Wondering if my set up has been wrong all along..

  • Hey guys. I have had the Kemper profiler stage for over a year now, but still don’t feel like I’ve come anywhere close to my tone sounding anything like the tone that I hear online from other users. To me, all of the stock profiles sound the same and/or very similar, it’s not like listening to different amps, which is the whole point of the profiles. That being said, I just play/listen through QSC 12.2 speakers and some cheaper headphones, so I’m wondering if I go ahead and invest in a kemper kone, if I will find that true amp tone I’m looking for? Seems like I should already get great tone because your kemper gets routed to a PA anyways.


    Maybe QSC speakers just aren’t great for the kemper or maybe it’s just me, but I literally can’t tell a significant difference between profiles. The only difference I hear on profiles is only effects/gain. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated, as I’ve been very disappointed with my kemper, and thought about just going back to a regular amp, while everyone else loves theirs lol.

  • I literally can’t tell a significant difference between profiles. The only difference I hear on profiles is only effects/gain.

    That sounds really odd. And it has been like this for a year? I agree that something must be locked. Which profiles are you using/have you tried?

  • Hey guys. I have had the Kemper profiler stage for over a year now, but still don’t feel like I’ve come anywhere close to my tone sounding anything like the tone that I hear online from other users. To me, all of the stock profiles sound the same and/or very similar, it’s not like listening to different amps, which is the whole point of the profiles. That being said, I just play/listen through QSC 12.2 speakers and some cheaper headphones, so I’m wondering if I go ahead and invest in a kemper kone, if I will find that true amp tone I’m looking for? Seems like I should already get great tone because your kemper gets routed to a PA anyways.


    Maybe QSC speakers just aren’t great for the kemper or maybe it’s just me, but I literally can’t tell a significant difference between profiles. The only difference I hear on profiles is only effects/gain. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated, as I’ve been very disappointed with my kemper, and thought about just going back to a regular amp, while everyone else loves theirs lol.

    I'm using a headrush FRFR and I have very similar problems

  • I would suggest:


    1) Don't buy anything new yet - you need to trace the problem, which could even be the KPA doesn't sound good to you. I doubt that is the case but it is possible.

    2) How "bad" is it? When you say they all sound the same, I presume you don't mean there is no difference between a clean AC30 sound and a Mesa boogie on full tilt? Sound clips will help.

    3) Is it very similar through Headphones? Can you borrow some reasonable ones just to at least get a baseline? That totally rules out the QSC's.

    4) Have you got access to any other signal chain e.g. through a PA just to try?


    I think its unlikely its the QSC's as they are reasonable speakers. Not everyone likes FRFR but you should get the opposite, its too transparent and you hear all the changes but sounds less amp in the room like. You will never mimic the sounds on line as there are so many other factors, but you should be able to get really good sounds if not great sounds. I can;t think of anything obvious except a low pass filter or something global but no obvious candidates...


    Not everyone gets the " revelation" of sound. I didn't myself, it took me 12 -18 months journey to go from OK sound to good sound to great sound. But it never sounded bad so hence the level of disappointment is important.


    However, my constraint was a real cab and duff profiles which only showed up when using FRFR ( so the opposite of your problem).

  • That sounds really odd. And it has been like this for a year? I agree that something must be locked. Which profiles are you using/have you tried?

    I have tried all of the stock profiles, as well as some paid profiles. Both from Tone Junkie and Top Jimi. Marshall profiles as well as some tweed profiles, and even fender deluxe reverb. I will say there are slight differences, but its never anything drastic. Like for example, that sparkle/shiny sound you get with certain clean fender amps, i would never be able to hear that difference on my kemper. Not sure if its because im playing through a FRFR though.

  • I appreciate the suggestions. You are correct about me noticing a difference between clean and distorted/gained out profiles. Its really just the inability to hear any major differences in similar profiles and the respective amps/cabinets characteristics for each profile. For example a clean fender profile on my kemper sounds the same to me as a clean marshall profile. Both paid for as well. I have seen a thread where someone mentioned turning off pure cab, but i didnt notice much of a difference that way either. I even changed the settings on my QSC to guitar settings, to see if that would make a difference. I think thats what made me believe that I should just invest in a kemper kone to dial in my tones, and then maybe i would really hear the difference, and it would be portrayed better in a PA. Not sure if thats the best way to look at it, but I really dont want to give up on the kemper.

  • For what it's worth, I've been using my Kempers (rack and toaster) for years now and I have NEVER purchased a profile from anyone (M. Britt, Top Jimi, Choptones, etc.) and had it sound even close to what they have in their demos. I know there will be differences based on guitars used, speakers, fingers, etc. But nothing I buy is ever remotely close to how awesome things sound online.


    I run direct into our PA and use Westone Pro 5-driver in-ears for live use. For recording I'm using SPIDIF out from a Focusrite Clarett 4 Pre into Reaper, played through a pair of Yamaha HS8 studio monitors with my Mac desktop. Guitar is a Guthrie Govan signature model Charvel, a Custom master-built Charvel, and a Fender American Telecaster Ultra. So it's not as if I'm playing on or through garbage equipment.


    I've just resorted to finding profiles that are close to what I want and then just adjusting them to my liking. I'd love to be able to buy profiles and have them closer to what is advertised, but I'm still getting awesome results just tweaking profiles instead.

  • Try setting the EQ on your QSC's flat. Don't tailor them to "guitar" as this may essentially give you EQ-ing similar to that of a guitar cab speaker. Therefor, you likely want your Kemper to run into an FRFR with flat EQ.


    I use (rather) crappy Mackie Thump 12's at home with the EQ set flat and they sound quite impressive.


    That being said, you will be hard pressed to find many profiles that work for you right out of the box.

    The majority of profiles, either on Rig Exchange or Commercially made ones, will require some element of tweaking to work and sound good with your particular equipment.