Newly Saved Presets Sound Very Bassy and Dull

  • I've had the Kemper since 2013 for recording and am planning on using live. But recently modified presets do not sound like the original preset and I cannot figure out what I've done. Maybe if I explain, someone can tell me what happened. I was creating a live set list by modifying the presets that I like and loading in the 1-128 midi program changes in the browser mode.


    1. Was running OS 7.1.2.15213 (no noticeable issues)

    2. Updated to OS 8.06.24597 to utilize the new Rig Manager 3.1.62 and link to PC via USB

    3. Modified some of the presets to match my live setlist (changing presets with a midi footpedal)

    4. Last night, I noticed that every resent preset sounded bassy and dull. In general, none of the new presets sounded good to my ear and certainly not like I remember.

    5. Backed up the unit as a precaution

    6. Restored to an 2013 backup (the factory setting, but the OS remained 8.06.24597

    7. The original, non-modified preset sounds great through the headphones (Strumming 01 is the original preset)

    8. The modified preset sound terrible (bassy and dull) through the headphones. These are the presets I slightly modified and changed the name.

    9. Here is what I can't figure out: I can switch from the original preset to the modded preset and can find no differences in any settings other than the BPM and name, yet they sound completely different. I've checked every setting in the Rig Manager and the two presets "look" exactly the same.


    I'm thinking I've got to go start over and reprogram all the sounds, but I want to avoid the same issue. Can anyone offer some ideas as to what has happened?

  • OS 7.1.2.15213 is a version before the Kemper Kone was released. Did you check the output section (some changes there after OS 7)?

    I could have farted and it would have sounded good! (Brian Johnson)

  • Thank you for the reply. I've checked every setting and knob as viewed through the Rig Manager and could find nothing different in any section. I paid specific attention to the output section as the problems appears to affect all the rigs. I'll look again; always a chance of missing something!

  • The output sections were compared setting to setting. There is no visual difference when I switch from normal rig to "bassy dull" rig. The normal rig was copied, saved to Local Library, then moved back to the Kemper in an attempt to repeat the problem (that's mostly what I was doing last night). All sounds the same. There have been some Rig Manager Crashes, but nothing repeatable. Anyhow, I can't find the difference and can't duplicate the problem. I'll chalk it up to a bonehead move and redo the live set rigs.


    Could there be a setting on the Kemper proper that is not displayed in the Rig Manager that I'm missing?

  • I had not execute "Init Globals" before now, but I just did. Executing "Init Globals" did not fix the problem with the "bassy and dull" rig. I went through every setting between the two rigs that are supposed to be the same and still can find no differences in the settings but the sound is still very different. They were the same rigs because all the rig, cabinet, and amp descriptions are the same. I can only assume it's something in the amp setting (profile) that has effected many rigs. I'll still redo the rigs and keep good notes of what I'm doing in case this problem happens again. Thanks for your input.

  • I've been able to duplicate the problem with a very early patch "Strumming 01" (2011) which cannot be saved half the time if modified; however, if it is saved, it sounds totally different (Bassy and dull). That was a decent clean patch that I was using as the basis of a few songs. Coping to and from PC and Kemper while saving seems to cause problems.

  • Please check if in the Rigs in question you have any effects (distortions etc.), whos Volume parameter is at negative values.

    During the release of the 8.0 with Kemper Drive we had fruitful discussions about these Volume parameters not affecting the AMP Gain when set to negative values. This was because the AMPs volume compensation also compensated these negative settings.


    This has been corrected for the 8.06, as a consequence these settings now have an impact.


    If you find negative values (that actually didn‘t have an impact before), then adjust them to 0.0 or other values that are appropriate for that Rig.


    CK

  • I didnt update after version 8.02 for this reason as well.

    Virtually all profiles have a negative -5 value for volume range in the input/rig section and don't change for the better with the recent updates. Is a subtle difference, but duller might be an accurate description.

  • Maybe I don‘t understand your mentioning about -5.

    Profiles or Rigs in general don‘t have this setting.


    It is all about effects placed before the AMP, where the effects volume parameter is set to negative values.

    This will result in either less amp gain or in lower volume.

  • This is the volume range setting for an expression pedal used as a volume pedal.

    This parameter is set to -5 as a default value since the Profiler came to life.


    It doesn‘t affect the story that we are discussing here.