Axe FX vs Amplitube vs Kemper vs Thermionik vs Helix vs S-Gear: Mesa Boogie MKIV

[Guitarjon]

Time for another gear emulation comparison!

This video is all about comparing the Mesa Boogie MKIV emulations in the following platforms (in no particular order):

Axe FX/AX8
Kemper Profiler
Helix (Native/LT)
Amplitube 4 (Mesa pack)
Thermionik
S-gear

Those were all the platforms of which I am aware that they emulate the MKIV amp.
Most of them did a very good job but I have a few favorites.
Of course I'd love to know which one you though was best so let me know!



A couple of notes:

I know that the S-Gear Wayfarer amp isn't exactly based on a Mesa MKIV or any other amp for that matter, but I do think it's very much inspired by those types of amps and it can be tweaked to sound quite close.
That's why I included it anyway.
Plus, it's always a fun challenge to show people that S-Gear can do high gain without hassle at all!

About the Kemper clip: I recognize that the Kemper example perhaps doesn't sound as good as some of the others.
Unfortunately I didn't have a MKIV here to profile so I had to rely on existing (commercial) profiles.
To keep things as accurate as I could, I chose a direct MKIV profile from a commercial vendor to be able to use the same IR as with the rest.
I had to tweak from there.
This was honestly the best profile I could find for this test.
I think the Kemper can definitely do better but in different circumstances....
I guess that's just a drawback of this platform sometimes since you can't ever start a 'preset' from scratch.

 

[Carl Kolchak]

I liked the Kemper the best.

 

[fob]

The Axe caught my attention the most, but not by a lot. They all sounded pretty similar and all good.

There’s some kind of chunky and aggressive sound coming from the Axe and Kemper that I like a lot. Those are the main differences that pushes those above the rest, but marginally.

 

[Guitarjon]

I liked the Kemper the best.

Interesting!
The general consensus seems to be that in this particular case the Kemper under performed but I definitely don't think it sounded bad.
I just wasn't able to make this better under these circumstances.

The Axe caught my attention the most, but not by a lot. They all sounded pretty similar and all good.

There’s some kind of chunky and aggressive sound coming from the Axe and Kemper that I like a lot. Those are the main differences that pushes those above the rest, but marginally.

Definitely small differences indeed!
Skipping through with the time codes in the description can definitely help getting a clearer picture because your ears then have less time to adjust.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

thermionik was my favorite, then probably axe or amplitude. They all cut through the mix a little better and maintain the chug best imo. Kemper sounded a little hollow, like it needed a bump in the bass/mids slightly.

 

[billinder33]

I own a Kemper as well as the Amplitube, I'm also a big fan of the Marks. I agree that I haven't found a lot of great Mark models for the Kemper, neither out-of-box models nor downloadable 3rd party ones. Despite my affection for Mark's, I actually use a Splawn model for most of my high-gain Kemper recording. I've never heard a real Splawn that sounds anywhere near as great as that Kemper model. I think with anything related to Kemper, a lot of it has to do with the mics, mic positions, cabs, and recording outboard gear used during the model capture.

In terms of the demo, they all sounded pretty decent. I felt the Kemper was the most 'Markish' sounding.... and that's completely disregarding my impression that there's something about this particular Kemper model that makes it feel less 'direct' and with more 'air' in the model than the others... like perhaps the micing was a little distant or off axis or something. I actually found it to be more natural and pleasing, like it would sit better with vocals in the mix, though maybe not as great for a guitar-heavy instrumental. I've noticed this often about my Kemper in general.

I had the AmpliTube as a distant second choice. I noticed you had the Mark's graphic EQ section 'V'd out', which dials back the natural 'honkyness' of the Mark. This is actually the opposite approach I take, where I usually bump the mids a little and scale back the highs and lows to get more of that distinctive honk and focused Mark sound.

Third for me was Thermionic. Don't think it was anything related to its Mark sound specifically, but there was something about the frequency spread in that patch that allowed the bass to punch through the mix a little better than the other examples, it made the mix more pleasing.

AxeFX for me was a close 4th, I felt I had nothing bad nor good to say about it. It just kind of 'was'. I had the Helix 5th; it felt 'unnatural' to me, as most of their models do. The S-gear I liked the least, I found it to be really 'grating'/fatiguing at the top end.

Honestly, I could make any of these models work just fine with the right outboard EQ'ing.... they were all fractions of hairs apart to my ear. All good enough to record a great song.

BTW, I was really digging that demo tune.... I was unconsciously bobbing my head by time the Thermionic patch rolled around!!