Which Kemper? How to Connect to DAW? Etc..

    Dear KPA Forum Members:


    I just joined the forum and I'm psyched I will be able to purchase a Kemper by the spring/summer of 2018. I've been visiting and reading your comments on this forum for a long time and I'm very impressed with the amount of knowledge and help on display! So I thought there would be no better place for me to ask for help in making my final decision.


    Back story:
    I'm (was) considering the Kemper or the AxeFX and I'm leaning towards the Kemper because of the amplifier tones you can get with the Kemper and because it is easier/simpler to operate, thus leaving me with more time for playing and recording guitar rather then to keep twisting knobs and messing with tones. The price is also playing a part in my decision process. I've never played a Kemper or an AxeFX, so my thought process is solely based on youtube videos and forum research.


    I'm currently in the process to updating my home studio and plan to use the Kemper for studio recording only. I have no plans in the near future to play live with a band again (I have small children and whole different set of obligations, I'm sure some of you can relate).


    I have so many questions I thought I could break them into several posts. Thank you in advance for your insight and patience!


    First question(s):
    1) Rack vs Toaster:
    - I'm leaning towards the rack version because I have a rack in my studio and the Kemper would fit in it nicely. The toaster could fit too but it would require purchasing a stand just for it. Keeping in mind that I will use the Kemper for recording at my home studio only, do you guys have a recommendation?


    2) Connection:
    - I would like to ask your help in figuring out the best way to connect my Kemper to my DAW and computer. I use an Universal Audio Apollo Twin Duo MkII into an iMac 2017. My DAW is Logic Pro X.
    - I would like to record everything at once. However, I need to record my guitars with the amp sounds separate from the effects, guitar sound/signal without any amp sounds or effects (to be used for re-amping purposes), and effects sound/signal separate from everything else. I saw the video on the Kemper site about recording 2, 4 tracks and 6 tracks. Which method do you use? Why? I think I need to use the 4 or 6 track method. First time user here, what kind of cables/accessories do I need?


    3) Analog or digital set up:
    - Advantages? Disadvantages?
    - What's the difference between analog and digital recording?Which one do you recommend and why?

    Hey


    Welcome to the obsession.


    Very quickly:


    Question 1: the rack version seems to be more suited. There are a few more buttons on the Toaster version but I own the rack as do many others and it does not effects the ease if editing.


    Question 2: I would read the manual for this one. A popular way is to reamp the sound which means recording the dry signal whilst monitoring the wet signal and then you can change amps after the recording.


    You can also set the Kemper to record the amp stack and effects separately on individual tracks so you can control the dry/wet after the fact.


    There are a lot of options for recording in the Kemper.


    Question 3:staying in the digital domain is one less conversion for the AD/DA.


    Hope that helps.

    Thank you for the quick response Audiopilot. Your answers make sense to me. This will be a brand new experience and investment for me, so I'm thinking what additional cables/accessories would I need to buy in addition to the Kemper? I guess I would like to avoid getting the unit at home and then realize that I needed a couple other things in order to get it working promptly. I appreciated your response. Cheers!

    Hi


    Looking at the back of the Apollo you are slightly limited. All I can advise on is the analog domain as this is what I use.


    First I would watch this video regarding how to reamp with the Kemper.


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    This will help gauge what connections there are on the Kemper and what cables are required. If you want to just record the amp profile directly to the track you only need a single cable out the back of the Profiler to a mono input on your soundcard or two cables for stereo. These cables can be normal jack cables or balanced xlr cables as the Kemper provides connectivity for both.


    If you want to reamp the video above will really help your understanding rather than me blabbing on about cables LOL. Also once you reamp its hard to go back. You can really tidy up a players performance and then play it back over 1000s of amps to get the settings perfect then record the final outcome. If you retain the dry track at any point to can reamp the track again if the song takes a different feel or reamp with a different amp to add depth.


    One thing I love using it for is recording a riff in Cubase then moving the notes randomly in the editor to create an alternative pattern then reamp the track.


    Hope that helps


    Mike

    If you have not already download the Deep Edit manual rather than the generic on. I read this before my purchase and watched all the videos, read posts and have zero regrets in my purchase.


    I use it in the studio, live and in rehearsal and I will say my tone has improved on all counts.


    There is a lot to it and you can refine the sound in so many ways but believe me it's so easy to use.


    Mike

    Hi, Mike -


    Thanks much for getting back to me. I have not watched the video yet, but will watch it this weekend. Same with the Deep Edit manual. Thanks for sharing. I think I will go the same route as you, do some more reading, watch more videos, do some more reserach. I'm stoked about the Kemper and want to learn as much as I can before getting one.


    Happy New Year!


    W.

    Good points so far. One thing I'd add to the Rack vs Toaster question is that you'll find you need to be close to the KPA all the time to tweak it. So unless your rack is within easy reach I'd get the toaster and dedicate a chunk of space for it. This is the reason so many of us have been screaming for an editor - so a rack KPA can live safely in the rack, but tweaked from a computer interface.

    Quote from Zepplehem

    3) Analog or digital set up:
    - Advantages? Disadvantages?
    - What's the difference between analog and digital recording?Which one do you recommend and why?

    Welcome to the forum!
    Many tests over the years show no sound differences in sound using analog vs digital connection with various gear.
    The producer Andy Sneap use analog connection with his kemper.

    Finally makes a very good valid point. It's not a concern for me (an editor will solve all of my problems) as the way I use kine is to live it around but unless your rack is close then a Toaster may be the better option.


    I want to buy a desk with top rack mounts then get a second Kemper when I can justify it, one for recording and one for live....then I have a spare.


    Mike

    I'm also running an Apollo Twin Duo, when I am recording I send a dry guitar signal into one input and just a dry guitar+amp profile signal (mono) into the second input. One track is for reamping (generally I never use, but it's there just in case), and the amped signal goes to one mono track. I never record guitars in stereo, I always run multiple guitar tracks and then pan them from there. Effects are always plug-ins. I have found that I use less and less as time goes on, I'll typically have one main reverb bus for everything, and compression and EQ is inserted on a track-by-track basis.


    For connections I just use instrument cables out of the back of the Kemper, the XLR inputs on the Apollo are for mic-level signals and the XLR outputs on the KPA are line level, so you either have to drop the output volume on the Kemper significantly, or else cut the snot out of the inputs on the Apollo. It's easier to just use TRS instrument cables, as everything is already in the ballpark.

    I always reamp. Record and choose the best takes for dubbs and then erase the amp tracks , save the DI's and reamp. I don't like to think about amp decision when I record.

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau

    Like 1

    Hi ALL -


    Thanks fir the welcome and the advices.
    Rack: - I have an Argosy desk and the rack sits on the desk, so access to the rack is very straight forward. l was concerned about the LED around some of the knobs on the toaster version vs the rack version.


    Dear Frodebro - thanks for sharing your insights! You gave me an idea to repost my questions to the folks on this forum that use the same equipment as mine. Namely, UAD Apollo Twin MkII and Logic Pro X.


    If you are reading this and have the same equipment listed above please let me know how you are using the Kemper...thank you!


    Good night folks!