Improve Power Rack/head to Guitar Cab Quality

    Hi all,


    I have a Kemper powerhead version, I have got it for 4 months, I feel very happy with my Kemper. :)


    However, I feel a bit disappointed with the built in power amp direct to guitar cab (with cab sim off).


    I bought the Kemper power version, because I would like to use my 4x12. However, the sound is not as good as the tube amp. It seems missed some low and high frequencies. I am sure that a lot of users have got the Powered version and having the same experience, but not using it straight to the Guitar Cab .


    I understand that FRFR will sounds the best with the Kemper. I feel like I have wasted money to get the powered version. :(


    I hope that Kemper engineer can somehow improve the Guitar Cab out quality via firm update.


    Cheers,


    Lune



    Since your cabinet is likely to accentuate/cut certain frequencies, it's advisable to use an appropriate EQ setting in the output section to mitigate the problem. After that, you should start getting better results.


    The idea of a FRFR speaker is to be flat, whereas the idea of a cabinet is to sound good for guitar. One "issue" with profile creation in its current avatar is that the amp and cab are both profiled simultaneously, so you might lose certain characteristics when you turn off the cab sim. That's why a certain profile might sound good on FRFR, but not so good through a speaker.


    Look for DI profiles and try a lot more other profiles. You are more than likely to find a few that suit the voicing of your cabinet better than the ones you are trying right now. ^^

    Quote from nightlight

    Since your cabinet is likely to accentuate/cut certain frequencies, it's advisable to use an appropriate EQ setting in the output section to mitigate the problem. After that, you should start getting better results.


    The idea of a FRFR speaker is to be flat, whereas the idea of a cabinet is to sound good for guitar. One "issue" with profile creation in its current avatar is that the amp and cab are both profiled simultaneously, so you might lose certain characteristics when you turn off the cab sim. That's why a certain profile might sound good on FRFR, but not so good through a speaker.


    Look for DI profiles and try a lot more other profiles. You are more than likely to find a few that suit the voicing of your cabinet better than the ones you are trying right now. ^^


    +1 !


    Cheers,
    Sam

    Yeah it's really that subtracting the cab from the amp should be improved. But I kind of doubt it can be done without more information for the profiler to go on. Maybe profiling could have an optional extra stage, when you feed the FX send of the amp into the alternative input of the Kemper. That way you've got multiple signals: the microphone on the cab and the direct sound of the amps preamp. Then you could do some clever whizz-kid maths to separate the microphone and cab from the amp signal. You may lose some poweramp aspects though.


    I've seen people using a loadbox on the amp, and using a line-out from their loadbox to make profiles of the amp+poweramp without the cab and microphone. But I don't know how well they work.

    Hey Lune, I assume you're switching the cab simulation off on the Profiler?
    Apart from this, you might just not like how the profiles you're using work with your cab: they are like real amps, not all amps sound great through the same cab.
    It will not be hard to properly EQ the overall sound for your cab if cab sim is off; also, use the Definition and Clarity controls in the Amp section: they'll do wonders!


    Anyway, you've not wasted your money: should you decide one day to switch to FRFR, you can buy a passive cab and be done :thumbup:

    At this point, I decided to run mine into my 5150 III 2x12 combo via the return jack. The speaker box is closed back with G12M Greenbacks. It really sounds amazing through this and I do get some nice definition and distinction between the profiles with the monitor cab off button checked. I've found I've had the most success with Greenbacks for this. I've tried V30s for quite some time but they tent to mash everything together and sound the same through each profile.


    I simply could not part with the amp at this point even though I have the Kemper because I love what comes out of the combo version of this amp. I had the 50W head before (which was a Vietnamm build = crap!) even though they may be very similar in design, this one just sounds way better. It dawned on me that the tube power amp of this amp actually warms things up quite a bit.


    So....if I am at a gig that requires bigger volume, I take the amp with me as well. As well, there are those days when you want to play through a tube amp. This solves that piece for me as well.


    It's kind of like having your cake with some really nice icing on it!


    ;)

    Mine sounds great with CAB sim on! I don't turn Cab sim off at home with studio speakers, so I don't turn off Cab sim when I'm playing live either in to V30 cab.


    All good to me!


    Ezergeezer.

    I found I had to mess with the power amp frequency curve to get what I wanted. It does seem odd that the kemper doesn't separate out the amp and cab if it did that it would make it a hell of alot better.

    If you take a profile with all the elements in series it is not possible to separate the single components of the chain. Besides, they would sound different than they do and you'd get partial profiles that don't sound as the original when you put them together again.


    :)

    I own my Kemper (Power Amp) since years 1.5 years. I was never too happy with the Guitar Cab use. I did not use it since 1 year (so I wasted money...yes).
    During rehearsal we play with in ear monitoring. Live I use a DXR-10 as a monitor...works very well!

    My power rack sounds great through my cabs. I leave cabs on on almost every profile. Its just like any amp you may have to EQ to your speakers. I turn the powerrack volume up a little over half and it sounds Huge.


    Some profiles work some don't.

    Quote from viabcroce

    Hey Lune, I assume you're switching the cab simulation off on the Profiler?
    Apart from this, you might just not like how the profiles you're using work with your cab: they are like real amps, not all amps sound great through the same cab.
    It will not be hard to properly EQ the overall sound for your cab if cab sim is off; also, use the Definition and Clarity controls in the Amp section: they'll do wonders!


    Anyway, you've not wasted your money: should you decide one day to switch to FRFR, you can buy a passive cab and be done :thumbup:

    Yes, I have switched off the cab simulation.


    Actually, In order to make a accurate comparison,
    I have profiled my Real Amp to compare with the Kemper to cab via the same profile and same Cab



    Real Amp Chain


    VHT GP3 -> VHT 2902 -> VHT Fat bottom to SM-57.


    Kemper to Cab


    Kemper (Profile VHT gp3 + VHT 2902) -> VHT Fat bottom






    Yes, Definition , Clarity control and monitor Output EQ can help!! :)


    Thanks for replying my thread.

    I played a show last night with my PowerRack, direct in to my Marshall 2x12. With this particular band I usually use a passive PA wedge, but have had complaints from the rest of the musicians that my guitar sometimes 'disappears' on stage, so I decided to go with my cab. They told me that my guitar has never sounded better! I didn't do anything to adjust the performance that I usually use through the PA wedge, I just ran it straight into the guitar cab. Food for thought....


    Cheers,
    Sam

    Like other posters say, the Monitor Output EQ is your friend.
    You will be able to adjust the low and high frequencies exclusively for your cabinet, without affecting the main outputs.
    Anyway, it would be interesting to listen to your clips.
    Unfortunately your links didn't work.
    Please post the clips again.