I've been reading how MERGED profiles are supposed to be superior in some manner. I'm just not understanding it. The merged profiles I have checked have a certain "fizzy" sound to them. It's the same fizzy sound that drove me nuts with the Atomic Amplifire, before moving to the Kemper.
My current rig consists of the Peterson Tuner => Digitech Drop => Kemper (unpowered) => HeadRush FRFR.
Am I missing something with the merged profiles?
Thanks
I have to start by saying I don’t use merged profiles so others may be able to give you a better answer from personal experience. However, my understanding is;
Merged profiles a created by taking a Direct profile - amp only with no speaker. A separate speaker/mic profile (usually by converting an Impulse Response to Kemper format and importing it). The two elements are then joined (merged) in a single profile for ease of use.
Merged profiles should sound the same as studio profiles if the merged profile uses an IR of the same speaker and mic.
I believe the reason some people prefer them is for using a traditional guitar cabinet on stage. When you turn off the cabinet block of a studio profile the KPA has no way accurately determining where the amp ends and the speaker begins. It generally does a very good job of estimating this but it is never exactly the same as bypassing the speaker and just capturing the amp’s contribution.
So, when using the KPA with a real guitar cab the sound can be somewhat different to the real sound of the profiled amp through the same cabinet. For some this doesn’t matter but for others it’s a big deal.
Merged profiles simply “merge” a direct profile with a cabinet profile (ir) to make it quicker to load the whole thing rather than searching for an amp and speaker separately. If you don’t need to turn off the cabinet often then there should be no need for merged profiles.
The sound difference between a normal Studio PROFILE and a Merged PROFILE (based on Studio PROFILE plus Direct PROFILE) taken from the identical amplifier/cabinet/microphone setup can only be experienced, if you deactivate the cabinet simulation ("Monitor Cab. Off") to drive a guitar cabinet. The differentiation between amplifier and cabinet is more accurate in the Merged PROFILE.
If you monitor the complete sound including cabinet simulation there is absolutely no difference. So, with your full-range speakers it's irrelevant, if you use a Studio or a Merged PROFILE. The concept of Merged PROFILES cannot be responsible for a general "fizzyness".
