What outputs to use for Active Monitor connections Newbie ?

  • Hi all,
    im a total newb here and recently purchased a power rack system. I found a decent pair of active Presonus monitors and as a home/bedroom player I thought these could be ideal for my application (no performance or immediate recording needs). My monitors have balanced TRS inputs and I don't know what connection from the Kemper to use for this pair of speakers. How do I best run a stereo (assuming I can run that way) directly from the KPA to my monitor pair (no xlr inputs, just TRS). All advice is appreciated. I did search around a bit, but the two most likely threads went way off on tangents ;)

  • Easy way would be to purchase xlr to 1/4" adapters. One to one pinout. I have a bunch of them for pa applications, etc.

    I am a Profile Whore... Sometimes a Recovering Profile Whore...
    but mostly a Complete and Utter Profile Whore... I want them all... aCk!!! 8|:love:

  • The outputs you should use are labeled "main output" or "master output" (I've seen both, depending on the version of your Kemper). There's a pair of both TRS and XLR outputs, so you can simply plug in two TRS cables for stereo operation.


    In the Kemper's output menu (press the "Output" button and use the left and right buttons to find the right page), make sure "Main output" is set to "Master stereo".

  • I had a brain fart... I thought there might have been 1/4" balanced outs on the KPA. Dohhh

    I am a Profile Whore... Sometimes a Recovering Profile Whore...
    but mostly a Complete and Utter Profile Whore... I want them all... aCk!!! 8|:love:

  • Will using the TRS to the speaker left and right inputs result in a balanced signal going into an unbalanced input (causing noise)? I ordered a few Female XLR to 1/4" jacks on the recommendation of my Sweetwater associate, but I won't really understand until I plug in :)

  • Where's the unbalanced input? You said your monitors have got balanced ones, so everything is balanced :)
    Anyway, a balanced cord over au unbalanced line doesn't create more noise than an unbalanced one, because the line only sees "one side" of the signal, as it was purely unbalanced.

  • Ok tried some connections and my monitors dont seem to be terribly loud when connected to the KPA via the XLR outs to my active monitors. I'm sure I'm missing something. Help!!

  • Yes, make sure to check the volume for the Kemper's Main Outputs specifically.


    Turning the Master Volume knob shows you a somewhat arbitrary "volume" parameter (which doesn't always consistently translate to the actual volume), but on one of the pages in the Output section you can see the volumes in dB for all the different outputs.

  • It's not arbitrary, it's how much the Profiler attenuates what's coming from the Volume pot. And the latter attenuates what's coming from the cab volume... which attenuates what's coming from the post amp fx... etc. :D

  • It's not arbitrary, it's how much the Profiler attenuates what's coming from the Volume pot. And the latter attenuates what's coming from the cab volume... which attenuates what's coming from the post amp fx... etc. :D


    You mean the negative dB values for the individual outputs, right? Those are fine and certainly consistent (taking into account the inherent volume differences between rigs and, as you say, cab and effect slot volumes).


    I was referring to the 0-10 number you see when turning the master volume knob. Due to the volumes linking mechanism, I find that this number doesn't always correspond to the same decibel values for the individual outputs. It can be a little confusing -- I can't just walk into rehearsal and simply dial it to 4, because 4 doesn't always mean the same thing.

  • I was referring to the 0-10 number you see when turning the master volume knob. Due to the volumes linking mechanism, I find that this number doesn't always correspond to the same decibel values for the individual outputs. It can be a little confusing -- I can't just walk into rehearsal and simply dial it to 4, because 4 doesn't always mean the same thing.


    Oh, I see what you mean. But isn't it the same for the measurement in dB? Since it is an attenuation, any rig would sound differently loud anyway, since the attenuation could be the same but the source level would not.
    I must be missing something :rolleyes:


    :)