Profiler sound problem

  • Hey guys!


    I know im always moaning on here trust me i hate doing it but this is my last chance attempt to actually enjoying my kemper before selling it and moving on. Since day one ive had this problem just look at my posts going back to 2019! Yurrp! lol and i still have not got out of the unit what i was really hoping for. I've spend a TONNE of money on upgrades from expensive cables multiple different cables many spdif cables new USB cables and even upgraded to a rather expensive audio interface not to mention spending multiple £100's over the years on commercial profiles and IR packs but im always stuck with the same problem.


    Either im doing something wrong which TRUST me I've been through pretty much every scenario possible or the kemper is just not for me and i should just sell it and move on. Im hoping ive missed something because like i say I've invested a STACK of money into it.


    I have recorded a little something using commercial profiles AND random Rig Exchange profiles and uploaded it to my soundcloud. I have time stamped the different Rig exchange profiles but not mentioned the commercial profiles because i dont want to dog on anyone.

    This horrendous noise happens on every profile using all 6 of my very different guitars that are all not cheap (£1000 upwards).


    Am i going insane or can you hear this vile static fizz broken digital noise through ALL of the completely different profiles created by different people. This is not a coincidence there is something wrong. NO amount of eq-ing or shaping can get rid of that noise i have tried.


    This is my last attempt at getting a resolve because honestly i just dont want to deal with it anymore and its just become depressing.


    Anyway i would really appreciate it if you could have a listen to the soundcloud link and maybe even try a profile and see if it has the same problem.


    Thank you again.


    Peace! x


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  • You’re not crazy. Those sound terrible. There is something clipping somewhere or your guitar action is so low you are getting fret noise along with the main signal. I’ve read all your previous posts and seen the lengths you have gone to and can’t really suggest anything extra I’m afraid. It shouldn’t sound like that but given what you’ve tried already maybe its time to cut your losses and try something else.

  • You’re not crazy. Those sound terrible. There is something clipping somewhere or your guitar action is so low you are getting fret noise along with the main signal. I’ve read all your previous posts and seen the lengths you have gone to and can’t really suggest anything extra I’m afraid. It shouldn’t sound like that but given what you’ve tried already maybe its time to cut your losses and try something else.

    Thank you for confirming im not crazy haha i was starting to think my ears are broken and i must be the only one who hears it. My action is pretty solid its more so on the slightly high end i find i get a better string ring sustain with higher action and a fatter sound with heavy gauge strings so i never really put the problem down to that before. Using a clean tone has zero fret buzz and unplugged i cant hear or feel any buzz but thats a new option for me to try and i will most certainly look into.

  • I think you are partially crazy :)


    Yeah its not the best sound I've heard but not the worst either. so 2 sides to this:


    1) There is definitely some strange artifacts and doesn't sound as natural as you should expect. What I would try and do is borrow say a Helix or any other good quality digital unit and run it through the same signal chain. At least you know if its in the signal chain or the KPA itself. Also stops disappoint if you move to something else


    2) I'm sure I'll get shot for this but - sometimes I think we get so obsessed about our sound, that we magnify issues significantly. To me those artifacts would get lost in a mix and few people except us guitarists would notice. Now I'm not saying you should accept it...in fact I'm not sure what I'm saying...but seems like you've spent so much money on a relatively minor issue. Not sure that helps...


    Listen dude hope you get it sorted, even if that means leaving the Kemper group. We have all heard better sounds from the Kemper than that so not sure what else to suggest.

  • Hahaha "partially crazy" i can accept that lol its those strange artifacts that's grinding my head the profiles would sound killer if those artifacts were gone but i cant figure out what is causing them its like there is a glitch in the digital signal and as far as borrowing a helix i wish i had friends nevermind a good friend with a Helix its lonely being the only musician in the village haha i have just recorded a new little tester thing using some Rig Exchange profiles this time around i dropped the SPDIF out to -12 and the focusrite control SPDIF input level down too so nothing going into the kemper or out is flashing red/orange all lights are green and the Focusrite control at a steady green too. i will post it in this chat.

  • So in this little tester i dropped the SPDIF volume in the kemper to -12 and dropped the SPDIF INPUT on my focusrite control down to a steady green. All ins and outs on the kemper are at a nice green no orange or reds on the ins and outs. i used the same mesa rig exchange profiles i used in the previous tester and included a clean sound just to show what my guitar sounds like without any distortion to rule out any kind of fret buzz theory.


    Oh! and the distorted tracks are double tracked.


    Here is the link...i think there is a big improvement or is it wishful thinking haha.


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  • Sounds good to me. But it is silly to judge tone outside of a mix. If you really want to know how good your tone is then simply track it with some bass and drums. A simple short tune would suffice.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • So in this little tester i dropped the SPDIF volume in the kemper to -12 and dropped the SPDIF INPUT on my focusrite control down to a steady green.

    This sounds much better to me also. It is hard to say because the stereo effect always makes guitars sound great. But the first recording sound like you were using the wrong bit rate or a bit reducer effect or it was clipping pretty hard.


    Not only was their this harsh high end buzz but there was also a weird warble when you would stop playing.

    The Kemper has all kinds of headroom (output) so it works in all situations. Sometimes this extra headroom is the rope you use to hang yourself.

  • Sounds good to me. But it is silly to judge tone outside of a mix. If you really want to know how good your tone is then simply track it with some bass and drums. A simple short tune would suffice.

    Thanks dude! yeah i always try to get a good tone at the source before i record,The source being the kemper. if its glitching out at the source no amount of DAW production will fix it and i know this because i have been stuck with it since i had my kemper lol i hear it in my recordings and mix's at times it becomes unbearable and incredibly uninspiring. I think since adjusting volumes going in and and coming out it MAY have fixed it but i will have to play around a little longer with it...i hope its not just wishful thinking.

  • After those second clips, I don't think that anything is wrong with your unit. Make sure your pickups are not too high, when the magnet starts to pull the string especially with single coils, it creates artifacts that make the sustained note go weird as you probably know, also make sure you are working in the correct bitrate as someone else pointed out. I have a first generation Kemper so having to deal with the internal clock change and the slave/master every time is just another annoying thing on my mind so I don't bother anymore and just record through the mains now. Also, when they are tried out of context, there are lots of plain bad sounding profiles out there.


    Another issue regarding artifacts I had in the past was a floating tremolo that made a tiny "crackling" sound into the note anytime it was touched the slightest, and I had never noticed it when playing but it was quite obvious on the recording, so beware of tremolos.

  • I agree with the other comments, defiantly sounds better.


    I suspect you answered this in other threads but I assume you have tested via headphones and get the same results ( just to rule out recording, DAW etc.)?

  • I agree with the other comments, defiantly sounds better.


    I suspect you answered this in other threads but I assume you have tested via headphones and get the same results ( just to rule out recording, DAW etc.)?

    Yeah done the headphones option and the sound was indeed very different to what was being played back from Cubase. Through the headphones sounded how it should sound but i think something when that signal leaves the kemper into the interface and into my DAW is causing a problem. I had this thing in my head is it my guitar setup is it my string gauge but i have tried multiple string gauges and action adjustments truss rod adjustments and in this very feed the suggestion of fret buzz (not the case) but the problem was still there. To me it sounds like a distorted amp with no cab that sounds like a jar of digital angry out of phaze wasps have hitched a ride on the signal...i mean youve heard the demo clip its horrendous! does that sound like an almost 2k unit? haha i must say since turning down the levels its kind of got better but now im listening for it :(

  • After those second clips, I don't think that anything is wrong with your unit. Make sure your pickups are not too high, when the magnet starts to pull the string especially with single coils, it creates artifacts that make the sustained note go weird as you probably know, also make sure you are working in the correct bitrate as someone else pointed out. I have a first generation Kemper so having to deal with the internal clock change and the slave/master every time is just another annoying thing on my mind so I don't bother anymore and just record through the mains now. Also, when they are tried out of context, there are lots of plain bad sounding profiles out there.


    Another issue regarding artifacts I had in the past was a floating tremolo that made a tiny "crackling" sound into the note anytime it was touched the slightest, and I had never noticed it when playing but it was quite obvious on the recording, so beware of tremolos.

    Ah! the height pickup idea sounds interesting but yeah sustained notes have a strange warble effect...hmmm...certainly something i can look into. As far as the bitrate i have my kemper clocked at 48khz and my audio interface sample rate at 48000 buffer size currently at 192. Clock status SYNCED with S/PDIF. Cubase project set to 48,000 khz with a bit rate depth of 24 bit.


    My output Source on the kemper is Main Output: OFF Monitor Output: Off Direct Output: Off SPDIF Output: (currently STACK).

    Main Out -12 (TICKED) Monitor Cab Off (TICKED) Monitor Stereo (UNTICKED).

    Rig Volume: 0.0DB

    SPDIF Volume: -12.0db


    All of my guitars are fixed bridged guitars i had an Ibanez years ago with a floyd and just hated the faff on with it been fixed bridge ever since and in my opinion a fixed bridge has a more solid tone (IMO).


    And yes! i agree there are quite a few bad profiles lol.

    Edited once, last by AdamMassacre1981: EDIT: Oh! and i also wrap my guitar at the nut to stop string jangle. ().

  • Yeah done the headphones option and the sound was indeed very different to what was being played back from Cubase. Through the headphones sounded how it should sound but i think something when that signal leaves the kemper into the interface and into my DAW is causing a problem.

    This is my point. I worry that you move from Kemper to another unit and get the same thing.


    If that is truly correct then it can only be:


    1) Something affecting the signal from the Kemper/signal too hot - unlikely if you've checked its not clipping and you've lowered the output to say -12db

    2) Dodgy cables - think you've ruled that out

    3) It is actually still there in the headphones but not accented so you are not hearing it - unlikely

    4) Settings in your DAW/interface - this is where my gut tells me it is. Have you tried headphones direct out from your interface etc?


    Your guitar and strings etc. would come through headphones as well obviously.


    Sorry dude I know this must be driving you mad. I had significant issues with my DAW and interface ( not using the KPa but guitar plugin) and struggled to eventually get it sorted.


    Really hope you get it nailed.

  • Its HAS to be something between my interface and DAW just tried the neural DSP plugin the Cali Suite AND the Nameless suite completely bypassing the kemper going direct into my clarett 4pre and its there too!...so that throws out the kemper completely! haha...so now i KNOW it cant be the Kemper and thank Jupiters Balls it aint it was breaking my heart all that financial investment i was convinced i lost lol so now it have to join more forums and go through the whole process again with Focusrite and Cubase...FML!

  • Its HAS to be something between my interface and DAW just tried the neural DSP plugin the Cali Suite AND the Nameless suite completely bypassing the kemper going direct into my clarett 4pre and its there too!...so that throws out the kemper completely! haha...so now i KNOW it cant be the Kemper and thank Jupiters Balls it aint it was breaking my heart all that financial investment i was convinced i lost lol so now it have to join more forums and go through the whole process again with Focusrite and Cubase...FML!

    Just glad you are getting close to tracing it!


    I would bank on it being around the interface and interaction with the PC/Mac sound card. I had loads of issues with ASIO .


    There are a few people on here who understand it way better than me, maybe they will chip in...


    Good luck dude!

  • Thanks man yeah im certainly convinced the issue is a conflict of soundcards or drivers at least i now have a new angle to explore and i can now thankfully remove the thought of selling my little green box .


    The resolve is getting closer 👊☺ #excited