High gain frequency response: real guitar speakers vs digital

    Hey there.


    This year i have purchased a Kemper Rack. I can say that this is the best investment i have done gear wise.


    First of all, i have played only digital processors, no real amps or cabs because those were the times, i couldn't afford a head and cabinet, but when i did, i prefered buying a kemper instead for versatility.


    Anyway, i have some missunderstandings regarding the tones.


    I use 99% of time high gain amps for rhythm and lead tones.


    Now, i am well aware of the Fletcher Munson curve and i understand it very good and what it represents. Also i understand that i need a LPF on a big PA, FOH, and i am using it.


    I have done a ton of research about the frequency response of the speaker cabinets and i know that the speakers made for guitars are in a range from 80 Hz - 5000-6000 Khz, and here is my misunderstanding.


    From where are the 8khz -> 20 khz and up frequencies since the profiler is using the also the speakers in the cabinet to create a tone ? Is the microphones that are micing the cab enhances all these frequencies?


    I am using my Kemper straight into the PA at loud volumes, and i set a LPF from 6000-7000 khz. For studio use i tend to cut the frequencies somewhere at about 10.5 khz.


    Also, is it recomended to use the same spectrum as the guitar speakers when setting the LPF and HPF for live use? Or is it ok if i cut a lot less using the kemper at loud volumes to FOH?


    I know tone is subjective, but i would like some informations about this matter, in order to make my guitar/tones as close to the real thing (amp + cab + microphone etc) frequency wise, since i didn't own a real head + cabinet. Maybe i would have understand that better i have owned a real head, but now i am struggling to understand the real thing vs the digital one.


    Thank you very much in advance!

    Welcome, have fun here in the forum and with your Kemper! Seems like the latter is already going on, very good :thumbup:8)

    Quote from Johndoebh

    This year i have purchased a Kemper Rack. I can say that this is the best investment i have done gear wise.

    As for most of us here...


    Regarding your questions I'd say you are very, very far already with your thinking. Very well and I have not much more for you because you're definitely on track with that.


    The 8 to 20Khz is rather the range for overtones that might be added on different ways. Personally I like to cut somewhere around 7-9Khz but I do this individually per profile. Some need more drastic cuts than others and I tried to avoid cutting too much. Same on the lower side of things. I used to cut below 100Hz but figured out sometimes this takes a bit too much away so I lowered it. If your sound guy has a problem with frequencies it's easy to put another low cut on the desk.


    Finally: If it sounds good it is good. And if you read lots of stories what great sound engineers did with real amps as well then there is no right or wrong but just good or not so good 8)

    Quote from Johndoebh

    I have done a ton of research about the frequency response of the speaker cabinets and i know that the speakers made for guitars are in a range from 80 Hz - 5000-6000 Khz, and here is my misunderstanding.


    From where are the 8khz -> 20 khz and up frequencies since the profiler is using the also the speakers in the cabinet to create a tone ? Is the microphones that are micing the cab enhances all these frequencies?

    Guitar speakers don't have brick wall filters at 80Hz & 6kHz. They still produce sound beyond those frequencies, it's just not as much.


    For example, here's V30's response. You can see there's content between 8 - 20 kHz.

    [Blocked Image: https://celestion.com/images/products/1/graph.gif]


    As for what you should do and what sounds good, that's up to you.

    Thank you very much for the help!


    I thought i was doing something wrong in terms of tweaking a profile. My biggest regret is that i didn't played so much through a real amp + cab, so maybe it is a bit harder to adjust the settings in order to make them sound good on every aspect. I am using my ears and trying to replicate the sound in my head

    Quote from Johndoebh

    Thank you very much for the help!


    I thought i was doing something wrong in terms of tweaking a profile. My biggest regret is that i didn't played so much through a real amp + cab, so maybe it is a bit harder to adjust the settings in order to make them sound good on every aspect. I am using my ears and trying to replicate the sound in my head

    Right , use your ears .... The best tools you have :thumbup:

    It can be tricky to get that perfect sound for "every aspect" depending on what

    other instruments and frequencies you battle against.

    One "perfect" sound can cut through fine in one song and get drowned in another :pinch:


    Sometimes a real "ugly" sound turns out to be the best for a song ..... No rules ...... :P



    Cheers !

    The adjective for metal is metallic. But not so for iron ... which is ironic.

    Like 2
    Quote from yeky83

    For example, here's V30's response. You can see there's content between 8 - 20 kHz.

    [Blocked Image: https://celestion.com/images/products/1/graph.gif]

    And keep in mind that the microphone in front of the cab has yet another frequency response curve. :)

    For example the popular Shure SM57 is known to add quite a bit of "bite" exactly where a cab's frequency response drops.

    mnm_Shure_SM57_with_frequency_response_graph.jpg (650×300) (mynewmicrophone.com)

    Quote from Johndoebh

    Thank you very much for the help!


    I thought i was doing something wrong in terms of tweaking a profile. My biggest regret is that i didn't played so much through a real amp + cab, so maybe it is a bit harder to adjust the settings in order to make them sound good on every aspect. I am using my ears and trying to replicate the sound in my head

    I think in some ways you have an advantage - you are not trying to recreate a sound you previously had but you have a blank canvass.


    My advice ( as I'm lost on frequencies) is you should have only 2 goals in finding the right sound:

    1) a sound you like

    2) a sound that cuts/sits well in the mix with the band


    The trick is getting both and you do that almost purely by ear and my bias would be towards point 2 and rarely do you play live with no other instrument on.


    ...and welcome BTW :).