M Britt Kemper Profiles

  • Thanks for the condescending tone. I have made plenty of merged profiles the "right" way and wasn't knocked out by them. Perhaps I'm just an idiot, like you imply. I never said, "do it this way". I just said I did it this way and I like it. As far as your opinion of how I get the tones I like for myself, I kinda don't care, but I do get offended when you imply that I'm stupid for not knowing better. Please move on.

    lonestargtr , Mr Ibot39 is out of line to say what he said. Not cool. I think you have been around the block a few times. Don't let the ignorant comments bother you. We ALL know your work and how great it is.

    Rik


    Kemper toaster >Kemper remote> 2 x Alto TS310 powered speakers Furman M-8XAR

  • ... And just saving a cab to a direct profile does not sound good. It works fine for doing that with studio profiles, but just adding a cab to a direct profile, at least the way I've been doing it the last few days, just sounds wrong....

    I don't want to offend you or anyone. Maybe it is partly a language barrier, or maybe I am partly the idiot :S

    It sometimes leads to misunderstandings, when we can only communicate in written form.


    I think it came through more than clear, that I LIKE most of your profiles and I am using them a lot. I have bought them all and I am a happy customer! I am doing lot of experimental stuff myself and if the results sound good, I use it. No problem here.


    But there have been a few statements that made me think. Like the one above. And I share my opionion and trains of thought - because it is the Kemper forum :)


    To the statement above. It's not about "doing it wrong", it just says, that some of your cabs don't fit direct amp profiles. That's of course the result of how you have captured those studio profiles (that sound great by themselves).


    Saving a IR / cab to a direct profile ONLY does lead to bad results, when the cab part is not fitting the amp part - pretty obvious.


    So there are profilers out there that rather dial in and profile their amps (direct amp profiles) to fit their already existing IR / cab library. That way, of course copying those cabs to direct amp profiles DOES give good results. Just another way of doing it. Not the best.


    All I am saying, this or your experimental way or my experimental way - all are not merged profiles. Why is this important? Because people expect merged profiles having a cab from the original profiling and not a random cab containing "components" / sounds from another amp.

  • .

    lonestargtr , Mr Ibot39 is out of line to say what he said. Not cool. I think you have been around the block a few times. Don't let the ignorant comments bother you. We ALL know your work and how great it is.

    I am not out of line :P

    I just tried to point out that I understand "merged" like it is written in the manual and I am still wondering about the use of the merged button in the "wrong" scenario. Everyone can do whatever he wants and experiment of course. Gives interesting results.

    But talking about this and questioning it is not allowed in your opinion? Why?


    So now I know:

    - MBritt tried out "doing it wrong" on purpose and is experimenting and likes it so far:thumbup:The official way of making merged profiles - like intended by the inventor - doesn't give him as good results.


    - I still like his profiles. I am still a happy customer and will continue to use them <3

    Edited once, last by Ibot39 ().

  • Saving a IR / cab to a direct profile ONLY does lead to bad results, when the cab part is not fitting the amp part - pretty obvious.

    Not trying to be argumentative, and not trying to perpetuate this nonsense, but this sentence is way too judgmental without knowing what it sounds like to me. I am not trying to recreate something that exists in the real world, but trying to innovate a little and create a sound that yes, may or may not add some characteristics of a profiled amp to another amp's direct profile. The end result does not ONLY lead to bad results, as I am attesting. You may not want or like it, but it works, nonetheless. So no, not obvious.

  • Not trying to be argumentative, and not trying to perpetuate this nonsense, but this sentence is way too judgmental without knowing what it sounds like to me. I am not trying to recreate something that exists in the real world, but trying to innovate a little and create a sound that yes, may or may not add some characteristics of a profiled amp to another amp's direct profile. The end result does not ONLY lead to bad results, as I am attesting. You may not want or like it, but it works, nonetheless. So no, not obvious.

    Calling my posts "nonsense" in this context is weird. What exactly was nonsense? That I didn't get the "innovative" method?


    Maybe I am also getting "offended when you imply that I'm stupid for not knowing better" (as you said). No I am not :)This is a forum - it's purpose is to discuss Kemper related stuff, isn't it? Of course I tried and tested this (and other unusual things). But using the merged button with random cabs does not work for me (and others), it does not give authentic or good results for me (and others). Am I allowed to say that?


    But how in the world should I have known, that you are "not trying to recreate something that exists in the real world"? That's usually the goal.


    So you (at least for the few profiles we are talking about here) are making almost everything different like intendet and is written in the manual and recommend by Kemper!!! And when someone is confused about this you feel attacked? Sorry for not knowing before, that you do it "wrong" by purpose to get "innovative" results. This is not what I expected - sorry for that.


    For the rest of the (Kemper) world using direct amp profiles (or studio profiles) with IR or other FITTING cabs just saved still does work and sounds glorious!


    But do what ever works for you. Experiment and share your experience with us on this forum. But relax when someone is not getting your new "innovative" methods immediately or expresses his own view of things.

  • I'm always looking for unique amps that I haven't profiled yet

    Maybe not a unique choice but I would be thrilled to see you release a JTM45 profile with the Greenback cabinet that you used with your 69 Marshall. Or maybe with a 2x12 open back Greenback combo a la Bluesbreaker. Nobody nails the Marshall tone as good as you and that's the one still missing from your collection.

  • lonestargtr


    Really dug you're 2020 pack. One thing no one has mentioned is you're performances that you included. If I just want no nonsense great tone without jigging about with settings I go straight to one of those. Just like switching on an amp :)

    Please include more with any future profiles :thumbup:

  • Hi Michael, thanks for the update and congratulations on your son’s graduation.


    Sorry to hear your singer left but hope the replacement and upcoming shows go fantastically well.


    Your comments on merging certainly came as a surprise to me. I am definitely a firm believer in the “if it sounds good, it is good” philosophy. Many times doing something “wrong” gets the “right” result but as long as the end is good, who cares about the means use to achieve it.


    It was interesting to hear you say that you were aiming to create something that doesn’t exist in the real world. I believe that digital gear can already recreate the real world to a level that future “improvements” will end up being more and more effort for less and less return. That is too say we are already way down the road of diminishing returns. In such a situation it seems logical to exploit the potential that digital offers for innovation BEYOND simply replication.


    Having said all of that, there is clearly a lot of confusion around merged profiles in general. While I am sure you fully understand the subtractive nature of the merging process, a great many users have no understanding of this and therefore packs with MERGED profiles can be a real lottery. Each profiler is selling something different but calling it the same thing. I am not suggesting that is your fault or theirs. In fact I strongly believe that Kemper are to blame in this instance for naming a process which REMOVES a cab from a STUDIO profile; MERGING.

    The confusion stems from the fact that the process of creating a MERGED profile takes a full signal path (Studio Profile) and SUBTRACTS the cabinet from it by using the Direct Amp Profile as a reference signal. The new cabinet only preset can then be combined with the Direct Amp Profile of the same Studio rig to give a theoretically accurate split between Amp and Cab instead of the estimated split that Cab Driver creates. Many users (including some high profile commercial vendors) don’t realise this is the actual process being used and sell any combined rig as a MERGED profile. However, users who are actually buying MERGED profiles are typically doing so specifically because they want the accurate split between Amp and Cab to let them use their traditional cab on stage. Clearly, as you have pointed out with you “innovation” approach, there are other uses that can result in great sounds. However, if you are going to sell these profiles in future I personally believe it would be helpful to not call them MERGED profiles but, instead, come up with your own innovative name for them to avoid adding to the confusion that already exists. If someone with your high profile and held in such high regard within the Kemper community was to launch a pack containing MERGED profiles that conflict with Kemper’s definition in the manual it would only muddy the waters further.


    I do not mean anything I have said to be condescending or critical. I am one of those users who holds you in high regard and has found your profiles to be among my favourites ever. Your ‘69 Marshall profiles actually taught me to love Marshalls after 30 years of hating them. Now that amp is one of my go to rigs! Also, your D Style pack is simply killer - that Ceriatone clone is a wonderful sounding amp ???

  • However, if you are going to sell these profiles in future I personally believe it would be helpful to not call them MERGED profiles but, instead, come up with your own innovative name

    i bought a couple of profiles from mbritt, but i´ve never seen any merged or direct profiles, just "profiles".


    the manual also suggest on page 336:

    Direct Amp PROFILEs can be paired with arbitrary cabinet impulse responses, imported by our KEMPER Rig ManagerTM software (version 3 required). The result is a complete PROFILE that can run a physical guitar cabinet onstage for monitoring, and simultaneously feed the virtual guitar speaker sound to the main PA.


    so how should we call these?

  • We should call them "direct amp profile with added IR" or "studio profile with added IR" or "direct amp profile with added studio cab from another profiling session" or "direct amp profile with added merged cab from another profiling session" 8):)8):). All of the mentioned will give DIFFERENT results.


    For example look at the 3rd Power CSR Pack. If you read the document of the pack you get the impression that the amp was PROFILED with the cabs mentioned. After questioning this, we got the answer from Mr. Britt:


    "Most of the gain profiles use the cabs from the blended IR pack. I did not do direct profiles of the amps, but rather just swapped cabs. Since most of the time I use many of the same cabs I can swap without weird eq happening. Every time I compared the profiled cab to the IR cab I just preferred them on the gain settings. All of the cleanish profiles use the profiled cabs. Working with Jamie, my goal was to get tones he approved of and I was able to do that using the the blended cabs. I think the amp/cab separation algorithm has gotten better over time and I feel the DI adds a layer to the profiles, imparting a slight shift of tone to the sound. I've just been happier swapping cabs since the basic tonality is so close, it's just like making minor eq changes on a mixing console or something."


    So it is just IR from another profiling / IR shoot session copied to studio profiles sometimes.

    I don't think the goal on an official 3rd Power amp pack was: "Not trying to recreate something that exists in the real world" like Mr Britt stated now. Is the result sounding good? Yes!

    Is it an authentic recreation of the amp? In theory it can not be!

    Mr. Britt will say yes, it is close enough, what we wanted to achieve and are happy with. So it is legit. Still I can have MY opinion about this. And still use them, when I like the sound. It's not about quality, it is about transparancy. And sometimes different expectations about authenticity.


    There has been created a godlike myth around MBritt. It has it's justification, because his profiles work for so many people. But if the fanboys (I am one myself a bit and a loyal customer) are confronted with some of his statements and facts, the great sounds will of course stay, but some are suprised about a few things and see it more realistically. And with so much popularity, praise and encouragement Mr Britt and his fans should also be able to stand other opinions on a forum.

    Edited 3 times, last by Ibot39 ().

  • Yes, the manual days you can mix and match cabs with amps and no objection be is disputing that the results can be fantastic. However, that section is not talking about MERGED profiles which have a very specific meaning in Kemper terminology. I think the terminology is poor and this is what causes the confusion rather than anyone trying to be non transparent.


    In Kemper's terminology a Merged profile is created by first making a full studio profile. Next making a Direct Amp Profile of the exact same amp and settings. Both are loaded into the buffer simultaneously and the KPA then compares them and SUBTRACTS the DIRECT AMP PROFILE from the full STUDIO PROFILE to leave only the SPEAKER from the STUDIO PROFILE as a new preset that can now be used with any amp.


    I have no issues with how the amps and cabs are used. As long as the result sounds good to the person creating/using it everything is good. However, Kemper's choice of name for their separation tool has caused a lot of confusion for users over what it actually does.

  • My apologies if I wasn't clear in my original post. I'm not trying to mislead anyone and never meant to imply that I was going to be selling the rigs I've been making for my live performances. My exercise in the experimentation was merely a "what if" that happened to work in my situation. I know how merged profiles are supposed to be made and have made plenty. I've also swapped cabs on studio profiles a ton. I am always looking for ways to fine tune things that I have or can create better tones to use in my live performances, from incorporating real drive pedals to swapping cabs, etc. I may have made the mistake in saying "merged rigs" (for lack of a longer, convoluted explanation) in my initial post, which wasn't really the whole point I was trying to make. I'm not making true merged rigs to sell, rather, I have been experimenting a lot and hit the "merge cab" button using direct profiles and my favorite cab block. To be clear, I've tried everything the "right" way and still looking for something more so I was just trying something I wouldn't normally do. I did get defensive when told that doing such things will "only lead to wrong results" when my ears tell me something entirely the opposite. And again, not recommending this method or even explaining why it works. I am just always looking for ways to make what I already have sound better. And like I said, it will have to stand up to rigorous stage testing too, which I haven't gotten to yet. "Nonsense" was just referring to feeling like I was having to defend my post on a Kemper subject when I clearly had many other things on my mind yesterday (son's graduation) which take precedence over the minutiae of semantics around kemper profiling. My apologies. I think the primary point of my post is just to give a "what I've been up to" in response to releasing new packs.

  • My apologies if I wasn't clear in my original post. I'm not trying to mislead anyone and never meant to imply that I was going to be selling the rigs I've been making for my live performances. My exercise in the experimentation was merely a "what if" that happened to work in my situation. I know how merged profiles are supposed to be made and have made plenty. I've also swapped cabs on studio profiles a ton. I am always looking for ways to fine tune things that I have or can create better tones to use in my live performances, from incorporating real drive pedals to swapping cabs, etc. I may have made the mistake in saying "merged rigs" (for lack of a longer, convoluted explanation) in my initial post, which wasn't really the whole point I was trying to make. I'm not making true merged rigs to sell, rather, I have been experimenting a lot and hit the "merge cab" button using direct profiles and my favorite cab block. To be clear, I've tried everything the "right" way and still looking for something more so I was just trying something I wouldn't normally do. I did get defensive when told that doing such things will "only lead to wrong results" when my ears tell me something entirely the opposite. And again, not recommending this method or even explaining why it works. I am just always looking for ways to make what I already have sound better. And like I said, it will have to stand up to rigorous stage testing too, which I haven't gotten to yet. "Nonsense" was just referring to feeling like I was having to defend my post on a Kemper subject when I clearly had many other things on my mind yesterday (son's graduation) which take precedence over the minutiae of semantics around kemper profiling. My apologies. I think the primary point of my post is just to give a "what I've been up to" in response to releasing new packs.

    It’s all good Michael. Thank you for the clarification. I am sorry if anything in my posts left you feeling the need to defend yourself as that was never my intention.


    The most important point in all of this is that your son just graduated. My two are 19 and 21 and I am looking forward to my daughter’s graduation in 2 years time. Family and friends are far more important than anything else.


    best wishes


    Alan


  • Thanks for the condescending tone. I have made plenty of merged profiles the "right" way and wasn't knocked out by them. Perhaps I'm just an idiot, like you imply. I never said, "do it this way". I just said I did it this way and I like it. As far as your opinion of how I get the tones I like for myself, I kinda don't care, but I do get offended when you imply that I'm stupid for not knowing better. Please move on.

    lonestargtr is correct. I agree

    lonestargtr where can I find this Magic Cab?

    Rik


    Kemper toaster >Kemper remote> 2 x Alto TS310 powered speakers Furman M-8XAR