So I want to give a Kemper another shot. I will be purchasing one in a couple of weeks, but figured I should listen to direct un processed recordings of some profiles through various monitoring methods to see what I should expect.
I actually had this issue the last time I had a Kemper and was never able to properly figure it out.
When I listen to profile recordings through my iMac built in speakers, I hear all the details such as reverb, "roominess", sounds like a miced up amp.
As soon as I route the sound to the monitors (JBL 305's), the guitar sounds a lot drier, the effects are harder to pick up. The reverb tails are very faint. Through the iMac speakers, the Top Jimi profiles sound fantastic. I can hear the reverb tails clearly.
Tried with both a Focusrite 6i6 and NI Komplete Audio 6. Same result with the studio monitors.
Here is a good example of a recording I am listening to:
The plate reverb in this tone is very important to the overall tone. Through the iMac speakers, I hear it all, the reverb, slight delay, sounds like a real amp recorded.
Switch to the monitors, all the airiness goes away. Reverb practically disappears. Tone sounds A lot drier. On the Unchained riff, through the iMac I hear the flanger very well. Through the monitors it is much less pronounced.
I then plugged in headphones to the iMac, and got a similar result. Through the headphones the sound is drier, reverb a lot less pronounced, same with the flanger, although better than the studio monitors. However, these are $30-40 Sony headphones I bought at Best Buy to listen to music.
Even in non guitar stuff, for example this video:
In the beginning when he is talking, he has music playing in the background. On the iMac, I actually hear this music. Very clearly actually, slightly less volume than his voice. On the monitors, the background music is much fainter, and it is mostly his voice.
On headphones, I can hear both the voice and background music clearly.
Why would things like reverb, and other small details disappear on these monitors? Anything I can do besides looking at other monitoring options?
What's funny is the iMac built in speakers are not that great, yet I hear way more detail, and the profile recordings through them sound amazing.
Maybe that's just the way these speakers are? Maybe the iMac speakers have a EQ curve that accentuates these other things. Or maybe the mac automatically adds reverb itself, but I doubt that.
Just for kicks, I sent the left side into the aux in of my roland cube, and shut off the other monitor. Through the cube I hear the reverbs much more pronounced, basically I hear everything the way I hear it in the iMac, just a little darker and bassier, probably from the 10" speaker.
Here is another video I was A/Bing:
Through the monitors, I can hear the reverb but it's nowhere near as pronounced as through iMac. I even listened to it through another PC laptop and the reverbs are there.
at 3:48, he does a funk thing where he slaps his hand against the strings. On the monitors, I just hear it as a thunk, with maybe a very very faint reverb. Through the iMac after he hits against the strings the reverb effect after it comes out very clearly.
I want to have the most enjoyable monitoring experience with the kemper. Maybe something like a Line 6 Power Cab will do better with these types of details?
Last time I had a Kemper I had the same issue. When I played through studio monitors, I would have to crank reverb mix to like 40-50% to feel like I could properly hear it.
Perhaps the JBL's are just not good with the details? Maybe Yamaha HS5's would be better? I hear they are less bass and more pronounced mids and highs so maybe they would do better with details like reverb, "airyness"