Tipp: What to buy to get better profiles?

  • New guitar cabinets?
    New mic's
    New mic preamps?


    I would say - yes - in this order.


    What do you think?

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  • Well, if you pose the question like this: Buy nothing!


    I'd say that buying new cabs and new mics will yield in different profiles, not necessarily better ones.
    Provided you don't have the crappiest equipment I'd give the same recommendation as when recording:
    First learn to get the most out of what you got, i.e. learning to mic your cab properly, and differently, and listening to the changes different micing techniques give you, before even thinking of buying new equipment.

  • Yes, I agree 100%.


    Use what you have and learn all about different miking techniques.


    This brings the best results.


    .... but then - if you have learned all this ... and still want to improve ...

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  • The best profiles I´ve heard and played were created with a sm57 - since probably every recording guitarist has this one there is probably no need for a new one. As for cabs - I think if you don´t have super cheap crap you will only get different profiles, not better ones. Mic pre-amp could probably the one thing that could improve a profile even further - but then again I haven´t worked with many mic pre-amps so far!

  • Armin, sounds like you are looking for improvement. As your profiles are amongst the best one could get, my question would be, what is it that are you missing. Or, what are things you do not like?

  • there were 3999 profiles on the RE last time i looked. have a quick listen via RM then try different cabs and you have endless possibilitys to come to your perfect tone. just my 2 cts.

  • I do not think that we need better profiles I think we need better classified profiles. Sure we can make pretty much any profile work with all the tweaks we do with the Kemper but some just seem to work better out of the box than others. There are certain peoples profiles that just seem to work better than others as is at default and if they release more they usually do as well. It is not that they are better than others it is just that they work for me.


    So I suppose if someone can figure out this formula and sell packs in this category and not amp or genre categories, I would assume that more people would feel like they get more bang for their buck with usable profiles. Sad thing is this would not be easy to do because it is not a certain mic or cab but just the way the profile comes out of the speaker. Granted some people want to hear a mimicked genuine amp sound while some others are just happy when they hear a good tone that they can work with so that just adds to complexity as well.


    Overall (as with all technology) when markets get saturated, those who evolve and come out with new ideas or make profiles in a way not done before that creates new versatility or sounds will stay in the game and keep profitable. There is just so much hardware and software that can be placed in line between the profiler while profiling that I think that even if the KPA stopped dead as of today with updates, profiles would still evolve and improve.

  • New guitar cabinets?
    New mic's
    New mic preamps?


    I would say - yes - in this order.


    What do you think?



    The best profiles (for me) are the ones that respond to playing dynamics like the real amp does, and give me the experience of what the real amp sounds and feels like to play.


    Considering what has been accomplished with cheap mixers and SM57 mics (or with a mic directly into the Kemper), I consider mic placement technique to be the most important element when profiling. If switching to someone else's cab profile of the same kind of cabinet improves the sound and feel of a profile, they likely used a more appropriate mic placement technique for that particular sound.


    As a compliment to mic placement, the settings of the volume/gain/tone controls on the amplifier are also important. Most guitarists have their amp set to sound best from the position they usually hear it - pointed at their knees or waist. Few guitarists set the amp to sound good with their ear directly in front of the speaker(s).


    But, if someone's technique is as good as it can get, and the amp settings are appropriate for the intended sound, what gear might improve profiles?


    Mics?
    If "better" is the actual sound of their amp (as opposed to the sound of their amp as heard by an SM57), a wider range microphone (like a condenser mic) can give a more tonally accurate result. But, that may not be a better profile for live or recording use. The profiles of my Jubilee that I use for gigs are a mix of an AKG condenser and an SM57 - I hear a more accurate profile of what my amp would sound like onstage than if I had just used the SM57, but the sound technician still gets more of that Shure "fit in the mix" sound than if I had just used the AKG.


    Preamps?
    Any subtle change in sound that may be expected from a high end preamp could also make the profile sound less like the actual amp. But, if "mix-ready" profiles are the goal, then that subtle preamp sound may be a good thing.


    Cabs?
    With a versatile amplifier, using different kinds of cabinets and speakers can be a great way to make additional profiles. But, If someone already has an appropriate cabinet for the amp sound they are profiling (or the amp has its own speakers), different cabinets and speakers could give them different profiles, but not necessarily better profiles. If someone is trying to make a profile with a cabinet that is a bad match for the amp, a more appropriate cab could be an improvement.


    And, since you mentioned cabs - what about a better amp?
    There are glorious sounding profiles of cheap and unpopular amps, so, maybe not.
    But, if someone's amp doesn't give them the sound they want when they play the actual amp, a profile of that amp won't give them the sound, either.

  • Armin, sounds like you are looking for improvement. As your profiles are amongst the best one could get, my question would be, what is it that are you missing. Or, what are things you do not like?


    Thank you!


    I like my profiles as they are - just like to share my tip,


    As ingolf mentioned the most important part are skills - which is btw no rocket science.


    As for the used gear:
    The old rule "shit in shit out" is very true for profiles as well - the amp and cab should work great together.
    IMHO is it not possible to fix this later by selecting a cab filter from another rig.


    The mic has a huge influence - together with the placement and combination of mics.


    Now to your question - I am currently comparing some great mic preamps and how much different the profile sounds when different types are used.

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    Great Profiles --> soundside.de

  • 1) Mic Placement
    2) Being able to isolate the amp/cab you're miking so you have a minimum if any leakage
    3) better cab
    4) mics
    5) preamp depending on mic used


    Just my opinion. If you're using an SM57, I wouldn't worry about a preamp at all. The only mics I've noticed much of a real difference when using a preamp were ribbons and condensers, especially when you start messing with impedance.

  • It's hard top answer without knowing what you already have.
    Another variable to throw in the mix- different speakers. You may not need new cabs if you already have a variety, but changing out speakers would certainly yield new tones

  • Yes, that's also true!


    I (for whatever reason) love the sound of V30's for a lot of amps.


    So I have owned a 4x12, 2x12 and 1x12 all with V30's ...


    To have greater options I replaced the V30's in the 2x12 and 1x12 with other types of speakers.


    btw. it's very important to 'burn in' the speakers - most brand new ones sound not this great - the UFO noise from loud profiling seams to be a good way to to this.

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    Great Profiles --> soundside.de

  • I find the best profiles for me are the ones that dont have icepicky highs or too thin but still have clarity in the high end for me its the high end thats the most difficult to dial in
    not sure what you could buy to improve that maybe mic preamps help with that , compressing the signal a little and coloring it especially those old tube ones I dont know