Audio issues, Kemper Sounds Thin, noisy and nowhere near demos of profiles I've purchased?

  • Haven't had a problem with unwanted noise, but certainly couldn't get satisfying sounds from the Kemper to start off with.

    Many of the demos on YouTube, they're post processing and mixing. So your not going to get the same results as they are, with the same profiles.

    Many are also using high end interfaces.

    Topjimi isn't post processing his demos, so though they do not sound as polished as others, its closer to what you're going to get when you buy the profile. IF you have an interface of a similar quality, which you don't.

    However, the main difference is in the profiles themselves. It's taken me a while to find a few profiles that I use. They really do vary in quality. Two of them were actually free, do have a look at the free profiles going.

  • Hey man, i have the same problem. Do you fix it?

    I haven't fixed it yet. I've skipped SPDIF now which does make a slight difference to the better, but still have that "same amp with different gain levels" feeling to the sound I'm getting =(

    Hi, have you already checked your SPDIF-Output Settings?

    I sure have, tried all sorts of different settings to no vail :(

    I have tried a lot of different settings without any improvement using SPDIF and I just now went into my PC to check the sample rate (I have changed this before without any difference) only to find that I can't choose a sample rate above 44.1 kHz :/ Wonder what that's about... Will look further into it tomorrow.


    Glad to hear that it worked for you however, I'm still waiting to get blown away :)

    Glad to hear that I'm not alone and at the same time sorry to hear you're having the same issue :(
    I don't think it matters if you use XLR or not as long as it's set to INST in the Focusrite Control software. :)

    I use my kemper through a PPC212 closed back with a mooer baby bomb, so I'm starting to wonder if something is really off with my kemper. I've had a lot of freezes as of late and I can no longer make a backup to a USB as it freezes my unit. Also getting a lot of insane unnatural gain on clean profiles that only disappears if I reboot my kemper. ||

  • I really suggest a total reset and clean new firmware on it ... maybe it occurs when selecting a buggy rig ?


    Raf

    Kemper stage with 2 mission pedals (in a Thon line 6 FBV case) and a Zilla 212 (K-100/V30) , SD powerstage 700 poweramp

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  • I really suggest a total reset and clean new firmware on it ... maybe it occurs when selecting a buggy rig ?


    Raf

    I have done several resets, both factory, init and restore from backup without it helping :/

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


    Here is another sample. Not using S/PDIF for this one.

    First profile is TillS RECTO VINTAGE by Till Schleicher.

    Second one is the Bogner Shiva Heavy by r.u.sirius on the rig exchange.

    No changes to the profiles, only adjusted the input sense for the guitar.


    Both using a Jackson Pro Dinky with stock pups in drop C#.


    https://www.dropbox.com/s/9qsfz7ao6j75aty/Telejack.wav?dl=0


    Do these profile sound like this to you guys?

  • I had a problem with my stage sounding buzzy, thin, "cheap" all of a sudden after a firmware update....I did a factory reset, deleted all the pre-loaded profiles, copied my own back, and bam..back in business.


    One issue I had with the Kemper at first was that all the profiles sounded crappy...even from the top profilers in the business....so i guess I I was the issue and just wasn't familiar with what a good-tone-for-recording or mixed amp should sound like, which is basically what the Kemper outputs. But I barely record, so I decided to get the sound to what I like to hear out my cab or amp-torpedo setup, and all that takes it to find a profile which kinda sounds like the sound in your head, apply a studio EQ before and after the stack and tweak away!


    My favorite tone right now started off as a SinMix Herbert profile which honestly sounded crappy, but after some minor tweaks and a lot of trial and error I ended up with a slew of variants that all sound good to my ears, and I don't know which to delete or keep. I should add that these will probably sound crappy recorded, but hoping to test that out soon.


    In conclusion: if you're not getting good tone out of your Kemper, and there is nothing wrong with the unit, and you have decent monitors, then you are what's wrong. Either you don't know how to tweak to get to where you want, or are starting off with the wrong profile.

  • You can try to reset system settings:



    I just did that with my Kemper now and it's solved my problem with the dull muddy sound I had. I don't know what was the issue because I went trough all settings and menus I know,but reseting the Kemper changed something and it sounds so much better.

    Clarity, sustain and came to life.

    Thanks?

  • Hey man, i have the same problem. Do you fix it?

    Not yet. Will send it back when this covid business settles. :/

    Hi, have you already checked your SPDIF-Output Settings?

    Yeah I did. Compared my recordings to a friends (He uses an Apollo Twin and a fender tele) and there's a huge difference in sound. I tried those profiles with a tele of mine that I got later on and his has A LOT more warmth and ... Feel? Mojo? to it. Gonna see if I can get him to come here and A/B our units through my 6i6 2nd gen and HS8's.

    I think the sound is better via a cab, but it's still quite bland and not remotely close. Feels like there is a compressor in the input no matter which guitar I use and every profile comes out either harsh or flobby in the low end.


    If anyone has experienced this and SOLVED it, I'd love to hear from you.

    I had a few ideas about my room being the reason but I have now properly sound treated it for almost as much as the kemper costs and it remains yet the same... ;(

  • In conclusion: if you're not getting good tone out of your Kemper, and there is nothing wrong with the unit, and you have decent monitors, then you are what's wrong. Either you don't know how to tweak to get to where you want, or are starting off with the wrong profile.

    Can't rule out that there isn't anything wrong with my unit as I haven't had my friend come over and A/B his and mine.

    I've spoken to quite a few of the "major" profiler guys and had a few of them reply.


    I even A/B'd recordings with one of them and even though we used the very same guitar and audio interface, there was a major difference in tone.

    Both via phone recordings and via DAW. So I'm thinking there is something wrong with my unit and will return it for them to look at when the Covid situation passes.

  • Can't rule out that there isn't anything wrong with my unit as I haven't had my friend come over and A/B his and mine.

    I've spoken to quite a few of the "major" profiler guys and had a few of them reply.


    I even A/B'd recordings with one of them and even though we used the very same guitar and audio interface, there was a major difference in tone.

    Both via phone recordings and via DAW. So I'm thinking there is something wrong with my unit and will return it for them to look at when the Covid situation passes.

    I'll also be sending back my Kemper for them to have a look at it, for the same reason. But I suspect that there is nothing wrong with the Kemper.

    Many commercial profilers are using very high end interfaces and post processing. Most of the time, what they demo and what you hear once you've bought the profile will not sound the same.

    I have a Les Paul Studio also, and its been made redundant by the Kemper. My strats sound ok, by mixing the heads and cabs of different profiles. Post EQ very important. Never been able to get satisfaction with my Les Paul though.

    Know of someone else who had the same problem, he switched to an amp and load box. I'll be trying that also.

  • Just to keep my opinion balanced, I do have good moments with the Kemper also. Put a couple of riffs down this afternoon and was happy. So its a love/hate relationship I'm having.

    Tweaks that also helped me, pick sensitivity. If you're a fast rhythm player like me, this is helpful. True cabinet may help. Tone should be adjusted very subtlety, if you go too far than you loose the character of the original profile. When you hit playback, you should be happy as far as I'm concerned. Post eq should be subtle, and just so it fits into the mix. If your post eq'ing to get a good tone, you don't have a good tone.

    Occasionally take a break, play through a tube amp for a while. I often find this helps alleviate any ear fatigue and makes me appreciate the Kemper.

    Try a different guitar. As said, I've struggled with my LP but strat is doing a lot better.

    If you're still struggling, get a load box and try that. Load box technology is starting to take off a bit, by that I don't mean the OX which is overpriced. Torpedo Live and Captor look interesting, as does Suhr.

  • I read this thread. I agree with your assessment that they do sound awful. No offense. They certainly lack the harmonics I hear all over the place. Even I crank up my volume. It sounds like the difference when listening to hi-res music and cheap lo-res MP3s. I had an issue ever so briefly with an Apollo Twin USB that I putz around with downstairs. That was already on 48k, but my Kemper was not. I set my Kemper to 48k after discovering a weak stereo signal via SPDIF. To be clear, it is not that 48k is THAT much different. It's all to do with matching the rates. Both need to be the same, which I'm sure you know.


    On other thing I did to enhance what I was listening to was to bring the faders in from 100% panned L/R to maybe 35% within the interface console. This would have no bearing on a signal sent along to my DAW. It's just for monitoring. This will do nothing for your recordings. If the signal was good before the monitors, it would be evident when bouncing it direct to WAV from your DAW.


    In my home project studio space, I use an Apollo X6 with no issues, though I have not tried the stereo out from SPDIF. In the studio, before even testing things, I set my 2 SPDIF channels up to send the Kemper mono main output signal and the initial raw guitar signal. My stereo main outs go into my interface line-in ports via good XLR to TRS cables. My mono SPDIF signal isn't great for rigs that use a great deal of reverb and delay for obvious reasons. That aside, it seems to do OK and as expected. I will test this properly. I've also ordered two better quality cables, and will test those. These cheapo SPDIF cables have never done it for me on anything. They are 75 ohm, but that's about the only good thing I can say. I plan on recording both the main output via line-in and the stereo SPDIF for comparison when they come in.


    Some questions. I hope I didn't miss the answers earlier in the thread. I'm old(ish). I've got a lot of home studio trouble shooting under my belt, so I may be able to help.

    #1: Are you still not able to change from 44.1k to 48k in your PC?

    #2: Is your Kemper sending 48k, and does whatever it does send match the interface?

    #3: Does your headphone sound coming from the inteface sound like it does when the same headphones are plugged into your Kemper, allowing for minor variances, of course. (slight differences in onboard headphone amps would do nowhere near the difference that would cause concern like your issue.)

    #4: Are your SPDIF cables 75 ohm?

    #5: You said you changed all cables. Are you using the same brand SPDIF cables?

    #6: Have you compared recordings from both main-out to interface line-in via XLR/TRS (NOT TS) to the same from SPDIF?

    #7: Are you recording mono or stereo via SPDIF? (especially for those samples)


    I do have some comments about the overall sound and how they change and don't change from profile to profile. I've never had an amp sim product that did not share similarities across the whole platform. My Avid Eleven Rack sounds like an Avid Eleven Rack. My Boss GT-100 sounds like a GT-100. I could easily pick out Axe III verses Kemper comparisons online after listening to them for a while. (naughty tricksters.....) Still, switching from one to another should yield recognizable differences without much effort unless tone-fry has set in big-time.

    #7: What are your volumes inside your DAW and Interface in dbfs? (RMS and peak)

  • Patriots, agree that a Kemper will sound like a Kemper and Eleven like a Eleven.

    Where the Kemper differs IMO is that what you have on a modular is what you have. Yes, you can tweak.

    What you put into the Kemper with regards to profiles, makes a massive difference. That's why I hugely recommend finding the profiles of amp heads you like and play around with the cabs. Many are playing with the stock profiles, and thinking this is it. It definitely isn't.

    Other tweaks can also make a massive difference and there are many youtube vids on this.

    I've had huge problems with the Kemper, and the above is what has helped me. I'm still overcoming some hurdles but progress has certainly been made. And believe me, I was cursing this thing.

    With regards to sample rate, I've actually dropped from 88.2 to 44.1 as of last year using SPDIF. Very debatable topic, but I reckon if gear is good, it should sound good at CD quality.

  • I did some additional testing late in the week this week. My stereo SPDIF output was imperfect. The "center" was off, kind of like a phasey thing, and the "height" seemed to be different. My new cables have arrived, but I've not had the time to check and verify improvement. I actually bought them bcause my cheap ones didn't fit well and this brand has a history of being oversized and causing component damage when trying to detach.


    I know SPDIF is a digital delivery system, but it is not as absolute as many suggest. It is not simply a case of 1s and 0s as suggestted. I won't claim that fancy cables are better, but I do know defective cables can hurt or even kill a system. Think skipping, blips, clicks, blurry images and things like that when streaming movies 15 years ago. Perhaps a person has tried a Jitter big several times and had no improvement. That does not mean that someone else has not had it help. (I've had it help on and older machine, but not since then. It's deep in a closet somewhere here.) Point is, there is so much more than a simple 1 & 0 thing going on. A 1 & 0 paradigm is still only as good as what is is fed and of the components that come before and after.

  • Definitely sounds like an SPDIF mismatch. I have the Twin at 44.1 khz. Here I first play with Kemper at 48 khz, then switch to 44 khz the second time around:


    https://drive.google.com/file/…uXeAefOb/view?usp=sharing


    Sorry for the over-playing. Am drunk :)

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

  • Definitely sounds like an SPDIF mismatch. I have the Twin at 44.1 khz. Here I first play with Kemper at 48 khz, then switch to 44 khz the second time around:


    https://drive.google.com/file/…uXeAefOb/view?usp=sharing


    Sorry for the over-playing. Am drunk :)

    I had that same thing happen to me when I first tried this out using SPDIF on my twin, before correcting the difference. There's a second level of difference, too. That odd Convert button can make a difference even when the two speeds match up. I don't recall the results of trying this the other day, fwiw.

  • I know that sound what the OP is talking about, been listening it for the whole time I've had Kemper. I've been trying to solve this issue for so long time and I've always knew that this isn't the way Kemper should sound. I can finally say that I have solved my hardest puzzle in my life :) and yet the solution was so simple. Electricity.


    We live in a house that only has grounded outlets in our kitchen. Today I plugged my Kemper into one of the grounded outlets and holy sh*eet, is this how the unit is supposed to sound?! No more dirty high end and all the profiles actually sound different! For some reason this affected the whole signal chain so badly that I had to drop the input gain in my Kemper for ALL my guitars for about 5 db down. I always knew something was messing with my signal chain but now it is pure as it can be.


    I don't know why I didn't try this before but OP as you mentioned in one of your DM's you sent to me that your house doesn't have grounded outlets and I'm pretty sure this is the issue.

  • I know that sound what the OP is talking about, been listening it for the whole time I've had Kemper. I've been trying to solve this issue for so long time and I've always knew that this isn't the way Kemper should sound. I can finally say that I have solved my hardest puzzle in my life :) and yet the solution was so simple. Electricity.


    We live in a house that only has grounded outlets in our kitchen. Today I plugged my Kemper into one of the grounded outlets and holy sh*eet, is this how the unit is supposed to sound?! No more dirty high end and all the profiles actually sound different! For some reason this affected the whole signal chain so badly that I had to drop the input gain in my Kemper for ALL my guitars for about 5 db down. I always knew something was messing with my signal chain but now it is pure as it can be.


    I don't know why I didn't try this before but OP as you mentioned in one of your DM's you sent to me that your house doesn't have grounded outlets and I'm pretty sure this is the issue.

    Noisy electricity is a bear to deal with. It gets into absolutely everything in a chain. It's a battle of layered noises. Fix one noise, it just removes itself from the sum of all the noises. I chuckled recently when reading an old interview of Seth Lover, the PAF HB creator. He fought the same thing when he tried to create a totally shielded guitar prototype. (deemed to expensive to produce by the company)


    How did you solve your issue? Are you moving into the kitchen? :)

  • OK, so my SPDIF cables made a difference. The SPDIF stereo signal's "false center" point was in the same place as the main out signal. I otherwise had zero issue with anything sounding "phasy". The signals were very close together, which is pretty good considering one got to the interface via analog and the other digital. It might be worth it to borrow a better quality SPDIF cable from someone and record both ways & compare.


    One of these days, I am going to get off my butt and learn how to test these cables out with an ohm meter.