When I run the stereo FX loop in the Kemper, the RETURN and ALTERNATIVE inputs are used. So, there is no way to connect an external audio source (Aux IN).
A bidirectional USB Audio interface would help.
I really hope that the USB ports are connected to the DSP, and a software update could enable this feature.
The USB-A port is barely used now, thanks to the new RM features.
By the way, once you have the Rig in your RM folders, it's easy to move it within your RM folders or create a copy in another RM folder, just like a regular file system
You can drag n' drop the folders you want to the RM, but it will import just the files. It will not create the folder name automatically. You have to do it manually, before dropping the files to the RM.
You can create a folder structure in your RM, according to your needs.
By the way, you don't have to load the Rigs into the Kemper to try them out. You can test them just by browsing RM.
Here is a tutorial of how to use Pure Cabinet and Headphones Space to make your headphone experience much better.
Take a look and let us know how is everything going.
Can anyone tell me how to run my backing tracks out from my iMac into my Kemper so that I can hear said tracks in my headphones connected to the Kemper headphone jack? The Mac has a usb out that I currently connect to the usb in on the Kemper (that I then connect to my audio interface), but I can't figure out how to hear my computer (backing tracks) output in the Kemper only.
I suspect I need an usb-to-quarter inch cable, but is there a "better" or different solution?
First you need to convert your USB audio out interface to a regular stereo out 3.5mm (like old Macs). Any USB to 3.5mm female jack audio adapter will do it. In addition you will need to buy a cable like this.
https://www.amazon.com/TRS-Dua…Audio-Cable/dp/B0795VR79W
Then check this video and voila:
I live in an apartment, I play through FRFR and studio monitors, but I use an Audio-Technica ATH M50X, practicing at night with backing tracks, too. My wife is the only one that complains when I use headphones, since I can't stop playing.
Don't worry, Kemper anticipated what you may be listening. In fact, part of what you perceive is described in the user manual: "..guitar players who don’t play regularly in studios or live venues often tend to struggle when listening to the Studio PROFILEs of the PROFILER through monitor speakers or headphones. Some say the original sound from the guitar cabinet is the “real” amp sound, while mic'ing the cabinet gives it an artificial flavor"
The KPA has some options to address that perception while preventing ear fatigue. Perhaps the following parameters could give you the solution you are looking for.
I would suggest:
1. Pick the headphones that you like most by playing your backing tracks or an external audio source (high quality music) through the Kemper stereo Aux In jacks. Everything should sound right for you at this point, now you can plug your guitar and test the Studio Profile you like most.
2. Try setting some parameters that could make your headphone experience sound good to your ears, like:
a) Space (from the manual: "The “Space” parameter adds a small room simulation to the master signal. This makes listening through headphones far more enjoyable.").
b) Pure Cab (from the manual: "All applications that use the mic'ed sound (virtual guitar cabinet) of the PROFILER can benefit from Pure Cabinet: recordings, live venues, full-range monitors, in-ear monitors, or just noodling with headphones on")
c) You can try changing the Cab in the output section, if you dont like the one used in the studio profile. That makes a lot of difference sometimes.
Please review user manual section:
Working with Amplifier PROFILEs, Cabinet PROFILEs, Power Amps and Guitar Cabinets
pages 65, 66 and 78, and check if that helps.
A review with the KPA
According to your pictures your Gemini was connected to the MAIN-R out, perhaps that was part of your initial issue. The Main-outs should go to FOH or a mixer. (according to the manual).
Now that you are using high quality profiles and the MONITOR-OUT (cabs on), you may want to try the EmPower option of your Gemini, sometimes settings between 85-98% flat works fine shapping the speaker to your taste. Please notice, that this setup is not fully comparable to an amp in the room or on stage. Your kemper profiles are a snapshot of a miced amp+cab using a Gemini as a monitor. You should have the results you expect comparing both, the amp of reference (miced) vs. your profiles, both through FOH or studio speakers.
According to the manual (Working with Amplifier PROFILEs, Cabinet PROFILEs, Power Amps and Guitar Cabinets page 64), there should not be any damage leaving the Power Amp on, as long as you don't connect active devices to the Speaker-out. Please check manual sections: Power Amp Switch and Power Amp Booster, it may give you a good idea of the relation between the Power amp and the MONITOR-OUT.
I did contact Kemper support. There was a volume issue with FX Loop Stereo, which was fixed in OS 5.7.5 beta, but no issues reported with volume Loop distortion nor Loop Mono.
They've requested the audio files showing the difference we are talking about, but recorded directly, reamping the clean source in order to isolate other factors like playing dynamics, which makes a lot of sense to troubleshoot this.
Unfortunately, I don't have the gear needed to record Kemper's output.
What about you guys, could you share this kind of recording of your case?
Videos are just raw reference.. may or may not match 100% what you are hearing from a different source, video compression, studio processing, mixing, guitar overdubs, the player, many factors... it is just a starting point of reference.
Remember that everybody has a different guitar setup and ears. So, I am not sure if there is a plug-n-play profile for Images and Words clean tone, but, some KP users helped me to get close (to my ears), based on all the profiles already available. For Dream Theater clean and gain tones, there are several options:
1. You've started in the right place. The KP forum has many great contributors to JP tones: the awesome Frank (eltzejupp), Gerald Massois (djemass), PaulTS and LuizPauloDT efforts. I believe Gerald played in a DreamTheater cover band, and he released an album, check it out.
The KP Forum has many threads about JP tones and you may find your clean tone in classic gems like this:
https://mark2cplusprofiled.jimdo.com/iic-jp-pack/
First Profiles With My Kemper - Mesa Boogie Mark V and TriAxis Goodness
2. Free profiles in Rig Exchange. As mentioned above, you will find Gerald Massois, PaulTS, LuizPauloDT, profiles and more using the RigManager software.
3. Some of the major Comercial Profilers have MesaBoggie amps: Triaxis, JP2C or IIC+, Mark IV and Mark V amps with Rigs based on Dream Theater tones.
4 . Google "dream theater kemper tones" or profiles and there are interesting options
5. Youtube. This video does not sound 100% like the original tone of the recording, but it is just another profile ready to be tweaked to taste.
Get your Kemper Profiler. I believe you will find your tone, perhaps just tweaking a bit of stereo chorus, stereo delay, eq to taste + the right cab sim to your ears.
You may want to take a look at r.u.sirius profiles in the Rig Exchange. He experimented baking some drives, Fuzzes, Big muffs, Octane, and even an Echoplex (??). I don't know how that compares to his signal of reference, though.
If your purpose is to bake pedals into profiles for commercial purposes, so you maybe would like to get classic sought after pedals.
Klon: There are many good clons of the Klon out there, it depends on your budget. KTR (made by the original creator of the Klon), Centura, RYRA klon, and Archer, among the most popular ones which claim to be a copy of the original circuit piece by piece. There are other variations like the Tumnus, SoulFood, which add their own character to the circuit.
Drives/Distortions
I haven't seen any baked profile of the the classic B.K. Butler Tube Driver (Eric Johnson tone or as a boost Gilmour) with Marshalls 70s or TwoRock, HiWatt amps.
Other options: Boss DS-1 (ala Vai) or the Gemini Vai pedal.
Tech21 RitchieKotzen + Marshall Plexi amps
Boost
You better stack the classic drives and Klons boosting other drives.
- Klon boosting+TS10/808, Marshall Blues Breaker boosting a TS808, Boss BD2 boosting a TS808 in TwoRock or Fender amps
- Andy Timmons settings: Carl Martin Compressor+Boss BD2 low gain setting+MesaBoogie lonestar for nice clean tones. Boss BD2+JHS AngryCharlie+Messa Boggie Lonestar. (in fact Boss and JHS developed this JB2 AngryDriver)
BigMuff, works great specially with mid boosted amps... More suggestions and clones here: http://www.gilmourish.com/?p=3018 or a JHS Muffuletta has representation of the typical BigMuff variations.
Fuzz, wide range of clones here, Germanium and a silicon versions. Fuzz face and Fuzz bender perhaps the most popular versions being cloned. Here you have some recommendations http://www.gilmourish.com/?page_id=4306 or take a look at JimDunlop, AnalogMan, JHS, Vemuram Myriad, KingTone.
Octaves maybe?? POG or POG2, Octafuzz? Is the Hendrix uni-vibe type of distortion hard to profile?
hahah yeah the "entire family" its very large - family photo here: http://www.analogman.com/tshist.htm
Perhaps we can start with just the classic suspects like this: https://www.jhspedals.com/products/guitar-pedals/bonsai/
the differences are subtle since all are based on the same TS template, but a mode parameter would make tunning very convinient.
This discussion brings me back to my earlier discussion about the ethics of using commercial IRs to create profiles.
...
And going back to that "ripping off amp designs bit" (which I am glad has died down), isn't creating an IR also ripping off someone's work in some way (i.e. the cab builder, the speaker manufacturer, etc)?
Celestion instead of going against IR, decided to compete and delivered "CelestionPlus, offering the ultimate in impulse responses...capture our authentic guitar speaker tones with amazing faithfulness and precision"
i've played some more with the settings on green scream to sound closer to my TS9 with the old JRC 4550 chip
gotten closer to the point where i don't want to carry my TS9 and just use green scream . but ... always room for improvement a bit
Me too. I finally got closer to my TS808 reissue. The GreenScream is very usable, it is in the TS ballpark as another TS flavor by its own, although it lacks that "open-ness" you described above that we can find in actual pedals. I do not know if that is because a digital vs. analog thing, or if definitively there is room for improvement in this digital implementation.
However, I've tested some profiles with the TS baked in, which are closest to that "open-ness" than the GS.
I would love to see the Green Scream improved and covering the entire TS family flavors.
Meanwhile, TS808 on the bench, GreenScream for some performances and a Duellist pedal (TS10 flavor) in front of the Kemper.
RM is very useful. Obviously it has room for improvement for sure. There is a full thread about feature requests and a major update is coming.
I wish the best to KP GmbH and hope they can get enough resources to speedup their time to market of new features and updates.
You are totally right, we normally recommend to use the distortion Loop to connect a distortion effect.
I don't know the Sovtek Civil War, maybe it works with the FX Loop Mono, as you expect it, I'd just try it out for a comparison.
The Loop Distortion is made for connecting distortion pedals to the PROFILER and is only in mono. The feature unique to this loop, is that any volume boost of a preceding effect will be applied to the DIRECT OUTPUT/SEND jack, thus driving the external distortion pedal. This is what you would expect, anyway. The regular Loop Mono and Loop Stereo do this differently: here, the volume boost of a preceding effect will be applied after the return of the loop. The send level will be unaffected, so the connected effect will not be overdriven. The regular Loop Mono and Loop Stereo are suitable for all non-distorting effects.
I have the same situation. My OD pedals sound pretty good in front of the Kemper. But, when I use either the Distortion Loop or the FX Loop Mono (I even tried the Stereo loop) it just sound different. I've reviewed the manual, online tutorials, and I've tried the FX loop mono volume, duck and mix parameters, and the global FX loop settings. But, while I level the pedal/loop volume, I was not able to get the same sound I get using the KPA's input. Adding an EQ stomp might work but that would be adding another stomp and that's not the idea.
Any other tip or advice?
+1.
There are few unique classic OD/Distortions CIRCUITS like the Tube Screamer, RAT, Fuzz, BigMuff, etc. which are still the base for many analog pedals variations being manufactured today. So, for example, instead of modeling one specific TS pedal, many players will be glad to get a TS circuit baseline with the right parameters to get close not only to a Maxon TS type of scream, but to some other classic and unique TS flavors, too. IMHO, in the KPA, we are missing some classic circuits that are driving the pedal industry.
(1) New Green Scream as a baseline for TS circuit. Similar as the Legacy Reverb; JHS Bonsai approach or pedals with toggle switch modes, the Green Scream could have a "Mode" parameter to modify the TS baseline selecting vintage mode (808), fat (808 HW), glassy mode (TS10), modern (Maxon), higher gain (TS9), etc.
(2) Klon circuit (classic Gain/Treble/Output parameters + a tone shaping parameter to add bottom end like some clones do)
(3) Marshall Bluesbreaker circuit. This is still the base of many analog pedals manufactured today.
(4) Boss Bluesdriver circuit, many mods and pedals from this one in the market.
(5) More FUZZ classic variations out-there that could be included
+1, Klon has its place in the guitar history.
I do have a RYRA "The Klone pedal", and it adds some unique juice in front of the Kemper.
A klon stomp with Gain, Treble, Output levels + a tone control to add some bottom end like the Tumnus, would replace many pedals for sure.
