Need some help please - How can I hook up my Kemper and my Axe FXII at the same time to my Audio Interface?

  • Hi Everyone,


    Im 4 days into my new Kemper and man I cant get enough of it! It truly is amazing! I'll post my full review later after I get more into it.


    Anyway, I have a question I was hoping someone could help me with. I have a Presonus 1818vsl audio interface. I want to try and hook up my Kemper and my Axe Fx to it at the same time. Does anyone know the best way I should do this? My Kemper is connected by S/PIDF to the interface. My monitors are also connected to my interface through the main outputs. What is the best way to connect my AxeFxII? Is it possible to have them both on at the same time so I could record from each unit? For instance I record a heavy track with my Kemper and then a clean track with my Axe.


    Thanks for any help I really appreciate it.

  • You can try this...
    From your "alternative" output of the kemper, plug that lead direct to the front of the axe2.
    set your outputs to each device to separate inputs on a mixer (or your interface)


    In your DAW. create 2 I/O's one for kemper other for axe.. and off you go.
    Phase can be a issue so either remotely do that via your DAW, or axefx has a phase option in the menus.


    Thats how I had it for a while..
    But in the end I just use the Kemper alone now, in parallel the axe just dons not cut it with the raw sound the KPA offers..
    thats IMO though and your mind may vary!

  • Thanks for the help everyone. Hmmmm. Okay lets say I dont use them at the same time. If I want to record the KPA, I will do that and then turn it off. Then I will turn on the axe and record that. If I did that would I still need to hook it up like you described and44?


    Would there be a better way to have them both hooked into my interface that would allow me to use one or the other but not at the same time?


    Thanks.

  • With my suggestion, you don't have to always switch units on and off. And the units will play in series, not in parallel.
    Create a flat patch in the Axe with just the looper. This way you'll hear the KPA alone.
    OTOH, if you want to add Axe's fx to the KPA engine, just add whatever effect you need to the Axe's patch.
    When you want to hear the Axe alone, just switch to a different patch which excludes the loop and the KPA.

  • Thanks Viabroce. I am going to try your technique later and see what happens. For reference, what if I did want to have just one unit on at a time. Say I just want to use the KPA and vice versa at any given time, would your connection method still be recommended or could there be a differnt route I could hook them up?



    Also would I be sacrificing any tone and possibly being open to some coloring if I dont use S/PIDF but rather connect the KPA into the AXE effects loop?

  • I'd not worry about colouring the sound, any part of your rig (computer, interface, cables...) gives a contribution to the sound. So I'd say it all comes not to "does it colour?" but to "do I like the way it sounds?" That's my approah, anyway X)


    As for using one unit at a time... is it meant for saving energy?


    Anyway, what I'd do would be going all analog, and use different inputs from the audio interface if available, or a small (but quality) mixer. Most chances are you'd not be able to tell any difference, which is good :)


    In any case, be careful to properly gainstaging all the elements in the rig; this will probably make most of a difference in terms of punch, noise, "presence" :)


    Edit: I've just found this and this post over TGP. HIH! :thumbup:

    Edited 2 times, last by viabcroce ().

  • viabcroce - My audio interface hooks thru my computer through the only usb port. Is there a differnt way I could connect the Axe to the interface?


    Also which plug on the back of the kemper would go into the Fx loop on the ax? The alternative input?


    I'd like to try this out just to see what happens. It would be cool to see if I could apply some of the effects on the axe to my KPA profiles.

  • As I see from the Net, inputs from 3 to 8 accept line level signals. So you can hook both the Ax and the KPA in stereo there, as independent instruments. This answer your question about using them independently from each other.


    If you want to connect the KPA into the Axe's loop as in my first example instead, you can use the KPA's main outs (the ones you'd use for connecting directly to the Presonus.

  • Thanks viabcroce. I tried hooking my Axe to line ins 3 and 4 but I am not registering any signal on my audio interface. I'd like to get this working if I just wanted to run my AxeFX independently.


    Success on part your other method. I got this to work.


    Kemper to Audio Interface - S/PIDF
    Kemper to AxeFXII - MAIN OUTS into the INPUT 2 FX RETURN on the AxeFxII


    I see signals on my AxeFX but I hear my Kemper so it looks like your connection method is working so far. Ok next step how do I pull the effects from the Axe onto the Kemper profiles? Also do I need to hook any Midi cables up? Also what if I wanted to play thru the AxeFXII only as if it wasnt hooked up to the Kemper. In addition to porting over the effects on the AXE to my Kemper I'd like to have the option to play each system independently as well.


    Finally getting somewhere!


    EDIT - I just tried to plug into my AXE instrument jack on front and I dont get any signal so I cant play the Axe with this connection method independently if I choose to.

  • You know what I think there is something wrong with my interface!


    I tried plugging my AxeFXII into all the line inputs and I get zero signal. I then tried plugging my Kemper into the inputs, again zero signal. I plugged the Kemper through S/PIDF and it sounds fantastic. I plugged the AXEFX through S/PIDF, didnt sound good, very scratchy but it got a signal. I am using the Monitor mix software that came with the interface and the Kemper shows up fine with the levels through S/PIDF but the line ins I dont get anything. I reinstalled the current driver and still not working. I think somethings wrong! I'm going to return it ,get a replacement and see if it works. If it doesnt I guess its back to hunting for a new interface.


    I really wanted a Mackie Onyx analog mixer but it doesnt have ant S/PIDF connections. :(

  • What about connecting the Axe to the interface via USB and connecting the KPA to the Axe's Loop?


    This is the way I do it, don't know if it is the best way but it seems to work.


    4/5 Cable Method Axe2/Kemper (Axe 2- 4CM Template/Preset # 382 or 383)


    1- Guitar into the Axe2 front INSTR input


    2- Axe2 output 1 (L&R unbalanced) into the Kemper return inputs


    3- Axe2 output 2 (L) into the the front Kemper input


    4- Kemper Main output (L&R) into the Axe2 FX Return (input 2)
    (Kemper balanced XLR out, TRS Axe2 FX Return)


    5- Axe2 output 1 (L&R Balanced) into the Duet (or whatever you have)


    Additional info:


    I/O Settings Axe2


    Main Input Source- Analog (In 1)
    Input 1 Left Select- FRONT
    Input 1 Mode- STEREO
    Input 2 Mode- STEREO
    Output 1 Mode- STEREO
    Output 2 Mode- L+R SUM


    The Axe2 USB is connected to my macbook.


    I really wanted to prefer one over the other, unfortunately for my wallet they sound better together than they do as separate units. IMHO of course!

  • Yes. This way it,s working, but for what reason? ?( I don,t want back my Axe. It,s too expensive to keep it for some effects. :(
    ...and at a point You can realise a lot of high end effects with the Kemper too, except a few one, like the pich shifter/harmonist.
    Time of about 3-4 months I have bypassed the Mod + Delay + Reverb sections from my KPA and I have used all kind of staffs for these effects in my studio and on the stage too, because I was thinking that the Kemper is first of all an amp......
    My big mistake! :( ....because one day, when before the concert my special delay rack machine was broken and in a few minutes I was forced by the situation to use the effects from the KPA....and what a surprise! They was sounding good enough for all my team, including our very critical audio engineer, who don,t observed the change in sound in any way!!! ;) (He was convinced me before: to bring with me all that staffs, a full rack of processors!) What useless packs!
    Now I,m using only my Kemper with a Digitech Harmonyman and sometimes my Roland GR55 for special effects, but I don,t need to bring with me a rack of TC, Eventide and other machines.
    My rig is simple now and my effects inside of KPA are good enough for every scene, because You must to know that they are sounding great in every aspects even if they are not as tweakable than the others are.
    I,m a happy Kemper (and almost only the Kemper!!!) user now, because I have realised that I don,t need to complicate my life for a great guitar sound. :P

  • I use the Kemper as my main sound generator and use an Axe Fx Ultra as a backup in case the Kemper acts up (frequent with earlier firmware...not so much now). I just plug the guitar into a Framptone splitter and run an output to each unit. I can run either one separately, or both at the same time. The Framptone is a nice quiet unit and quite reliable. I program my top 5 "flavors" in each unit so that I have backup capability with the same midi control. We use IEM's, so the sound is killer through the PA system and quite nice on my ears as well. This works out a lot easier than running the Kemper and having a backup amp or playing around with the "Monitor Out" switch, which tends to be ridiculously sensitive.. It takes 10 minutes to set up and tear down.

  • Hi,


    I usually record both KPA and Axe, direct and processed sounds, in this way:
    - Axe plugged to the pc via USB
    - KPA plugged to the soundcard via S/PDIF


    I use two installations of Reaper on the same pc (one "normal" and one "portable") so I can run two Reaper sessions at the same time, the first running the soundcard ASIO engine, the second running the AXE ASIO engine.
    The two Reaper sessions are synchronized via SPP (song position pointer) using a virtual midi cable.
    I usually record the DI signal first and the processed sound in a second time.


    With this method no A/D conversion is involved, all signals flow through digital connections (only remember that KPA runs @44.1KHz and AXE @48KHz).


    Vernon