Unique Profiling Challenge - Rockman x100 - Stereo

  • I've recently accquired a refurb'd 1984 early Rockman x100, board revision 8, the soft clipped model. This is the first x100 version, where it only says x100 on the back.


    According to this page: https://www.rockman.fr/Reviews/Rockman.htm

    The output of the Rockman x100 is stereo for a specific reason:


    Quote

    Inside the Rockman

    If you want to understand what a Rockman is and why it sounds so good, the first thing to do is to ...forget the headphones!

    Think of the Rockman as a stereo amp simulator, designed to be connected directly into the soundcard of your PC, or in the mixer of your band. Once that said, let's take a look at the internal structure of a Rockman.

    One can roughly identify two parts: a first mono section, that corresponds to the amp simulator in itself. Then a stereo effects section, with a stereo chorus and a stereo reverb.

    All in all, you connect your guitar to the Rockman. The signal goes through:

    • A compressor
    • A distortion unit (or nothing in clean modes)
    • A cab sim

    That's the amp simulator. Then the stereo part, where the Rockman creates two different versions of the signal:

    • One channel is based on the dry, original sound, plus some reverb
    The other channel goes through a short delay modulated by an LFO (thats the chorus effect) plus another reverbed sound

    Specifically this part:

    • One channel is based on the dry, original sound, plus some reverb

    The other channel goes through a short delay modulated by an LFO (thats the chorus effect) plus another reverbed sound

    It looks as though if I want to profile this, I need to connect only the right line out from my adapter, for the mono gated reverb signal only, and then try to recreate the left line out signal with the Kemper internal effects?


    Any tips or advice you can give me on this one? Thanks!

  • No I didn't follow through with the profile, I was thinking I'd be out of my league when trying to build the chorus/reverb side of the signal, out of thin air. I can certainly profile just the tone, but that wouldn't be very useful to most.

    Kemper Powerhead w/remote & Kabinet
    Focusrite 18i8 (2nd Gen) - Windows 10 - Ableton Live - Yamaha HS-8's - DT770 80 ohms

  • Is it possible to profile the left and right of the Rockman independently and then merge the two profiles into one? That might work??

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • Can you profile a signal that already contains a non-defeatable cab sim? I mean, I suppose you can, but just be aware that it won’t result in a “normal” DI or Direct Amp profile, as it has already lost a bunch of high frequencies do to the cab/EQ filter and roll-off. At least, that is my thinking on the matter.

  • Is it possible to profile the left and right of the Rockman independently and then merge the two profiles into one? That might work??

    The one thing the KPA can't do, is profile time-based effects, no reverb or delay, unfortunately. Only the tone could be profiled, then the other channel would have to be recreated inside the KPA, using built-in effects. I'm not that good.

    Can you profile a signal that already contains a non-defeatable cab sim? I mean, I suppose you can, but just be aware that it won’t result in a “normal” DI or Direct Amp profile, as it has already lost a bunch of high frequencies do to the cab/EQ filter and roll-off. At least, that is my thinking on the matter.

    The cab is included in the tone on the right channel (with a bit of reverb), it should be just like profiling a combo amp but without any of the effects, the profile would be flat and rather lifeless though.




    lento1234567 , have you tried your CE-1 in the KPA effects loop?

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/QB7QgI3.jpg]

    Kemper Powerhead w/remote & Kabinet
    Focusrite 18i8 (2nd Gen) - Windows 10 - Ableton Live - Yamaha HS-8's - DT770 80 ohms

  • No, unfortunately I didn't. I got an offer I couldn't refuse ;) I still have a CE-2 somewhere though ...


    How does the CE-1 compare with the Kemper's versions ?

  • I have a couple of MIJ CE-2's also, but nothing can replicate that raspy pre-amp sound of a CE-1, I don't think any of the reissue pedals have tried either. The CE-1 can almost sound like fuzz if the pre-amp is pushed hard enough. Combining the KPA with analog pedals, yields some inspiring sounds. And then just send it all over S/PDIF to a DAW, makes life easy.

    Kemper Powerhead w/remote & Kabinet
    Focusrite 18i8 (2nd Gen) - Windows 10 - Ableton Live - Yamaha HS-8's - DT770 80 ohms