Kemper - Profiling Amps w Mic Preamps and Multiple Mics

    I have owned my Kemper for years and I have a studio but I never profiled an amp. I never had the time and I figured that the "pros" were doing the best anyways. But lately I have some time and a bunch of amps that Id like profiled. I have read the manual and watched videos but I still dont understand a few things:




    1. Guitar - Kemper, Kemper - Amp in, Mic - Kemper return. That makes sense and is the easiest but maybe not the best. What if I have a mic like a neumann U87 that needs phantom power?


    1. What if I want to use 2 mics? Where do you merge the 2 signals? I dont have an outboard console so I cant combine signals.


    1. I have api, neve, and bae mic preamps that Id like to use. How do you use these in the profiling signal chain?


    1. Does a compressor like an 1176 or distressor help the quality of the profile? Id assume it wouldnt.


    1. Im still confused how you profile the preamp only. There are times that I want to use my kemper through a mesa power amp and mesa cab so Id like to profile my mesa and marshall for this instance.

    Hi, cap217.


    Interesting questions. I'll take a shot at the first four.



    1. Guitar - Kemper, Kemper - Amp in, Mic - Kemper return. That makes sense and is the easiest but maybe not the best. What if I have a mic like a neumann U87 that needs phantom power?

    You will need another device (preamp, mixer, or simple power supply) to provide phantom power


    1. What if I want to use 2 mics? Where do you merge the 2 signals? I dont have an outboard console so I cant combine signals.

    You will need a mixer


    1. I have api, neve, and bae mic preamps that Id like to use. How do you use these in the profiling signal chain?


    Connect Preamp Output to Kemper input


    1. Does a compressor like an 1176 or distressor help the quality of the profile? Id assume it wouldnt.

    You don't want any signal processing between the microphone(s) and the Kemper if you're looking for an authentic Profile. Having said that, you can make multiple profiles of the same amp and experiment to your heart's content.

    Hi cap217


    1) no KPA do not feed Phantom power so You need another device to use those kind of Mics.


    2) You need a mixer


    3) Use them like You normally use them in Your Signal chain, just remember to give back to KPA a Return Signal.


    4) You can try with and without, then compare the results and choose what You prefer.


    5) this actually depends how the Amp You're going to profile is made, what kind of Output it has.

    Consider that KPA allow You to get a Profile only of the preamp of an amp, (usually called here DI Profiles) IF the amp has a dedicated output for that (i.e. the Send Output of the FxLoop in some models, or the so called D.I. Output in some other amps)

    it depends by the amps itself, how the circuit has been designed.


    And KPA also Allow You, Using some other external and Appropiate devices, to get the signal that comes out from the Speaker Output of Your Amp ( here called DA Profiles or, the first step for a Merged Profile)

    butlike You said, if You're going to Use profiles through a mesa power amp and mesa cab you will have more faithfull results with a DI profile, not a DA ones.

    1 Is the mic input on the kemper line or mic level? This is where I get confused about running a neve preamp that send a line output. But an sm57 into a kemper isnt boosted at all.


    2 If I ran 2 mics into a mixer then I will get stereo output. I can sum to mono. But I can also do that into my daw then interface out (mono) that merged signal. This is actually better because I can check phase and even process if needed.

    Hi cap217,


    Quote from cap217

    1 Is the mic input on the kemper line or mic level? This is where I get confused about running a neve preamp that send a line output. But an sm57 into a kemper isnt boosted at all.


    2 If I ran 2 mics into a mixer then I will get stereo output. I can sum to mono. But I can also do that into my daw then interface out (mono) that merged signal. This is actually better because I can check phase and even process if needed.

    You connect the microphone or mic preamp or mixer to the Kemper RETURN input. You can find details and answers to most of your other questions in the Kemper Main Manual (7.5) in the Chapter "Profiling an Amp"

    You can get it here: Downloads | Kemper Amps (kemper-amps.com)