New KPA owner and baffled by the apparently poor sound quality

    @ Sambrox, yes I know, but wrong file, editor messes with links big time when you try to put more than one, and no way to delete a post... trust me I wish I could...


    @ Peto, if I may summarize, the problem still is in fact. A tube amp produces rings, noises, some harmonics and non linearities that (I find) are missing in the 90% or so of accuracy of the profiles so far heard. So I am yet to be convinced that this unit sounds better than others. My hope is that I can find somewhere better profiles of crunch amps or also that I can create some great ones myself. I will dedicate some time to that, because I like the UI, the portability, the look, the front panel layout, the IO capabilities and I trust the people creating it. (I have a Virus...)

    Uklhuru, the Clean test actually sounds like s#it :D
    It doesn't anyway sound like this on my system (Profiler+active CLR)


    This doesn't definitely depend on your headphones.
    It seems you have some weird effect going, and some output eq as well.


    Please answer accurately these questions in order to troubleshoot your system:

    • How are you recording? Through Monitor Out?
    • What fx are engaged?
    • Keep the Output button pressed and check whether there's some weird EQ going.
    • Have you connected the HPs to the computer or straight to the Profiler? Is there a DAW or a DSP in between (maybe your soundcard's software)?

    Hi Viabcroce, so you agree! :P


    Answers:


    How are you recording? Through Monitor Out? > Main Out XLR


    What fx are engaged? > None Keep the Output button pressed and check whether there's some weird EQ going. > None
    Have you connected the HPs to the computer or straight to the Profiler? Is there a DAW or a DSP in between (maybe your soundcard's software)? > A Motu Traveller when recording


    Sounds the same with headphones via headphone out of KPA or with speakers via Motu

    Well, I definitely hear something warbly, but I don't know if it's player's vibrato or an artifact.
    Lots of attack going on with the funky playing, I cannot clearly hear or discern what''s going on with the notes after attack time.
    Apart from that I seem to hear a good funky clean fenderish sound and find nothing wrong with it in general.

    There you go,


    I plead guitly for the warble, but you pinpointed something, no sustain, no meat, thin, all the presets have a bit the same feel, so you sort of feel obliged to hit the strings to get some sound,


    if it was an analog machine I would dig into an electronic problem,

    The second clip sounds good to me.
    You certainly can't expect to have body and sustain with a stopped sequence of syncopated chords played with a bridge SC.


    Use the neck PU and play some sustained single notes instead. Raise the volumes to just before clipping in the Profiler, and keep a robust recording level.
    What guitar are you using?


    Try for example the Gundy-Gilmourish rig and play some slow arpeggios with your fingers :thumbup:

    Well, you should hope for me to not like it, since this would imply this is not the sound I'm expecting from a Profiler :)


    Anyway, it sounds good to me.
    I'm aware that we're listening to two different things, because you use you HPs and as long as they are "suspected" we don't know how you hear through them.


    Anyway, the two previous rigs sounded very thin to me for a neck HB, but I don't know the guitar nor the pickup so I can't say. This one sounds good.


    How's music listened through your HPs?


    You should definitely go to a store and ask for the best active cab they have to show, and just try your Profiler through one... pretty sure you'll love it :)

    Thanks a lot for your help & feedback, good evening



    PS: I'll see about your active cabs advice, I already have somme pretty good and loud ones, only useable in daytime...

    Good!
    Take your time, do not be anxious about getting great results from the Profiler. It will grow on you, when set and used correctly. Apart from what we all think on this board, too many pro players have praised it to think its just any POD :)


    PS: 1 a.m. here ...

    Turn off your noise gate, once off go to the input section and press lock to lock the noise gate to off.


    When profiling do not forget to refine your profile for long enough, if it's not there at first keep on refining till it is there.


    If you want to be able to tell if anything is really missing or not then re-amp the same stuff through both and record the results, don't just play the same riff twice.


    Don't neglect reverb as a part of the natural in the room sound, you can also make use of the "space" parameter in the master settings to bring some of that back.


    If things still aren't right then back up the kemper and reset it to factory defaults before trying again (and really dont' forget to turn off the damn noise gate).