FAQ - Frequently asked questions
Level I includes already a wide range of effects and key features like Morphing, which can be controlled via pedal or triggered via button. The Player can process all kinds of PROFILE™s without any limitations out of the box.
Level II adds the complete list of effects of the larger PROFILER models (except effect loops) including corresponding pedal functions and associated pedal links. And it adds two dedicated 4-band EQs for Main Output and Monitor Output. Beat Scanner can be activated via a dedicated TAP button.
Level III elevates the signal chain to the larger PROFILER models. It doubles the number of effect modules to eight and adds Parallel Path. With Level III you achieve unrestricted Rig compatibility with larger models and you can store up to 625 Rigs like in Performance Mode. Last not least the Looper is also available.
Upgrades for the PROFILER Player™ are available from Level I to Level II, from Level II to Level III and as a bundle from Level I to Level III.
You will receive an e-mail including a code. If not, please check your spam folder.
The Player needs to be connected to Rig Manager™ for Windows® or for macOS® via USB cable to perform the upgrade.
Rig Manager revision 3.7 and Player OS 11.1 are the required minimum.
Select "Install Feature Upgrade" in the Rig Manager menu.
Here you can enter the code received via e-mail.
Confirm and the Player will restart.
Done!
The color of the LED collar of the GAIN knob indicates the Player's level: Level I = green, Level II = red, Level III = blue.
At upgrade Level II the number of effect modules is reduced to four and at Level I some more advanced effect types are not available. However, the entire original effect chain is visible in Rig Manager™ at lower Levels. This reference information can be used to taylor each Rig to the available feature set at the Player's Level. You can for example decide, which effects you want to keep with less effect modules.
If your Player is uograded to Level III and you intent to import all Rigs from a larger model's Performance Mode into it, you could simply restore their backup. All 125 banks with 625 Rigs will be imported into the Player this way. At lower Levels the first 10 Banks with 50 Rigs get imported.
Instead of a guitar signal, the output signal of stomp boxes can be fed into the input of the Player.
If the Player is the last device in the signal chain of the floorboard, use its outputs as normally. If there are other devices following (e.g. delay and/or reverb processors) use the Player's Monitor Output to feed its output signal into the next device either in mono or in stereo.
The last device in the signal chain of the floorboard can feed its output signal into a mixing or recording desk. If that device offers no balanced output(s), one (mono) or two (stereo) suitable DI boxes should be used.
It allows to record, playback and reamp via USB. You can even use the PROFILER as an effects processor with your digital audio workstation (DAW). Head and Rack MK 1 models support two channels in plus two channels out, while Stage, Player, and all MK 2 models support even four channels in plus four channels out.
All PROFILER models support USB MIDI.
KEMPER Rig Manager™ is available for multiple platforms: Windows®, mac OS® as well as iOS®, Android®, and Fire OS®.
The Windows® and macOS® versions connect via USB cable and can be downloaded at the KEMPER download page. These Rig Manager versions include the following functions:
- Editor - edit your Rigs and configure your Performances
- MyProfiler - manage the content of your PROFILER
- KEMPER Rig packs - download factory Rigs
- KEMPER Rig Exchange™ - exchange PROFILEs with other users
- Local Library - manage your bigger sound collection on your PC
- Update management of PROFILER OS and Rig Manager software
- Impulse Reponses - import IRs and automatically transform into cabinet presets
- PROFILER backups - mount PROFILER backups to pick data
Rig Manager for iOS® is available in the Apple® App Store.
Rig Manager for Android® is available in the Google® Play Store.
Rig Manager for Amazon Fire OS® is available in the Amazon® Appstore.
Each PROFILER™ comes with a printed multi-lingual Quick Start document, which guides through the first steps.
The Main Manual covers concepts, features and possibilities in depth and is available in multiple languages. PROFILER Head, Rack, and Stage models are covered in the same Main Manual, while the Player has its specific Main Manual. These Main Manuals are updated with each major revision of the PROFILER operating system to always reflect the latest feature state. Given its constant evolution it is not printed. These electronic documents include hyperlinks and support efficient search.
The Addendum manual covers enhancements by PROFILER OS revision across all models and series. This is for users, who are already familiar with the PROFILER and just want to learn about major changes introduced by the latest OS revision. The Addendum is available in English and Japanese.
All these manuals are included in the help function of Rig Manager for Windows® and macOS® and can also be downloaded from the
In addition you find a set of tutorial videos covering all major subjects here:
However this foot button organization is just a suggestion. You can customize these to your needs. Foot buttons can be used to navigate through banks and Rigs, load particular Slots within the current bank, activate the Tuner or trigger TAP tempo, trigger Morphing, switch effects on/off, or control Action&Freeze options like for example Delay Infinity. You can also assign two additional combo switching functions to the foot button combinations left+middle and middle+right.
In addition, you can connect external analog mono or dual switches to the Pedal socket or connect MIDI controllers via USB. So there are basically no limitations to add as many foot switches as you need.
The PROFILER Remote™ is the perfect companion for all PROFILER™ Head, PowerHead, Rack, and PowerRack models. Remote MK 1 and MK 2 are technically interchangeable. PROFILER Stage™ and PROFILER Player™ have their foot control onboard.
Basic remote control functionality is available for simple applications with expression pedals and/or momentary normally open switches directly connected to any PROFILER model or Remote.
All PROFILER models support USB MIDI (client and host). Head, Rack, and Stage models offer also regular 5-pin MIDI sockets.
You can load Rigs as well as switch effects on/off or control pedal functions or continuous parameters like for example "Delay Mix". Please refer to the Main Manuals for more details.
In addition it is possible to control nearly all internal parameters with the 14-bit MIDI protocol NRPN. Please consult the MIDI Parameter Documentation for details.
PROFILER Stage™ series offer four sockets for either expression pedals, or dual, or single switches.
The PROFILER Player™ offers one socket for either an expression pedal, or a dual, or a single switch.
All PROFILER™ Head, PowerHead, Rack, and PowerRack models have two sockets onboard and the PROFILER Remote™ offers four additional sockets to connect any combination of expression pedals, single/dual switches.
All types and brands of expression pedals are supported. Analog volume pedals are not recommended since these are not optimized for digital devices.
Switches must be momentary (not latching) and normally open. Tube amplifier channel switches usually latch and therefore cannot be used.
KEMPER™ offers an expression pedal and a switch 2-way in the online store.
There are video tutorials available focussed on technical prerequisites and the set-up of expression pedals and switches.
If your expression pedal is set up as Wah Pedal, you could link the function Volume Pedal in System Settings, globally. Now, if a wah effect is set up for pedal control and currently switched on, the expression pedal will act as a normal wah pedal. If there is no (active) wah effect in the Rig currently loaded, the expression pedal will function as a volume pedal. While this link is a global setting, Location and Range of the volume pedal can be configured by Rig flexibly. This WahPedal to Volume link capability is available at all PROFILER™ models including Player.
PROFILER Stage™, Head, PowerHead™, Rack, and PowerRack™ models offer even more features to leverage one or two expression pedal(s) for multiple purposes:
- The Wah Pedal can optionally control pedal pitch effects beside volume.
- If you just intend to boost your signal once in a while, use a dedicated Wah Pedal and add the effect type Wah Pedal Booster to those Rigs.
- An expression pedal configured as Morph Pedal could also be set up to control wah and/or pedal pitch effects. And if you need to control volume just once in a while, morph a volume parameter like Rig Volume.
All PROFILER™ models and series can have a Volume Pedal and Rig-wise a Volume Pedal Location pre stack, so that the pedal drives the gain of the amplifier.
The parameter Gain can also be directly controlled via Morphing. So you could use an expression pedal configured as Morph Pedal to shift Gain from level x to level y either individually or even simultaneously with other parameter morphs.If you have an expression pedal configured as Wah Pedal - or as Morph Pedal with Wah Pedal linked to it - you could use the Wah Pedal Booster effect located in one of the effect modules pre amplifier to boost its gain. The Wah Pedal Booster is available at all PROFILER models. The Player requires upgrade Level II.
There is a lot of flexibility since these methods can be applied differently by Rig.
Yes, all PROFILER™ models and series offer such capabilities:
- USB audio is available across the entire PROFILER family.
- PROFILER Stage, Head, and Rack models offer analog inputs to mix signals in: These are RETURN 1 and 2 at Stage and RETURN plus ALTERNATIVE IN at Head and Rack models.
- beside USB audio, the PROFILER Player™ offers also Bluetooth® for audio transmission.
All PROFILER™ models and series are excellent tools for reamping either via USB or analog in- and outputs. The S/PDIF in- and outputs of PROFILER Head, PowerHead™, Rack, PowerRack™, and Stage models can also be used for reamping. Even no additional hardware is required as the internal circuitry is designed for connecting your instrument with studio environment. Please refer to the dedicated chapter about reamping in the Main Manual.
You can choose amongst the following approaches:
- KEMPER Kabinet™, and KEMPER Power Kabinet™ offer maximum flexibility off the shelf. These can be used either as linear full-range cabinet or as a guitar cabinet in the room by selecting one of the guitar Speaker Imprints built into the PROFILER™ software. You can even switch Rig-wise between these two appoaches to for example occasionally play a song with acoustic guitar through full-range mode. Even while a Speaker Imprint is applied to your guitar signal, any Aux-In signals e.g. backing tracks get always processed in full-range mode! Regardless of full-range mode or Speaker Imprint mode being currently selected for your personal monitoring via KEMPER (Power) Kabinet, you can simultaneously send a stereo signal including cabinet simulation to the front of house mixing desk. The unpowered KEMPER Kabinet is the perfect fit for PROFILER PowerHead™ and PowerRack™ models. KEMPER Power Kabinets are the ideal companion for unpowered PROFILER models including Player and can be used in mono as well as stereo configurations.
- You could build your own custom cabinet(s) in 1*12', 2*12' or 4*12' configurations leveraging KEMPER Kone™ chassis, that are also available standalone. This way you enjoy the same functionality and versatility as with the KEMPER Kabinet, but in a housing that fits your taste and needs.
- You could use one or two 3rd party full-range cabinets on stage e. g. PA monitor cabinets. This way you leverage the flexbility of the virtual cabinets included in the PROFILEs and get a tone as close as possible to what the audience is hearing via PA system.
- Or you chose a classical guitar cabinet directly connected to PROFILER PowerHead™ / PROFILER PowerRack™ or powered via an external power amplifier (preferably mosfet or digital) driven by any PROFILER model. In this case you switch off the cabinet simulation for the output driving this guitar cabinet specifically (MONITOR OUT). Simultaneously you could send a stereo signal including cabinet simulation to the front of house mixing desk. If you own a guitar cabinet and like its sound, this might be an inexpensive starting point. However, you will always experience the sound of this physical guitar cabinet on stage.
- If you are using in-ear monitoring you obviously need no cabinet at all and monitor the same sound as the audience.
Yes, regardless of the PROFILER™ model - and even better, you can have it both ways at the same time: Use the stereo XLR MAIN OUTPUT to send your signal to the front of house mixing console, and use the dedicated MONITOR OUTPUT in mono or stereo to feed your poweramp and physical guitar speaker cabinet with a signal that bypasses the cabinet simulation.
Owners of a PROFILER PowerHead™ or PROFILER PowerRack™ can directly connect an unpowered guitar speaker cabinet to its mono SPEAKER OUTPUT.
With KEMPER Kabinet™ and KEMPER Kone™ you could have it both ways by flexibly choosing either full-range mode or guitar Speaker Imprint mode.
Use the USB type A port to connect USB flash drives for PROFILER™ backups, data import and export, as well as operating system updates. PROFILER Rack and PowerRack™ users can find this port on the front panel. Users of other models find it on the rear side. This port also supports USB MIDI host functionality.
For KEMPER Rig Manager™ connect the USB type B port of the PROFILER to either a USB type A port or a USB type C port of the PC/MAC. All PROFILER models support USB audio for recording, playback and reamping via the same USB cable. This also allows to use the PROFILER as an effects processor with your digital audio workstation (DAW). Head and Rack MK 1 models support two channel in and two channels out, while PROFILER Stage™, PROFILER Player™ and all MK 2 models support four channels in plus four channels out. This port also supports USB MIDI client functionality at all PROFILER models.
Each PROFILER™ comes with a representative selection of sounds for various genres and applications. The wider selection of about 1500 factory Rigs is available in KEMPER Rig Manager™ for Windows® and for macOS® as well as at the KEMPER™ download page.
KEMPER Rig Exchange™ offers more than 20000 additional Rigs shared by other PROFILER users. Rig Manager allows to check these out via a simple double click.
Even non-upgraded Players can load any Rig from Rig packs and Rig Exchange. While a Player might not support all effect types (Level I) and effect modules (Level I and II), Rig Manager displays the original effect chain and allows to optimize the effects to get the most out of each Level..
We recommend to keep the selection on the PROFILER tailored to your real playing needs while maintaining the larger sound collection in Rig Manager for Windows® and macOS®.
If you should be missing effect types, your PROFILER™ operating system might need an update.
Be aware that the PROFILER Player™ Level I supports a reduced set of effects out of the box. Upgrade Level II adds the complete portfolio of effect types and presets of the larger models - except for the effect loops.
- either with the NOISE GATE knob on the front panel of Head and Rack models,
- or pushing and dialing the GAIN knob of Players,
- or within the Input Section of any PROFILER™ model.
Whereas the noise gate in the Input Section is designed to preserve the guitar's dynamics exactly, the effect noise gates behave like classical downward expanders. Downward expanders attenuate a signal once it has fallen below a certain threshold, and are often used to tighten complex metal-riffing. This is because a palm mute will still retain all of its "chunk", but will also become more percussive, thereby preventing the dreaded "mud". The two noise gate stomps feature different expansion ratios that were deemed the most musical.
Noise Gate 2:1
This noise gate is a soft expander, with an expansion ratio of 2:1. If the level of the input signal lies below the treshold, it will be attenuated with a ratio of 2:1. In other words, each dB below the treshold leads to 2dB attenuation of the signal.
Noise Gate 4:1
This noise gate is a more aggressive expander, with an expansion ratio of 4:1. If the level of the input signal lies below the treshold it will be attenuated with a ratio of 4:1. other words, each dB below the treshold leads to 4dB attenuation of the signal.
As with the Input Noise Gate, there are are no attack and release controls, as we have selected the shortest possible times without introducing any signal degradations. The attack time is 0.05 ms while the decay time is 50 ms.
The PROFILER MK 2 series incl. Player offers a palm-slicer noise gate as one of its Fixed FX, specifically developed with the hi-gain player in mind. While capable of the simple task of blocking background noise when the instrument is not being played, it is specially tailored for tightening up complex metal-riffing and palm mutes when the “Threshold” is set to higher values.
Dimensions
PROFILER Player™
Height: 6.8 cm (2.68 inches) Width: 14.5 cm (5.71 inches) Depth: 16.6 cm (6.53 inches)PROFILER Stage™
Height: 8.5 cm (3.35 inches) Width: 47 cm (18.5 inches) Depth: 26 cm (10.24 inches)
PROFILER Head / PROFILER PowerHead™
Height: 21.7 cm (8.54 inches) Width: 37.8 cm (14.88 inches) Depth: 17.3 cm (6.81 inches)
PROFILER Rack / PROFILER PowerRack™
Height: 13.9 cm (5.47 inches), 3 HE (3 RU) Width: 48.3 cm (19 inches) Depth: 22 cm (8.66 inches)
PROFILER Remote™Height: 7.5 cm (2.95 inches) Width: 42 cm (16.53 inches) Depth: 18 cm (7.09 inches)
Weight
PROFILER Player™
1.11 kg (2.45 pounds)
PROFILER Stage™
4.6/4.1* kg (10.14/9.0.9* pounds) *PROFILER Stage MK 2
PROFILER Head
5.32 kg (11.73 pounds)
PROFILER Rack
5.00 kg (11.02 pounds)
PROFILER PowerHead™
6.5 kg (14.33 pounds)
PROFILER PowerRack™
6.18 kg (13.62 pounds)
PROFILER Remote™
2.9 kg (6.39 pounds)The PROFILER™ MK 2 series including the PROFILER Player™ is ready for next generation PROFLING™ coming soon. Such new PROFILE™s will run on older units in standard quality.
The MK 2 series extends the signal chain by introducing Fixed FX, which includes up to eight standardized effects in addition to the flexible effect modules A-REV. Rigs including Fixed FX can be loaded in older hardware without those effects.
The PROFILER Stage™ MK 2 has lost weight: 4.1 versus 4.6 kg or 9.09 versus 10.14 pounds.
PROFILER Head, PowerHead™, Rack, and PowerRack™ units now support eight USB audio channels like Stage and Player did already before. Boot times and user interface responsiveness are also faster at those MK 2 models.
Yes, you can share Rigs, presets, and Performances in both directions. This includes all kinds of PROFILE™s. For maximum feature compatibility, similar OS versions are recommended. Rigs including the new Fixed FX will get loaded without these in older models. Since the Player is based on MK 2 architecture since day 1, it supports Fixed FX from OS 13 onwards at all Levels.
Future high-definition PROFILEs will also be backward compatible and run on MK 1 models at standard quality.
You can even exchange complete backups between MK 1 and MK 2 units – again in both directions.
The PROFILER Stage™ is like another unpowered PROFILER™ (Head or Rack) combined with a PROFILER Remote™ in one housing for the floor. Its features are very similar and including PROFILING™. Backups including all Rigs, Performances, presets, and most settings are compatible between these PROFILER models as long as you use same OS revisions.
The PROFILER Stage offers a few more analog sockets compared to Head and Rack, which for example allows to establish
stereo signal to FOH + stereo monitoring on stage + two stereo effect loops simulaneously
or
stereo signal to FOH + stereo monitoring on stage + one stereo effect loop + stereo Aux In.
If the Stage doesn't offer a dedicated knob for a particar parameter like for example noise gate, the parameter can be found in a menu instead.
The PROFILER Stage offers built-in Wi-Fi, which makes it easy to edit your sounds with an iPAD® using Rig Manager for iOS®.
For monitoring you can connect powered full range speakers (e.g. KEMPER Power Kabinet™) or headphones/in-ear. If you want to monitor via unpowered guitar cabinets you need an external power amp preferably mosfet or digital - no tube amp.
PROFILER™ Head and Rack are including the same electronical circuits and running the same operating system.
Head and Rack offer identical inputs and outputs.
Rigs, presets, even complete backups are interchangable.
There are no sound differences.
Because of space limitations two knobs are not available on the front panel of the PROFILER Rack / PowerRack™ compared to Head / PowerHead™:
- the two direct access knobs for MODULATION RATE and INTENSITY (you can open the MOD Module to control these two parameters instead)
- the LED rings for the four soft knobs below the display and for the VOLUME knob (values are indicated on the display instead).
PROFILER PowerHead™ and PROFILER PowerRack™ offer an additional SPEAKER OUTPUT to directly connect an unpowered guitar cabinet like the KEMPER Kabinet™. That's the only difference! All other capabilities, analog and digital inputs and outputs, .... are identical amongst all powered and unpowered PROFILER™ Head and Rack models. Powered PROFILER models have no feature and connectivity limitations compared to unpowered PROFILER Head and Rack models.
An unpowered KEMPER Kabinet™ is the perfect companion for PowerHead and PowerRack, while KEMPER Power Kabinet™s are ideal for all unpowered PROFILER models.
Both include a KEMPER Kone™ speaker that allows for a linear reproduction of your Rigs, as well as mimicking several classic guitar speakers.
An unpowered KEMPER Kabinet™ is the perfect companion for the powered PROFILER models PowerHead ™ and PowerRack™.
The KEMPER Power Kabinet™ is ideal for unpowered PROFILER Head, Rack, Stage, and Player models - connect two KEMPER Power Kabinets and enjoy even stereo sound!
You would need to activate Monitor Stereo and connect the KEMPER Power Kabinet™ to the DIRECT OUT via instrument cable. In this scenario the PROFILER™ OS will automatically level volumes between the unpowered Kabinet driven by the internal power amp via SPEAKER OUTPUT on one side and the powered Kabinet via DIRECT OUTPUT on the other side.
Yes, KEMPER™ equipment automatically adapts to all usual line voltages worldwide!
PROFILER Head™ / PROFILER Rack™
90-275 V AC
PROFILER Stage™
100-230 V AC
PROFILER PowerHead™ / PROFILER PowerRack™
100-125 V AC and 190-245 V AC
KEMPER Power Kabinet™
100-240 V AC
PROFILER Player™
The original power adpater supports 100-240 V AC.
Dimensions
KEMPER Kabinet™ and KEMPER Power Kabinet™
Height: 43 cm (16.93 inches)
Width: 51.6 cm (20.31 inches)
Depth: 23.5 cm (9.06 inches)
KEMPER Kone™
Diameter: 30,5 cm (12 inch)
Cutout: 28,3 cm (11.14 inch)
Weight
KEMPER Power Kabinet KEMPER Kabinet
11.3* kg (24.9* pounds) 11.3/10.5* kg (24.9/23,1* pounds)
KEMPER Kone
3,9/2,4* kg (8.6/5.4* pounds)
*KEMPER Kone with neodymium magnet
No need to be concerned! The KEMPER Kabinet™ is a perfect match with PROFILER PowerHead™ or PowerRack™.
A single Kabinet has 4 ohms. At 4 ohms the power of the internal power amp is electronically limited to 600 watts.
If you are afraid of damaging your KEMPER Kone™ speaker with the built-in 600 watts power amp of the PROFILER™, then use the Wattage Meter on the last page of the Output Section to monitor exactly how much power is being delivered.
If you daisy chain two KEMPER Kabinets, their internal wiring is automatically putting these in series. Therefor you can divide the value indicated by the Wattage Meter by four, thus never exceeding the maximum load. (Explanation: two KEMPER Kones in series will double the impedance to 8 ohms, thus lowering the current and distributing the heat between two coils).
The following eighteen Speaker Imprints are available:
Celestion Vintage 30
Celestion G12M Greenback
Celestion G12M Creamback
Celestion G12 Blue
Celestion G12H Anniversary
Celestion G12H Heritage
Celestion G12-100
Celestion G12T
EVM12L Blacklabel
Eminence MFD
Goodmans Audiom 61
Oxford 12L6
Jensen P12Q
Jensen P12R
Jensen C12N Ceramic
Jensen Vintage P10R
Jensen Vintage C10R
JBL D120F 12'
JBL 2110H 8'
Speaker Imprints can only be used with KEMPER Kabinet™, KEMPER Power Kabinet™ or KEMPER Kone™ driven from the SPEAKER OUTPUT or MONITOR OUTPUT of any PROFILER™ model.
In a 2*12 cabinet KEMPER Kones should be wired in series, resulting in 8 ohms.
In a 4*12 cabinet KEMPER Kones should be wired in a mixed parallel/serial configuration, resulting in 4 ohms.
Related wiring schemes are included in the KEMPER Kone packages as well as in the PROFILER Main Manual, which can be downloaded here.
In this case you need a special adapter. Wiring examples are shown in the PLayer's Main Manual, which you can downlaod here.
Please check out the latest Main Manual chapter PROFILER Remote paragraph Cabling for detailed specifications and a list of tested PoE-devices:
KEMPER download page
Yes, all PROFILER™models and series except Player™ can send MIDI commands to up to two different external devices whenever Slots get loaded in Performance Mode. In addition you can forward the four pedal controllers for Morphing, Wah, Volume, and Pitch to those two external devices. And you could enable "UI to MIDI", which allows to forward all transactions triggered from your PROFILER Remote™ or PROFILER Stage™ foot control to a second PROFILER as a backup or a sequencer for automation purposes. Stage, Head, PowerHead™, Rack, and PowerRack™ models also offer an option to send MIDI clock.
PROFILER™ Head, Rack, and Stage models offer the possibility to loop in external gear at any location within the virtual signal chainregardless of their series. Head and Rack models offer one effect loop. The PROFILER Stage™ offers even two effect loops. Each effect loop has a mono send and can be configured to have either a mono or stereo return. The PROFILER Player™ has no effect loop.
All PROFILER™ Head, PowerHead™, Rack, PowerRack™, and Stage models and series offer koax S/PDIF in- and outputs with 44.1, 48, 88.2, or 96 kHz at 24 bit and can run as master as well as slave of the clock.
Head, PowerHead, Rack, and PowerRack units built before 2019 need to be set as master of the clock.
All PROFILER models including Player support USB audio!
Yes, this is especially practical for PROFILER Rack and PROFILER PowerRack™ users. You need to select the ALTERNATIVE INPUT as your input source in the Input Section. This setting is global and not included in any Rig.
Even with this setting the ALTERNATIVE INPUT will only function as guitar input if no jack is plugged into the front INPUT at that time. It is not possible to use these two guitar inputs simultaneously.
The Output Source "DI Analog" is only available in conjunction with the Front INPUT.
Yes, it is possible to create PROFILE™s of modelling amps, although the results from PROFILING™ modeled amps can sometimes be underwhelming. The reason is that some emulations try to mimic the typical tube sound using techniques that don't necessarily match the analog reality.
Yes, absolutely!
You could create a PROFILE™ of your favorite bass amplifiers or just leverage our factory bass amp PROFILEs. Some are included in our preinstalled factory content. All bass Rigs are available in KEMPER Rig Manager™ and on the KEMPER™ download page.
Yes!
As a matter of fact, we offer multiple factory PROFILE™s taken from one of the best-sounding solid state amps in history: the Roland® JC-120.
Yes, even PROFILE™s of acoustic guitar preamps and microphone preamps can be created!
Welcome!
First you need to create your own KEMPER™ user account. Simply click on the small icon "Login" at the top right corner of the KEMPER home page and follow the instructions. You will receive an e-mail including a confirmation link. If that e-mail shouldn't arrive, please check spam folders on your PC as well as e-mail server. Should you still need help, please open a support ticket here or give us a call.
If you already know the serial number of your KEMPER gear, you can enter it immediately. The serial number of a PROFILER™ can be found on the box and on a sticker under the bottom. Models with displays show their number also on the last page of System Settings. The serial of a PROFILER Remote™ can be found on the box and a sticker under the bottom. The KEMPER Kabinet™ and KEMPER Power Kabinet™ have their serial on the box and a sticker or the back plane.
You can log into your KEMPER user account at any time to add or manage registrations.
PROFILER™ Head, Rack, and Stack models show their serial number on the last page of System Settings.
The serial number of the Remote gets displayed, if you press 1+TAP simultaneously followed by the TUNER button.
In addition, all PROFILER models and Remote have a sticker with their serial number under their bottom.
KEMPER Kabinet™ and KEMPER Power Kabinet™ show serial numbers at their back plane.
Yes, you can register multiple devices in your KEMPER™ user account. Please log into your user account clicking on the icon in the top right corner of the KEMPER home page and follow the instructions.
If you have acquired a PROFILER™ or other KEMPER™ gear second hand you should create your own KEMPER user account and register the devices in your account like a new owner. Simply click on the small icon Login at the top right corner of the KEMPER home page and follow the instructions.
At that time the former owner will receive a warning e-mail and owner privileges will be transferred automatically.
Each new PROFILER™ leaves the factory with default settings and a selection of Rigs and presets preinstalled. This preinstalled Rig pool gets modified once in a while.
If you intend to reset your PROFILER to the latest as-delivered-state, update the PROFILER OS to the current release revision first. You can either leave this to Rig Manager™ or download the upgrade package from the KEMPER™ download page and upgrade via USB flash drive. Instructions are included in the upgrade package.
Before you initiate the reset, you might want to create a backup of current settings and data on USB flash drive. This avoids loosing precious data during the process.
At Stage, Head, and Rack models the Factory Reset can be found on the first page of System Settings. Hold the button for a moment and you will be guided through the process.
To create a backup of the PROFILER Player™ first plug in your USB flash drive once while the Player is up and running. Then power off and hold the BANK button while powering on. To initiate a factory resets at the Player hold four buttons simultaneously while powering on: BANK+TAP+WiFi+KONE
While Rigs include the settings of the whole signal chain starting at the input section, follwed by all effect modules with the stack section in the middle, you could create presets of individual modules instead: input, effect module, amp, cab, output or the entire stack section (amp plus cab).
If you have for example the stack section in focus and push the STORE button of Head, Rack or Stage models, you have the choice to either store the entire Rig including the complete signal chain from the Input to the REV module or you just capture a preset of this stack. The same can be achieved in Rig Manager™ by dragging and dropping the stack from the signal chain into a location of your choice within the All Presets area.
In order to reuse such a user preset later in another Rig, you focus on its stack section and either use the BROWSE knob of Head, Rack, Stack models to select from the list of presets stored in your PROFILER™ or you select via Rig Manager. Rig Manager lists all your user presets in the All Presets area. From here you can drag and drop into the stack section at the signal chain.
The same principles apply to input presets, effect presets, individual amp and cabinet presets, and output presets. Your user effect presets are also available in the effects selection menu together with the preinstalled permanent presets provided by KEMPER™.
Presets are a phantastic tool to capture and reuse your favorite sound building blocks.
Clean Sens
Different types of guitars produce different output levels depending on their pickups and string gauge: for example, humbucker pickups generate higher voltages compared to single coils, and active guitars generate even hotter signal levels. If you feel that clean sounds are either very loud or very soft compared to distorted sounds, you can adjust Clean Sens to a level where clean sounds have the same perceived loudness as distorted sounds. Clean Sens determines the volume of clean sounds, but not the way that the amp or the effects are driven. A guitar with low output level stays cleaner; a hot guitar will still distort more easily.
Extremely hot guitars can generate unwanted distortion, indicated by the Input LED flashing red. This is only relevant for clean sounds, however - prominent amp distortion will completely mask a subtle clipping of the input.
Distortion Sens*
Distortion Sens should normally stay at zero (middle) position. Every Rig will react as if you had connected your guitar to the original amplifier.
If you feel that your guitar tends to drive the distortion too hot (or too soft) for most of your Rigs, then calibrate your guitar by adjusting Distortion Sens accordingly.
Clean Sens is not a simple input gain; you will notice that it does not affect the gain of a distorted sound. Distortion Sense* is also not a simple booster, as it does not affect the gain of clean sounds. Neither of these parameters colors the sound.
There is a dedicated video tutorial available about the Input Section.
*Distortion Sens is not available at the PROFILER Player™!
Rig Volume is made for adjusting relative volume differences between Rigs for your performance. In general it should be placed on or around the middle position (unity volume). If you do that, you should rarely see a red OUTPUT LED. The parameter Rig Volume is available in Rig Settings at all PROFILER models. In addition, Head, Rack, and Player models offer dedicated physical knobs.
We have put weeks of work into the PROFILER™ for creating a constant volume situation. One aspect of this is that the volume is automatically fine-tuned during the PROFILING™ process. But this cannot be done 100% perfectly, because a perceived volume is not necessarily equal to a measured energy. The sound (here the frequency spectrum) of your guitar will also have an impact on the perceived volume. A Strat single coil will deliver totally different results compared to a humbucker on a 7-string guitar. This cannot be anticipated or calculated. Last but not least, the most important: The output volume of your guitar. The levels of various guitars could differ by more than 20 dB. That's a lot! Clean sounds fully depend on the volume of your guitar (unless you use a compressor) while high gain sounds are mostly constant due to the compression aspect of the distortion. This is why it's mandatory to "tell" the PROFILER about the volume of your guitar by adjusting the Clean Sens parameter in the INPUT section. Please read the respective chapter in the manual or view the tutorial video about the INPUT section. If you set the Clean Sens parameter correctly for your guitar, so that clean an distorted sounds have the same energy for your ears, you will have the perfect setting for your guitar:
- only minor volume differences between different Rigs,
- no red LED on input nor output.
The PROFILER performs automatic leveling during the PROFILING process. This can later be modified by you with the target guitar, your ears and a simple tweak of a knob.
Check out the Factory Rigs Reference List on the KEMPER™ web-page.
It shows all factory Rigs with the original names of the amp and cabinet profiled for your information.
There are multiple ways to modify the signal chain of a Rig leveraging favorite building blocks:
KEMPER Rig Manager™ is available on Windows®, macOS®, iOS®, Android®, and Fire OS® platforms and compatible with all PROFILER™ models and series. It allows you to use convenient PC features like drag&drop and copy&paste to move and copy items.
Presets of individual effects, amps, cabinets, stack, and other items can be created and reused at all PROFILER models via Rig Manager for Windows® and for macOS®. At PROFILER Stage, Head, and Rack models preset creation and reloading can be performed at their front panels without Rig Manager.
In addition, Stage, Head, and Rack models offer the capability to selectively browse amplifiers, cabinets, or whole stacks from other Rigs dialing their RBOWSE knob. So you could keep the rest of the signal chain, and just pick and load an amp from another Rig - or an amplifier preset.
Last not least Stage, Head, and Rack models offer the locking feature. You can lock modules of the signal chain e.g. effect modules A and the amplifier module and then load another Rig. So you hear the new Rig, but with the old effect and amplifier.
Yes!
Most PROFILE™s consist of an amplifier and a cabinet component. All PROFILER™ models ans series including the Player allow you to virtually combine these to your liking.
You could also selectively disable the cabinet simulation just for the MONITOR OUT (and SPEAKER OUT of PowerHead and PowerRack models) to drive a physical guitar cabinet with that signal*, while FOH receives a complete simulation.
Or you could import cabinet impulse responses via KEMPER Rig Manager™ and combine these with amplifier PROFILEs.
*PROFILER Stage, Player, Head, and Rack models have no built-in power amplifier and require an external amplifier to drive an unpowered guitar speaker cabinet.
PROFILER* Stage, Head, and Rack models offer a nice feature to leverage neutral speakers or headphones connected to them for band monitoring:
You could use the Aux In feature to receive the band's monitor mix from FOH. This way you keep local control balancing the band's monitor mix versus your own local guitar signal.
You would need to feed the band's monitor mix into the Aux In sockets. At the PROFILER Stage™ use RETURN 1 and 2. At Head and Rack models use RETURN and ALTERNATIVE IN. In the Output Section you will find three controls to selectively mix the Aux In signal. So, you could for example feed the monitor mix just into the HEADPHONE OUTPUT.
If the band's monitor mix you receive is just mono, use the RETURN/RETURN 1 input and activate "Aux >Mono" in Output Settings.
Depending on which outputs you are using to feed your guitar signal to the mixing desk - e.g. the MAIN OUTPUTS - you must avoid sending the band mix signal back to FOH. Otherwise you create a feedback loop!
MASTER VOLUME is the master control of those output volumes linked to it. Any combination of outputs can be linked to MASTER VOLUME.
At PROFILER™ Stage, Head, and Rack models, MASTER VOLUME maintains the relative volume differences of the linked outputs are maintained at any time. This can lead to situations, that one output could already be muted while others still deliver sound.
At the PROFILER Player™, MASTER VOLUME works differently: All linked outputs assume the same level. This could cause a volume jump at an output, if you link it and afterwards dial MASTER VOLUME for the first time.
However, if you intend to mount the product e.g. a Stage on a floor board, be cautious reusing the same screws and potentially turning these deeper into the housing as this could damage electronics internally.
If you mount a unit in a rack or case, make sure there is sufficient air circulation to avoid overheating. This applies specifically to models with built-in power amplifiers.
