Merged, direct or normal profiles for Kemper Kabinet?

  • Hello everyone,


    my Kabinet will arrive soon and I'm still trying to figure out which profiles I will need to use the Kabinet as an "amp in the room" with the option to change speakers.

    Most of my Top Jimi profiles come with merged files, is that what I need? Tone Junkie offers some "direct profiles". Or doesn't it really matter?

    Can anyone break this whole topic down for me in simple words? Tried to look it up but I'm still confused.

    Thanks!

  • Players using a real cab or the kab/kone tend to prefer direct or merged profiles. But, don't go out and buy a bunch of profiles just because that's the type of profile you're "supposed" to use. Trust your ears

  • You can use Studio or Merged Profiles, and use the Kabinet in Full Range Mode (Kone Mode= ON, Monitor Cab Off = OFF) to hear the cabinet modules of the Rigs.


    If you want to use Imprint Mode (Kone Mode = ON, Monitor Cab Off = ON) You can use Studio or Merged Profiles, and select a Global Imprint for all Rigs, with the option of specifying a Rig-Specific Imprint for each Rig that you don't want to use with the Global Imprint.


    A Profile that does not contain a Cabinet Module automatically switches Kone to Full Range Mode, so you cannot use Direct Profiles with Imprint Mode, unless you add a Cabinet Module to the Rig.

  • Hi, Kaschko.


    You can use any type of profile, but to use your Kabinet as intended, you'll want to read the Kemper manual - the section on Direct Profiles and the section on the Kabinet.


    This is just the beginning of the relevant section in the manual.


    Kemper Manuals and Quick Start guides


    Search for Direct Profiles

  • Hi, Kaschko.


    You can use any type of profile, but to use your Kabinet as intended, you'll want to read the Kemper manual - the section on Direct Profiles and the section on the Kabinet.

    I actually read this but for some reason I'm still confused. In all the profiles I bought, I think only once direct profiles were included. So even if they are the best for the Kemper Kone, they seem to be really rare to obtain for the amps I desire.


    Is this a correct summary?


    Direct profile: Only the amp without cabinet and mic


    Studio profile: Amp, cab and mic


    Merged Profile: Like a direct profile with added cab and mic for better separation



    Kemper has this cab driver that helps turning studio and merged profiles into direct profiles, if I understand correctly. Should I assume that the result will be better with merged profiles than with studio profiles?


    Also, if I use profiles with my Kabinet and find a speaker that I like, can I export this setting into another studio profile for recording?


    Thanks!

  • Direct profiles are NOT best for Kone! That's wrong assumption. If you want to use direct profiles with Kone imprints you have to add some cabinet anyway, otherwise Kone will switch to FR mode!

  • Direct profiles are NOT best for Kone! That's wrong assumption. If you want to use direct profiles with Kone imprints you have to add some cabinet anyway, otherwise Kone will switch to FR mode!

    So which profiles are best then? Studio, merged or direct with an added cabinet (which I guess would be merged again???)?

  • Best profile is the one that sounds best to you! With Kone it is more practical to use studio or merged profiles - you can just use them. If you want to use direct profile you have to add something to the cabinet slot. That's all in my view. The most important is how the result sounds to you.

  • Hi, Kaschko,


    While we can say, if it sounds good, it is good, but I'm going assume you want to use the Kabinet the way Kemper intended.

    Hello everyone,


    my Kabinet will arrive soon and I'm still trying to figure out which profiles I will need to use the Kabinet as an "amp in the room" with the option to change speakers.

    ✄ - ✂ - ✄ - ✂ - ✄ - ✂ - ✄ - ✂ - ✄

    If you want to use the Kabinet with the Speaker Imprints as designed by Kemper to get the most "authentic" result, use DIRECT or MERGED profiles. Yes, you can use Studio profiles, but you may lose some authenticity. Keep reading.



    Let's look at this again.




    Your summary is fine.


    I find the Kemper documentation to be clear and concise, and I avoid re-interpreting it. But here goes.


    Big Ideas

    • The Kabinet and Speaker Imprints apply only to the monitor output(s) to give you a variety of amp in the room experiences.
    • You can't record those amp in the room experiences. (Kemper recommends you do not mic the Kabinet).
    • You record from the main outputs. The main outputs do not use the Kabinet or Speaker Imprints.
    • There may be fewer Direct and Merged profiles because
      • The Kemper Kab/Kone with Speaker Imprints are a recent development from Kemper
      • It takes more work for a Profiler owner to use a Direct profile
      • It takes more work to create a Merged profile
      • You don't need a Direct or Merged profile unless you want to swap out Cabs, use Impulse Responses, or use the Kab/Kone


    A Direct profile is ideal for use with the Kabinet.

    You connect the Amp to the Kemper Kabinet (with Speaker Imprints). There is no redundant Cab mixed into the profile to be removed.

    Note: You must activate a cabinet in the profile (it doesn't matter which one). When you activate a Kone Speaker Imprint the Profiler ignores the Cab in the monitor output. The cabinet you choose will affect the main output(s).


    A Merged profile is ideal for use with the Kabinet.

    This is just as good as a Direct profile because the Profiler can separate the Amp (embedded Direct profile) from the Cab. From an operating standpoint, you don't have to activate a Cab because it's already there in the Merged profile. Once again: When you activate a Kone Speaker Imprint the Profiler ignores the Cab in the monitor output. The cabinet in the Merged profile will affect the main output(s).


    A Studio profile can work with the Kabinet.

    The Studio profile captures the entire signal chain. The Kabinet and Speaker Imprints replace the Cab in the Studio profile.

    The Profiler attempts to separate the Amp from the Cab. This may not be as accurate as the separation you get with a Direct or Merged profile.




    How's that?


    ST

  • Wow! I was not doing this and I've been fighting my Kemper lately. Some days it sounds great others, not so much. But I've been running all studio profiles with a 2X12 Kone cab. This is the info that have been needing also.


    Thank you ST!

  • I'm going assume you want to use the Kabinet the way Kemper intended.

    There's one thing I still can't wrap my head around:

    So the best result for my Kemper Kabinet is with Merged or Direct profiles. However, the best profile to go into the PA is a Studio profile, isn't it?

    Wouldn't this mean I have two choices -

    a) I use a merged or direct profile that sounds great with my Kabinet but the audience will get a lesser quality audio.

    b) I use a Studio profile so the PA gets a perfect input but I have to make compromises with the sound from my Kabinet.


    Obviously you'd go with option b in that case.

    So are are direct and merged profiles mainly meant for you to use when you play smaller gigs without PA or at home with your Kabinet?

  • In my experience there is hardly noticable difference between studio and merged/direct profiles running through Kabinet or Kone. And the choice of studio profiles is by far bigger. Just my personal opinion.

  • In my experience there is hardly noticable difference between studio and merged/direct profiles running through Kabinet or Kone. And the choice of studio profiles is by far bigger. Just my personal opinion.

    I have to agree with you. I'm sure there are people who can hear a quality difference but I can't. But these days I'm using mainly m britt profiles and he doesn't offer direct profiles so I can't compare. I can definitely tell that Top Jimis merged profiles sound different from his studio profiles, but I dislike both so can't tell which one would be the better one...

  • Hi, Kaschko.

    There's one thing I still can't wrap my head around:

    So the best result for my Kemper Kabinet is with Merged or Direct profiles. However, the best profile to go into the PA is a Studio profile, isn't it?

    ✄ - ✂ - ✄ - ✂ - ✄ - ✂ - ✄ - ✂ - ✄




    If there were two Profiles (Studio and Merged), of the same of amp with the same settings, they should sound identical going to the PA (Main Outputs).


    A Direct Profile does not include a Cab section, so you'd want to add a Cab so the sound going to the PA includes the effect of the guitar speaker in a guitar cabinet.


    Reminder: What you do with Kone settings affect only the Monitor Outputs.


    ST

  • Yeah, I know all that. Not sure how this is related to my question though. Most studio profiles don’t come with an identical direct profile. And I cannot send a direct profile through my Kabinet while at the same time sending a studio profile through the PA.

  • I did comprasion studio vs. direct profiles with some of Tone Junkie packs, since he is the only profile producer I know who is selling studio and direct profiles equivalents. And I didn't notice any difference (at least my ears :) ) when running those through Kone & particular imprint. The cab separation seems to work pretty well in my view. But I am an old guy and my ears are definitely not 100% perfect :)