When we use Kemper, do we still need external mic pre to get a better sound quality?

  • I wonder if there is a huge difference when we use external mic pre to record through Kemper? I only use my apollo twin mkii quad to record and I heard the mic pre inside the audio interface is not at the same level as the external mic pre. Plz let me know, thanks!

  • Jack. I use Apollo also. I use the 1073 preamp on clean tones especially. But on heavy sounds not always. I do believe that going through the great UAD preamps can give a nice presence and weight to the sound.

    -Computer:Imac-OS Catalina

    -Kemper non-powered rack version

    -Kemper Remote

    Edited once, last by Oz_LA ().

  • Jack. I use Apollo also. I use the 1073 preamp on clean tones especially. But on heavy sounds not always. I do believe that going through the great UAD preamps can give a nice presence and weight to the sound.

    Thanks Oz, for the 1073 preamp are you using the UAD plug-in or the real thing?

  • Using a high quality mic pre can only offer the benefit of coloring the profiles in the same way as the amp being recorded or mic’d on stage. I can also give you more headroom than a cheap mic pre. This can be desirable but not entirely necessary.

  • When you record the Profiler you get line level, so there's no need for a microphone preamp. Also, an external mic pre will not improve the "quality", even if the preamp accepts line level inputs. It can only add some "flavour" if that's what you're after.

    So you mean if I use Kemper to record, I don't need the extra external mic pre because it won't make huge difference, unless I wanna use the mic to record the guitar amp, right?

  • It will make no difference at all because you will not use the microphone preamp (read that literally!) anyway.

    Some "vintage" designs add some color/flavour to a signal just by running the signal through them. But none of them add "quality".

    You have a decent audio interface with decent AD converters. If you don't know the characteristics of (external) mic preamps/channel strips you very likely don't need them. :)

  • It will make no difference at all because you will not use the microphone preamp (read that literally!) anyway.

    Some "vintage" designs add some color/flavour to a signal just by running the signal through them. But none of them add "quality".

    You have a decent audio interface with decent AD converters. If you don't know the characteristics of (external) mic preamps/channel strips you very likely don't need them. :)

    Thanks a lot!!!