Dear God - I hope it gets better than this!

Again, Pure Cabinet! I also use my Kemper live, coming from tube amps, and this setting is what you need to enable in order to really enjoy the sound coming out of your Kemper. You don't need to do a factory reset, but do make sure you have the latest firmware installed. Trust me!

Quote from Giallanon

I received my KPA last week and it sucked a lot.
After an hour or two, I decided to perfrom a system restore because I couldn'n believe to what I was hearing.
Turn on KPA while holding RIG button (or look at wiki KPA) and perform a system reset.
After system restore, sound were pretty good

This has been reported a lot of times over the last 12-16 months (given that only a small number of KPA users are active in this forum) and the only official reaction I remember is that the only thing that could happen was resetting the output settings to factory standards. Nothing else of the flash memory init can have an impact on the sound of the KPA. So either the reports are wrong because people are victims of their own subjective perception (which I doubt) or an investigation of the developers is necessary.

@OhG : Could you pls. make a backup before you go for a flash memory init (if you intend to do so) - just in case that this procedure changes your KPA's sound, it would be a valuable piece of evidence for the developers to spot what's causing this.

Got in Mind, with Headphones it would sound if you place your ear right in front of your Speakercab. No Room Reflections, just like the mic is listening to your Amp. This position ist not a great sounding position to listen or referencing.
Your sound would dramatically change if you go through Speakers. On Friday you would be Happy with your Kemper i´m sure.

At this moment you would see the Sunlight.

Just want to support these good suggestions:

- Try the init flash / reset stuff
- Experiment with the pure cab control
- Try hooking up to your own guitar cab
- Try something else than your current headphones.

Other things to try:
- Tweak the "Definition" parameter in the amp section (press and hold the "amp" button at the top of the unit to find it)
- Try the "space" parameter in the output menu (press and hold the "master" or "output" button on the right side of the unit, scroll with the arrows until you find it)

After all this, it COULD be that you just aren't used to or don't like the sound of a cab as it is picked up by a mic. It's quite different from a "real" cab.
Some people get used to it and learn to appreciate it for what it is - some don't.
The pure cab control can help with this - but it IS a possibility that you won't gel with it.

In that case, there are two options: Either return the Kemper once you've given it a thorough run, or use a real guitar cab with a power amp in between.

Well, maybe a third option - as i said before, maybe you'll find a cab profile that you like - maybe one that is a bit more far-miced - and you can paste that onto other amplifier profiles (i'm not using the right words here, but hopefully it's understandable anyway).

I wish you the best of luck! So many people find that the Kemper is an awesome piece of kit, but there are some few (few in my estimation at least) that just never gel with it. That's unfortunate, but completely OK.

Quote from OhG

Just for reference, this is very similar to what most of the medium to high gain profiles sounded like through my headphones (Bose QC15's). Also, this is not me in the video, it's just a clip of a sound that is similar to what I heard. Again, I KNOW that the Bose headphones aren't the best way to judge the Kemper, which is why I'm not even plugging it in again until I get my Yamaha DXR10 this Friday.

Fast forward to the 2:00 minute mark in this video, and this is a decent representation of the tones that I heard coming from my Kemper. They aren't as bottom heavy as this clip is. But overly saturated, stale, brittle, etc. Those are all words that I'd use to define how the sounds were through the headphones. And what makes it even worse, is that I have no interest in heavy/death metal. So while this sound may work for that style of music, it doesn't work at all for the classic and modern rock tones that I need in my cover band. I'm hoping that some of the Amp Factory and Tim Owens profiles help with this. I'll try those Friday.

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OK, that's definitely not what the Kemper sounds like. Now I see why you are so disappointed, lol.

anyways, OhG,
if you want to check out what the kemper is capable of, check my soundcloud in the signature or other user's one: there are plenty of samples you can dig.

my samples are some special one, not because of what you will hear (the content doesn't matter at all!) but because I recorded them in the worst case scenario ever: obsolete pc with win xp, old audio board, kemper DIRECTLY to the board (no preamps, non consolle, no pre or post fx, no mixers...just as a beginner would do) and then recorded with the FX on, a situation that would make a sound engineer puke!

so, if I did it you can do it as well

Quote from michaelmellner

anyways, OhG,
if you want to check out what the kemper is capable of, check my soundcloud in the signature or other user's one: there are plenty of samples you can dig.

my samples are some special one, not because of what you will hear (the content doesn't matter at all!) but because I recorded them in the worst case scenario ever: obsolete pc with win xp, old audio board, kemper DIRECTLY to the board (no preamps, non consolle, no pre or post fx, no mixers...just as a beginner would do) and then recorded with the FX on, a situation that would make a sound engineer puke!

so, if I did it you can do it as well

This

and........

Oh yeah, one more thing - make sure you set up the clean sens and dist sense suitably for your guitar.

Also:
have you tried dialing back the gain and adjusting the EQ?
And
the EQ can be placed pre- or post if you long-press the EQ button - sometimes this is a good trick for adjusting how the amp distorts (which frequencies drive the distortion).

Quote from Giallanon

I decided to perfrom a system restore.
Turn on KPA while holding RIG button (or look at wiki KPA) and perform a system reset.

Just to not create confusion, that's properly a Rig Reset. You perform a System Reset by holding the System button.

Quote from OhG

I'll be sure to turn that on before my next test. I don't want to use it again until I get my Yamaha because like Ingolf said, I don't want to put any more negative thoughts into my head until I have the correct setup to test it with. I doubt I need a factory reset either. But since I haven't made any changes at all (other than entering my name into it), I'll go ahead and do that too since it can't hurt and I don't have to worry about backing anything up at this point.

I guess I am a bit mystified why you chose to use headphones as your first (and so far, only) experience with your Kemper. I mean, I remember your other thread. In fact, I recommended that you use your M-B Roadster as the poweramp (KPA into Roadster FX Loop Return) and your Thiel Cab...at least until your FRFR system arrived. I believe Ingolf was advising you to hold off on experimenting any more with your headphones, specifically, until you FRFR arrives. However, you really should at least try the KPA + M-B Roadster into guitar cab setup.

Quote from viabcroce

Just to not create confusion, that's properly a Rig Reset. You perform a System Reset by holding the System button.

As far as I remember, the officials have mentioned in one of the thread that turning the KPA on and holding system button does exactly the same as hitting init systemin the system menu.

Quote from OhG

I'll be sure to turn that on before my next test. I don't want to use it again until I get my Yamaha because like Ingolf said, I don't want to put any more negative thoughts into my head until I have the correct setup to test it with. I doubt I need a factory reset either. But since I haven't made any changes at all (other than entering my name into it), I'll go ahead and do that too since it can't hurt and I don't have to worry about backing anything up at this point.

negative thoughts!!! Trust me the Kemper will give you nothing but positive thoughts once you hear it through the DXR, trust me:)

Definitely try the system reset as I've seen a few other peeps post similar issues. As others have said tweak the definition parameter too.

I currently use my akg headphones with my kemper and the sound is the best I've had. When I go direct to my recording interface it sounds the same.

Good luck!

Headphones getting no love around here. What up with that?!!

My first play through with my Kemper was with Beyer DT770's. Sounded bloody fantastic. Some of the factory rigs weren't my cup of tea, but I found several "keepers" that I still use regularly. The commercial Britt profiles just sweetened the deal.

Frankly, that damn Kemper sounds good every set of headphones I own, including the free iPhone ear buds.

Quote from joerch

As far as I remember, the officials have mentioned in one of the thread that turning the KPA on and holding system button does exactly the same as hitting init systemin the system menu.

I agree. We are talking about the Rig button here

Quote from mightypudge

Headphones getting no love around here. What up with that?!!
My first play through with my Kemper was with Beyer DT770's. Sounded bloody fantastic. Some of the factory rigs weren't my cup of tea, but I found several "keepers" that I still use regularly. The commercial Britt profiles just sweetened the deal.
Frankly, that damn Kemper sounds good every set of headphones I own, including the free iPhone ear buds.

My experience as well

Quote from mightypudge

Headphones getting no love around here. What up with that?!!

My first play through with my Kemper was with Beyer DT770's. Sounded bloody fantastic. Some of the factory rigs weren't my cup of tea, but I found several "keepers" that I still use regularly. The commercial Britt profiles just sweetened the deal.

Frankly, that damn Kemper sounds good every set of headphones I own, including the free iPhone ear buds.

+1 for theDT770's I use them too.
I am also impressed how my new krk rp6 g3 monitors sounding.
And its a dream with my rcf 10 sma frfr.
Sometimes i use it in combination with a power amp and my mesa boogie v30 celestion real cab 2x12 on monitor out with cab sim off. Also a winner.