Still not there!

  • I am using pedals. Any that have gain or level options will add some noise to the signal. That's why you have noise gates. I've used pedals in front so far but will try them in the loop as well. I tried to love Kemper's digital effects but when switching back to analog pedals, I found how much I miss them.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • As mentioned I do use a gate, set at different amounts depedning on the sound. As with any gate, just set the threshold just to cover the hiss, so takes a bit of playing around but you'll get it so you get silence when not playing but sustain when you do!


    I treat my KPA in the same way I do an amp. Im not a pedal guy so I only previously used pedals for specifc sounds ( delay, wah), no gain or overdrive pedals. I donlt use any pedals now.

  • Update,

    Tried my pedalboard this morning, including the Effects loop.

    Sent my input in red, with just my compressor on.

    Then it sounded like a fuzzbox on the drive channel.


    So for me pedals are out.


    So I guess I'm now left with 2 options.

    1, keep adjusting the input noise gate, to get it right.

    2, Or sell this and go back to a valve amp.


    Thanks for everyone's help.

  • Don't give up!


    Clearly your pedal board is set with a very high output, hence you are clipping the input on the KPA.


    I just don't think the issue/answer is compression. You will get a lot of natural compression at high gain anyway.


    As Alan said how did you control noise before? If its a real problem, try an external noise gate ( but I really don't think you need it).


    This is all in the set up I think and principles are generally the same for valve amp/any other solution.

  • Hello all,


    I used an ISP decimator - so in the front of the amp and in the loop.

    I could let a chord ring into sustain or stop it short with my hand.

    Now it just dies.

    So --

    Ok, I am now going to profile a Marshall JVM410H, as that was my second favourite amp.

    I borrowed one from one of the band members.

    This time I have it for over 1 week.

    So I will profile it, then tweak the sound, so it's exactly the same, ( using a real time analyser).

    As the JCM900 that I'm using I only had 1 hour to get it right and I don't have the amp to compare it too.

    It does sound good, but I feel that there is something missing.

    I'm hoping that with the correct amp and gain structure, I will have my Kemper dialled in.


    Thanks for everyones help.

    I'm not giving up yet.


    Cheers.

  • That’s interesting. I have a Decimator Pro Rack G which I used with my old Triaxis Rig. One thing I always wished it had was the ability to bypass it via my pedal board as it sucked tone and sustain. too much for my liking. In true I left it switched off most of the time. I also have a little Boss noise suppressor pedal. I find the Kemper input gate much less obtrusive than either of them.


    I reckon the key might be in the actual profile itself. Good luck with the JVM profiling session ??

  • Hey Guys,

    So I checked out the Marshall JVM410H and it looks like the original tubes are in it.

    So that's a 2007 with tubes that are 14 years old, holy shit.

    If I profile the amp, does the Kemper only profile the Preamp tubes?

    Or does it do both? I'm sure it wouldn't do the Power tubes are used to drive the speaker.

    I going to use the Kemper DI.

    I've got heaps of 12ax7 to swap, but no EL34's, hence the question.

    I can't believe the EL34's are that old and the amp still works.

    But it does sound very dull and lacks a lot of character, plus the knobs are nowhere near where I have my settings?

    Dam I hope it works.


    Cheers.

  • The Kemper profiles both the power amp and pre amp tubes. The power amp tubes are usually a significant part of the amp's overall tone and character.


    When using the DI make sure you also have a speaker connected as the amp needs to see a physical load to avoid damage to the power transformer. The DI box doesn't provide any load as it is designed to be connected (with speaker cables NOT instrument cables) between the Amp and Speaker.

  • Hey Thanks,

    I have made about 4 profiles, using the Kemper Di.

    So I am confident with the Kemper DI.

    Just worried about the results, with the worn EL34's and the 12ax7's.


    Wish me luck.

  • Update,

    Turns out the Marshall only had 1 of the EL34 working.

    So I put in some spares and it was good to go.

    So I made 5 profiles from the amp, Clean, Crunch, heavy crunch, Od1 and Od2.

    One thing I love with the Kemper is the ability to add more gain than the amp had.

    Something I had to do to get the amp to sound like I wanted.

    So my next band rehearsal is tomorrow night and my fingers are crossed.

    I listed all the positives and the Kemper is still ahead.

    Plus lets not talk and valves and biasing, lol.

    Extra info, lowering the input gate to 3 certainly bought the sustain back :)


    Cheers.

  • This "guessing" / hit-and-miss setting of the input gate is an absurd waste of time, mate.


    This only takes a few seconds and you're done:


    If, when you're playing normally, you're always in contact with a string or another piece of hardware (like the bridge) that might "earth" the guitar, meaning that if you're not playing but still making said contact, the buzz / noise level you hear would be about as quiet as you're gonna get, simply do exactly this but don't play. Now adjust the threshold 'til the noise disappears.


    Done.

  • One thing I love with the Kemper is the ability to add more gain than the amp had.

    also, Definition, Clarity, Power Sagging, Compression, Tube Shape and Tube Bias let you effectively 'mod' your amp,

    which would otherwise cost a lot of time and money and would be more than a little hit and miss.
    Here, you get to do it in real time, completely reversible and you can even keep all the variants.


    Getting an authentic Profile from a tube amp is great, but using this Profile as a starting point to optimize your tone with a producer's mindset (and ears) really takes it to the next level. :)

  • Hey Guys,


    Well I think i'm done trying.

    Going to sell the Kemper.

    Just can't bond with this.

    As much as I have tried, there something missing in my tone.

    Playing lead is flat and uninspiring.

    My rhythm tone is close but not right and my solo's were just so.

    I think there is too much tweaking for me.

    Thanks very much for everyone's help, it was much appreciated.

    But I think you know when you are not there and I was trying really hard to get it sound like my old rig.

    Better to try and fail than not to try right.


    All the best.


    Gezza.

  • Sorry to hear that.


    Its not for everyone. The only I will add is that I don't tweak that much. I find a good profile and job done. Therefore if somethign is missing I think its somewhere in your base set up, but yeah I get how frustrated you must feel.


    All the best dude!

  • If I was to use an analogy of what it is like to go from a tube amp to a modeling amp/profiler then the best I can do is say that a tube amp is like a muscle car. You get the performance but you also feel the shake, shimmy, and rumble of all that horsepower around you. The feedback of sensations is enormous. Modeling is like driving a electric sports cars. It will get you from 0-60mph in 2 seconds and nail you to the seat with instant horsepower but you loose all that rumbling feel. It's a smooth ride and it's sort of icky in a way we are not used to. So you basically retrain yourself how to respond to the new driving experience.


    So, I totally get why modeling is not for everyone.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • JVM410H DI profiles. Input Noise Gate 0,5 + in Stomps Noise Gate 4:1 Treshold 1.0.

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  • Hey Guys,

    I may have found why I failed.

    I sold my Mesa Boogie MKV 25 cause my lead tone was sounding thin.

    So I made sure that all my profiles sounded beefier and cut a lot of treble.

    So I made sure they were all bottom heavy.

    So now when I play I guess, I can't hear my tone and it doesn't cut through.

    When you buy a new amp it is what it is.

    You have to change a few things and let it grow on you.

    But with the Kemper there is too much tweaking that can be done.

    I may give it another try and this tweak the treble.


    Cheers.