So you got some profiles you would like to love more - but there seams to be something wrong with it?
It could be your guitar, your speaker - or both
Or just your preference.
What can be done?
Let's lock at the KPA - what is the KPA?
Basically it's like this:
Input - Some Effects - Stack - Some Effects - Output
Let's beam into the Stack:
It can be like this:
1)
AMP Block - EQ - CAB Block
or like this:
2)
EQ - AMP Block - CAB Block
Different cases:
A)
If your profiles is for a distorted tone and you like the distortion but miss a little bit of bass, treble or whatever - or you feel there is a little bit to much of it...
Use the (default) setup - 1) from above = EQ at the end of the Stack - adjust bass, mid, treble, presence
done
B)
In case you get a very boomy sound - don't blame the profile - it may be the combination of your guitar and this profile - and this can be fixed as well.
Put the EQ at the front of the Stack - 2) from above
Adjust (reduce) bass - and or increase mid/treble - try until you like the sound.
done
btw.
old Vintage amps like Fender work like 2) EQ before the overdriven tubes
Marshall amps work like 1) EQ after the overdriven tubes
And the Mesa Boogies uses both - tone stack before the overdriven tubes - 5 band EQ after the overdriven tubes.
Still like to do more tone shaping?
Ready for the next level?
Do like this:
Put an EQ block before the Stack (Slot D) and another EQ block after the Stack (Slot X).
Now you get much more detailed options to shape your tone.
You'll find that a lot of your profiles can be improved by this!
Why?
Because the whole profiling thing - and also the differences between real tube amps - are in fact EQ's
Sometimes highly complicated EQ's - compared to the simple tone stacks in some amps.
A tube amp is basically something like this:
EQ - Distortion - EQ
and the Kemper is basically something like this:
EQ1 - Distortion - EQ2
The EQ1 is in the AMP block
EQ2 is in the CAB block
They were ‚set‘ during the profiling and can‘t be changed later.
But in case you put additional EQ's before and after the stack you get this:
EQ - (EQ1 - Distortion - EQ2) - EQ
Enjoy experimenting
So wait - what's about 'getting lost in the mix'?
You just may have a to much scooped sound (a lot of bass and treble - very little mids).
This may sound great when you play at home in your bedroom - but as soon as your bandmates play - you disappear.
Solution:
Increase the mids - and/or reduce bass/treble