Quite a few years ago the Kemper was exactly like this for many. The Kones and high quality captures made a massive improvement. Many heavily distorted sounds sounded like this on the Kone until you put it into FRFR mode (or swap around IRs or Imprints).
I agree the ear can get used to one sound vs another, but there is definitely a lack of something with QC and external speakers. Even on my studio monitors (HS8) it is similar. I think you are right about the fact that QC sounds like a miked up speaker. Folk made same complaint about Kemper. I was hoping, like the Kemper, we’d get a decent in the room sound experience with some decent speakers. Kemper supports external monitor output and I am guessing there is some magic in there vs the Mains out, which are more geared to FOH and recording. QC I think all outs are equal. We need that same magic in the QC. I am EQ’ing the hell out of it. It gets better, but still not same league. For the moment I’ll use Kemper for in the room and both for recording.
Interesting, I was just joshing with you though buddy, I’m sure you’ll get there with the QC as well given time. 
No magic there - except a dedicated Monitor output EQ. And of course the ability to turn off the cabinet simulation for the monitor… The “Pure Cabinet” setting affects both main out and monitor.
I do a lot of recording and live mixing - that’s probably why I prefer the sound of a miked amp. My ears are just more used to the end product. And I definitely don’t find it “flat” or “lifeless”.
Aha I have found what I was looking for. Actually it is all completely related to the Kemper Monitor output. I plugged my Kemper Main Out into the Celestion and found it a bit lifeless, uninspiring. I then moved same jacks into monitor out (and direct out) was way better — may I say awesome. It seems, and maybe its for my ears only, but it’s the magic of the Kone and Imprints. Even with Celestion F12M-150’s the Kones settings sound amazing. On the Kemper Kone menu (with Kemper Kone, Monitor Cab Off, Monitor Stero and Bass Boost (to taster) all on – with a selected Imprint - I had Oxfords) sounded delightful.
I know you may say it’s just IRs - but it isn’t - Kemper definitely has done some magic here beyond IRs.
Would love Quad Cortex to be able to give that Amp in the room sound like Kemper has managed to. I’ve proven it can be done Celestion FRFR’s.
I’m using the Headrush FRFR 12 inch. I think it’s fantastic with the QC as a home user.
I have no experience of decent valve amps so can’t compare.
I’m a bassist, so take that onboard.
I’m using a QSC K12.2, which packs a huge punch with the QC, I used to use a Line6 Pod XT pro with a crown power amp and a Barefaced Big Twin cab which was awesome, but way too big for my little studio once I’d stopped gigging. The QSC is perfect for songwriting and session rehearsals with a drummer, it takes up no room in the studio and the QC sounds great through it. They do a 10" and an 8" version too.
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big Kemper fan for years and have two kemper kabinets.
now swapped my passive kabinets for active ones to work with the QC i just bought and still use them also for the Kemper…
i want this to work at home.
just played around 5m but…
I think the Kabinet has some high roll off. turning in the QC the mics from 4 to 0.6 closer to center speaker made already big impact for getting some more highs in and make it less nasal and wooly.
any other suggestions to make this work well?
so many users there must be some golden experience rules that make them work. Would make many people happy i guess, there are so many Kemper users that also want to try the QC
Ideally we get to some sort of compensated imprint that fits exactly the Kabinet
Welcome to the community @Tonton!
I exited the world of Kemper for the QC quite a while ago. I think you’ll be happy.
I only messed with a Kemper Kab for a couple days. So correct me if I’m wrong, but I though the intention of the Kab was to just replicate the sound of the amp in the room you’re in. I thought they were never intended to be mic’ed for recording or live sound purposes.
You might wanna try a more full range speaker or floor wedge type monitoring set up for hearing yourself on stage. Then send the direct signal from the QC (with the virtual cabinet you’re using) to the front of house, or to the DAW you’re recording with.
I’ve found that to be much more accurate. Then I’m hearing exactly what the audience is hearing. Just a thought.
Enjoy your QC!!!
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I use the QC for bass and a Headrush 12. My band did a small club gig and the guitarist (Fractal user) plugged into the second channel and it sounded phenomenal for us both. The next band was all over us after the set asking what we were doing. 
That said - I did spend a few minutes messing with placement beforehand to get a good sound. Off the floor on a small crate made a tremendous difference in this particular room.
Home player here. Running my QC through a pair of Adam A77X’s. Beyond happy.
I’m using a CLR here. It sounds great. I’m selling it though, I want something smaller for home.
I’m using a pair of Headrush FR-108 speakers. I do not gig “out”, but for my studio work and live playing at home, I am very happy with them, and the price was very reasonable.
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don’t trust the frfr capabilities of the kemper cabs any longer. problem is on the kemper if you turn on kemper kone kabinet in the software it completely changes the frequencies and boosts the higher frequencies, when turned off it’s a muffled sound.
to have them correctly work with the QC a same frequency filter should happen… maybe even a fixed block in every profile…
i ordered now the Stereo Mission Gemini 2 in Kemper Green. Can’t wait to A-B test it with both the QC and the Kemper against the Kemper kabinets…
I had a Laney LFR-212 delivered today. I paid about 140€ for it brand new with a small transport damage on the Tolex. Works perfectly!
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Congrats & welcome to the LFR club; the LFR series is the best bang-for-your-buck FRFR solution on the market at the moment IMHO.
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I too do this, FRFR doesn’t gel with me at all. I use either a Matrix power amp (which is pretty neutral) or a Blackstar Amped 1 in neutral mode, and a regular cabinet. I make a split after the amp-sim or capture on the Quad, so one signal goes via cab sims to front of house, and one signal without cab sims to the power amp and cabinet.
The advantage with the Blackstar Amped 1 as a power amp (other than that it sounds pretty good) is that it fits on the pedal board. Fewer things to carry around.
Wanted to share comparison Kemper Kabinet and Gemini 2.
First of all the Gemini 2 is a monster! Very large and heavy! Maersk called me if they can use it on their asia-europe shipping line next year.
So the comparison with a Kemper and a QC:
Kemper profiler:
Pretty equal match, but the Gemini 2 still has that benefit from being a heavy large cabinet to give more oomph at low volumes without being muddy.
Like 60 to 80% of profiles still sounds bit nicer through the Gemini 2, but it’s pretty close.
Quad Cortex:
Don’t ever use a Kemper Kabinet with the QC, you’re missing out a lot! the Kabinet is NOT an FRFR. The problem is the Kemper amp gives a big boost in higher frequencies when it knows there is Kabinet in play. This provides some magic solution that I also like a lot because after that the Kabinet itself cuts off a lot of those frequencies again and that gives it that amp in room feeling. (or anyway frequency wise this is happening)
So with the QC you don’t provide that initial frequency hump in, but the Kabinet still cuts a lot. So as a result the Kabinet on the QC is dull dark boomie boxie, all the high frequencies that should be there are being cut… It doesn’t provide the sounds QC has as output. The Gemini still sounds amazing on the QC. day and night difference here.
Seems i like the Gemini EmPower knob 3/4 direction flat. I understood the louder you play the more you will dial it to Cab as the highs then will be perceived as shrill on higher volumes and on stage you need more Cab like speaker output. So this knob really is great adition to dial in that right feeling.
Bloody expensive but a great buy!
So the Kemper Kabs go out and will use the Gemini 2 for both machines.
Don’t really miss the speaker imprints on the kabinet, was nice to play with but rather dial a nice profile in from start.
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Just get Headrush FRFR108. Nice and sounds absolutly perfect for the price. Really do the job for playing home. Don’t know Live.
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I’ve tried the headrush for a while… both 8"and 12". Not bad, but to me (maybe personal taste, don’t shoot me) they sounded very MP3 Bluetooth boom tower to me, it was only missing some RGB lights. What i mean with that is lacking lower mids but with an added subwoofer push lower end, not flat at all. They do were very loud. Then after Headrush went with the Kemper kabinet for the Kemper and was immediately very pleasant… but ok then the whole story that i mentioned above started when i bought also a QC…
The Gemini 2 is different league than Headrush, which is fair for the huge price difference. But agree Headrush is good step in model, great value!
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