Wish the profiling process was not as loud

  • I tried to profile my amp a few years ago when I first got my Kemper, but I stopped after the first trial because of the crazy loud noises coming out of my cab. And my amp volume was only at 3!! I felt so sorry for my neighbours.

    Is it technically possible to profile an amp without having those super loud alien noises? I don't want direct profiles, rather studio profile with cab. I don't want to get any extra gear, like isolation box, I just wish the alien noise was quieter. Is it something that is planned for future updates, or is it not feasible at all?

  • Uhm... that's kinda the point of profiling your amp at a certain volume. It measures the amp dynamics AT THAT VOLUME level.


    If you want it to be quieter, turn down the amp. It won't sound the same... but it will be quieter. Can't have it both ways.

  • This is one of the things I like about the profiling concept. For that one moment of pain, you can capture the power section overdrive of a Marshall on 11, a sound you could never be loud enough to get in small bar, and then forevermore get that sound at reasonable volumes through the Kemper.


    And the alien noises are very important. You don't think the guys in Germany figured this stuff out on their own, do you? :)

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • I remember doing my first one ... a Fender DeLuxe Hotrod on a 2/3rds blues setting. The racket had my wife running upstairs to see what the hell was going on while I was stood with my back to the studio door trying to keep the monster at bay!

    As benvigil says, thats the way you do it!

    Why not book a rehearsal room for a couple of hours and do the profiling there?

  • Or you could just wait until Halloween, dress up as your favorite Area 51 resident and when the cops show up just tell them it's part of the costume.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • I have really nice neighbours, no two ways about it. It really helps when there are more musicians in a neighbourhood, I've heard violinists, pianists and even a drummer around my apartment!


    The other day I was profiling my Archon with the master volume at around 1 o'clock and no sign of them. I also brought home an ENGL yesterday and was playing with channel volume at 10 o'clock and master volume at 12 at around 8pm. No complaints again.


    Of course, it is good to be nice to the neighbours, so when I profile, I try to move my cabs inside this 6x6' giant plexiglass drum shield that I have, which is ringed by 1-1/2" thick acoustic foam. It's quite amazing, the "perceived volume" of the amp outside is reduced by half, so I can get away with really cranking the volume, which I think gets the best results with profiling.


    If you profile with too low a volume, you run the risk of getting profiles that sound like they are being choked.

  • Once you have an excellent set of profiles of your amp I think you will be more than happy with the results. Notice I said 'set of profiles'. A set would include profiles with different parameters such as volume and gain.


    So here is a suggestion that will help you make profiles without bothering the neighbors. Rent a studio with excellent acoustics for a few hours. If you have friends with other amps, consider borrowing them to get the greatest value out of the rental.


    Also, try to create a group of Kemper owners in your area who might want to share amps and profiles. Someone in the group might have a space where you can make profiles. And you could potentially learn how to make great profiles from someone in that group.

  • just take a loadbox, i profile everything with the torpedo live by now, totally silent and profiling at any volume is also not a problem

  • Speakers are a critical part of the sound, particularly the level of breakup, compression, etc. If you use a load box to keep the volume low you're not going to be able to capture what the speakers do when they're pushed hard.


    For a lot of sounds, that won't matter much. For crunch and high gain stuff it becomes more important. Of course, if you're doing direct profiles that don't include the cab, I would imagine this to be irrelevant.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • I tried some profiles with my Two Notes Torpedo Reload instead of a speaker. It was definitely different than my cheap ART DI boxes. Torpedo didn’t sound as good to me but some others might like it. A lot of it is just personal taste.

    I could do a comparison. My first d.i. profiles were with a di box and a real cab as a load und now they are with the torpedo live as a load. I must say the real cab sounded maybe a bit more fluffy and dynamic but that could be totally esotheric ... the torpedo version gave me the best results so far... still have both setups here so if you like i can do both versions i you care

  • Thanks for all the replies.

    Seems like there is no magic solution.

    I don't want to use a loadbox as I want to capture my combo cab with speakers.

    I'll do more tests and hope the neighbours won't give me funny looks afterwards. :saint:

  • Having good neighbors is important, I had to get rid of mine and now I cant use my basement. I would profile at a practice room if you had too because of the one thing which stood out to me with the kemper over a tube amp. At BEDROOM VOLUME it is amazing.


    i am sure all the professional profilers who's rig i have, profiled at a louder than bedroom volume when they made the rigs.

    I run 2 stereo cabs, the bedroom volume of these rigs sounds so much better than a tube amp turned down (if that makes sense?)


    All this means that if you have to profile at a practice room to get your rigs so be it , its worth it.

    That reminds me to feed the neighbors.


    Ash

    Have a beer and don't sneer. -CJ. Two non powered Kempers -Two mission stereo FRFR Cabs - Ditto X4 -TC electronic Mimiq.