[Public Beta] PROFILER OS 8.0.0.21450

  • Why don't you enjoy it?


    This discussion is the best proof that guitar players don't agree and will never ever agree on most simple things.


    So..here we have folks who claim that the new drives sound nothing like the "originals" while some other folks completely ignore this and rave about how the graphs which should help this claim "show how close the KD comes to the klon"..?

    ha ha thanks, I understand now.

  • hehe. The last days I tested the kemper drive (had not that much time). I didn´t care about the presets. Just fiddled around with it. I really like it. I´m not really into tube screamers, I prefer my klon clone (or at least more transparent overdrives). This thing does much of the trick. My last wish for the kemper is fulfilled.

  • The art of Photoshop's editing capabilities and layer modes (in this case "Lighter Color") ;) That's why I initially didn't post these distortion graphs, I was just too lazy to fire up Photoshop to color/merge/overlay the separate graphs.


    Regarding the data set files ... if you don't trust me, say it openly. Otherwise, why don't you do your own tests (and findings) if you know the tools?

    So is the distortion graph the THD plots? Something else? Looks strange to me.


    I think I've already made it clear that I don't trust your graphs. I'm not interested in the topic enough to go and make measurements, so I'm asking for your measurements. But if you're not interested in a discussion, OK.

  • But if you're not interested in a discussion, OK.

    I'm interested in a discussion of the topic "Kemper Drive", not in a meta-discussion about trust or distrust. If you don't trust, just move on. You already have access to the data via the graphs I posted. The data sets won't give you any further relevant information. Do your own if you need. You can't use mine for comparison because you don't have my profiles, you don't have the Ceriatone Centura.


    Regarding the distortion graph, I ask you: How relevant would THD be? Do you think it would be very relevant to just look at the total harmonic distortion? Or is it more helpful to look at the complete distortion component?

  • Why don't you enjoy it?


    This discussion is the best proof that guitar players don't agree and will never ever agree on most simple things.


    So..here we have folks who claim that the new drives sound nothing like the "originals" while some other folks completely ignore this and rave about how the graphs which should help this claim "show how close the KD comes to the klon"..?

    FWIW it's not my position that the new drives sound nothing like the originals, I've never said that. The claim in the Addendum is the new drives sound "sonically indistinguishable," and I take issue with that since things like hard/soft and symm/asymm clipping make sometimes subtle but still real sonic differences IMO.

  • Regarding the distortion graph, I ask you: How relevant would THD be? Do you think it would be very relevant to just look at the total harmonic distortion? Or is it more helpful to look at the complete distortion component?

    So what is the distortion graph? That's all I'm really asking. The thing you call a distortion graph doesn't look like a distortion graph, so I'm just curious.

  • Hey all, I’d like to share an experience I had last night using the new Kemper Drive and Full OCD settings…


    Everything was going well at the gig as usual, UNTILL I kicked in the Kemper Drive for a solo. Alas, the audience turned their backs on me. Some covered their ears in horror while others ran screaming from the venue. Thinking quickly, I switched to the Full OCD setting. No good. The lights were turned off, the venue was closed and our band was refused payment.


    That is when a family of four threw up on my pedal board.


    Whilst packing up my equipment in an effort to hide my shame, I was met with a man who explained the problem… He told me that usual patrons of the venue are particularly sensitive to the overdrives and distortions used and have little tolerance for guitar players that cannot readily distinguish between the two.


    He went on to explain the intricacies of distortion and overdrive and then,


    He pulled out a FREQUENCY GRAPH. It was an epiphany.


    All at once, I realized the errors of my ways. :)



    Joking and sarcasm aside, The new overdrives are amazing! Well done CK and Kemper team!

  • Lmao. Brilliant!

  • lightbox thanks for the interesting insight. One thing crossed my mind though which may or may not be relevant.


    you are using the Ceriatone in the Mono Loop. What happens in the following alternative scenarios:


    1 - Ceriatone in front of the KPA input rather than in a loop?


    2 - Loop Distortion instead of Loop Mono? I don’t expect any difference in this instance as the change is really the way they behave on input rather than output.


    3 - adjustments to Loop Volume. Is there any possibility that the Loop level is actually slightly boosted compared to unity gain? I know you are well versed in gain staging so I assume you have already thought of this but thought it might be worth double checking just in case.

  • FWIW it's not my position that the new drives sound nothing like the originals, I've never said that. The claim in the Addendum is the new drives sound "sonically indistinguishable," and I take issue with that since things like hard/soft and symm/asymm clipping make sometimes subtle but still real sonic differences IMO.

    Would you be happier if the kemper folks would just have written "it is rather good"??


    I guess I get @CKs point.For the simple reason I believe the same:Pedals are cheap little funky things..don´t take them too serious.Have fun.They can do great things for certain styles of music.Period.


    BUT!


    Today we have so many fantastic tube rigs which do the job much better than anything pedal/vintage fender amp a long time ago.And this is the truth.Add to this we can profile all these great working tube rigs with new,modern fantastic and not to expensive microphones.


    Anyway..

  • 1 - Ceriatone in front of the KPA input rather than in a loop?

    I confess I didn't try for 2 reasons:

    1. I was too lazy to plug/unplug the Centura for the measurements because 2. the Centura (like the Klon Centaur) doesn't have true bypass. Even when switched off, the signal still runs through the input buffer and 2 (irrelevant) high-pass filters.
    Let's see, if I'm not tired of this testing I might try this tomorrow, just to make sure.


    2 - Loop Distortion instead of Loop Mono? I don’t expect any difference in this instance as the change is really the way they behave on input rather than output.

    Exactly. Since I have nothing in front of the Loop Mono, it couldn't have messed up the gain staging anyway.


    3 - adjustments to Loop Volume. Is there any possibility that the Loop level is actually slightly boosted compared to unity gain? I know you are well versed in gain staging so I assume you have already thought of this but thought it might be worth double checking just in case.

    Good thinking here! But of course I made sure the Loop Mono volume is at <0.0>

    When I turn it down by 2.8dB (volume setting -1.3) with the intention to match the Kemper Drive from this side, the result is (not so) surprising:

    The actual peak level rises by 2.4dB ... the opposite of what we would expect at first glance. The reason is that turning down the return signal lessens the amp compression. Again, it's also quite audible ... and not a solution to the Kemper Drive volume diff anyway. :)

  • and using less pedals is always a plus if families of four tend to throw up on your pedalboard. Less to clean I guess.


    And we thought that beer was a problem...Hopefully

    I shall await a frequency graph based on audience enjoyment vs the deployment of said overdrives/distortions. My audience is waiting. They can't use their ears and are in need of a frequency graph in which to guide their enjoyment.

  • They can't use their ears and are in need of a frequency graph in which to guide their enjoyment.

    I like your sarcasm :D

    But let me tell you in all seriousness that I always use my ears first ... always. And only after I hear something I try to figure out what's going on, e.g. by doing comparisons/measurements. I guess it's part of an audio engineer's job description to be able to hear, compare, check. ;)
    Now, what would happen if I posted audio examples/demos? First of all I would get ripped apart because I'm not a decent guitar player. Then all the sceptics would still "hear" differences where there are none. We all know this game in the internets.


    All I can do is try to show and explain ... and then each and everyone is welcome to just do their own real world comparisons and checks.


    Now back to the Blues Brothers' Rawhide scene ;)

  • I have no doubts as to your prowess as a guitar player, I'm sure you're very good and that you are a highly competent engineer. And I would never rip apart another guitarists playing. Limitations of internet communications. Please accept my apologies