaser]

not all pedals... just driver and distortion pedals i think

[@AlexJuarez85]

Great video!!! in my opinion: 1.Neural, 2. AXE/Stomp, 3. Kamper

[@METALHAWK]

This is a TRUE COMPARISON. Straight to the sound, which is the most important for the 99% of people, who can't profile amps. Please, could you tell how you use the Pure Cabinet parameter in the Kemper?? Have it activated, level?. Thank you bro, great video! Keep on rocking.

[@cfire99]

Hx Stomp is the way to go for live use. Won't lose your mind if it gets stolen or damaged

[@chungchang2492]

what an awesome video. Both AXE FX III and HX Stomp sound great to me. DSP has less detail while Kemper has that plastic feel that make it less authentic. I will take this video as a buying guide. Thank you!

[@AA-cn2vd]

QC wins hands down. No contest. I own a Kemper and i must admit it isn't at the same level. I won't sell it because i spent too much time tweaking to get good tones, but honestly QC is the best one.I'd say 1.QC 2.AXE 3. Kemper 4. Helix

[@skehlaaj]

Ogod Kemper sounds so nice!!

[@robertleahy8791]

Quad Cortex sounds really impressive!

[@petesmith6434]

All these units sound very good. However, to me the Axe-FX III is hands-down the best sounding unit of the four. It has an organic real amp sound and is much more lively and open.

[@guitartoneSA]

You own an AxeFX?

[@petesmith6434]

@@guitartoneSA Yes, I own two Fractal Axe Fx III Turbo units which are located in my main rack which I use for both live gigs and session work. I previously owned.a Kemper Profiler, a Headrush Pedalboard, and a Helix Pedalboard…all of which I sold once I owned the Fractal units.

[@danyeo]

HX Stomp FTW. Sounds about 95% as good as the others and is sooooo inexpensive. Plus it's a great multi use pedal in a real amps FX loop.

[@kentlindsaymusic]

Very methodical and well laid out! Thanks for your trouble.

[@onefiveeights152]

If you're not able to get stellar tones with ANY of these devices, the problem is not the modeler. The real battle anymore is not so much in the amp modeling arena but in the speaker modeling. I'm going to assume that this video was done with different IRs/speaker modeling explaining the tiny tonal differences (ok maybe a few tones a little are a brighter in general etc.....use the eq knobs....isn't that what you'd do on a real amp?) Honestly, people shouldn't be buying multiple modelers....they should be buying 1-2 actual guitar speaker cabs. That's right, stop doing the FRFR thing, plug into a power amp into real guitar cab....EVERYTHING's there at that point - feel, tone....right on the money. You can have Yr. 2040+ guitar modeling today if you're willing to make this tradeoff. Lastly, excellent demo and tones. Thank you for this great video Guitar Bonedo! Next time would request blind test :p

[@GearStuffandThings]

Fantastic comparison. You’ve made me feel much better about returning the quad

[@neildeakin4454]

Returned it as in sent it back for a refund?

[@Guttalaser]

The Axe FxIII's strings separation is the best in all songs. The NEURAL DSP is very good and cut through ...but a bit BOLD... maybe a level/loudness matter. The KEMPER is very "real" as a miced amp in a recorded track. Last and a bit out of focus the L6 HX Stomp (i'm an old Pod and Vetta user). All of them are up to date modelers/profilers and no one on this earth can tell - in a mix, without a side by side comparison - if it's a modeler or a real amp.

[@BarryJohns]

Probably not fair, as there was no tweaking. I did not like the HX, but having used the Helix, you must tweak the amps to get a great tone. The Kemper is the only one that sounds like an amp mic’d up in a studio. In a live situation all of them can and do an amazing job. We have come do far!!!!

[@AM-oj5xl]

Im trying to figure out why everyone loves their Kemper and i just dont ever feel like it sounds like the real thing. It lacks something and im never sure what it is. Not only that, but kemper profiles always sound too similar to me, even though the amps and cabs change, it never seems drastic to my ears.

[@BarryJohns]

@@AM-oj5xl the camper itself has no sound whatsoever, it’s only as good as the profiles you put into it. I’ve used the camper for years now, and it is indistinguishable from a real amp, I actually sold all of my boutique amps within six months of owning the camper. If you’re trying it with the stock profiles, they are lacking to say the least. I suggest you purchase a profile pack from Michael Britt, as far as I’m concerned, he’s a Kemper King out there. It’s kind of looking at a picture that’s been taken, you can’t really compare someone using their cell phone, compared to a professional photographer with all of the right lighting, all of the right settings, a super high lens and high end cameraThe professional photographer with all the right gear and knowledge is going to make what’s being photographed come to life in a way that a simple phone won’t. It’s the same thing with Kemper. Also, using the photo as an example, once that pictures taken, if you’re not happy with the picture, the only real solution is to take another one.

[@AM-oj5xl]

@@BarryJohns yeah I agree you should buy packs but I bought the tone junkie everything pack. There are obviously differences between the profiles but they aren’t normally big to me, other than the amount of gain. I think the other thing that is different is how they respond dynamically. I also think kemper adds some kind of compression which even though it matches the tone of an amp/cab, it doesn’t seem to make me feel as a normal amp and cab do, even on recording. Quad cortex seems to be the best on the market right now for dynamics and tone from what I’m hearing

[@BarryJohns]

@@AM-oj5xl you mention one very important thing and a very common misconception about modelers and profilers. You can never expect to get the Amp in the room vibe like a real amp pushing speakers and air. Thaw units are designed to sound like a mic’d amp, not an amp in the room. Nothing today can replace the amp in the room. So let’s think about it, a Kemper profile is profiling the Amp, the Speaker, the microphone, as well as the Mic Preamp. Each of this affect the sound both live as well as recording. It’s only fair to compare them the same way. Think of it as what the listener is hearing in a live as well as on a recording. This is the same with all, the Helix, Quad Cortex, Axe-FX, and Kemper. The advantage to the others compared to the Kemper is that you can dial in the tone and gain you are looking for, where as in the Kemper you have to go through Profiles until you find one that matches what you are looking for, which is why they do so many on the same amp. I have used all extensively except for the Quad Cortex, and returned all of them and settled on the Kemper as it is the only one that got me that real mic’d amp sound. None of them other than the Kemper sound like a clean tube amp, mid to high gain, they are all very useable for sure. The QC from all I can tell is the best of both worlds and soon I will buy one and test it myself. Oh, not a fan of Tone Junky’s profiles.