KPA sounds different in Cubase recordings

    Hello.


    I have used the Kemper for over a year now but I am just now beginning to try to record with it. My chain is as follows:


    Guitar>>KPA Input


    KPA Main Outs >> Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 Line Inputs


    Scarlett Line Outs >> Yamaha HS5 Speakers


    Scarlett USB >> Computer with Cubase 8.5


    Now the issue is that after I record a track in Cubase I play it back and it sounds dramatically different. It's very washed out and hollow sounding as if someone seriously messed with the EQ. I was able to re-build the tone in Cubase using the EQ's and compressors and stuff built into the program but it was very time consuming and I don't want to have to do that every time I record with a different KPA profile. My Kemper settings for Output are Main Out >> Master Stereo is that correct? I have the same problem setting it to Master Mono.


    The other issue, and this is more of a Focusrite one than a KPA one, is that I cannot both record audio and have it play back with the same Scarlett settings. I have to change my outputs from Line in to DAW in order to hear the audio I recorded through my monitors. I can't figure out a way to both hear the audio from the KPA as I record it, and be able to hit "play" in Cubase and hear the same thing I just recorded through the speakers. I have SPDIF cables, should I set those to be the thing that feeds the audio into the DAW?

    If you set the audio-interface for hardware monitoring (recorded inputs sent directly to line-out) and disable monitoring while recording in the DAW I would expect a mono or stereo track with no processing played back to sound just it did while recording, and you should not need to change any setting between recording and playback. The only thing other than a hardware failure that potentially could colour your tone in this signal-path is distortion in the preamp and/or AtoD conversion if the input signal is too hot. I haven't tried the Scarlett but doubt that this behaves very different from other similar interfaces. The Scarlett is known as a capable interface with close to inaudible colouring of tone in preamps and converters. My experience is that failure-modes that relate to the audio-interface itself are easily spotted in the DAW or in operating-system logs on the computer. Too hot inputs should set off clip-indicators all over your DAW. I would try to lower the main outputs and adjust the input gain on the Scarlett accordingly. My KPA setup has "Main Volume" (Output page2/6) set at somewhere between -20 and -25dB, but that is when the XLR-outputs are fed to mic-pres on an audio-interface or mixing console. You shouldn't need that kind of reduction if you feed the signal to a line-input somewhere. You can of course try to use SPDIF instead and thus avoid the conversion to analog between the profiler and the audio-interface, but my experience it that it is just about impossible to hear a difference in the recorded signal between that and an analog recording made with healthy signal levels throughout the signal path. The other obvious thing to check is that you have up2date drivers for your audio-interface if you run your DAW on a platform that require proprietary drivers (windoze).

    Edited once, last by heldal ().

    Like 1

    Hi!


    Did you check if you have an EQ enabled somewhere, either on the Kemper's Output or your audio interface (assuming it has onboard effects)? Try using S/PDIF from the Kemper to your interface instead, since you have that option. Wouldn't hurt to give that a shot.


    As for how to monitor a recorded signal in Cubase, you need to enable the Input Monitoring button found on each track. It looks like a small speaker:


    http://www.macprovideo.com/for…3-10-22_at_9.35.38_AM.png


    If you don't see this button, you'll need to enable it under the Track Settings by right-clicking on the track. A window should open giving you options to add or remove items. Anyways, the monitoring button is what will enable you to hear recorded tracks in Cubase.


    HTH


    EDIT : Check out number 5 here: https://ask.audio/articles/5-a…y-cubase-user-should-know

    Quote from Jose7822

    As for how to monitor a recorded signal in Cubase, you need to enable the Input Monitoring button found on each track. It looks like a small speaker:


    You add a lot of latency if you pass the signal through the DAW and back to the audio-interface for listening while recording. I never recommend software-monitoring unless your sound relies on plugins in the DAW, and even then I'd prefer to record with a different but direct sound over having to listen to a delayed signal.

    Quote from heldal


    You add a lot of latency if you pass the signal through the DAW and back to the audio-interface for listening while recording. I never recommend software-monitoring unless your sound relies on plugins in the DAW, and even then I'd prefer to record with a different but direct sound over having to listen to a delayed signal.


    Thats true. Nowadays monitoring through the DAW is not as bad as it used to be, but that also depends on how good the audio interface drivers are (as well as the DAW itself, of course). Usually, you can get down low enough to make latency a moot point. Having said that, I don't disagree with you.