Posts by OhG

I recently started a thread on this exact same issue. It’s on the main page. You might want to check that thread to see if it helps you in your situation. I’m still trying to find the answer myself.

I tested hooking up my Kemper directly to my monitors vs going through my Focusrite Clarett and then into the DAW and monitors. Going directly into the monitors kept the clarity. So it's definitely either an issue with several Focusrite Interfaces or the Focusrite Control software that is causing some of the clarity to disappear.

The odd issue is that this same issue happened with a previous Focusrite interface (the Saffire). So I don't think it's a "faulty" interface because the exact same thing happened with my previous one before I upgraded to the Clarett. It's also not a case of a bad headphone output on the Clarett because this issue happens with all outputs (headphone, SPDIF, 1/4").

It's also not a DAW issue because the same issue happens in both Reaper and Garage Band.

So it's either a matter of all Focusrite interfaces coloring the sound. Or there is a setting in my Focusrite Control software that is causing this. But I don't have any idea what it could be. All inputs and outputs are working as they should and sending signal. There is no EQ settings in the Focusrite Control. And I've got my DAW, Kemper and Focusrite Control all set to 44,100.

I'm completely stumped and it's annoying because I see all of these YouTube videos with people posting the most amazing sounds (which I can get live), but my recordings sound nothing like those in terms of clarity, before or after EQ'ing.

Quote from RDM

Is the interface connected to monitor speakers as well? If so, does the sound from the DAW via the interface monitor outputs sound as dull as via the interface headphones output?

If not, it might be that the headphone output on the interface is not as high quality as the Kemper headphone output.

The next check would be to see if the Kemper (SPDIF)/DAW /Interface /Monitors set up sounds as good as Kemper straight to Monitors.

Also, in the title of this thread you mention ". . . when recording" - does it sound dull whilst you are monitoring during recording and also when you play the recording back, or just when you play the recording back?

I probably only have questions rather than answers; however, this query crops up a lot and I don't think I've ever read a definitive answer.

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The interface is also connected to a pair of Yamaha HS8 monitors. But it's hard to say if the sound is dull out of the monitors because the sound coming out of a pair of HS8 speakers are naturally going to sound quite different than the sound coming through headphones. So it's not comparing apples to apples there. Whereas I would think that the sound coming from my headphone output of the Kemper should be relatively the same as the sound coming from the Clarett headphone out since I'm using the same headphones as the "speakers" in both situations.

The sound is dull while recording and also when playing the recording back through the headphones.

I'll have to test the sound of the Kemper going straight to the monitors. My guess is that it will sound fine because the Kemper sounds good when I run straight to FOH or my in-ears. But again, even in those instances, I'm not using the headphone output. So I'm not comparing apples to apples.

Quote from BayouTexan

Maybe some over-looked setting in the Control software? I'm not familiar with the Focusrite Control version so I couldn't do a walk-thru.

I would try to delete and re-install the Focusrite drivers. After the delete, make sure you do a reboot before re-install. Then just try out the interface with only one channel connected (with SPDIF disconnected), then plug in your other channels one at a time, test each, then the SPDIF.

I'm on a Mac, so there are no drivers to install. I'm hearing all the inputs and outputs correctly. It's just the sound of the Kemper lacks clarity. Maybe the Clarett is just not high quality enough either.

The Kemper to FOH is totally fine. I also just tried running into Garage Band instead of Reaper to see if Reaper was the problem. I had the same issue. So it's not a Reaper setting.

I don't know what it could be in terms of being an issue with the Focusrite Clarett, because I had the same issue with my previous interface (Focusrite Scarlett). So it's not a defective interface either.

I've had my Kemper for years and have used it primarily for playing live. When I play live, it sounds great. When I listen to it using headphones, it also sounds great. But when I connect it to my Focusrite Clarett 4 Pre and into my DAW (Reaper) it sounds dull, like someone put a blanket over my tone. If I simply unplug my headphones from my Clarett's headphone jack and plug them into the Kemper's headphone jack, all the sparkle and clarity return.

It doesn't sound like a phase issue. It's a clarity issue. It sounds like someone just dulled my sound down. I've tried recording using different cables, and have tried both SPDIF and XLR cables and I've also tried using a 1/4" cable from my Kemper's headphone out to the Clarett. It all sounds dull. I had this issue with my previous interface (Focusrite Scarlet) and I figured maybe it just wasn't high quality enough, so I upgraded to what I've been told was a nice one (the Clarett). But I'm still having the same issue. Which would lead me to think it's something in the DAW, but I don't see anything in Reaper that would affect the sound like this. Also, I should note that the "headphone space" feature is turned down to zero (off), so it's not the space effect that makes it sound so good through the headphone output.

I've got my Kemper set to 44,100 and I've made sure the Focusrite Control software is also set to 44,100. When I use the SPDIF output, I've made sure that the Focusrite is set to use the Kemper's SPDIF for the internal clock.

I have no idea what could be causing this difference in tone. Why does the headphone output sound so pristine and all other outputs

I think the issue is solved. I moved the delay widener effect after the crystal delays and that seems to have fixed the issue. I also noticed that if I used the Phase Widener, the loss of the crystal delays weren’t as noticeable. Sticking with the Delay Widener though because that effect is a little more pleasant to my ears.

My thoughts on this are two-fold. On one hand, I've said right from the beginning that the Kemper Stage seemed to be rushed in it's launch and (especially during the first few months) I've seen what seems to be far more issues with the Stage as compared to the Toaster or Rack version. I've got both a rack and toaster and wanted the stage, but I still see too many people having issues with theirs for me to feel comfortable buying one to use as my main working setup (I use my Kemper's for live/working band purposes).

So while I personally wouldn't trust the stage at all, I have had nothing but flawless experiences with both the toaster and rack. They have both served me well, with no issues for years. My point in saying that is that I think Kemper are still working through a fair amount of issues with the stage and my guess (and it's ONLY a guess) is that it's due to the rush of pushing the Stage out before it was truly ready. I do think once they get everything ironed out, the Stage will become as reliable as the other two versions.

If you do spend hours dialing in profiles, just back them up to a USB stick. Then if you decide to switch to a rack or toaster down the road (or get a new stage), your work won't have been for nothing. You can just drop the USB stick in and copy everything over to your new unit very easily.

The widener is currently set before the delays.

On several of my rigs for live use, I’ve used reverb in the reverb slot, a delay in the delay slot and either a crystal delay or something similar in the modulation slot when I want to create a really huge ambient stereo effect.

Recently, I added the Delay Widener in the “x” slot on nearly all my rigs to get a more “doubled” sound and a better in-ear sound. The problem is, ever since I did that, it seems like the crystal delay effect that I’ve got in the mod slot is not nearly as noticeable. The delay tails seem to be washed out. As soon as I shut the Delay Widener off, they pop up nicely again. Is there any routing technique or tricks that I can do to get them both working together without washing away the delay tails? I love both of these effects. I just need them to play nicely with each other.

As far as volume balancing goes, if you’re using a stock Kemper profile, they are already balanced to each other. If you’re using 3rd party profiles, then the best thing you can do is use your ear to get them balanced as close as possible. I usually compare the profiles in my DAW and look at the meters, but i only do this as a start. It’s important not to just look at the volume meters because volume meters aren’t the same as “loudness”. Another thing to keep in mind is that EQ will effect volume or perceived loudness as well depending on what frequencies you turn up.

So I’m the end, use your ear. Then once you get a couple profiles balanced, use those as references for future balancing.

I agree with what BayouTexan mentioned above. Your profiles are going to sound different based on the volume that you're playing, as well as the sources that you're playing them on. You can take a profile that sounds amazing on one PA and then dull on another. Everything comes into play - the PA's board, the types of speakers they're using, the room, etc. Similarly, you can play a profile that sounds amazing when you're practicing at low volume or on headphones, but then when you play it live, it may sound REALLY high ended due to the Fletcher Munson effect.

I think the best way to use the Kemper is to have a couple of performances for each one that you have. One for a live setting and then the other for at home. For me, I just use one because creating two for everything would be too much for me. I just make sure my live stuff sounds amazing because that's what matters most to me. Then when I'm practicing at home, I can tweak the settings or my board if I want (I just never save them).

After hours of pulling my hair out, I found the solution. Apparently, I needed to enable Reaper in the mic privacy settings of macOS.

Hoping someone can help because I can not figure this out! I'm 99% sure it's a setting in my Focusrite Control software.

I'm running my Kemper via SPDIF into my Focusrite Clarett 4 PRE USB interface and out of that into my DAW (Reaper). I've had everything hooked up and working 100% perfectly for a year. Last week, I had to reset my Mac to factory settings and then re-load everything. I hooked everything up exactly as it was before, but now I've got no signal going from my Focusrite into my DAW. I've done all the obvious stuff like checking cables and making sure my Focusrite is selected as the audio device in my DAW. The focusrite is getting signal. It's just not getting to the DAW. And my guess is that it has something to do with the Focusrite Control software that I have to use with the Clarett. I just can't figure out what settings to use.

The exact way that I have everything set up is this:

1. Out of Kemper via SPDIF into the SPDIF input of the Focusrite. I'm also running out of the main left/right outputs of the Kemper into the Inputs #1 and #2 on the Focusrite so that I can sometimes use the Kemper's SPDIF to record the stack while using the main outputs to record the effects.
2. I'm using the outputs #1 and #2 of the Focusrite to plug into my Yamaha HS8 studio montiors (they are definitely not the problem).
3. Using headphones from the headphone out of the Focusrite.

I'd also be happy to do a Zoom call with someone so that I can share my screen so you can see exactly what I'm looking at.

Thanks!

Quote from jippitygem25

Ideally, would like to stay under 400-500 USD, but my mind could be changed if monitors more than that sound much better. Definitely not over 1,000 though

You can get a pair of Yamaha HS8 studio monitors new for under $750 on Reverb. I have a pair of those and I haven't heard anything better in that price range.

I can’t for the life of me find a single Marshall or Friedman profile that sounds good in a mix. I’ve got profiles that sound solid live, but every time I try to record anything with moderate gain (think 80’s hard rock), the profile either sounds:

• Too fizzy and/or low ended - so I try using a high or low pass filter. If I set the filter around 7k, it removes some fizz but also removes clarity. I’ve tried the definition control to compensate for this but to me, that just makes things sound stiff/stale.
  
• Too much gain - I reduce the gain and it takes away the feel or Friedman/Marshall feel.
  
• I’ve also used the studio EQ to sweep through and remove nasty frequencies.

Are there any Marshall/Friedman type of profiles out there that you swear by for recording?

I’m running a Charvel Guthrie Govan signature model guitar straight into the Kemper and into my Clarett 4Pre USB interface via SPDIF and into my DAW (Reaper).

Quote from BayouTexan

I'll get with you on zoom tomorrow and check every step on your computer screen as you go through it.

That would be awesome. Thank you.

I've given up. Unless there is someone out there who uses both SPDIF connections and Reaper, none of this is making sense. I've followed instructions in every video I've seen (most aren't using Reaper). And the people who are using Reaper, tell you they're going to show you how to set everything up, but don't ever actually get around to showing the I/O pieces.

Quote from BayouTexan

You want to send the dry signal back into the Kemper so the dry needs to be hooked up to a Kemper "input" (not an output) on reamping. That would be just the SDIF IN. You already have the Kemper outputs set as your main track (and Dry track). So it seems the main track is the one that should have the monitor ON.

My head is spinning. So what exactly am I supposed to change in the Reaper settings for each track? When you say "main track", I'm assuming you're talking about the one I have labeled as "REAMPED TRACK", correct? The problem is, on that track if I engage the monitor On as you suggest (which makes sense), I get massive feedback. Is that because I've also got SPDIF1 selected as an input for the dry track above?

At this point, I just need to know what to change for settings. I don't even care about the "why" anymore because I'm at the point where I'm about to give up on the reamping process altogether.

BayouTexan , the problem I'm having is that when I click the little speaker icon to turn "Record Monitoring" On, I get MASSIVE feedback and squealing. If I leave it off, and hit the master Record button, the track will reamp fine, without feedback. But the problem there is that I can't listen to it while it's happening. What I'd like to be able to do is to listen to it while it's happening so that I can switch between rigs to test different rigs while the rest of the music is playing so I can find a rig that fits that song best.

Here is a screenshot of my current settings. The top track is the dry/direct track which recorded just fine. The bottom "Reamped Track" is where I'm trying to get the reamped sound. Again, it works, but I just can't listen to it while it's happening.

On both the dry track and the reamped track, these are the additional settings that appear if I right click on their individual record buttons on the track.