Help needed for Kemper PowerHead and connecting to Trio+

  • Hi Guys!,
    I would first like to start by stating the amount of help and expertise in this group that everyone contributes too is a big help and thank you all!


    My setup: Kemper PowerHead, EVH 1x12 Cab, set of Rockit 6 monitor speakers.
    Here is what I would like to do: When I play with my heavy distorted ENGL patch I have that routed to my EVH cab. How do I through the Trio+ into the loop so it captures
    that sound and plays it back and through the monitor speakers?


    Finally is there a way to also patch this through my DAW as well? I typically use the Scarlett 2i2 to my PC.


    Any help with this and please include settings that I might need to make in the Kemper would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

  • The quickest, easiest, and least expensive way would be to use a cab block in the Kemper that best approximates the sound of your physical cab and speaker. The other option would require either a second Kemper (to profile your current signal chain) or get your hands on an ENGL to profile through your cab. Personally, I would start previewing cabs in your Kemper to find a good match.

  • The quickest, easiest, and least expensive way would be to use a cab block in the Kemper that best approximates the sound of your physical cab and speaker. The other option would require either a second Kemper (to profile your current signal chain) or get your hands on an ENGL to profile through your cab. Personally, I would start previewing cabs in your Kemper to find a good match.

    Hi, thanks for the reply. I do have an ENGL Powerball II with an EVH 4x12 cab. I have profiled my ENGL in my Kemper and I love it but I am still unclear on how to connect everything up.

  • Here's how I have mine setup with an unpowered toaster:
    1. Guitar goes into the Kemper input
    2. Kemper Master Outs (stereo) configured as "Master Stereo" go to my Focusrite 18i8 interface line-in (inputs 5&6)
    3. Kemper Monitor Out (mono) configured as "Master Mono" goes to my Trio+ "FX In" input
    4. Kemper Direct Out (mono) configured as "Git Analog" goes to my Trio+ "Guitar In" input
    5. I then take a mono output from the Trio+ "Mix" into my Focusrite line input 7 and another from the Trio+ "Amp" output into line input 8
    6. (I use an ABY splitter between the Kemper Monitor Out and FX In on the Trio+)


    Points 1 & 2 above get me a direct signal from Guitar->Kemper->Interface and on to my monitors. I believe putting a guitar through the Trio first before the Kemper can compromise the tone…
    Point 3 gives me the master mono signal to record into the Trio+ for the looper, and Point 6 allows me to switch this off when not recording a loop, otherwise you get a doubling of the processed guitar signal (which messes with the tone) from the Kemper Master Outs and the Trio+ Amp Out. (You could also achieve this with just the Kemper by setting the Monitor Out to "Off"; save a pair of Output configurations, one for recording loops with Monitor Out on and one for just playing, with Monitor Out off)
    Point 4 gets the unprocessed guitar signal into the Trio+ for setting up the band
    Point 5 gets the Trio+ outputs into my interface and out to the monitors
    You don't need to bother with the FX Out from the Trio+ in this setup.


    As you have less inputs on your 2i2, it gets a little trickier! Depending on what other cables you have plugged into your Kemper, you could return the 2 Trio+ outputs into the Alternative and Return inputs of the Kemper. I did this for a bit but I didn't like the sound placement (mono vs stereo with Trio+ loop & mix outputs panned left & right) but it might work for you. I think in the Master/Output Settings on the Kemper you can send these 2 input signals to your Master Outs, which would get you processed guitar, loop & Trio band mix into your interface, but you won't be able to balance the signals there, it will have to be done at the sources. You don't want the Trio+ sounds to go to your physical cabinet thought, I don't know if that is switchable for your speaker output? I don't have a powered Kemper...
    As Frodebro suggested, you will have to find a cab in the Kemper to apply to your rig(s) to get a sound from the Master & Monitor Outs that gets close to your physical cab…
    You may need a bunch of cables for this!
    I hope that helps! This is undoubtably not how the Trio+ is supposed to be configured but I prefer this setup because it won't colour the guitar tone when the Trio+ is not being actively used.
    -Durwin

  • Durwin,
    This is makes a lot of sense and I now I understand how this is being connected without tone sucking the guitar. I really appreciate the in-dept response and this really should be a sticky. A lot of people have Trio+ from what I understand. The reason I went with the powered version is because I love connecting to a CAB to jam on and it would be much easier for me to "hear" how close the tone actually is to my reference rig and also I got the powered unit as a scratch and dent for less than the price of non powered unit new.


    On side note I ordered the Kemper Profiler Remote yesterday and I am really looking forward to it coming in!


    Thanks for your help!

  • No problem :) I forgot to mention you may notice some tone suck from the recorded loops on the Trio+ but you may be able to add some EQ in the Kemper to compensate?
    I must admit I'm very new to the Kemper but I knew I wanted to use my Trio+ with it so I did plenty of research before buying! The foot switch option for the Trio+ comes in useful too...