Posts by WillB

As I said originally on the other thread I started, the updated Rig Manager appeared to install the 4.2.12488 OS when started but the screen was partially blocked by the tuner bars but it appeared like it completed the task. If I now check the KPA via System (p18?) it did not actually install the beta OS. Restarting both the KPA and RM does not trigger the update. Now what? The beta software is not available for update in the traditional USB stick.

I am not seeing pure in CAB module..I have it ticked on in Output and at 3. CAB Module shows High and Low Shift and Character only. Button 4 has not label and no LED lit on pot 4. Reboot and no change. Am I missing something?

This is a convenient feature that worked correctly here although my KPA was set to tuner and the tuner bars stayed visible during the updating process.

EDIT: It didn't install the beta OS (checked System p18) even though it appeared to. The update beta OS is not available separately for USB install and RM is not doing it. Suggestions?

EDIT 2 - Solved, so as not to repeat please see other thread discussing where pure cab is discussed and I'll post my experience.

48k

version 1.5.41
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- Profiler was not recognized in Windows 10 Preview
- Duplicate Rigs removed from Rig Exchange

version 1.5.41
--------------

- Profiler was not recognized in Windows 10 Preview
- Duplicate Rigs removed from Rig Exchange

I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing so take this with a grain. 14316 is part of the Redstone implimentation which is a few months away from release and MS is adding many new features and it doing extensive changes within the OS. I appreciate the information about the issue and I am sure that Kemper does too but until MS has developed Redstone - Internal name - further there is no point in Kemper spending time on a very early development version of Windows 10 Anniversary as it will be called when released this summer.

Surface 3

"somehow it removes mic from the equation"
Then you won't hear anything.

Minor error experience:

Did a Search For - Found what I was looking for - Clicked X to clear search box - Error Message - "All Performance Rig Manager" "Unhandled Exception has occurred..."

Click "Continue" option - Rig Manager Not Responding.

It seems to be related to the left column cursor was in the Performance section when I started the search perhaps. Up in the profile section Search works fine.

My guess is it is phase related. I drew the analogy on another thread that is sounds somewhat similar to switching a high quality EQ plugin between the "Linear Phase" mode (No phase shift throughout spectrum) to "Analog Phase" (Phase shifts increase with frequency) mode. This is listening to the circuits without any EQ points (ie. FLAT).
PureCab sounding like "Analog Phase" mode in this analogy. Smoother, less hard transients. Not better but different. Sometimes when mastering the Analog Phase seems to lose detail vs. Linear. Sometimes Analog is just what is needed to smooth out harshness. Linear Phase can suffer from ringing. It just depends and the source and the sonic goal.

I loaded a profile "Strumming 02" (M. Franzkowiak) that has a flanger on it. Switching between PC OFF and PC on (but set at 0) and I can hear it change the flange effect. Move PC dial around with a lingering chord seems to alter the flange (phase). Switched to Air Chorus and I can hear again what seems to affect the movement with the chorus effect.

Phase shifts that change with frequency and/or amplitude.?

Renaming a Performance Nr.
Being lazy I have not fiddled with the dial to name some Performance numbers in my KPA. With RigMan1.5 I was changing those P# names from "Default Performance" to the amp in slot one. I was typing in the name when I thought to try copy/paste from the profile name in slot one to the Performance Name and it worked! I thought - great. But it doesn't work but that one time. Copy then paste and the name shows up but hit ENTER and the Performance name reverts back to Default Performance. It did work once!!!!

Thanks Kemper team. Managing Performances is excellent and well worth the cost of the update.

Listening more...and one setting does not necessarily work best (subjective) for all because it seems to affect the profiles differently. Perhaps a Pure Cabinet setting within/for each profile is possible vs. output positioning.

Quote from rogerpedersen

Fantastic news! I am glad I just sold my Axe Fx2 A question to the beta testers: I have always used an EQ to "Tame" those harsh highs, and I know many guitarists do the same. Do you recommend removing the EQ when using Pure cab?
Kind regards
Roger

You'll want to adjust it if Pure Cabinet has reduced what you were EQing out but it is subtle. As I said above, it is similar to (I use DMG Equilibrium) switching between Linear Phase to Analog Phase mode in a DAW EQ plugin.

I've found the harshness in the KPA analog output taxing and the cumulative sound when recording multiple guitar parts with the KPA required surgical eq per track that usually resulted in something that was still not ideal. In another post I described how I found a way to tame this harshness by using the KPA SP/DIF output to an external DA that has tubes in one part of the circuit and I could keep my DAW at 48k.

Experimenting with Pure Cabinet for an hour using the analog outs provides something similar in the reduction of harshness. It sounds like (among other parameters) the adjustments of Pure Cabinet is phase related similar to Linear Phase vs. Analog Phase (Clear Cabinet ON) EQ plugins.

I will try PureCab through SP/DIF out to my external convertor.

The low and high pass filters are a nice addition. If they were already there I didn't notice.

And here I was thinking the Kemper crew went on a long vacation!
Thanks for the continued development of the KPA

Have you tried Rig Manager?

Some addition thoughts:
While recording and listening to MBritt Voice 15 1 I added some hall reverb. The differences in texture were significant. It is difficult to describe and the reverb itself is artificial but it is like different grain structures to an image. Very different coherence and placement (distance from listener or depth).

Some items measure well and some don't. Take for example a 1950's Neumann U47 with a VF14 (original tube) recording a human voice. There is something's that captures sound and converts it to electrical energy in it unique and is subjectively pleasing to the ear I assume due to the continued use of this microphone over 60 years later..

On my DAW (Cubase 8 Pro) I record at 48k 24 bit always because of the sonic performance advantage and therefore cannot use the SPDIF output of the KPA being 44.1k only. I've tried and compared the SPDIF vs. Analog out from the KPA and found the SPDIF output superior using clean profiles. But I can't use it... or can I?

While reading a recent thread in this forum on this subject I recalled I have a DAC (4-6922 tubes in a Class A output stage) and I could therefore compare the KPA DAC to this other external DAC.

Setup:
1. KPA Analog out. To RME UFX Analog In. RME UFX USB Output to Cubase.
2. KPA SPDIF Out to Audio Research Corporation (ARC) DAC3 SPDIF In. Audio Research DAC3 Output to RME UFX Analog In. RME UFX USB Output to Cubase.

Stratocaster-Clean MBritt and TAF profiles used-Record both 1 & 2 simultaneously in Cubase 48k 24b wave format.

Listen to matched level playback and blind switch between the two and note sonic differences over Neumann 310's and Sennheiser HD600s.

The purpose of this was not to subjectively judge which was "better" or "worse". It was to note the differences and be able to have alternatives.
While listening back and switching between the two it was easy to tell which was which because the tonal balance and the transient response was quite different. Looking at the magnified waveforms showed differences in the structure of the peaks.

I recorded both the "Stack" (not effects at all) output and later I recorded "Main Stereo" output with some reverb.

Tonal Balance:
KPA has more energy in the low bass region, less lower midrange (warmth), more forward upper midrange and a brighter top end.
ARC in comparison (the opposite) ie. Less low bass, more lower midrange, less upper midrange forwardness, and a less bright top end.
Transient Response is obviously related to the tonal balance (and the "look" of the magnified waveforms).
KPA has an edginess to the initial transient that the ARC does not. Last year when I compared the KPA Analog Out to the KPA SPDIF Out and recorded both at 44.1 this was a noted difference.

Again, no judgment as to better or worse. Every DAC, microphone, pickup, guitar, speaker, amplifier, vacuum tube etc has it's own euphoric coloration and transient behavior.

Some general information of the ARC DAC3 (not the mkII version) I used. Keep in mind the ARC when new cost more than two KPAs (discontinued in 2000):
The DAC3MKII uses a high-performance monolithic input receiver and a
delta-sigma converter supplied to Audio Research by Crystal Semiconductor. The
differential converter is capable of 107 dB dynamic range in the audio band, and
includes 8x interpolation and a 64x oversampled delta-sigma modulator which
outputs to an all-tube (four 6922 twin triodes), class A operation analog output
stage. Constant-current source technology and highly regulated power supplies
similar to Audio Research's best preamplifiers contribute to the natural
musicality of the output stage. The suppression of sonically destructive jitter
in the DAC3MKII is accomplished via three primary methods: by two
voltage-control oscillators used to reclock data in the digital interface and in
a phase-lock-loop circuit just prior to the analog stage; and by extensive
internal damping of critical components and chassis areas to minimize mechanical
resonances.A detachable AC line cord has built-in filtering.
Among other conveniences, the DAC3MKII offers selectable phase inversion via
a front-panel toggle switch. The DAC3MKII offers a full array of digital inputs
for compatibility with any high-quality CD/LD transport or player, and provides
both-single ended and balanced analog output connectors for similar
compatibility with high-quality line-level preamplifiers."

This thread reminded me of when I did the SPDIF vs. Analog out of the KPA to DAW test and it made me think!

I have a device manufactured by Audio Research Corporation (DAC3) that is a DAC for a specific purpose in their product line (brief description below) - Take SPDIF out of their CD player and convert it to analog - for ingestion by preamp to amp to LS. It is a hybrid device with solid state devices, convertors and vacuum tubes. Balanced Class A output stage. It is 44.1k to analog only. It sounds excellent when used for their intended purpose ie. CD.

I am going to try this DAC from the SPDIF out of the KPA to my DAW.

"The DAC3MKII uses a high-performance monolithic input receiver and a
delta-sigma converter supplied to Audio Research by Crystal Semiconductor. The
differential converter is capable of 107 dB dynamic range in the audio band, and
includes 8x interpolation and a 64x oversampled delta-sigma modulator which
outputs to an all-tube (four 6922 twin triodes), class A operation analog output
stage. Constant-current source technology and highly regulated power supplies
similar to Audio Research's best preamplifiers contribute to the natural
musicality of the output stage. The suppression of sonically destructive jitter
in the DAC3MKII is accomplished via three primary methods: by two
voltage-control oscillators used to reclock data in the digital interface and in
a phase-lock-loop circuit just prior to the analog stage; and by extensive
internal damping of critical components and chassis areas to minimize mechanical
resonances.A detachable AC line cord has built-in filtering.
Among other conveniences, the DAC3MKII offers selectable phase inversion via
a front-panel toggle switch. The DAC3MKII offers a full array of digital inputs
for compatibility with any high-quality CD/LD transport or player, and provides
both-single ended and balanced analog output connectors for similar
compatibility with high-quality line-level preamplifiers."