Latency when switching rigs within a performance

  • Hi all,

    I've been having an issue when switching rigs within the same performance. There is a very noticeable delay, approx 200-300ms at times.
    This roughly translates to one eight note lost when playing at a medium tempo.

    I know that the led display can be misleading but I have done a lot of tests without even looking at it and the delay is there.
    I don't know if it could be indicative of the same issue, but the lcd itself is extremely slow to switch, maybe close to a second.
    I honestly cannot remember if it was always doing this or if it happened after some update.


    I tried a different ethernet cable with the Remote but the result is the same.
    I am half-tempted to do a factory reset ( I have backed everything up), but I'm not that sure that it will help.

    - Is there any way to run diagnostics on the Kemper?
    - Are there any factors that could hinder its performance? Like, too many profiles stored, or too many effects on a profile? I tend to use different amps for each rig performances, so this has crossed my mind.

    Thanks in advance

  • In the Audio Setup page in the System Settings theres a parameter named Rig X-Fade Time which controls how long the fade in/out of a rig change takes. Maybe you need to lower it.

  • I just checked it, it is set to zero. I set it to 6 and it did not seem that much slower either.


    I'm not sure how fast the Kemper is under normal circumstances, but as an extreme case if I switch from rig A to rig B and very quickly to back to rig A, the delay becomes extremely obvious. Of course that is not a very common use case, I'm just trying to understand the limitations of rig switching.

  • No, this happens while in performance mode and not connected to Rig Manager.

    OK, that doesn't sound right. When not connected to the computer slit changes in performance mode should be instant. I would contact support and have them look into it. They might ask you to send them a diagnostic file from your KPA to check what is happening.

  • I just checked it, it is set to zero. I set it to 6 and it did not seem that much slower either.


    I'm not sure how fast the Kemper is under normal circumstances, but as an extreme case if I switch from rig A to rig B and very quickly to back to rig A, the delay becomes extremely obvious. Of course that is not a very common use case, I'm just trying to understand the limitations of rig switching.

    the "limitation" of rig switching in perform mode is that you need to play a rig for at least 300 ms before you switch to the next one. Jumping between two rigs in a rapid fashion is not a real life scenario and will lead to the scenario you are experiencing. If you switch to another rig after you played the current one for a couple of seconds you will not notice any lag when you switch to the next one.

  • I have contacted support and sent them a video of the issue. Thanks for the help so far everyone.

    I watched your video and you are constantly switching between the first two slots of a performance in a rapid fashion. What happens when you play a bar or two with the currently loaded rig before you switch to the next? Are you getting a lag then as well?

  • the "limitation" of rig switching in perform mode is that you need to play a rig for at least 300 ms before you switch to the next one. Jumping between two rigs in a rapid fashion is not a real life scenario and will lead to the scenario you are experiencing. If you switch to another rig after you played the current one for a couple of seconds you will not notice any lag when you switch to the next one.

    Can I ask a related question?


    I have seen delays in the past when using MIDI PC commands to move between performance pages. Reading this, I think it probably had to do with what you describe here - two commands in quick succession from the MIDI board.


    Would a change across performance pages with a single MIDI CC47 command be instant?

  • changes between performances are never instant because the Profiler needs a bit of time to load the 5 rigs in a performance. Only the switching between slots in the same performance is instant because the rigs are already preloaded in memory.

  • I watched your video and you are constantly switching between the first two slots of a performance. What happens when you play a bar or two with the currently loaded rig before you switch to the next? Are you getting a lag then as well?

    Yep, the same thing happens, that's why I noticed it.
    I know rapidly changing is 100% not a real life scenario and I would not expect the Kemper to be able to do that.
    No one would really need that.
    But it is even noticeable while playing with a band and changing rigs from a clean verse to an overdriven chorus.
    When I switch profiles at the time the rig is supposed to change, it feels and sounds like I've missed the downstroke.

    Recently while recording what passes for gigs in covid times, namely the band in an empty venue with cameras and a sound engineer,
    the sound engineer who was recording it said "I kept hearing it but I thought you were always late at switching sounds".

    One more thing I did notice but haven't been able to reproduce, was sometimes when switching rigs, I saw for a moment
    the same exclamation mark that is displayed when storing a sound pop up on the Kemper LCD. But seeing as I was not close and it only
    lasted for a second I could not see what it said.

  • please send a video that illustrates how this happens when you wait for a second or two before switching to the next slot. The current video only shows that switching rapidly (less than 300 ms) will introduce a lag.

    Also please send a copy of a USB stick backup so the support team can try to recreate your situation.

    Since we do not have any other reports about such an issue it must be something unique to your setup.

  • Understandable, I've sent an email with my latest backup and will send another video tomorrow with slower rig switches (neighbours won't be happy now).

    Thanks again

    Please report back here what the solution ends up being as I'm sure we will all want to know.

  • So, even after installing the latests updates for the OS and RM, I still have audio lagging/latency when changing between rigs in browse mode, performances, and slots within a performance. The lags are random and don't occur every time. These are lags in the audio; the screen usually changes promptly, though not always. I also get lag when adjusting parameters: I turn the knob to adjust, and it takes a second or so for the parameter to respond. This is always a lag in the audio and the parameter on the screen. Lag also occurs WHILE turning a parameter knob, that is, the parameter will move with the knob, stop, and then catch up. And again, this occurs in the audio and the screen.


    I have a ticket and email string open with Hans in support regarding this lagging prior to the updates. Should I open a new ticket or reach out to Hans directly?

    Be Thankful.

    Edited once, last by kevinduren ().