Should a Merged profile sound the same as the Studio profile?

  • I just recently tried to do a Merged profile by doing a Studio profile and then a DI profile with the very same setup and then creating a Merged profile by copying over the Cab portion from the Studio profile into the DI profile (having "Merged" checked).

    My expectation has been that the Merged profile would sound the very same as the Studio profile, but there are small but significant differences. Am I doing something wrong here?


    I am using a Palmer PAN-01 DI box and needed to engage the -30 dB pad to not overdrive the Kemper's input.

    Edited once, last by RiF ().

  • Yes, I am comparing the Studio profile (/w cabinet section) and the DI (/w the merged cabinet section) with the cabinet section engaged on both.

    And I had the DI in the chain when making the Studio profile as well. But for the Studio profile making the signal went from the input to the link output (basically routed straight through), while for the DI profile it went from the input to the XLR-output and then into my external mic-preamp.

    Maybe I should skip my mic preamp when making the DI profile and go directly into the KPA?

  • Hey RiF,

    I'm not completely following the connections you're talking about here - could you be more specific re. the whole chain, in steps?


    I'm guessing:

    Direct Amp profile : kpa -> PAN-01 input -> PAN-01 XLR output -> Mic preamp -> Kemper return (or whatever KPA input is used, can't remember)

    Studio profile: kpa -> PAN-01 input -> PAN-01 Link output -> Physical Cabinet -> Mic -> Mic preamp -> Kemper return (or whatever KPA input is used, can't remember)


    If so: Yes, for the DI profile specifically, I'd leave the mic preamp out of it - you don't want the KPA to think that any preamp colouration is part of the amp rather than the cabinet. Also, the XLR out is probably line-level, so running it through a mic preamp is not needed - and may screw up the sound.


    Also, did you have the (physical) cab connected and making noise while doing the DI profile also?

  • Hey michael_dk,

    you're pretty much spot on with your guessing, I've just added the connection to the speaker in the DI profile setup:

    Direct Amp profile : amp's speaker output -> PAN-01 input -> PAN-01 XLR output -> Mic preamp -> Kemper return (or whatever KPA input is used, can't remember). In parallel: PAN-01 link output -> Physical Cabinet

    Studio profile: amp's speaker output -> PAN-01 input -> PAN-01 Link output -> Physical Cabinet -> Mic -> Mic preamp -> Kemper return (or whatever KPA input is used, can't remember)


    So yes, I have the physical cabinet connected when doing the DI profile. But it's only for keeping my tube amp safe and make it react to the impedance curve of the cabinet.

    I will leave the Mic Preamp out of the chain for the DI profile. A DI box has a mic-level output, so I will need some sort of mic preamp but I will use the Kemper internal one to see if it makes any difference.

  • I have now taken two profiles (DI and Studio) exactly how it's described in the KPA's Profiling Manual then compared the merged profile with the Studio one. They are very very close in tone, but not exactly the same. The merged seems to have less highs and a little less low-end. I even don't know which one I like better :-).

    For now, I'll blame the difference to the DI box which might impart some colour as you've said earlier, Michael_dk. I'll leave it like this for know until I get a different (better) DI box to see if things change with that.


    Thanks for your support!

  • I have now taken two profiles (DI and Studio) exactly how it's described in the KPA's Profiling Manual then compared the merged profile with the Studio one. They are very very close in tone, but not exactly the same. The merged seems to have less highs and a little less low-end. I even don't know which one I like better :-).

    For now, I'll blame the difference to the DI box which might impart some colour as you've said earlier, Michael_dk. I'll leave it like this for know until I get a different (better) DI box to see if things change with that.


    Thanks for your support!

    Good to hear you got closer at least.


    Did you have the DI box in the "loop" for the DI profile as well? If not, that might make a difference.


    Can you even out the difference with some slight changes on the kemper EQ?

  • I had the DI box in the loop for both profiles and I did not go through the refining process to keep the Studio- and the DI-profile as close to each other as possible. But I noticed that I have used the 1/4" return input on the Kemper for the DI and not the XLR input (due to the lack of another XLR->XLR mic-cable...). I think I have to investigate further to make sure I got everything right before blaming it on the PAN-01, which is a great little box, IMHO.

    I might get closer by using the EQ but I want to fully understand where the difference comes from first. My brain currently struggles a bit to get that, to be honest :-).