Why the Kemper sounds better with PA system than my audio interface into my monitors?

  • Hi, I just bought the Kemper two weeks ago. When I tried it in the music store, it was connected to the PA system and it sounded really great, just like a guitar amp. After I get home and connected my Kemper with my apollo twin mkii audio interface into my monitors, it still sounded great, but not as great as the PA system which I tried in the music store.


    Even I tweak the sound and it won't sound as great as the PA system, like the clean sound, through the PA it sounds big, fat and dynamic, with lots of headroom. But with my monitors, it sounds tiny and doesn't sound that "real". So I wonder if this is normal? In general the PA system will sound better than home studio? I used FOCAL CMS 50 by the way.


    Thanks!

  • I assume the PA system at the music store has much more power and larger speakers than your good, but tiny monitors. So this is normal and the only way to get a big, fat and more dynamic sound is to use bigger and more powerful speakers.

  • +1 to everyone else here. I do love mine through 5" monitors (much better than a 4x12)...but I admit I have never played it through a good P.A.

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • Welcome. And try to play louder on your monitors. What happens?

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

  • There could be several things at play here.


    Firstly, perception biases. When trying/buying in the shop mostpeople would have a different level of anticipation/excitement/focus. The unfamiliar listening environment probably affects that too. When we get back home we listen in a more natural and familiar setting with less anticipation, fewer distractions and longer to make judgements. We probably also suffer just a little “buyers remorse” so don’t perceive the sound as we “remember” it being. That’s human nature I believe.


    Secondly, volume and the size of speakers will obviously make a difference to the sound and the feeling of air being moved.


    Also, the listening environment itself. The shop would usually be bigger than most home studios. It would often be much more reverberant too. Back home we might have a small often poorly treated (or untreated) room which colour the sound. Often we end up with a listening position in a particularly poor spot in the room too so we suffer from horrific cancellations (often well over 20db) in certain bass frequencies. The center of the room is the absolute worst point to experience this and it is especially bad in square or cuboid rooms.


    I don’t know your own circumstances but some of those factors may apply. Rooms and listening positions can be tweak to some extent. The perception often fade with time too. The big speakers and volume may be something you learn to live with or even embrace or it may be something that annoys you indefinitely- only time will tell.


    Welcome and good luck on your Kemper journey.

  • Thanks for the detailed reply, I agree with you. Looks like I need bigger and better monitors;(

    By the way I bought lots of M Britt's packs, they sound really really great and I don't even need to tweak the EQ:thumbup:

  • By the way I bought lots of M Britt's packs, they sound really really great and I don't even need to tweak the EQ :thumbup:

    Yes, I had a rehearsal yesterday where I used my PRS 513 and Kemper straight into the studio PA. With a certain Nashville based profiler's CTone OTS profiles (Dumble ODS clone). I set up a bank of 5 rigs in Performance mode of the same amp with varying levels of gain. In the end I settled on the mid gain "Roots" profile and controlled everything from the pickup switching and volume control for the full 3 hour rehearsal. The cleans were awesome and the lead sound was probably the best lead tone I have ever had 8) So responsive, just like a real amp! That dude certainly knows how to make a profile :)

  • I don't know if this could be part of your problem but I tried running my Kemper through my Focusrite 6i6 and then into the Kemper and it didn't sound as good as going straight into my Atomic Clr.

  • Just a remark... I once made a mix for an artist. When I sent him the final mix he went back and said : .. ''Man there is not enough bass on the mix.... ''

    So I said Ok but on what monitor did you listen to it? he said : on my Ipad


    So I think you got my point ... ANYTHING even Led Zeppelin sound more or less impressive it depends on what system you listen to it

  • So I said Ok but on what monitor did you listen to it? he said : on my Ipad

    Wow...:D;(:/:rolleyes::wacko:

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • Before looking at different studio monitors, it’s worth considering the listening environment and seeing if you can do some work with Home-made acoustic treatment. If the room is ‘wrong’ then you may well find that bigger speakers sound ‘different’ but not necessarily ‘better’


    I did this a few years..... it’s a small, reflective space. A couple of hundred pounds on acoustic density rock wool and a few weekends making frames made my studio monitors sound considerably more expensive. I have since upgraded the monitors too. No, it doesn’t give the same trouser-flapping awesomeness of standing in front of a cabinet but I really enjoy what they do in my home made bat cave :)