Posts by troykennedy

  • What is the general verdict on the KPA?

    Unless I really, really don't understand how this thing works (a distinct possibility) I think it's fair to reiterate that the KPA can only capture the DNA of any given amp based on what mic and signal path you use. The mic, mic pre, mic placement, cabling etc... are all a part of THAT profile.


    That's why Andy's profiles are so good. He is using professional grade gear to capture the best sonic characteristics of any given amp. And also why he gives you multiple profiles with different mic combo's for your choice.


    You could put a $5000 head through a $100 mic with crappy cables and its gonna sound like a nice amp mic'ed with crappy gear.


    Also, for whatever it's worth, it is very, very difficult to capture what an amp sounds like with just your ears "in the room." That is nearly impossible. We are always hearing a sonic translation of guitar amps on the recordings we love. Some can get close with multiple mics and expert placement. But most of us don't have the gear or skill set to pull that off. At best, it's an approximation of that sound.


    Still, nothing wrong with a '57 on the edge of the dust cap through a decent pre. That's how most of our favorite recordings were done. Add a good ribbon mic to that and you are golden. But it still doesn't sound just like the amp "in the room."

  • HD500 as midi controller


    Well thanks for that Paults. I'll be sure to mind my manners in the future. :)


    I was asking for help here from the kind, experienced people on this forum so I wouldn't have to dig through the manuals when it would take someone who has done it half a minute to answer. And there is always the stuff you DON'T learn from the manuals that is often the time saver.


    Regardless, I did plug it in and figure it out. It worked very well for my purposes. And not a big production like the AXEFX and Ground Control was back in the day when I was using that.

  • Input clipping

    It seems like I can't hit the front end of the Kemper with too much level. Even just using a pickup with a medium output will get me close to the red light. If I use a pedal in front, like a clean boost, I get some red. Is that normal? I don't yet hear the signal clipping but I don't want to break anything either


    I don't know how the Kemper is set up stock. But the clean sense is at +5 and he distorted sense is at 0 of that means anything.


    I really like the sounds I am getting right now. Will backing off the clean sense change the way my patches sound aside from volume?


    Thanks!
    Troy

  • HD500 as midi controller

    I am going to go slow with the HD500 as controller. I have been using the HD500 for all my effects before my analog amps for quite some time. I have it all dialed in the way I want it. So, for now, I just want to use it to change profiles with patch changes, not control effects. In other words, I pick a patch in the HD500 and all it does in the Kemper is give me a different amp.


    Is there a simple slick way of doing that?

  • Fairgain The King ans YJM Strat

    Yeah, I like this profile a lot! Crank up the gain. Turn up the noise gate. I like it for lead with a lot of 80's whammy bar ala Mr. Mister/Steve Farris.
    It sounds nice in the mix with the volume knob rolled back too.

  • New User Discovery - Amp Factory Fargen Retro Cab

    Hi All,
    I am new here and am just getting used to the Kemper, but thought I'd share something I found.


    A lot of the marshall type patches have been unusabe for me. Too buzzy or bright/brittle. I like my sounds fat.
    One marshall type I discovered I like is the Fargen Retro - Fairgain Queen/King, Amp Factory patches. Big, fat, chewy. Sounds like it's in the room for me.
    The I found I could use the Fargen cab on it's own in other patches. Turns out it is a Fargen 2x12 with golds, mic'ed with a U67-SM57-Royer121. It really sounds good to me. And did an excellent job modelling that cab.


    I tried it with a few other marshall type amps - The PT50, a couple of 800's and JTM45's. That cab really made those models usable for me with a little tweaking of the amps eq, pick attack, and sag.


    Hopefully, that will be helpful to others who are new to this. If I find any more, I let you know.


    If Andy is reading this, do you have any other cab modeled with that same nice configuration? That is a GREAT sounding combo to me!


    Thanks!