Couple questions about using my Kabinet love.

    Hey all, I have a Kemper powerhead and a kabinet as my live rig. I usually use the kabinet as a monitor and still run to FOH through a PA. I noticed I'm getting a different sound through the stage monitor than the kabinet, I'm assuming it's a settings thing. What's the best setting to get the Kabinet to translate what FOH is getting? I also noticed that the kabinet sounds much different than when I use headphones. The kabinet is "harsher."


    Also, probably stupid question, but is there anything wrong with using a standard instrument cable to connect the powerhead to the kabinet? Or am I a big dumb dingus that never realized I needed to use a speaker cable this whole time?

    Quote from JonBourke

    Also, probably stupid question, but is there anything wrong with using a standard instrument cable to connect the powerhead to the kabinet? Or am I a big dumb dingus that never realized I needed to use a speaker cable this whole time?

    Yep, it's wrong, speaker cable only!

    From the manual page 103:

    The unpowered KEMPER Kabinet is the ideal match for powered PROFILER models PowerHead and PowerRack. "Use a speaker cable to connect the unpowered Kabinet to the SPEAKER OUTPUT"



    The Kabinet isn't going to sound like FOH, its design is to give you a more amp like experience, especially if you use the imprints.

    From the manual page 100:

    Use two cabinets equipped with KEMPER Kones as a mini PA, maybe for a spontaneous party. Feed your music into the Aux Input in stereo, as classic PROFILER models activate Monitor Stereo, use a stereo power amp into the cabinets. "Only the guitar-speaker-like dispersion will make your cabinets sound different to a regular PA."

    Thank you for the excellent write up! Are there any recommended settings in the output menu I could use that would more accurately simulate the sound going to FOH better through the kabinet? Just for consistency sake. It's not an issue for smaller gigs where there isn't a PA but for larger gigs with a sound guy I'd love if I could get a closer sound through the Kabinet.

    The Kone is specifically designed to not sound like the PA when using imprints. The sound going to the PA via main outs is the sound of a speaker with a mic in front of it. This is not what a regular guitar speaker sounds like on stage. The Kone imprints were introduced to give players who want it the sound of a traditional guitar cab on stage while still send a mic'd cabinet sound to the PA.


    You can however, run the Kabinet in full range mode (without imprints) which should sound much more like the PA sound. It won't be the same as you can't expect a single 12 inch speaker with a whizzer cone in a small cabinet to sound like full PA enclosures often with multiple crossovers and subs - but it should be a reasonable approximation for most people's on stage needs. To do this make sure that Kone is Enabled in the output menu but Cabinet Off is Disabled.

    ^^^As Alan suggested^^^

    From the manual...


     KEMPER Kone

    The KEMPER Kone is fully controlled by the software of your PROFILER. Please activate its “intelligence”, navigate to the “KEMPER Kone” page in the Output Section and press the soft button labeled “KEMPER Kone”.

    You will find three familiar parameters that we have mirrored on the KEMPER Kone page for your convenience: Monitor Volume, Monitor Stereo and Monitor Cab Off. When Monitor Cab Off is not highlighted, the KEMPER Kone works in full-range mode.

     Sweetening

    The full-range mode of the KEMPER Kone is extremely linear — for some of us, it might even be too linear. The high-quality monitors/PA speakers used with digital guitar amps will often emphasize the low and high frequencies — this makes the sound more appealing and allows for an increase in volume level without causing ear fatigue. The "Sweetening” parameter allows continuous control over the level of this emphasis. At full left position, there is no emphasis at all. At full right, the low and high frequencies will be emphasized by 6 dB, while the overall volume stays roughly the same.

    So if I'm understanding this right, turning Monitor Cab Off effectively puts the Kabinet in FRFR mode and would more accurately represent what the audience hears FOH?

    Quote from JonBourke

    Ahh I see, thank you. So if I'm understanding correctly, the kabinet is simulating say a twin reverb on stage and main out to PA is simulating the sound of that twin mic'd?

    The primary use of the Kabinet is to use Imprints. The imprints can be any one of 19 different speaker choices. These are independent of what comes out of Main outputs, as that only uses the original rig/profile speaker type.

    So, the main outs are always the original rig/profile.

    The Monitor/speaker out can be same as Main, or Kabinet Imprint, or Kabinet FRFR.

    Quote from dmatthews

    The primary use of the Kabinet is to use Imprints. The imprints can be any one of 19 different speaker choices. These are independent of what comes out of Main outputs, as that only uses the original rig/profile speaker type.

    So, the main outs are always the original rig/profile.

    The Monitor/speaker out can be same as Main, or Kabinet Imprint, or Kabinet FRFR.

    Thank you very much, I think I'm understanding better now. So using imprints wouldn't give me an accurate depiction of what the audience is hearing. Would using Main or FRFR be better on stage if I'm wanting to hear the closest to what the audience hears?


    Sorry if I'm so confused, I've been an anolog tube guy for the longest time and all of this stuff is pretty new to me.

    Quote from JonBourke

    Thank you very much, I think I'm understanding better now. So using imprints wouldn't give me an accurate depiction of what the audience is hearing. Would using Main or FRFR be better on stage if I'm wanting to hear the closest to what the audience hears?


    Sorry if I'm so confused, I've been an anolog tube guy for the longest time and all of this stuff is pretty new to me.

    No worries!

    I guess an imprint could be close if the imprint were the same as the original rig/profile speaker type.

    But... without a bunch of experimentation it would be logical to assume the FRFR mode would be best for on stage using the Kabinet.

    Remember though that the Kabinet was purposely built to give you more of that pant flapping backline feel on stage. That never sounds/feels like the PA anyway.

    No harm in trying FRFR mode, it's there for a reason.

    Great to have options for various venues.

    This is exactly the same as a tube amp stage set up. The amp on stage sounds very different to what the PA is delivering to the audience through the mic(s) and downstream processing.

    Use the Kone to get the amp sound (and aim your pickups at for feedback) and let the engineer take care of the mix.

    Quote from JonBourke

    Thank you very much, I think I'm understanding better now. So using imprints wouldn't give me an accurate depiction of what the audience is hearing. Would using Main or FRFR be better on stage if I'm wanting to hear the closest to what the audience hears?


    Sorry if I'm so confused, I've been an anolog tube guy for the longest time and all of this stuff is pretty new to me.

    As an avid Kabinet user, couple of comments from me, mainly to re-iterate what has been said above:


    1) The Kabinet has been developed BECAUSE people, didn't not want the same sound as FOH. Why? Because for some reason FRFR loses the "amp in the room" sound. If you want the same as FOH, you can go FRFR route. There are cheaper ways to do FRFR than using the Kab i.e. using PA monitors. You can in fact eliminate your backline at many venues - I have done this a few times.

    2) It does not matter that they are not the same, its only you that cares. The priority should be FOH, and then getting a sound on stage you are happy with.

    3) Even with smaller venues, I would ALWAYS put guitar through the PA regardless of size. Otherwise you will never achieve the right balance.

    4) As also mentioned, this only highlights what has always been true. Conventional amps do not sound the same on stage and through a PA - this is physics. With a convention set up, there were less options, so the KPA and other digital devices give more choice...which is good!


    My advice....


    Test your sounds first with headphones and/or with a PA ( say at rehearsal) to get your FOH sound as good as possible. Then run this sound through your Kabinet. In 90% of cases, this for me is good enough. I have the confidence that FOH sounds ace, I leave any tweaking to the sound engineer and then I only need my sound on stage to hear myself.