Posts by scratch17

Quote from Wheresthedug

has anyone figured out a way to get a great blended acoustic and electric sound?

Yes. I have made a blended profile. I have a Hamer Duotone which I use to do a profile of piezo blended with magnetic pickups. The Duotone has both types of pickups and both are available on separate outputs.

There are two key factors you need to keep in mind in order to get a good result. The process is pretty complicated. You will need a mic, a mixer, and a FRFR powered cab.

Remember that you can use multiple streams of audio to make a profile as long as you have a mixer that can mix to a mono output.

Usually, I connect the piezo output of my Duotone to my Fishman Aura preamp. However, if I want to really emphasize a more mic'd up acoustic sound, I connect to my Universal Audio Apollo. Then I load the Sound Machine Woodworks plugin. Woodworks is pretty amazing. The Aura has some nice models of acoustic guitars, but Woodworks is even better at making a piezo pickup sound like a totally acoustic guitar with a mic on it. It's not like the Aura sounds 'bad'. It just sounds more piezo and Woodworks sounds more acoustic. With either method, I connect the output to a channel on my Mackie mixer.

I have two methods I use to get the sound from my guitar's magnetic pickups. For quick results I use a Radial JDV direct box which connects to another channel on the mixer. To fatten the signal up a bit, I occasionally connect the JDV to an Apollo mic input and load a Neve 1073 channel strip. I turn the compressor off, and set the EQ to flat, just using the gain to add a little to the signal.

Or I sometimes connect my guitar to a Hi Z input on my Apollo and select a Unison amp sim plugin. If I do that, I set the plugin to a very clean output. The idea is to add a bit of tube amp feel, not to add drive.

The trick is to keep the magnetic signal clean so it blends really well with the piezo signal.

Whatever method I use to set up the mag pickups output, that stream goes to the Mackie on a second channel. The Mackie is connected to a Line 6 L2M FRFR powered speaker, set to flat. I mix the two channels to mono. I use a good condenser mic on the L2M, which is connected to the Kemper's input. Then I make the profile.

A few notes are warranted here. I experiment a lot with the mag pickup stream's sound. In some cases, I like the neck pickup best. Sometimes, I like the neck and bridge pickups combined sound. I don't generally like to blend the bridge pickup by itself with the piezo sound, unless I dial the volume back a bit and turn the tone down.

I also have experimented with using a tube guitar preamp on the mag pickup sound. When I do, I generally find that it is best to keep the gain down. But sometimes adding a bit of punch to the mag sound can create a magical result when blended with the piezo sound.

I can get a nice blend of an acoustic and magnetic pickup sound using the above methods. But it important to note that there are some limitations to your tonal range when you do this. First of all, because you are blending the two sounds, if you add an effect to one, you are adding an effect to both. Second, you lose the nice stereo effect that you can get when you keep the two sounds on separate channels, with two amps. Third, if you keep the two sounds on separate channels, you can blend or play either separately at any point in a song.

Note that you can also get some great blended profiles made with two tube amps for your mag pickups. You set up the same way you'd set up to make a Studio profile with a single amp and multiple mics on the cab. The difference is that you use a mixer and mics on each amp's cab, then mix the mics to mono to send a mono signal to the profiler. The Kemper only cares that it is getting a mono input to create its profile.

I have made profiles by using a blend of the Mesa preamp and one side of the 20/20 and the AB763 clone and the other side of the 20/20. The 20/20 is actually two separate 20 watt EL84 amps. When I set up in stereo like this, I use exactly the same cabs on both sides and I use the same model mic on each cab. Each goes to a separate channel on the mixer, getting mixed to mono.

The slight difference in tonal character and gain between the two preamps can make for a really awesome profile.

Quote from Dean_R

Also Kemper currently can profiles pedals as well as preamp or power amps, but can't combine two at the same time unless you own two Kemper but due to this limitation, you won't find many preamps only or power amps only or pedal profiles.

So, yes sure there can be improvements and yes sure adding affects can be seen as an improvement but for me, I didn't buy the Kemper for effects even though I'm glad it has them, but Profiling is the main reason I bought a Kemper and for the most part, that's why most if not all bought the Kemper for, effects can be easily had any where and everywhere.

Profiling was the only reason I bought my Kemper. Period. I also bought the Kemper DI so I could make DAPs without issue.

Profiles of just preamp and power amp sections take you into a modular approach to amp simulation. The accuracy of the profile of these components is the science that is the job of the Kemper's profiling engine. How you combine these modules to create a complete amp and cab (and maybe even the room it is in), is the measure of your creativity.

With one Kemper, you can only load one component. But you might be able to use other gear. For example, if you own a hardware preamp, you could send it into a Kemper with a power amp profile.

Why wouldn't you just create a DAP that contains both the pre and power amp? That is where creativity comes in. Here is an example:

You have a Synergy Syn-2 with a T/DLX module and a Plexi module. The actual '66 Fender Blackface Twin used 6V6GT tubes in its power amp section. The '66 Blackface Deluxe used 6L6GC tubes. Marshall Plexi amps used EL34 tubes. Most of the Synergy users out there use their preamps in the effects loop of a head or combo amp. In most cases, that limits the power amp section to one tube type for all of the preamp modules.

With a Synergy Syn-2 and these two modules feeding a Kemper with 6V6, 6L6 and EL34 tube amp profiles, you could use MIDI to get the right tube amp matched to the intended preamp channel.

Speaking of Synergy,

Quote from ipran

When The times Come for the kemper 2.00 My Wish This is Just an upgrade slot device like synergy module

Good idea. Maybe Kemper could create a box like the Syn-2 that has two slots for KPA modules. The two modules could be used in stereo, or linked to give the user the ability to mix and match preamp and power amp only profiles.

Just a little speculation on my part:

UI to MIDI implementation might well be a precursor to a Kemper editor and/or plugin. Obviously such communication is required so that the Kemper software would know what the existing parameter values on the Kemper hardware are. A plugin would not be the engine. It would just be a software interface that used the Kemper as its engine. This is the same concept as the new TC Electronic TC-2290 delay.

The plugin would act as an effects processor that you could insert into a DAW channel for effects and reamping. It could also of course be used as an editor. The plugin would create a lot of added value for the Kemper.

I'd love to be able to use my RJM MMGT to do real time tweaks to my Kemper with my feet!

Actually I downloaded the Mac Beta a few days ago. Looks like a really great product.

So "UI to MIDI" will facilitate one direction of two way control with a MIDI device like the Profiler Remote. Is that correct, Burkhard?

Thanks, Burkhard. Looks to be an interesting feature. I look forward to it.

Thanks szykman. Yes, I am aware. Seems like a great product. But it is Windows only. I don't want to have to put a PC into my studio just to automate my Kemper.

I'd like to see a simple plugin that had no profiling capabilities and only worked with a hardware Kemper. The plugin could start with a simple rendering of just the Kemper's front panel with no controls that opened sub menus. Later versions could add the controls with sub menus to add more controllable parameters.

The idea would be to have 2 way MIDI communication between the Kemper and the plugin so you could automate buttons and knobs, not just edit and save presets.

Burkhard wrote:

Quote

added: UI to MIDI allows to transmit all sound relevant parameters of the Profiler user interface via MIDI to for example establish a MIDI daisy chain of multiple Profilers

Is there any documentation describing this feature. For example, specifically which are the "relevant" parameters? How do you initiate the MIDI transmission? Could this be used to custom map UI parameters on a MIDI controller?

Quote from Burkhard

Quote

added: UI to MIDI allows to transmit all sound relevant parameters of the Profiler user interface via MIDI to for example establish a MIDI daisy chain of multiple Profilers

Is there documentation available on this feature?

Specifically, which are the 'relevant' parameters? How is MIDI transmission of user interface data started?

nightlight said:

Quote

Just soup up the processor and run dual profiles, extended FX chains et al.

wwittman said:

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You CAN profile your dual amp set up as a single profile.
You just can’t adjust the differences or balance between them later.

You can do both with two Kempers. You just need a good controller like a RJM Mastermind GT to control them properly.

@Sharry said:

Quote

The only answer I know is : You can profile an amp (or preamp) but not a guitar.

You cannot profile an acoustic guitar, but you can profile an amp playing an acoustic guitar.

You can try this:

Use a quality mic on your acoustic guitar, and record it in your DAW.

Now you will make a studio profile of the acoustic guitar played through your studio monitors. Mic up your studio monitors, with the mic outputted to your Kemper. Start the profiling process while playing back the recorded track through your monitors.

You will end up with a Studio Profile of your monitors, not your acoustic guitar. If you use an electric guitar with magnetic pickups, it won't sound like an acoustic guitar. It will sound very, very clean. If you use an acoustic piezo pickup with the profile, it should sound like a pretty good acoustic.

Another trick that you can try is to plug an electric guitar into an analog tape deck's mic input via a direct box. Make a profile from monitor playing back a track recorded on the tape deck. I once plugged my Kramer 450 straight into the mic input of a 70's Akai analog cassette deck. I don't know why it worked without a DI, but it did. The sound I got when I played the guitar through some decent 60's era HiFi gear was spectacular. It sounded like the sound that the guitar made acoustically, without plugging it in. It was as if I'd miked up and strummed a guitar with an aluminum neck and a solid walnut body. Just the crystal clear clean sound of the strings. You could think of it as a solid body acoustic guitar. And, yes there was plenty of bottom end. Just no box sound like you get from a hollow body.

I had forgotten about that after all of these years. I have a Tascam 44 and will try replicating this method with my Hamer Duotone. Unlike the solid body Kramer, the Duotone is a semi-acoustic (half hollow, half solid body). Might sound even better!

I have an Aura, and also UA's Woodworks plugin from Soundworks.

Aura attempts to imprint the sound of various sizes of acoustic guitar that has been miked and modeled. The Aura is pretty good at its job.

The Woodworks plugin does an even better job IMHO. It attempts to take an acoustic guitar's piezo pickup output and change it into that of an acoustic that has a great mic on it. Of course, it can only be hosted by a UA Apollo, Satellite or DSP card. There is no Native version.

If you create a profile with the above method, you can try putting either Aura or Woodworks after the Kemper.

Quote from Per

Though guys different bit rates wont affect the sound from the Kemper (internally it supersamples at the same insanely high rate regardless that Christoph mentioned before).

The higher sample rate at the KPA's output will positively affect sound quality. The sound quality from a device's internal sample rates at super high frequencies only passes as far as the device's digital output. If you limit the sample rate to 44.1 kHz, you will not get the same sound quality as a 96 kHz output.

Great update. Haven't installed it yet. Can the KPA slave to the S/PDIF or must it remain master?

The KPA analog output is line level, which is not compatible with the Twin's Hi Z input. You need to use a line input on the Twin. The mic / line combo jacks on the Twin require TRS or TS for line level inputs. Do not use an XLR cable to connect to a Twin's analog input. Any XLR cable connected to the Twin will automatically run at mic level.

Quote from Nikos

As much as I understand the wish for "having absolutely everything" in just one device it is nevertheless not possible.

Exactly. That is why I want more digital input/output with flexible routing. And more slots so I can take advantage of both internal Kemper effects and external devices.

Quote from ColdFrixion

Nevertheless, Christoph Kemper recognizes the importance of effects to the Kemper user base:

"Our users have asked us for more effects because they have the clear tendency to try to have the whole rig into one unit, which is, in general, an innovation of digital guitar amplifiers; that you can bring the whole effects chain into one unit, which has a lot of advantages. It's not as expensive, and it's more flexible because you can store and recall a whole setting. It's also better sound quality because you don't have that many transitions and joins for all your signals in the analog domain, which is a major point."

- Christoph Kemper (NAMM 2018)

The external effects block implementation employed by Kemper is excellent. That is one reason that I want more of them available without taking away from the availability of internal effects blocks. Again, I don't expect to use 8 at a time. But having a preset that places blocks where I want them (at the input, between pre and power amp, and even after the amp, but before the cab) would make integration much easier.

Mr. K makes my argument for more digital input/output for me with his statement about "transitions and joins". It is obvious that this a requirement on an all analog pedal board . But once inside the KPA, you are in a digital domain.

Quote from Nikos

I really dont want to "troll" or "flame" you..I just would like to hear how all this sounds..how does a guitar sound like with all this above with 8(!!!!) effects,multiple dynamics tools (compressors,limiters etc) and still added external fx-hardware...what is the acoustical end result of such a thing as descibed in your above post

Hi Nikos. I should clarify. I want flexibility. Not more quantity. I did not mean I would use 8 effects simultaneously. I would like to be able to connect multiple devices and use them selectively without constantly re-patching. I want to save my aching back, yet be able to place almost any device in any position in my guitar's signal chain.

In the near future, I am getting a Townsend Sphere L22 to go with my UA Apollo interfaces. The L22 comes with a plugin with multiple included mic profiles covering small and large diaphragm condensers, dynamics and even a ribbon. UA and Ocean Way Studios also created a number of profiles for the L22 from their amazing mic locker covering even more models.

The mic itself is a large diaphragm condenser with two capsules and a stereo output. The plugin lets you select the profile(s) you want for each capsule in mono or stereo, with any polar pattern.

Check out this video review from Recording Magazine:

https://townsendlabs.com/recor…azine-reviews-sphere-l22/

Here is an example of the versatility of the L22 as a profiling microphone.

You set up your Kemper for creating a profile, using the L22. The L22 connects to two of your Apollo's mic preamps. Remember, the L22 has 2 outputs.

These two channels show in the UAD Console 2 application. Link them and turn on phantom power. Select the Townsend Labs Sphere plugin in the first channel insert. It has two mics (one for each channel) but it outputs a mono track. Select the UAD Rec button to commit the selected mic settings to disk during recording.

So let's say you select an SM-57 mic profile in both of the mic slots in the plugin to start with. Now you start the profiling process on the Kemper and proceed with it just as you would with a real SM-57. You tweak the profile and save it. Let's say you love the results.

So why spend $1500 for a sim of an SM-57 that could be bought for $100 at GC?

Because the L22 Townsend plugin and Ocean Way plugin both have 12 high quality models of classic microphones. Just repeat the process, but change to a U67 on one side and a C-414 on the other. You also have control of the mics' proximity effect in the plugin. And polar patterns.

And if you select the stereo output version of the plugin you can adjust axis. In stereo, to create a profile, you will need to use either the Console app or your DAW to mix to mono. Of course that's true with two hardware mics.

The mic comes with the Townsend plugin with its 12 models. The plugin runs on the UAD hardware or in native mode in your DAW as a VST, UA, etc.

The Ocean Way plugin is only available on the UAD platform, at least for now. It is similar to the Townsend plugin, in terms of its interface and capabilities. It just has different models, also 12 total.

Allan Sides of Ocean Way created the models in conjunction with Townsend Labs. While there is some overlap between the models included with each plugin, the actual mics which were modeled were different, so the resulting models do have differences.

Quote from Per

Which Apollo are you using? The Silverface Quad at least has the ability to resample SPDIF directly to any rate from it's console. I have my KPA connected via SPDIF and can use any rate I want within my project without issue and saving two analog inputs for other things.

Yes. That is correct at the input of the S/PDIF but not at the output. You can set the KPA as slave and set the S/PDIF on either Apollo (SF) or Apollo 8 (BF) to 44.1 kHz and record at any sample rate you want. I own a SF Quad and a BF Duo.

For re-amping purposes, you cannot just connect the S/PDIF output to the Kemper. There is no sample rate conversion at the S/PDIF output of the Apollo. So it will be clocked at whatever sample rate the project was used for your project. You could make a temporary master running at 44.1 of just the track you wanted to re-amp, but that is a pain in the butt.

I just use the analog return from my Apollo to send a track back to the Kemper for re-amping. Again, this is not an optimal way to implement this process. While my Apollo has a quality D/A processor, as does the Kemper, the redundant conversion steps add just a little more noise and distortion. It is not that on that track you could tell the difference if you compared the two side by side. It is that the cumulative effect of such corruptions could become audible by the end of a project.

BTW, the Behringer Ultramatch sample rate converter retails for $200. It would avoid this issue all together. It has two way SRC for a single device. Better still is the Mutec MC-4, but it retails for $800. It has 8 channels of bi-directional SRC for ADAT, AES3 or S/PDIF sources with word clock in and out.

The Mutec might become a necessity for complex setups. If you have multiple digital audio devices that you need to connect together with a master clock source, spending the $800 for it might make sense. This might be a consequence of the Kemper's requirement that it must act as the master clock, with other devices connected becoming slaves.

None of these issues would arise if a new version of the Kemper had no such master/slave requirement, had word clock inputs and outputs, and could run at what most manufacturers today consider to be professional sample rates. As a project studio owner, I strive to record at 96 kHz sample rate for a number of reasons, even if I only have a CD release in mind. I do so for a number of reasons.

First of all, I want to record with a high sample rate so that I can keep the highest quality master possible. Even if I need to master a 44.1 kHz copy, I am starting with the best possible source. I also have the ability to release a higher sample rate version of the project if called upon later by the client.

Second, I want real time latency to be as low as possible. My studio is guitar oriented. As I posted above, I like to use my Apollos and UAD plugins in real time recordings of guitar. By recording at 96 kHz I get the lowest possible latency, without putting strain on my 2011 iMac. (If I had a more powerful Mac, I'd record at 192 kHz to lower latency even further).

When I am using a Unison plugin, it must be placed in a Unison slot in the UAD Console 2 application. Many of my guitar pedal and amp sims are Unison, so they must be recorded this way. However, I use the Apollo's Live Track Mode for non Unison plugins. This avoids the Console 2 app. I insert the UA plugin into my DAW's channel slot. While there is a small increase in latency when recording this way,
I can use Apollo Satellites to host the plugin(s). Either way, the lower the round trip latency, the better.

I'd also like to say thanks to the forum members who have indicated support for my position on a Kemper V2. And thanks to those who have not flamed me for posting my opinion, even though many of you must heartily disagree. I don't post on this forum much because I have been flamed so often. In fact, I made a less comprehensive post on this subject a short while ago here:

New KPA at Musikmesse 2018?

I got roasted.

I know that a member's status on forums usually depends on the number of posts you have made. My status is "beginner". I am no beginner. I am 64 years old, and have been working with pro audio gear since I took the RIAA course at Marc Sound in Ottawa Canada under Dr. Floyd Toole in 1977. I have also been playing guitar for over 50 years. I consider myself as knowledgeable but not expert. I point this out so people in these forums consider opinions of any poster equally, on the merits of the information posted. I have been incorrect before in some posts. I will err again.

I expect to be flamed to a barbecued crisp for this post. From both sides of this coin.

I will start by saying I love the sound I get with my Kemper. I have owned it since June 2015. There have been significant improvements via firmware updates in the effects section. And new profiling types are great.

So those of you who want to see a Kemper V2, the above is the material you can use to flame me.

Now for those of you who think that anyone who is critical of the current Kemper should be tarred and feathered, here is some more flame material. All of these are areas where the Kemper needs improvement IMHO.

I want to make it clear that I believe Kemper's profiling gets as close as possible to the original tube amp sound and feel. So when I indicate below that I want to have the ability to connect other digital devices to my Kemper, it is mainly for effects, not amp modeling or simulations.

1. I want two dedicated profile paths for recording purposes. Two paths would not just give me stereo amps, but also stereo effect chains. With two profile paths you could also have the same profile on both paths but with different cabs. By doubling the DSP, the Kemper would be able to have lots of different possible configurations.

2. The KPA is a digital device. So why is its digital implementation a huge limitation? For example, the limit of 44.1 kHz sample rate at the S/PDIF input/output is ridiculous. This limitation makes reamping with the Kemper a pain if you are running your DAW at a different sample rate. Yes, you can use analog to re-amp. But why is there this limitation in 2018?

Another limitation of the Kemper is that it cannot be a slave to an external clock. If you connect the S/PDIF jack to another digital device, the Kemper must be the master. I want a word clock input/output and the ability to slave to my Apollo 8 interface. This would make digital clock configuration much simpler.

Speaking of digital in/out, why is there a single stereo digital input/output? I need more!

For recording there should be at least 2 stereo digital inputs/outputs. I want to be able to digitally connect to my audio interface and also to at least one outboard digital effects unit. A S/PDIF coaxial port and an optical port configurable as ADAT or S/PDIF would be ideal. See below for how I'd use the ADAT port.

Flexibility with the digital input/output routing is really important.

I want to be able to connect my UA Apollo via S/PDIF before the input of the Kemper. I want this capability so that I can connect my Roland VG-99 to create alternate tunings in front of my Kemper without having to use an analog connection, and the subsequent redundant D/A and A/D conversion steps.

I also want to connect my guitar through my Apollo 8's Hi Z input and use one of the UA Unison effects like the Pro Co Rat (RAW), EHX Big Muff (Bermuda Triangle), the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer (TS), or the Korg SDD-3000 in front of the Kemper without redundant D/A and A/D conversion.

If you had this routing capability, you would also be able to send a dry signal on the left channel of the S/PDIF with a wet signal on the right channel. Or you could have two effects in parallel in front of the Kemper. A stereo to mono mix at this point would be nice. However with two paths, regardless of whether you were using one or two profiles, you could proceed into the Kemper in stereo.

I'd like to see digital in/out for an external effects loop. This would allow me to use other digital devices' effects with my Kemper.

For example, I want to use my realtime UAD plugins as effects with my Kemper. No matter how well the Kemper team does with its internal effects, they cannot match the range of awesome UAD effect emulations. I own a ton of classic guitar-oriented UAD effect emulations such as Roland's Space Echo, EMT 140 and 250 reverbs, Lexicon's 224 reverb, Eventide's H910 Harmonizer, the Cooper Time Cube delay, the Ampex ATR-102 mastering tape recorder, and many others. Not to mention compressors, limiters, EQs and even channel strips from UA, Elysia, Pultec, Teletronix, Neve, API, Manley, etc.

Sure I can use the analog send and return jacks on the Kemper to connect to my Apollo. That is the only way to do this with the current model. But why can't I connect the two devices digitally? Why must I live with an extra A/D and D/A conversion step on both ends?

BTW, this capability is also germane to anyone with a Helix, a Fractal FX, or any other digital device. And if you own two other digital devices that you want to connect to the Kemper, the word clock / slave capability will make your life a heck of a lot easier.

As I said above, I also want an ADAT input/output port on my Kemper. Why? ADAT input/output would give me multiple channels of digital input/output with my Kemper. It would let me add UAD effects in front of the Kemper as well as in the effects loop, given sufficient routing flexibility.

3. I want more effects slots. The limit of four is really restrictive. I want at least eight slots. Why eight? I want to be able to add four UAD plugins, one per slot, connected to Apollo via ADAT. With 8 slots, I could add my analog pedal(s) in other slot(s) and still retain some slots for internal Kemper effects. Kemper could leave front access to only the current four slots, implementing a bank system for additional slots. Then a switch (or MIDI) could change the current bank.

I know that I won't get most (if not all) of these features even if there is a KPA V2 released. I also am aware that many other members here think that many of these features don't fit their needs. But this is my list of desired features.And I hope Kemper is listening.