How are you setting your DXR-10s?

  • The Yamaha arrived today. Did a quick plug in and test over lunch and I can see why everyone enjoys them so much. There are a few options, and I was wondering which approach was getting the best results for those of you who use them.


    I have a powered head, so I turned off the amp, plugged a guitar cable into the monitor out and into the cab. It's set to line in, and I started with the signal all the way down on both the Kemper monitor out (using Master Mono as source) and the cab. I got significant hum, even though cab is using same power outlet as Kemper. Tried the ground lift but that did little to help. Switched cables to a known good cable, same results.


    I then grabbed an XLR -> TRS cable and went into the XLR input of the Yamaha. No hum. I'm happy to run in that configuration but I'm surprised the TS input had so much hum, so I'm wondering if I just did something stupid.


    The rest of my comments will be in the context of XLR in. I experimented with levels starting with off on both and working my way up. The Yamaha appears to be happy with the monitor out level on the Kemper turned all the way up. With the speaker volume at noon, it was easily pushing around 108db, no noise, good quality sound. Do you guys run the Kemper at full and adjust the speaker, or run it low with the speaker high? The first seems like the best for signal to noise, but I'm just trying to verify that the levels the Kemper puts out of the monitor running at full is a happy level for the Yamaha.


    Regarding the other options on the cab, I set the both the contour and HPF to off as an initial reference point. The manual mentioned possible hyped bass when sitting on the floor (I'm using it in wedge configuration), but it sounded fine to me. Are you guys leaving these off? My primary concern is artificially screwing with the sound, which might be okay on the profile I'm testing with but turn out to be suboptimal for many others. Also, my thinking is the "flat" in FRFR is kinda the point, but it would be great to hear the perspective of more experienced folks.


    By the way, I'm feeling plenty of low end thump (M. Britt Friedman for high gain test), which I mention because some are concerned that an FRFR doesn't give enough guitar in the room vibe. I had monitor cab off running powered into the Marshall 4x12, but with cabs back on and enough volume to compete with a drummer, it feels pretty good to me. Of course, it doesn't sound like the 4x12, but that was why I bought it. I wanted something that would deliver the same kind of sound I get in the studio, and that will be going to FOH.


    So, digging it to be sure, and with DSP off running XLR in everything's groovy. That said, if there are tips, tricks or better ways to get the most out of this guy, would welcome the suggestions.

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

  • Interesting as I don’t experience hum using the Line In (TS) of the DXR10.

    As the DXR 10 can get insanely loud I barely turn it past 10 o'clock and do the final leveling from the Profiler.

    Also I use it in wedge mode and dial in the bass cut to prevent boominess on stage.

  • Like Ingolf I use the line in/TS left mono. I send from the Kemper monitor/TS out. No hum ever heard.

    Mostly with DSP contour off as well as HPF off.

    Volume level on the DXR10 rarely over -20db with rigs in the Kemper modified to suit my taste.

    This gets me in loudish rock band rehearsal volume levels with a fairly loud drummer.

    Fine tuning with my guitar vol.

  • I then grabbed an XLR -> TRS cable and went into the XLR input of the Yamaha. No hum. I'm happy to run in that configuration but I'm surprised the TS input had so much hum, so I'm wondering if I just did something stupid.

    Hi Chris,


    same here. Using only XLR/TRS cable to avoid the noise with a TS cable.

  • I used to have a hum/buzz sometimes when the DXR was fed from a different supply that the KPA.

    To combat this, i use the monitor out on the KPA into a DI box (passive transformer) to electrically isolate the signal, which then sends a balanced signal down an XLR lead to the XLR in of the DXR.

    I could take a balanced TRS from the monitor out, like Chris Duncan mentioned. At least "my" way i am disconnected-electrically.

    Slightly more complicated then needs be, perhaps, but it eliminates that situation of a noisy mains supply.

    The DXR is set to max volume and the KPA output level floats around -19dB on average.

    Settings- everything flat on the DXR

  • Thanks, guys! I really appreciate all the feedback on this.

    same here. Using only XLR/TRS cable to avoid the noise with a TS cable.

    by the way - I have also an powered KPA. So far I know Ingols and Paults have unpowered KPA's.
    So the only difference I see so far....

    Due to a FedEx screwup and my supplier sending another to take care of, I ended up with two units here. The other one goes back today but I thought I'd test it to see if the hum was just a defect in the cab. However, running the same tests side by side, I got identical results from both.


    When the powered head was designed, I wonder if there was some kind of engineering assumption that people with a powered head wouldn't be using a powered cab.

    I used to have a hum/buzz sometimes when the DXR was fed from a different supply that the KPA.

    When I heard it, the first thing I did was reach for the ground lift, but that didn't solve the problem. I was running both into a Furman power strip, but after reading your comments I thought I should eliminate as many variables as possible, so the tests I mentioned above with the two cabs I did with both plugged directly into the same wall outlet.


    Is your Kemper a powered head? As I mentioned, the hum in the TS isn't a crisis as I'm fine with running XLR, but I did want to understand the nature of the problem.

    Holy crap! I've never had mine anywhere near that volume!

    If it's too loud, you're too old. ^^ \m/


    (And no, I don't run that loud either!)

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

  • i know this probably has been answered a million times, but I have a few questions.

    I have run my Kemper to my DAW with xlrs. I have run my 4x12 with a speaker cable. The question is when using monitor out to the DXR do you use speaker cables or guitar cables?

    Also, do you turn off the power amp just because it isnt being used, or to cut down on noise?

  • The mixed results are interesting. I tried with a couple of cables, one of which I've frequently used on guitar with no problems. Maybe I'll try a few more cables just in case I hit two bad ones in a row. Perhaps there's a problem in the cables that doesn't show up at guitar signal level but leaps out at line level.


    Or gremlins. I did leave food out after midnight, so you never know.

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

  • Just to make sure ... you use 3 pin plugs on both devices (Profiler and DXR) so both of them have common ground?

    Yep, but I appreciate the help. I've overlooked simpler things in my life. :)


    I hit Google to see if the DXR-10s have a known issue for this sort of behavior. To my surprise, the first hit was a Kemper thread from 2014 that keeps getting resurrected:

    Monitor Out noisy with DXR10


    Lots of the same folks as here, all asking the same helpful and logical debugging questions.


    In particular what caught my eye was @Calaban's (the OP) description of not just hum but, "sometimes there is a rising and falling hiss (like a slow Phaser acting on the hum from a Strat or something like that)" I heard this as well but forgot to mention it. Very subtle mixed in with the hum, made me think of R2-D2 trying to tune in a 1940s radio. So, it's the same symptoms.


    Like this thread, many others chimed in with the same problem, tested cables, etc. In all cases, switching to XLR solved the problem.


    I continued Googling and what I've found is numerous people reporting a 60 cycle-ish hum on the 1/4 inputs, including keyboard players and others. From reading some of the posts, they've all done the same ground loop debugging, and several have mentioned that they swapped out other brands of powered speakers in the same situation and then didn't have the problem. Others commented about a known problem with the DXR line power section.


    What I'm taking away from this is that the problem is hit or miss. Some cabs have it, some don't. The posts go back several years, so it's not a new thing. This also, in my mind, gets the Kemper off the hook as the source of the problem.


    My conclusion is that I have a few choices. I can send the Yamaha back and play the lottery hoping to get a unit without the problem. I have two here and both have the problem (one is actually a bit worse than the other), so that seems like a waste of time. I can send it back and try a different brand of FRFR. Or I can just use the XLR.


    I have size constraints in my car and it's among the smallest good sounding solutions. And it sounds very good. Plenty of power, so no problem there, and I like the option of running it as a stand up speaker, on a pole or as a wedge (my current preference). Plus, lots of love here for the sound of it. Since the XLR approach solves the problem and I haven't heard anything here about reliability concerns, I'm just going to flag this as a known issue, apply the work around and be happy. :)


    Many thanks to everyone for all the help and suggestions - in both threads!

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

  • Holy crap! I've never had mine anywhere near that volume!

    I figure there could be some losses or attenuation in my passive DI box.

    Im certainly not a loud player. Feels relative to the drumkit level that is center stage, who is average in terms of his volume.


    The trs input of the dxr is far far more sensitive and if i ever use this input its about 2/10th on the level knob. Any more than this and its noisy and too much gain. Btw the XLR input is set to line level not mic level.