Profiler Rant - or more likely to be lack of knowledge

  • I'm Ron. I am a sound engineer and session guy.


    I've had my profiler for over a year now and wrestled with recording this unit every step of the way...and yes I RTFM


    I don't get it...the sound in my daw I get from a kemper is thin, fizzy (Hi gain profiles) and needs a whole lot of eqing it to get it to sound like an amp.

    For me it takes a seven band parametric eq to get the sound I demand. Yet I can plug my guitar in to a interface right to the daw and use BIAS, Guitar Rig 5, Amplitube 5 and get a tone that is much richer, wider, fuller etc. I don't buy all this "but its designed to sit in the mix", and it's not moving air bs. The plug-in guys seem to have got it right. Just give me everything and I will make it sit in the mix right, I hate when companies make decisions based on what they think we need. This is a $2000+ unit, and I always end up double tracking with a plugin. They taut a tube feeling...seriously...I have 3 tube amps they react to every little touch...all I get with the Kemper is like round robin sampling...it sounds the same nearly at all velocities. It took me ages to finally detect the fizz, and dynamically compress the 2 frequencies resposible...because if you use an eq you lose any thickness you might have managed to squeeze out of the tone. Don't you dare tell me about their 3 band output eq. They are much too wide banded to make a positive difference.


    So if your still with me (and finished plotting my death) I give up...what are the correct settings that people are using to record these things? My signal chain is balanced perfect (why a company needs to put an option for - 12db padding on the output...sheesh) I do use -18 on the input signal and I took clean and distortion sensitivity to - 5db. My input is the front input. On all profiles I have eq cabinet, amplifier and stack on. I don't tweak any eq settings no matter how bad the sound is. my main volume out is set to -12db which keeps the signal received in my daw at a nice safe level. I am using the main outputs into my interfaces at 16bit/48k. I have the monitor cab off setting checked (seriously a double negative name????) for my main output I use Master Stereo.


    So you people that obviously figured out the magic sauce, could I beg you for pointers on why I can't get a good sound like you guys do?


    I appreciate any suggestions,

    Ron

  • Tried that...my 5150III sounded terrible...all that lush beautiful gain turned into a fuzz fest. I use MBritt profiles exclusively, he does a hell of a lot better than I do at profiling and getting the sound right.


    I live in a townhouse...and the first time I profiled that amp I nearly soiled myself...I thought for sure aliens were coming to get me. I actually recorded the sounds made during the profile session and I have used parts of them in several tracks, low in the mix of course.

  • Please share some recordings. Try taking one of the factory rigs of an amp you'd expect to fit your purpose and post the results. We can then compare and perhaps see what's going on.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

  • you must be missing something, Here are my last seven years worth of music done ALL with my Kemper,,,every tune here is my Kemper, bass, acoustics, everything guitar related,,I am very happy with the recorded tone,a few of theses tunes made it on to broadcast with no issues or re- mixs,, I am also a session guy/ studio owner/ giger,, Its all about starting with the right profile,and cab,, and then, TWEAK it LOUD,,, not at bedroom or studio volumes,,https://www.reverbnation.com/mariomassi?profile_view_source=header_icon_nav

  • As requested here are two simple tracks.


    Clean: Guitar EVH Wolfgang - EVH strings 46-9 - EVH neck pickup - Patch: MB Plexi Clean

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/gj2y…o%2002%20%28R%29.wav?dl=0


    Distortion: EVH Wolfgang - EVH strings 46-9 - EVH bridge pickup - Patch: MB Plexi 9

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/iiff…o%2001%20%28R%29.wav?dl=0


    I have no problems with the clean tone...I think it is fantastic.

    The distortion track is a hot mess...No lows, Fizzing out the top end, total lack of definition.


    EVH Wolfgang - EVH strings 46-9 - EVH neck pickup - Patch: MB Plexi Clean

  • I have to be missing something for sure. The clean sounds are always great, but the distortion is always about the same no matter the patch. And I'm not sure why I got those weird cutouts...thats new to me.

  • Hey man! I've had the exact same problem ever since owning a kemper (nearly 3 years) still cant get it sorted.Cleans sound great and all distortions are a glitchy fizzy s#it mess. Hope you get a resolve dude I m thinking of selling my kemper and just moving on.

  • AdamMassacre1981 Yeah Im thinking about that too. This is my last ditch effort. Im getting great tones out of the plugins, but I can't use them while I have a $2000 Green Monster staring at me. It just might be time for me to sell. PS...try Scuffman plugins...you wont believe the distorted tone.

  • I use the rear master outs (1/4") Output source is set to Master out...I tried the others as well.


    What are studio profiles? I use Michael Britts profiles most of the time.

    Just to make sure: Make sure you are using TS (i.e. unbalanced) connectors/ cables if you are using the 1/4" outputs. I used to assume they were balanced and had a similar experience with thin sound coming from a PA after connecting them via Line In inputs. Luckily, I had already been working with my KPA for such a long time, that I was pretty sure it had to be a cable issue...

    Hope this helps!

  • I do use -18 on the input signal

    Why? Go directly guitar in, don't attenuate the guitar signal artificially

    I took clean and distortion sensitivity to - 5db

    Why? Leave both at 0

    main volume out is set to -12db

    Why? Run the signal into a Line In on your interface

    into my interfaces at 16bit/48k

    Why? Why would anyone record 16bit? Go for 24bit.


    As for your rant about "its designed to sit in the mix" ... The Profiler isn't designed to sit in the mix. But many commercial profile vendors claim that their profiles have been created with this in mind. Not Kempers fault! That's why I posted "Profile your amps".


    And last but not least ... for someone who claims to be a sound engineer there's some weird stuff going on in your gain staging (see above). And perfectly balanced it isn't either. When I flip polarity on one channel of your demo clip and mix the stereo file down to mono, it doesn't perfectly cancel out.

  • I spent no time recording it...fired it up and played those two simple tracks. If I don't those negative values the input clips, the output also clips. Its gain staged to match my style. Yes I use TRS plugs.


    I hadn't tried flipping the polarity GREAT IDEA for sure. So there is probably some phase cancelation going on which makes sense. I used the raw patches so they might have some effects on them (most likely a light reverb, and MBritt usually adds a touch, but nothing else.


    I could do without the slamming of my abilities...I'm a humble man asking for help from others.


    I will gain stage it based on your suggestions. Thank you.

  • Just to make sure: Make sure you are using TS (i.e. unbalanced) connectors/ cables if you are using the 1/4" outputs. I used to assume they were balanced and had a similar experience with thin sound coming from a PA after connecting them via Line In inputs. Luckily, I had already been working with my KPA for such a long time, that I was pretty sure it had to be a cable issue...

    Hope this helps!

    As Verminante has said, try TS cable not TRS.

  • Ouch - something is definitely very wrong there. I hear phasing and even volume drops. I can't find those rigs in the MB factory pack. Are these commercial? Would love to try and record something with the same profile.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM