Kemper Amps Forum

Quoted from "ckemper"

PRTFM

Believe it, or not, I did. I just didn't think that overloading the input a little would make such an impact on the output results.

You haven't been too precise yet about the impact.
What was it?
Just a red flashing Output LED?
That will not change the sound too much.

Quoted from "ckemper"

You haven't been too precise yet about the impact.
What was it?
Just a red flashing Output LED?
That will not change the sound too much.

No, of course, the clipping.
What I'm saying is, most of the digital devices I've encountered in my life were doing AGC (automatic gain control) on the Input, so I wasn't aware that letting the Input into clipping a little would send the Output clipping a little, too.

Can you name two or three of these devices having automatic gain control?
Are we talking about portable recorders?

Quoted from "ckemper"

Can you name two or three of these devices having automatic gain control?
Are we talking about portable recorders?

Let me just tell you an easy one - Line 6 Pod X3 Live.
I'm absolutely sure that my Pod X3 has AGC, because whatever I throw at it's input, it will never clip, and when I sustain a long note, I can definitely hear the AGC turning the noise up in the end.

The Pod definetely has no automatic gain. How do I know?
It has a pad switch to prevent clipping with hot guitars. That is a manual gain.

I actually don't know any professional digital equipment with automatic gain and no calibration (beside audio recorders).
There is a good reason not to have AGC: An AGC is a compressor. You will not want your signal compressed, before it gets processed.

Any AGC would have been mentioned in the respective manual.

Richaxes, you should read more manuals, instead of creating your own technical theories.
I have read many manuals in my life and I have learned a lot of technic by that.

Quoted from "ckemper"

The Pod definetely has no automatic gain. How do I know?
It has a pad switch to prevent clipping with hot guitars. That is a manual gain.

I actually don't know any professional digital equipment with automatic gain and no calibration (beside audio recorders).
There is a good reason not to have AGC: An AGC is a compressor. You will not want your signal compressed, before it gets processed.

Any AGC would have been mentioned in the respective manual.

Richaxes, you should read more manuals, instead of creating your own technical theories.
I have read many manuals in my life and I have learned a lot of technic by that.

Ok, no AGC in the Pod, then.
But don't take me for such an idiot, please. I know how the Pad switch works on my Pod and in my opinion it proves nothing. It's more like a low / high input on a tube amp. But ok, I trust your knowledge, no AGC in the Pod.
So how come that whatever pickups I threw at my Pod (from Dimarzio YJM that is ~100mV to EMGs that are around 1,5V) I never needed to adjust the Pad switch due to clipping, only maybe due to not liking the increased amounts of distortion? How come that never once in my life since I had Line 6 devices I NEVER, and I repeat, NEVER had any clipping issues with them at all? Is there a limiter then on the Input?
I'm sure you know the answer, but then please, tell me, it would help me to stop creating my own technical theories
I'm not an engineer or a professional, but I have my own experiences with equipment.

Please read the manual P. 18: Gain Knob and Input Button.
If you follow the guideline, you will have a level-balanced unit and no red LEDs.

The main cause for the output going red are clean sounds, that are volume compensated. The volume compensation is unique to the KPA. It gives clean sounds the same perceived loudness as distorted sounds.
But clean sounds at that level can cause higher peak levels than distorted sounds, because the compression of the distortion is not present.
This is the reason why the KPA could clip, but the POD not.

Still, even when the input or output LED flashes red, there is enough of headroom, and a nice sounding soft clipping. Your sound will not influenced too much when going red.

Quoted from "ckemper"

Please read the manual P. 18: Gain Knob and Input Button.
If you follow the guideline, you will have a level-balanced unit and no red LEDs.

The main cause for the output going red are clean sounds, that are volume compensated. The volume compensation is unique to the KPA. It gives clean sounds the same perceived loudness as distorted sounds.
But clean sounds at that level can cause higher peak levels than distorted sounds, because the compression of the distortion is not present.
This is the reason why the KPA could clip, but the POD not.

Still, even when the input or output LED flashes red, there is enough of headroom, and a nice sounding soft clipping. Your sound will not influenced too much when going red.

I understand now, thank You so much!