Kemper: How To Request.

    Hello All,


    In the past couple of weeks, I have come to realise that I might be able to purchase a replacement unit for my old beloved Eleven Rack a unit that I used a lot in the past, but, due to a change of interests started moving to Positive Grid Bias products used within the DAW still using the Eleven Rack as the interface for guitar and microphone. The reason why I could do this is because the 11R was foolproof, really foolproof. It was made to work within Pro-Tools or live.


    Anyway, I have been looking hard at:

    1. Mooer GE300

    2. Boss GT1000

    3. Line 6 Helix

    4. Axe FX III/AX8/FM3 - expensive, and lacking a foot-controller, itself costing over $1,000 AUD.

    5. Headrush


    Anyway, I heard a "Helix" guy using a Kemper Stage a few days back and the sound was glorious!!! It had real character and sounded like a "real" amp and not a modeller and was blown away :huh:. You see I didn't even put the Kemper into the running until that fateful video. In any case he seemed to want to want to like the Kemper, whereas I had quite a different feeling - as you might have noticed :).


    So, I am not typical guitarist I live in a small rural town in Australia and there is no music shop within cooee, and don't know anyone who would be able to help in the music realm and I don't have a clue as to how the setup the Kemper if I was go forge ahead and purchase the unit. As such I need some advice.


    Firstly, what do I need so I can hook-up the Kemper to the computer and have it be recognised as a recording device by Pro-Tools? From what I understand I will need some sort of interface, but I don't know what type of interface I need and how much would this cost? I will also need an interface that can also take a microphone to record singing? The Eleven Rack has been my interface, so, I haven't needed to worry about that before. How do I hook up the Kemper to the interface? Do I use just regular guitar cables from the Kemper? What ports on the Kemper do I use? Where do these cables run into on the interface? like I said I never had to worry about this before. How does the interface hook into the computer system so it is usable and how does ProTools recognise this interface? All I had to do up to now is set the IO in ProTools to either "Guitar In" or use the "Eleven Rack Rig/Stereo" and I could use Bias or Eleven Rack, and with the microphone just use the IO setting “Mic In”. It was setup that way. I assume that the monitors that are working with ProTools for Playback/Recording" will continue to work when I get the new interface working within Pro-Tools!?!


    Secondly, I have a FRFR powered speaker, just the one, how can I hook up the Kemper to the powered speaker ie the Port used on the Kemper, I know I need an XLR cable going into the "In" port of the speaker, but, the "Main Outs" in XLR format on the Kemper are for a Mixer or Audio Interface not to the powered speaker, whereas the "Monitor Out" are for a Stage Amp or Monitor is this analogous to a powered speaker? Do I then use an XLR adapter?


    I know I am asking a lot, because I have no clue, so, please take it easy on me! I am trying to understand what I can before buying the unit, but, I need help.


    Thankyou and Regards,

    Vaughan.

    Hey Vaughan, welcome from Melbourne, mate. You'd be welcome to call me on the blower if for whatever reason you're not able to articulate potential issues easily here in the forum. Just PM me so we can exchange numbers if you like.


    Yes, you'll need an adapter cable for your FRFR to go from the Monitor output of the Kemper to its input.


    Yes, just regular cables from the Kemper to the interface.


    Any interface that has a sufficient number of jack inputs and a mic input will probably do. There'll be a mic preamp built-in for this input and any others that're labelled "Mic".


    We all have our brand preferences. Many here will recommend Focusrite, which are well-priced and popular. Some will suggest RME, which is a high-quality brand, but it can be pricey. I recommend MOTU for the sound-quality vs price value it offers, and also because the range of configuration options is ridiculous; there's an interface for "every occasion". The company supports all its interfaces going back to the '90s, so if long-term functionality is important to you, there's that as well:


    MOTU.com - Products


    For you, given what you've said, I think this one would be perfect:


    Audio Express


    It's got 2 mic preamps and not too many channels that'd be "wasted" in your case. There are other models with only 2 mic preamps (most have more), but the overall channel count is higher in every case.


    There's one exception, the Microbook IIc, but it's a different form factor and geared more towards mobile recording with a laptop. It derives its power from a USB connection to your computer and IMHO probably falls a couple of analogue inputs short for you, especially as you might add other gear in future or want to hook up more outs and ins to and from your Kemper.

    Just a quick update because of your reply I was able to track down an Australian retailer of the product you recommended so now I have a firm price on how much the Kemper + Interface will cost. Always a good thing when it comes to figuring out the budget;).


    I just wanted to say thankyou for the help already given and also the offer of further help if I required it - that is going above and beyond 8).


    And I'm sorry I gave such a brief reply yesterday - I didn't have the time to make a longer email and I was so blown away by your offer of help that I didn't know what to say - and that doesn't happen often :).


    Warmest Regards,

    Vaughan.

    Hey no worries, Vaughan; it's the way I roll, mate.


    I felt for you in your situation of being out woop woop, so I simply had to offer the blower help.


    If you're near Canberra, I'd definitely recommend dealing with Better Music (formerly Pro Audio). I know the owner well and you'll not find a better bunch of peeps. Feel free to call them (ask for Chris; hopefully he's still there, otherwise just ask for someone who knows about interfaces) and shoot the breeze about that interface as to whether or not it'd be the right one for you. I didn't examine it in detail; I only looked at the basic I/O spec to make sure there'd be adequate line and mic inputs for you.


    Of course the offer still stands to call me. It can be much easier to communicate verbally when one's not all over a particular subject and lacks the "proper" terms for articulating an issue; this applies especially in tech areas, I've found. I'm no tech guy, but I know a bit about audio - just not under-the-hood stuff as that's way above my pay grade.


    Congrats again on your decision to go Kemper; I'll bet my last dollar it's not something you'll regret, mate. ;)

    It's funny I tried replying using the quote tool and kept getting an error :huh:.


    I probably could use the 11R as the interface as I've been using it as the interface with the Bias tools and the microphone but I've run into a bit of a snag. Anyway, I cannot run the interface for Bias without setting the 11R to Reamp to stop the 11R signal from sounding in ProTools, because, if I don't, I cannot hear the sound of the Inserts/plugins from Bias I am not getting just the "Guitar In" signal, I am getting the rig in the 11R. There was a lot of back and forth with a rep from Avid to figure out what could be done and the result was nothing could be done - I might not have explained my situation well enough - and goodness knows when it comes to guitar equipment I hardly know anything. You want to defend yourself, I can help with that, but, guitar forget it. So, I think it's time to look for a new interface rather than try to use the Kemper hooked into the 11R - and I've been trying to avoid that precisely because I really have no clue what I'm doing. I mean if I was having no issues with just the "guitar in" and using inserts I would try it out, at least I would save myself $600-$700 AUD in the short term. Goodness knows with the money I've forked over from a series of dental work in the past 2 months saving that money would be a welcome relief.


    Cheers.

    Quote from Vercingetorix

    I cannot run the interface for Bias without setting the 11R to Reamp to stop the 11R signal from sounding in ProTools, because, if I don't, I cannot hear the sound of the Inserts/plugins from Bias I am not getting just the "Guitar In" signal, I am getting the rig in the 11R.

    This is because you were using the 11R as a sound generator tho, isn't it?
    It might be much easier to just have it interfacing the KPA with the computer?
    Hope that's the case :)

    Still chasing a worthy one :/

    Sorry about no replying I have had a terrible 2 weeks. At first I was having a terrible time with my teeth and then I either got a horrible virus or food poisoning and been in a awful state since then.


    It's actually the teeth thing that stopping me from getting the Kemper at the moment I thought everything was going to be fine with the dentist :| until she told I was going to need to see another specialist in another town and it going to be supra-expensive and then I need another treatment after that at $1,500 to save the teeth. Man I was not happy, teeth still hurting without the last root canal being done.


    Damn, I wanted that Kemper had to put everyone on hold for the time being.

    Quote from pippopluto

    This is because you were using the 11R as a sound generator tho, isn't it?

    I really don't know! As far as I can figure out the "Guitar In" should just let the dry signal through and shouldn't do anything else, and the let the Insert do it's thing. That's how useless I am with ProTools, recording and interfaces.

    Sorry for hearing your troubles! I feel you so much... :/

    When you are (hopefully soon) good to go, you might try and use the 11R just as a "buffer", deactivating any internal sound processing (a blank preset?).

    Let us know when you're riding back!

    Still chasing a worthy one :/

    Like 1
    Quote from pippopluto

    Ha, this is what I have been trying to convey :p
    Sorry for my English!

    Nah mate I have a terrible time understanding the lingo muso's use. They lose me all the time I didn't even know what a compressor did until a two weeks ago on a YouTube channel - now that a pretty sad state of affairs. Yet I could kick a persons head off without even warming up so pro's and cons :P.

    Quote from pippopluto

    :D

    ... Martial arts? Kickboxing?
    :)

    Black Belt in Jujutsu.

    Purple Belt In one style of Karate - left because of a lack of teaching stuff that actually would work in real situation

    Know the entire syllabus of Judo - though ungraded learnt it when doing Jujutsu

    Taichi & White Crane, and is probably the most underrated martial art of all, was TKOed more times in lessons in white crane than doing anything else.


    I've done Kickboxing - Mauy Thai - the reason why I added knees and elbows to my personal style.


    Probably one of the resons I don't understand the lingo been hit too many times 8).

    Regards.

    Valuable!
    I practised gong fu, and am currently a performance couch.


    Happy music :)

    Still chasing a worthy one :/

    If you don’t want to spend too much money on an interface I’d recommend the Zoom U44 for ~140$ - which is the cheapest interface with S/PDIF ins & outs I could find. The only potential downside is that it’s only USB 2.0 (AFAIK).