Loop Distortion Dilemma...

  • Hi everybody, I'm starting this new thread because I'm trying to use an external pedal with my toaster. Well, I love the Sovtek Civil War (or Tall font) big muff, but the kemper really cannot reach that sound, so I bought an original one to use with my kemper. If I put it in front it sounds GREAT, but I also would like to add a compressor and a little dirt boost in front of the pedal. If I put the muff in the loop distortion in a pre slot, the sound is SO different. Also if I try to use the volume parameter of the distortion loop to boost my pedal, I find that it does not work, it seems not to boost anything. Is there anybody else who found the same problem as me? Of course If I use the muff in front I cannot add a booster and a compressor, how can I do?

  • To tell the truth, I did not try this solution. I always though that we must use the distortion loop instead of Mono Fx for an impedance match, am I wrong? Which difference is there between them? And why is so different using the pedal in front of the kemper (which sound exactly as using a real amp) and putting it in the distortion loop?

  • You are totally right, we normally recommend to use the distortion Loop to connect a distortion effect.

    I don't know the Sovtek Civil War, maybe it works with the FX Loop Mono, as you expect it, I'd just try it out for a comparison.


    The Loop Distortion is made for connecting distortion pedals to the PROFILER and is only in mono. The feature unique to this loop, is that any volume boost of a preceding effect will be applied to the DIRECT OUTPUT/SEND jack, thus driving the external distortion pedal. This is what you would expect, anyway. The regular Loop Mono and Loop Stereo do this differently: here, the volume boost of a preceding effect will be applied after the return of the loop. The send level will be unaffected, so the connected effect will not be overdriven. The regular Loop Mono and Loop Stereo are suitable for all non-distorting effects.

  • You are totally right, we normally recommend to use the distortion Loop to connect a distortion effect.

    I don't know the Sovtek Civil War, maybe it works with the FX Loop Mono, as you expect it, I'd just try it out for a comparison.


    The Loop Distortion is made for connecting distortion pedals to the PROFILER and is only in mono. The feature unique to this loop, is that any volume boost of a preceding effect will be applied to the DIRECT OUTPUT/SEND jack, thus driving the external distortion pedal. This is what you would expect, anyway. The regular Loop Mono and Loop Stereo do this differently: here, the volume boost of a preceding effect will be applied after the return of the loop. The send level will be unaffected, so the connected effect will not be overdriven. The regular Loop Mono and Loop Stereo are suitable for all non-distorting effects.

    I have the same situation. My OD pedals sound pretty good in front of the Kemper. But, when I use either the Distortion Loop or the FX Loop Mono (I even tried the Stereo loop) it just sound different. I've reviewed the manual, online tutorials, and I've tried the FX loop mono volume, duck and mix parameters, and the global FX loop settings. But, while I level the pedal/loop volume, I was not able to get the same sound I get using the KPA's input. Adding an EQ stomp might work but that would be adding another stomp and that's not the idea.


    Any other tip or advice?

  • I did contact Kemper support. There was a volume issue with FX Loop Stereo, which was fixed in OS 5.7.5 beta, but no issues reported with volume Loop distortion nor Loop Mono.


    They've requested the audio files showing the difference we are talking about, but recorded directly, reamping the clean source in order to isolate other factors like playing dynamics, which makes a lot of sense to troubleshoot this.


    Unfortunately, I don't have the gear needed to record Kemper's output.

    What about you guys, could you share this kind of recording of your case?