Main Out -12dB trick...

  • So if the -12dB box in the Output section is checked than you have to run your interface gain a little hotter (for me its at noon) but if the box is un-checked than you can run it lower (for me at nine o'clock).


    It would make sense to me that this might provide a little more clarity and authentic Kemper tone vs baking in more of the interfaces preamp tone.


    Anyone have any opinions?

  • not really.


    the gain range in question should be very well within safe, linear limits of the preamp.

    all you are doing is possibly introducing a 12dB higher noise floor from the preamps.


    besides, "baking in more of the interfaces preamp tone" is just semantics. if you drive the preamps hard enough to introduce additional distortion, than this will lead to a noticeble change in the tone - but why would you want to do that? All you're doing is taken an authentic mic'ed guitar amp tone and add extra distortion resulting on severy limiting and extra, unpleasant overtones.
    If you're after this industrial, NIN-type effect, all the benefits of the authenticity of the PROFILER seems kinda wasted.

  • From my understanding, the -12db option is especially effective for live use, although most of the FOH engineers I work with prefer -25 to -30db.


    As an aside, when recording, if you use any Plug-Ins designed to work like vintage analog gear, they are most likely designed for optimum results with individual track signals far below 0db. Whether you are using the -12db box checked or not, you may get better results with your DAW effects by reducing the recorded level of your individual tracks.

  • paults Regardless of the box being checked or not, I always set my patches up to record at -10dB.


    I guess what I'm getting at is that using less gain on the interface would give me a more accurate image of the Kemper by leaving the -12 box unchecked.


    I also noticed that by leaving it unchecked it's almost identical to the output of the monitor out outputs so that's nice too.