Got any favorite IR brands to recommend?

    • New

    I've been using my friend's Kemper lately, and switching up the cab IR really nails down the sound I like!


    Maybe Borgen Digital or ML Sound Lab?

    Oh, and I checked out some free samples from TacoSounds, a cool new Japanese brand :thumbup:

    • New

    This is a hard topic to discuss. An IR is basically an EQ setting. Since EQ settings can vary and will only apply to a certain tone, saying a certain IR is good/bad is up to interpretation.


    The intangible thing to an IR is it is NOT just an EQ. It is an EQ based on time, not just frequency. The time portion is the echoes of the sound in the cabinet, room, etc.


    1) Some IRs are calculated from a frequency sweep of the speaker/setup. These sweeps will remove some of the time portions of the IR.

    2) Other IRs are made by sending a pulse thru the speaker setup. This method captures the time portions of the IR.


    I do not know which method the Kemper uses. You can hear the impulse 'click' sound during a profiling process.


    A really good IR, will be calculated so as to remove the time portion.

    A really good IR includes the time portion so it sounds like it is in a tunnel or small room.


    These are both valid statements.


    TLDR

    To say certain IRs are good would require you to say what type of music you are playing, how much gain, and what type of speaker system you are using to hear the IR.


    IRs without much bass will fit into a mix better.

    IRs with a lot of bass sound better while playing them.

    IRs with too much highs will sound shrill and fizzy for rock but great for cleans.

    IRs with too much highs will sound good at low volumes but are ear piercing at high volumes.

    • New

    I also wanted to say you can use any IR/CAB from any profile on the Kemper. You can drag and drop the CAB in RIG MANAGER. I have LOCAL folders setup to store IR/CABs in RIG MANAGER.


    So a good place to start looking for good IRs is in the free KEMPER PACKS in RIG MANAGER. These are usually the better profiles made by the better profilers with great equipment. Meaning they are done in a studio with great setups and should give you great results. And since you can search by artist, etc you can narrow down the type of IR/CAB you are looking for.