Posts by rmesic

It sounds like having an option to turn off the advanced feature would be welcome.

I just acquired an Air Norton S and an Anniversary model PAF from DiMarzio for similar purposes.

Haven't installed yet, but one is replacing a JB.

I expect the next generation to be not much more than a pedal shaped interface for a laptop. Perhaps even Bluetooth connected.

A PC based Kemper profile "player" that uses VSTs and interfaces directly in a DAW would be amazing. DSP limitations? Buy another DSP module.

Line6 is basically doing that with their Helix code - I think they call it Helix Native.

Key would be having something like a good old Tech21 SansAmp that works during boot-up and re-boot... something to support the "show must go on" moments.

Exciting times. Sucks that we have massive supply line disruption and chip shortages during such exciting times, though.

No worries!

Thanks

Quote from vjelen

My response was about Stage, now I realized you have Rack so it is different scenario. Sorry.

Welcome!

Do you use only the Stage or do you have some other pedals with it?

I think the eventual punchline will be using a Kemper VST along with whatever other VST's (Helix, Strymon, AxeFX, Eventide, Lexicon...) so you go A/D then all in software with D/A to the speakers.

Quote from Preacher

A dedicated synth unit is overkill, but an Axe FX Ultra for just the synth block is as it should be? I get that it's probably mostly about not having to spend more money, just pointing it out

For what it's worth, I am running my Kemper in the FX loop of a Helix. The thought was that the Helix has a really great work flow, and I liked the modularity of it, so the idea was to use the Kemper as a dedicated "amp block" with built in stereo effects. It's working really great, however, I will be downsizing to just one modeller, and then hook that up to a desktop mixer and some dedicated rack FX. The problem I see with running a modeller in the loop of another is the stacking of latency, conversions and noise. Each modeller has an internal latency of around 1-5ms, depending on how much stuff you have in your preset. On the Kemper I think the max is 3.7ms? Or whatever value the "fixed latency" setting is set to. So, it's not like I'm noticing it or feeling it, it's not 30ms, it's not like I can sense any delay. It doesn't really bother me. But the signal my guitar outputs is now being converted to digital going into the Helix, then converted to analog going out of the Helix, then to digital going into the Kemper, then back to analog going out of the Kemper, and finally digital when going back into the Helix. I have Line 6 Powercabs so those are hooked up with AES, so no conversion there, but the Powercabs are digital and have their own internal latency too. If I also connected to them with analog, that would be yet another round of conversions.

So anyway, for all intents and purposes, it works flawlessly. I'm not noticing anything play feel wise. Some times I use a L6 G10 Relay going into the Helix, and monitor on wireless Siberia 840 headphones. So I'm 100% wireless, going through two modellers, and I still can't really say I'm noticing anything that's messing me up. It feels fine to me. But on the conceptual level, the idea of all those conversions didn't use to bother me, and now they do. One thing is the added latency, another thing is the fact that A/D conversion adds hiss to a signal, so the more times you do it, the more times the near-inaudible hiss gets layered on top of itself. At a certain point it becomes actual audible noise. All of this makes me worry about the "signal integrity", so my new line of thinking is I want to output a mostly "pure" guitar signal into a mostly transparent mixer. That way, the "dry" part of my tone will be my guitar -> kemper input -> kemper output -> analog mixer. One A/D conversion and one D/A conversion + the internal Kemper latency Vs . three A/D, two D/A + internal Kemper latency + internal Helix latency.

You either will start worrying about stuff like that down the road or you won't, so maybe that can inform your choice a little

With two Kempers, you can do that thanks to the "Fixed latency" setting. With two analogue amps you could do the same. But with two modellers, their internal latency will vary, and you could have phase issues. I have done this with the Helix and Kemper and it sounded fine, but the problems introduced by phase misalignment are above my expertise to address, so I generally try to avoid having them in the first place.

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The new twist is that I've learned you can't use the Kemper Rack with the stereo loop and stereo Kones. The "Send" for the loop becomes the second channel monitor for stereo.

You have two monitor outs along with two stereo return loops on the Stage, though.

Might be time to sell one Kemper for another. Time to sleep on it anyway.

Let me try this again... I don't think I was clear enough.

The Stereo Effects Loop uses"Direct Output / Send" and both "Return Input" and "Alternative Input".

In the manual:

1) Like the Monitor Cab Off feature, the KEMPER Kone mode is only available for the MONITOR OUTPUT, as well as for the built-in power amp and is dedicated to your personal monitoring. The other outputs are not affected by these features.

2) If you select the option"Monitor Stereo", MONITOR OUTPUT and DIRECT OUTPUT become one logical pair of stereo outputs.

This tells me that if I enable Monitor Stereo in order to use two Kones in stereo, the "Send" necessary for my effects loop is gone.

The loop is absolutely involved if your goal is to use both a Loop and stereo Kones because that one jack can only do one thing at a time.

Seems like a giant oversight - not allowing the main outputs to send to Kones. I mean - not everybody uses the main outputs to send to FOH.

Unless there's a software patch coming, this seems to be a non-starter for using Kones in a stereo rig with stereo effects in the loop (including the Mimiq doubler, the rotary speaker effect where I can control the ramp rate and engage the high speed via envelope control, the Lexicon Vortex and any other stereo gizmo I feel like using.

It looks like the Kone needs the same jacks that are used by the stereo effects loop.

True?

I don't want them if it means losing the loop...

Really hope Kemper will make Kone algorithm available on main outputs for folks not sending those FOH.

Quote from Wheresthedug

18 watt tube is mental for bedroom levels. I once had a Victory V30 with a 1/4 watt setting which as plenty loud enough for bedroom.

It's a whole lot more manageable than 50!

Still would want to use an attenuator with it.

90% of the time I'm at bedroom levels so I'm sure I could get by with much less wattage.

I just want to dig into the Kone and see what it does for my own amusement.

Would probably go for something like the little ISP power amp.

I'd still love to see someone make a 10/18/10 watt power amp where the 10's are solid state right & left and the 18 is tube center. Bonus points if it includes an attenuator. Even a 20/50/20 would be great.

Rack-mountable (maybe 3 or 4 u) powered stereo monitor speaker set that works with the Kone system.

Something with entirely adequate volume for practice or recording that still sounds like the full system, only not as loud.

This would work for playing with an acoustic guitarist as well.

In a slightly larger venue it might provide some monitor sound from the rig. Certainly enough to confirm everything is running as expected before being sent to FOH.

Quote from Pick909

1) Two powered Kabs = less gears to carry

2) Two Kabs + amp = possibility to use any guitar cabs with your Kemper

It all depends on your priority!

I would personnaly choose number 1 cause I'm lazy ........

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Agree. That and the amp could be re-assigned to other duties later.

There are so many options, I'm sure I'm missing something.

Hadn't really considered the "maybe someday" wanting more than two Kones - I think a Matrix has power to spare to drive extra speakers. I don't think the Kabinet has a slave speaker output. Haven't considered if the Kemper knows how to imprint on multiple Kones.

Sure - probably not going to ever need 4X12s but I like to consider all the angles. I'm sure there are more I'm missing.

HX FX does some tricks the Kemper doesn't do just yet.

It gives you the ability to have "pedals" remain on while switching Kemper profiles.

Unlatch mode gives the option for punching in effects and EQ's easily without burning a slot in the profile.

I like using the HX FX grey flanger in unlatch mode for certain Van Halen style effects, but having delays and big reverbs and a combination of a gritty boost with some EQ and extra compression are handy tools to have for extra expression.

If you carefully compose your setlist with specific profiles and then tailor those profiles to each song, you don't really need any more than the Kemper. If you like to taste test a lot of different profiles, it's very handy having effects sets on hand (that can do much more than just locking the effects on the Kemper.)

Debating -

Two Kemper Powered Kabinets or two Kone Cabs with something like a Matrix amp.

What say the hive mind?

Consider:

guitar -> AxeFX in

Axe fx loop send -> Kemper in

Kemper loop send -> AxeFX return

AxeFX outs -> Kemper return

Kemper outs -> speakers

You would have to have FX loops active in all profiles, but you could do it with the option of coordinating patches that bypass one or the other and you could compose an Axe setting that runs the Kemper to one side in parallel with an Axe amp model on the other side.

Hi group:

I've been struggling with a "this doesn't sound nearly as good as it used to" problem with multiple items for a while. I have Yamaha DXR10 monitors, I thought they would be excellent and were recommended here. After trying multiple other things, I changed the Yamaha's for Kustom mini pa columns. The XLR output was astoundingly loud. I had to turn the master volumes and the channel volumes down to approximately 1 or 1/2 if they had numbers.

I used to have a BBE in line but not at the moment - I took it out as I was A/B testing to see if that was the culprit. Doesn't seem to be. I've done the soft reset / cleared all settings, no joy. Reset clean sense and distortion sense to zero. Didn't expect that to matter, but tried anyway.

The -12 dB control is set. The master volume was at least -36 dB, near fully off. Basically need to have Kemper master volume just a tiny bit above "off". That can't be right.

I don't remember needing to crank the powered speakers so low in the past. Is this a clue? Before I'd use the center detent in the master volume and adjust outputs in the rack. Is this just a phenomenon of using the XLR outs? I've tried 1/4" cables to the Yamahas but not the Kustoms yet.

Using the back panel input if that matters. Have a bypassed Line6 HX FX in front in mono but that didn't make a difference when I wired around it.

Was going to do a full factory reset but I'm running the latest beta software. I suppose I'll need to wait for the next official release to try the mind wipe.

Any other items I should check? Is there a safe and easy factory reset while on beta software I don't know about? (I got the impression from another thread here that you can't just use the top left button on power-up if running beta.)

I'm strongly suspecting there's something corrupt in the firmware or else there's user error. Seriously could be user error.

Any suggestions?

Best,

Ron

Confirmed "include Beta" is checked.

Help -> Check for updates is greyed out.

Currently on 3.1.62.16462

UPDATE: Close & Reopen a few times, eventually it found the update

Hive Mind:

What do you think about an EQ that dynamically responds to the amplitude in other bands (or even sidechain)?

That is - what if you could have your 2000 Hz boosted proportionally to the amplitude of 160 Hz program material?

For example:

Imagine an EQ where you can pick any band number as a driver.

If it's a five band graphic - imagine bands are numbered 1 through 5, or actual frequencies available in a pick list.

User selects low band and assigns it to be driven by high mid and assigns -1.5 dB

User checks high band and assigns it to low and assigns +2.0 dB

Now, the EQ will change based on what you play and how you play it. This might make a Wah get very interesting - or just weird.

Initial goal would be to simulate having a sound engineer riding an EQ knob while listening to the program material.

You would in effect have different EQ profiles for when you play very softly versus when playing hard or kicking in boost and drive effects.

Thoughts?

Seems like a simple matter of programming as opposed to research and development.

Primary usage as I see it would be to boost treble when there is a lot of low mid content but back it off when there isn't. Punch through when it's all fuzzy but no icepicks when laying back in the mix.

Did something kind of like this with an old Alesis Quadraverb and a foot pedal control - had an EQ that sounded pretty harsh if played on its own, but fixed tone in certain contexts... it just couldn't be a "set and forget" thing.

You can keep looping while changing presets?

Cool