Kemper FX loop noise *solved*

  • I know, I know. Bear with me, I've done some research on this already... :P


    I have some pedals I'd like to use with the Kemper. And because I'd like to sometimes reamp over spdif, the FX loop is perfect. I have tried both loop mono and loop distortion, and I have the fx loop in stomp B. Every time I have engaged the loop, I have raised the noise floor. It goes from fairly quiet to fairly hissy. Like a live tube amp, just "fscccccccccccccccchh". It's so loud that it's barely covered when there is actual signal. So practically useless...


    Now I thought that, since I use gain pedals, it's perhaps a gain staging issue. So I've think I've ruled out most of it: I've checked clean sense (it is properly set as per instructed so it's not to low), I've checked cables, volumes, settings, even switched pedals and what not. So I did something that ckemper recommended in another thread here: I put a cable from the send to the return in the back of the Kemper without anything attached and it still hisses. So naturally, I changed cable and tried again. Still does the same thing.


    But here is the kicker. It's noisy and starts to hiss when I engage the loop, even with no cables attached at all. No cables, just pushing stomp b on and off makes hiss come and go. So I'm stumped. What am I forgetting or doing wrong here? Anybody?


    (can post audio files, just give me a few hours).

  • So, I tested a little bit more:


    Putting the loop in x module was dead quiet as expected. It seems that the loop is boosting the volume before/into the amp, but I don't understand why.


    And I prefer loop mono over loop distortion. Loop distortion seems to have a pretty aggressive noise gate, and I don't particularly like it.. :whistling:


    This is a link to the noise example. This is with no cables attached in the loop. Not even a guitar cable. And I put rig volume to max, just to get some levels for easy reference.


    So this is a distorted rig, with loop mono in stomp b, no guitar cable connected and no cables in the back of Kemper, recorded through main out as line in to an Apogee Element 24. toggled on and off. (you´ll hear it when it happens).


    External Content soundcloud.com
    Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.
    Through the activation of external content, you agree that personal data may be transferred to third party platforms. We have provided more information on this in our privacy policy.


    What am I missing?

    Edited once, last by dahla ().

  • Wish I could help you, but I gave up on using the FX Loop in my Kemper because of this issue. I don't know how others have been successful in placing drive pedals in the loop for use. I've heard its possible, but not with my Kemper. I never sent the unit in for service as I figured its "just the way it is" and I would be out the shipping costs for nothing. Sorry :(

  • I just noticed something, maybe you could try it too, bluzgtr68 ?


    To get the best balance between clean and distorted sounds, I have the clean sense at -6.0. I just tried raising the clean sense to +12, and the noise is almost gone in when I engage the fx loop. Meaning there is barely a noticeable change in the hiss when I push stomp B with the loop mono on and off. (i.e. the inherent background noise in the profile, without noise gate).


    So a clean sense of + 12 acts like "unity" gain somehow. Meaning that lowering the clean sense boost noise floor. Like an opposite gain staging relationship. Except then the gain staging is all screwed up. I can't have the clean sense on +12... :huh:

  • I do have fuzz, overdrive and distortion pedals some in front of the KP and some in slot B with a Loop mono stomp. I use them mainly in performance mode with clean amps/gain edge of breakup.
    I don’t have any hiss.
    I have the volume of the loop mono at -2.5db to match the volume level of the raw profile. Mix around 70%. I did not tweak clean sense (default). check your loop mono volume, I‘ve noticed that increasing the loop volume at some level, I can hear a hiss, I don’t know if this could help you.

  • Try another thing, too. When engaging the fx loop, play around with the distortion sense as well. There is no need to have any pedals active in the loop, just the loop active in one of the stomp slots. Noise gate should obviously be turned off...


    Select a rig with some gain. Clean rigs isn’t as noisy by default. Then LOWER clean sense to -12. Noisefloor increases, right? Then RAISE clean sense to +12.


    Then the opposite happens with distortion sense: Try a clean sense of + 12 with a distortion sense of -12 and vica versa. Clean sense at -12 with distortion sense at +12 is a noisy mess! At least with my profiler.


    I don’t understand the gain staging here at all...

  • From another thread, I understand that "Clean Sense is actually BOTH an input gain control AND a master balance control between clean and distorted profiles". The OP mentioned that he is hearing the hiss, only when the loop mono is in front of the stack section, even with nothing attached to the Kemper, so I am not sure if INPUT sense parameters could help him here.


    Anyway, read this two threads for more information about Clean and Distortion sense.


    It all start with the input so...


    Making sense of clean sense (audio clips added)


    But, before changing KP settings all around, with all parameters default, try the basic loop setup of the tutorial below with just one pedal, headphones, nothing connected to the inputs. Try different combinations of Kemper's loop mono volume, mix and noise gate with the volume and gain of your pedal, trying to detect the inflection point when the hiss starts. Check that there is no other parameter impacting SEND/RETURN volume as well.


    External Content www.youtube.com
    Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.
    Through the activation of external content, you agree that personal data may be transferred to third party platforms. We have provided more information on this in our privacy policy.

  • Yeah. I am the OP...



    Still having major issues. I experimented some more, and here is what I found:


    - When using a clean profile of a (Fender Twin clean), and raising the gain, it is noise city when engaging the loop. So the same as a distorted profile.

    - When moving the loop to the mod slot, I can very faintly hear the signal, and it’s feeding back like crazy. So I got feedback, with a fx loop in mod slot with no cables attached...


    I’m sending a ticket to support. I can’t use the loop at all... ;(


  • Yeah, it's soon enough from me and all the nagging about fx loop noise. But I made a video, just so you guys can see. Used a factory content profile too. Perhaps anyone can test this on their own Kemper, and tell me if they get the same noise? This noise comes JUST by engaging a stomp mono loop, meaning that connections doesn't matter. In this video I have nothing in the actual loop...


    External Content youtu.be
    Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.
    Through the activation of external content, you agree that personal data may be transferred to third party platforms. We have provided more information on this in our privacy policy.

    Edited once, last by dahla ().

  • Hey dahla,


    I'm getting kind of the same noise when using the fx loop on a kemper stage and it's annoying because it translates to the profiling process.

    Introducing a lot of noise and sometimes making the process for hi-gain amp profiling impossible.


    Did you have the same issue when profiling, if you tried?


    And can you keep us up to date with what came back from the kemper HQ?

    If it is software or hardware related, hoping it is a software problem and not an unit problem.


    Thanks??

  • Hi, killiquid.


    I feel your pain... :pinch:


    Pretty sure this noise hasn’t been there before. It’s really obvious and I’ve just been aware of it recently. At first I though it was a software issue, so I even installed OS6. That didn’t help. I didn’t have any issues when I profiled a while back either...


    My Kemper left the country last wednesday. Eagerly awaiting a message from support. I asked them to give me a heads up for reparation cost, so I can decide if it’s worth fixing or not. (My Kemper is out of warranty, I bought it in 2013. :))


    I can post updates here, when there is any news.


    it’s sorely missed though! Just look at this empty, wasted space just collecting dust...


    ?(

    Edited 4 times, last by dahla ().

  • hey dahla


    Thanks for the answer, it'd be cool if you can share the news later ^^


    Mine is a brand new Stage, so I hope it is not faulty.


    Yeah I can imagine how it is missing ?(


    I really hope it is software related and it can be fixes asap.


    Looks like the the level/noise ratio is f'd up but only when using hi gain tones. So maybe something was changed.


    Anyway thank you and I hope you'll get your kemper back soon :thumbup:

  • Has there been any resolution to this situation? I am trying to use a Digitech Mosaic in Mono Loop Stomp A, but it sounds better and quieter in front of the KPA as opposed to in the loop.

  • Unfortunately, no!


    I sent my Kemper to HQ for a check-up but it disappeared in transit. Gone. Lost. Nowhere to be found. So I have no idea where it is, if anyone is enjoying it, or it is sitting in a box in hangar 51 next to the Ark or what... :(