To SPDIF or not to SPDIF?

SPDIF all the time, bra!

When I tracked analog the tones were not what I was hearing direct from the Kemper. When I got the Saffire and went SPDIF it was WOW. Tracked just like I heard it direct. Can't beat it.

If you got it. Use it. And you got it.

Yes. Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP

Just got it like a month ago. Great unit. Wayyyy better than my Presonus Firepod in A/D quality.

The only thing I'm not nuts about is these danged software mixers putting a level of routing complexity in the learning curve, but other than that it's a great little unit and works flawlessly recording with the Kemper.

A lot of Kemper guys recommended Saffire and they steered me well. Love the double headphone out too.

Use SPDIF. You don't lose quality from converting from Analog to Digital, and it's a cleaner sound. Only bad thing is, you're stuck at 44.1khz, but it's not a bad tradeoff IMHO. Hopefully the next gen Kemper can go higher.

Yep SPDIF is the way to go I track through my digi 192 in to Pro Tools HD this way and like okstrat mentioned you aren't converting twice

With SPDIF, you also get to play the Kemper during startup, which is a great way to wait for the device to boot up fully

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Quote from nightlight

With SPDIF, you also get to play the Kemper during startup, which is a great way to wait for the device to boot up fully

LOL!
When I got my Kemper, I hooked it up via spdif immediately (mostly since I never had any spdif gear and wanted to give it a go).
All this time I was thinking "how cool I can play this thing even before it's all booted up"... I was attributing this to the Kemper, when it was the connectivity that actually made this happen.

Quote from MuddyFox

LOL!
When I got my Kemper, I hooked it up via spdif immediately (mostly since I never had any spdif gear and wanted to give it a go).
All this time I was thinking "how cool I can play this thing even before it's all booted up"... I was attributing this to the Kemper, when it was the connectivity that actually made this happen.

Well, it is the Kemper, just that the output is not muted

One thing to note is that it uses a certain profile, I'm not sure which or whether it's a bastardised version of the last profile that was loaded on the Kemper, doesn't sound 100% till the machine is booted. But it's still a great way to kill time while waiting.

Yep. I use the time to tune up (the white and green lights react just fine) and noodle a bit.

Never did try to figure out which profile it uses while booting though... not that it matters at all. It could very well be the last profile loaded, only without fx and whatnot. I might look into it one of these days.

Strictly sound-wise, is SPDIF noticeably better than using the Master Output when going into a digital recorder?

I have always used the KPA Master Output and to my ears (monitoring with headphones), the sound coming out from the recorder is not degraded.

I'm asking because if the incoming SPDIF signal breaks for whatever reason, my recorder stops working and loses all the data, needing to re-format the drive (not funny...). Kord D3200, has this strange thing.

So, if you think SPDIF sound a lot better, I'll save everything and try it.... what do you think?

Quote from Luca79

Strictly sound-wise, is SPDIF noticeably better than using the Master Output when going into a digital recorder?

I have always used the KPA Master Output and to my ears (monitoring with headphones), the sound coming out from the recorder is not degraded.

I'm asking because if the incoming SPDIF signal breaks for whatever reason, my recorder stops working and loses all the data, needing to re-format the drive (not funny...). Kord D3200, has this strange thing.

So, if you think SPDIF sound a lot better, I'll save everything and try it.... what do you think?

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The differences in a normal recording scenario are negligible, IMO.

Quote from nightlight

Well, it is the Kemper, just that the output is not muted

One thing to note is that it uses a certain profile, I'm not sure which or whether it's a bastardised version of the last profile that was loaded on the Kemper, doesn't sound 100% till the machine is booted. But it's still a great way to kill time while waiting.

The rig that loads via SPDIF while booting is called CK 0 and available in the Rig Pack download section of the main page.

Here is Kemper's description:

Ancient Rig CK 0
This Rig Pack is triggered by numerous user requests and does include one Rig only. This Rig 'CK 0' is an historic artefact - the first Kemper Profiler Rig that ever has existed.

It has been created by Christoph Kemper on January 20th, 2011 and is not (!) based on any Amplifier/Cabinet Profile. The sound itself goes back even to the beginning of 2005.

This rig is the default sound for the digital sound processor. It's also preloaded into any 'empty' performance slot, where it shows up as 'Initialised Rig'.

Question for our SPDIF users:
Are you linking your SPDIF volume to the master out or just setting the SPDIF volume and forgetting about it? Thanks

Correct me if I am wrong - but does SPDIF not bypass the 'character' of your preamps on your audio interface? So if you are paying for the character of say the Focusrite pres or the TC Impact pres - does SPDIF not bypass this?

I'd just got my brand new Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 .
What a shock !! ???!!!
What I am hearing from this little scarlet bastard is waaay diufferent than from my previous Maudio (museum exponent ,btw ) .
With 6i6 , and for the recording , I have to CHANGE all my favoured rigs , since M audio was simply shit .
I have to get back , because (now I see)it was too too much treble, presence bass and distortion to get that sound alive...
With scarlett everything sound overkilled, I have to go back , and make Kemper sound "breathable " .
And once you make it, they really sound breathable, natural and organic.
actually ,Scarlett shows me what is REAL Kemper sound, enough said.
Maybe I will erase ALL rigs, and start from the scratch ...it is only about final decisiion....D E L E TE ....
and start new life .....

I like my Hack, with LogicPro X , Yosemite, EZ2 drums, Omnisphere , Trillian Bass... and all kind of such a fancy shit...backed by Scarlet ,which just make those fantastic plugings to shine ....but my guitars are shining the most , they're simply howling now,like a pack of the young wolfs ....

What a great time to be faking guitarist !

-

Quote from Rescator

I'd just got my brand new Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 .
What a shock !! ???!!!

Now go and register it on Focusrite, you'll get some $400 worth of plugins for free with it!

http://uk.focusrite.com/answer…-in-suite-activation-code