Monitor Out noisy with DXR10

    Hi all,


    I just got myself a Yamaha DXR10 which I am rather excited about.


    But having never used a system like this, I am not really sure how to set it up.


    I used a regular old guitar cable to go from the Monitor Out to the 1/4" in on the Back of the DXR10 but I'm getting a lot of noise.
    The noise is not the hiss from the DXR10 (although that's pretty bad in itself). The noise is coming from the Kemper - I know this because it goes away if I unplug it from the DXR10.


    It's hard to describe the sound - it's quite loud and a bit crackly, and sometimes there is a rising and falling hiss (like a slow Phaser acting on the hum from a Strat or something like that).
    It's loud enough as to make the Monitor Out unusable with the DXR10.


    I tried 2 different guitar cables and both had the same problem.


    So today I purchased an XLR cable and connected to the DXR10 using the Main Out - problem solved. This setup is nice and quiet.


    I could continue to use the Main Out with the XLR, but I'd really like to get the Monitor Out working correctly.


    Anyone have any ideas?


    Thanks!


    Cal


    PS - I own the powered Rack version. I noticed that when using the Monitor Out to the DXR10, the Power Amp Boost in the Output menu has an effect when I raise or lower it. Is this supposed to work this way? I am not using the power amp - the DXR is powered, so why would it have any effect? Could this be the reason for the noise....the power amp is adding noise to the Monitor Out?


    I am new to this and I haven't explored all the Output options....maybe I have it set up incorrectly.

    Edited 2 times, last by Calaban ().

    Well, if you're sending the cab an already amplified signal you get a lot of noise and distortion almost automatically
    I think there's a control in FW to switch the power amp off.


    Anyway, the balanced out is not amplified. You can either switch the amp off or use the Main out, provided that you select the appropriate signal (mono) to send the out.
    Anyway,
    feed the cab with a robust signal, but not so strong that it clips the
    cab's input, and set the cab's Main volume as low as you can. This will
    minimize the N/S ratio.
    And do not use the mic input of course!


    :)

    Hey guys....thanks for the replies, but I'm confused...


    Like I said, I'm new to this stuff. I've been playing guitar for a LONG time but I've never even set up a PA, and I don't know what half of the technical terms mean....so please, bear with me.


    If I'm understanding the KPA correctly, I should be about to use the Monitor Out (with a guitar cable?) into the Line input of the DXR10 (it's the only 1/4" input). I should also be able to send the Main Outs to FOH.


    1. If the Monitor Out is meant to feed a powered speaker (or power amp + cab), why would the Power Amp on the KPA be interacting with it at all? Why did the Power Amp boost change the volume of the Monitor Out? It doesn't make sense to me...they shouldn't be hooked up at all as far as I know....right?


    2. Pardon my ignorance, but what does 'balanced out' mean? I am assuming the Monitor Out and the Main Outs are balanced, and not powered. Is this correct?


    3. To be clear, I did not run the POWERED speaker output of the KPA into the DXR10, so I'm fairly certain I was in no danger of damaging the DXR10. What I did do was run an XLR cable from the Main Out (Left) to the MIC/LINE Input of the DXR10 (with the mic/line switch set to line). As far as I know this should be ok right? With this setup I am not sending any power from the Kemper poweramp into the DXR10...correct?


    So...I guess I'll try turning off the Poweramp in the KPA and maybe that will clear up the sound from the Monitor Out, but I'm not sure I understand why that would work.


    Thanks for your patience...if you wouldn't mind answering my questions above I would be very grateful!


    Cal

    So I turned off the Poweramp from within the Output section of the KPA, and that solved the problem.


    But why?


    Why would the Poweramp be interacting with the Monitor Out, which - if my reasoning is correct - is meant to go to an external poweramp or a powered monitor?

    I've always known that the internal power amp took its signal from the Monitor out, but the presence of a direct powered out should actually exclude the presence of a powered signal at the monitor out.


    OTOH, the manual explicitly states that


    Quote

    The optional built-in power amplifier [...] is internally cabled to the Monitor Output, so you can use all the features of the Monitor Output for the power amplifier as well.


    Could it be that your unit ahs been erroneously cabled and both Monitor Out and Power Out carry the powered signal? 8o Is this normal guys? I've never tried a powered unit, so I don't know for sure.


    PS: XLR connectors, cables and lines are commonly referred to as "balanced", because they carry the signal on two wires at the same time. :)

    Well, if the OP can change the monitor output by switching the power amp off... something really weird is going on here...


    ... unless it's only internal EM pollution due to a faulty unshielded connection :huh:

    Guys I think my issue is mostly resolved, but it's not perfect.


    I turned off the power amp on the KPA and that fixed most of the issue. I still sometimes get some strange sounds right after the Profiler
    starts up, but they go away. It happened in the headphones as well, so I know it's the Profiler. It's almost as if there are some 'interference' sounds
    as the Profiler organizes its bit and bytes after it starts. The profile loads so it looks as if everything is all set to start playing, but the strange fizzy, crackly noises
    continue for probably 30 seconds. I'll see if I can record it so you can hear it, but I'll have to use my phone as I don't own any mics.


    The conflict with the poweramp still confuses me. If it were meant to be turned off when using the Monitor Out, I would expect they would mention that in the manual,
    but I've found nothing so far.


    I will contact Kemper directly next week.


    Thanks!


    Cal


    That's my understanding as well, and way to go. You should definitely contact them.

    Cal, if you get the noise from HPs out it's certainly not coming directly from the power amp. So you can just take monitor out and hit your sound card, and record directly on your computer.


    :)

    Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but I'm having the same issue with my KPA powerhead and Yamaha DXR10. When using the KPA monitor out via a TS or TRS cable to the -10dB line in on the Yamaha there's a very prominent hiss present. The KPA poweramp is switched off. Dropping the Yamaha volume very low and diming the KPR helps but that doesn't seem like a very satisfactory solution. Using an XLR cable from one of the main outs to a XLR line in on the Yamaha was totally silent. I'd be very grateful for any assistance as the KPA monitor out seems pretty unusable as is.


    Oh, and "Hi", I'm new here.


    Cheers, Simon

    Hello Simon,


    balanced connections being by far more silent should be hinting at your room being quite noisy from an EM POV. Can you try your setup in a different location?


    OTOH, a noisy rig in this kinds of setups usually comes from the pre (the KPA in this case) supplying a rather weak signal and the power amp (Yamaha) having to amplify a lot...
    be sure to properly gain-stage the Profiler: a robust input signal, a robust rig volume, a robust output signal just below the power amp's acceptance. This way you'll be able to reduce the gain on the cab and the noise will be far lower.


    HTH


    PS: welcome :)

    I'm pulling my hair out due to this same issue tonight. I've tried both the DXR10 and DXR15. With both, I used a Mogami 1/4" cable out of the Monitor Out and into the Line 2 input of the DXR. I've got my monitor output level set at -11 dB and the volume knob on the DXR set at "0". The noise from the monitor out is nothing short of ridiculous. But as soon as I use an XLR cable from the Main Output, the speaker is dead silent. Not being able to use the monitor out makes the Kemper practically useless because I need to be able to control the volume for FOH and my monitor separately. And without having to listen to this amount of noise as a compromise.