SPDIF Master Output levels, how to tune?

    Here are my findings: Many profiles seem.. rather thin and flat, even with my KRK RP8 monitor speakers at full blast + subwoofer. I can play music through the same speakers and it is loud as get out. Kemper through the same soundcard via spdif is just not very dynamic and loud.
    So I discovered that if i adjust the 'Cabinet' Volume way up until my Master (output) led is orange tickling red, my SPDIF sounds much fuller and dynamic.


    Now I do remember CK stating this is just an extra volume control and has no special effect on tone but with my system it seems to help a lot without generating clipping. I don't really understand this but back in the 'day', right after the Kemper came out, people recommended cranking the Cabinet volume to get better tone.


    What say the forum? :)

    Increasing the volume in the KPA in any section behind the Amp will not change the dynamics or the sound itself. No matter if you crank the cab volume, master volume or specific output volume, the effect will always be the same. As soon as the ouput volume LED turns red you will overload the ouput. I remember CK stating that there is some "soft clipping" mechanism at the output section. But this would only reduce the dynamics, not increase them.


    The best way to handle this is compensating with the mixer of your audio interface. I don´t know your interface, but my RME has a mixer software that allows me to boost the SPDIF playback volume. I use this to make the KPA stand out enough against the Mix in my DAW software.


    If you play modern music that was processed with mastering processors though your SPDIF input, this will have much more overall loudness, because the overall dynamic range is very low. Since the KPA signal is not processed it still has a lot of dynamics which will make it appear not as loud.

    I can't go any higher on my EMU 1212m mixing software, the SPDIF is at 0db. It seems like on my rig, 'tickling the red' output led gets me into the special place where most rigs sound glorious, but this does not clip my SPDIF at all. It just sounds better.. I don't understand what is going on, but maybe more people can try it and see what they find.
    Overall loudness vs dynamic feel are totally separate and distinct. You can have an extremely dynamic feeling tone but super loud as well. I don't really enjoy guitar tones that are dynamic like a piano, ie, extremely soft and loud sounds. I do enjoy tones that float between clean and dirty depending on how hard the player digs in but this shouldn't have to do with the output volume generally.


    Quote

    but my RME has a mixer software that allows me to boost the SPDIF playback volume. I use this to make the KPA stand out enough against the Mix in my DAW software.



    See, this is exactly what I don't get, why do I even need to boost the KPA to make it stand out.. I shouldn't and don't after tweaking the Cabinet volume.

    Edited once, last by mikeb ().

    You are only boosting volume. Louder percieved as better. Unless you have some processing going on in the x or MOD slot?


    Mastered music is just about pegged to 0 dBFS these days! No headroom left. Of course your guitar can't compete with that, loudness wise ;)

    You should have the same effect then with rig volume.


    But anyway, you say, through Spdif it's not very dynamic and loud.
    Loudness and dynamics are two different things, din't mix it up :)


    Have you tried the analog outputs?


    Talking about Spdif being soft from your audio interface: turn it up in your mixer or turn up your speakers!