I don't own Focusrite gear but I took a quick look at it and it's pretty standard stuff. I do use Cubase.
Your Focusrite will accept both XLR and TRS 1/4 inputs. I'm honestly not sure what will happen if you use guitar cable instead of TRS, but I highly recommend that you get a pair of balanced cables, whether they're XLR or TRS, to avoid the potential for noise / hum. I typically work with XLR whenever possible so I don't screw up and grab an unbalanced guitar cable by mistake when I needed TRS, but XLR and TRS are balanced signals so either is fine.
After you've connected the Kemper main outs to the two Focusrite inputs, you're ready for Cubase. Your Focusrite should show up in Cubase as two inputs. What I typically do is create a single stereo audio track. I then set the L/R input of that track to the two inputs coming from the Kemper, in this case the two inputs that show up from your Focusrite. Arm the stereo audio track for recording, press record, play guitar.
When you're done recording, on playback your recorded Kemper will by default be centered, which is like panning input 1 hard left and input 2 hard right. You can, however, pan the stereo track itself to move it around in the mix, from full left to full right and all points in between.
If you're just getting into recording, Steinberg has a lot of good videos on YouTube, and there are lots of other folks who also create great Cubase tutorials. There's one you might enjoy called Recording Revolution that's aimed at people just getting started in recording.
It doesn't take long to get the basics down, but the art of recording is a never ending rabbit hole where there's always something cool and new to learn. I've been recording since ancient times and I still constantly learn new stuff.
Hope this helps!
I/4” cables should work fine, too.
The question is 1/4 mono (TS) versus balanced (TRS). Typically jacks accepting TRS will behave properly when you insert TS, but that's not a guarantee. I've had situations where doing that only gave you one side of a stereo signal, etc.
I would guess the Kemper would just take the unbalanced tip and sleeve, not worry about the ring, and be fine (hum aside) but I didn't know for sure. In any event, if the OP can afford to pick up a set of balanced cables, whether 1/4 or XLR, it's worth doing.
The 1/4” Outs of the KPA are TS. If the inputs of the interface are compatible with unbalanced line inputs, all should be well.
Agreed about XLR having the potential to be more suitable in a noisy situation. Chances are the guitar pickups might be even more of a problem there.
I have the same 2i4 interface and use TS cables without issue. (in a home studio with no environmental issues to interfere with signal)
KPA (and any non-mic signal) should only connect with normal TS cables to focusrite interface. If you use XLR, the focusrite engages the mic pre amps on the signal, which is generally not wanted on any line signals like Kemper that you are recording. See article from focusrite below.
https://support.focusrite.com/…LR-Input-on-my-Interface-
As for stereo, you can monitor in stereo with the monitor switch on front of 2i4 set for stereo and the interface will pan input 1 left and input 2 right. If you want to record stereo, you record to both inputs and then pan them in the daw after recording.
The 1/4” Outs of the KPA are TS.
That's what I was unsure of, thanks for the clarification.
Display MoreI have the same 2i4 interface and use TS cables without issue. (in a home studio with no environmental issues to interfere with signal)
KPA (and any non-mic signal) should only connect with normal TS cables to focusrite interface. If you use XLR, the focusrite engages the mic pre amps on the signal, which is generally not wanted on any line signals like Kemper that you are recording. See article from focusrite below.
https://support.focusrite.com/…LR-Input-on-my-Interface-
As for stereo, you can monitor in stereo with the monitor switch on front of 2i4 set for stereo and the interface will pan input 1 left and input 2 right. If you want to record stereo, you record to both inputs and then pan them in the daw after recording.
I hadn't considered the mic pres, that's a good point. That might be a factor if you care about coloration (although Focusrite is highly regarded) but I don't believe signal level would be an issue.
I lack the EE skills to do the appropriate dB-yadayada conversions, but I'm pretty sure the KPA outputs are mic level, not line level. The manual ( paults - now that I've actually read it!) describes them as:
MAIN OUTPUTS L and R: XLR balanced
¼-inch TS unbalanced with ground lift, max output level: XLR +22 dBu, TS +16 dBu
While it's true that the TS signal does max out lower than the XLR, I come XLR out of the mains into SSL preamps and don't have any trouble with input signal level on the SSLs. My read of the manual (specifically the reference to connecting to a mixer) is that they're designed for just that - to plug into mic level inputs such as you'd find on a mixer or mic pre.
That being the case, you should be able to connect the KPA to the XLR / mic inputs of the Focusrite without a problem. The plus of this approach is that it's a balanced signal and thus better for cancelling out hum and line noise. A possible minus has to do with whether or not you like how the Focusrite pres sound, which is a creative decision. In my case, I go to the SSLs rather than directly into the mixer because I like the sound of the SSLs.
It might be a fun exercise to reamp the same part and record it twice, one into the mic pres and the other into TS to bypass them, and see which sound you like the best. TS will still expose you to potential noise issues, but if it sounds good, it is good.
