The Kemper thread

Wazmeister

It makes no sense, imho, to add a power amp later 

Jonathanthomas83

@BintyTwanger77 IF you know you're taking it out, then it makes sense, like Waz says.

IMO, you won't get very far in the shop, the stock profiles are good, but you'll get better results at home in your own environment and with some 3rd party profiles. My advice, buy from Kemper with a long return period, or buy online and get 14 days.

Keefy

I freely admit to not having read much of this thread, but I have allowed a couple of friends with Kempers to make profiles of a couple of my amps. It makes a frightening racket when they do this, and I do fear for the wellbeing of my speakers. Has anyone suffered speaker damage while profiling?

BintyTwanger77

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@BintyTwanger77 IF you know you're taking it out, then it makes sense, like Waz says.

IMO, you won't get very far in the shop, the stock profiles are good, but you'll get better results at home in your own environment and with some 3rd party profiles. My advice, buy from Kemper with a long return period, or buy online and get 14 days.

MBritt profiles come recommended a lot.

crunchman

BintyTwanger77 said:

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@BintyTwanger77 IF you know you're taking it out, then it makes sense, like Waz says.

IMO, you won't get very far in the shop, the stock profiles are good, but you'll get better results at home in your own environment and with some 3rd party profiles. My advice, buy from Kemper with a long return period, or buy online and get 14 days.

MBritt profiles come recommended a lot.

There are a few MBritt ones for free.  Not sure if they are part of the set you get with a new Kemper, or whether you have to get them from the rig exchange.

Jonathanthomas83

BintyTwanger77 said:

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@BintyTwanger77 IF you know you're taking it out, then it makes sense, like Waz says.

IMO, you won't get very far in the shop, the stock profiles are good, but you'll get better results at home in your own environment and with some 3rd party profiles. My advice, buy from Kemper with a long return period, or buy online and get 14 days.

MBritt profiles come recommended a lot.

They do and it winds me up.

There's so many other great profiles out there which could potentially yield better results. I do like some of his profiles though.

Wazmeister

Ive said it before, try the free Tone Junkie or Brian Clare 

Jonathanthomas83

And it's good advice! :-)

FarleyUK

Anyone have any suggestions for great JCM800 profiles?

Also, where the chuff is this new update??

Jonathanthomas83

Choptones has a good Zakk Wylde Marshall in there. If you find a good JCM800, let us know what you find.

Anyone tried a Line 6 HX FX with their Kemper? This new little HX stomp has me intrigued as to how the drives will sound into the Kemper.

sweepy

I wondered about a Line 6 HX for flexibility and added ambient silliness too

crunchman

FarleyUK said:

Anyone have any suggestions for great JCM800 profiles?

Also, where the chuff is this new update??

I quite like the Amp Factory Manrock 800 when I'm having a bit of rock out fun, but I'm not on expert on JCM800s.

FarleyUK

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Choptones has a good Zakk Wylde Marshall in there. If you find a good JCM800, let us know what you find.

Anyone tried a Line 6 HX FX with their Kemper? This new little HX stomp has me intrigued as to how the drives will sound into the Kemper.

OK, top picks so far:

- TopJimi Tim Caswell Modded JCM800. Sounds killer!
- There’s a Slash JCM800 signature on Rig Exchange that sounds awesome too. Search for ‘slash’ and it’s the only signature on there
- MattFig does a couple of JCM+ and Jose modded JCMs which are good, but pretty bass-heavy

Jonathanthomas83

Amazing @FarleyUK ;, thank you. How do they compare to that Cameron profile you had?

FarleyUK

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Amazing @FarleyUK ;, thank you. How do they compare to that Cameron profile you had?

I think the guy making the Cameron profiles isn't the best Profiler around TBH... I've never used them live, just seem pretty shrill and you need to eq them a lot to get them workable.

Jonathanthomas83

FarleyUK said:

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Amazing @FarleyUK ;, thank you. How do they compare to that Cameron profile you had?

I think the guy making the Cameron profiles isn't the best Profiler around TBH... I've never used them live, just seem pretty shrill and you need to eq them a lot to get them workable.

That's really good to know! Thanks

FarleyUK

UPDATE IS OUT!!!

....to the Kemper Website design and layout

Jonathanthomas83

Sake.

Wazmeister

Cack

Jonathanthomas83

Looks like there was a Rig Manager update though.

Better than a kick in the ball sack...

About Rig Manager 2.1

Features and changes in this version (2.1.61):

- Improvements to USB link
- Improved error logging

Features and changes in this version (2.1.41):

- New drivers for macOS and Windows
- Fixed: Cabinet editable after copying Direct Amp profiles
- Fixed: Favorites gone after restoring backup and restarting Rig Manager
- Fixed: Occasional failure on updating Profiler Software (macOS only)
- Fixed: Crash when disconnecting Profiler during Software Update
- Fixed: Installer launching Rig Manager even when Reboot was required (Windows)
- Changed: Search text cleared when switching between Rigs and Performances

Features and changes in this version (2.1.26):

- Fixed: Installation failed on certain Windows systems
- Fixed: Wrong order of folders in macOS 10.13
- Fixed: Occasional crash when restoring backup (Windows only)
- Added: Instrument type "Acoustic"

Features and changes in this version (2.1.19):

- Added: Number of displayed Rigs and Performances now include subfolders

Features and changes in this version (2.1.18):

- Fixed: wrong author name when creating new performance
- Fixed: sync indicator shown forever after sorting rig list (Windows only)
- Fixed: wrong Tempo Enable display when selecting multiple performances (Windows only)
- Improved: handling of blocked Profiler communication (macOS 10.13 High Sierra only)
- Improved: error handling in automatic software update

Features and changes in this version (2.1.14):

- Fixed: reordering Performance slots not working (macOS only)
- Improved: Profiler communication error handling

Features and changes in this version (2.1.12):

- Fixed: Profiler not recognized (Windows only)

Features and changes in this version (2.1.11):

- Added: online updates for Rig Packs
- Added: online updates for documentation
- Added: Rig Exchange rating via menu
- Added: Spinning wheel to visualize lengthy operations
- Fixed: occasional crash immediately after launch (Windows only)
- Fixed: wrong search results in Profiler Performances
- Fixed: Drag & Drop of Performances to Profiler not working (Windows only)
- Fixed: crash when quitting app immediately after launch
- Fixed: some performance slot issues
- Fixed: wrong search results in "All Rigs"
- Fixed: favorite status change in Profiler was not reflected in Rig Manager
- Fixed: crash when rapidly changing previewed Rig (macOS only)
- Fixed: wrong number of selected Rigs displayed in status bar
- Fixed: updater message showing up while update is already in progress
- Fixed: favorite and rating could get lost when copying rigs
- Fixed: updated rigs in RX not synced with Rig Manager
- Fixed: Performance tempo enable inverted between Profiler and Rig Manager (macOS only)
- Fixed: RX login not working if password contained special characters

FarleyUK

Uh-oh - something's loose and rattling inside my Kemper!

Support have said opening it up won't void the warranty, so I'll be opening it up shortly....

Freebird

Jonathanthomas83 said:

I've learned similar lessons lately and have been much better off for lowering the output level to around the same place as you, maybe even lower. I've since enjoyed no clipping in my DAW, which, being a bit of a n00b, I didn't realise was happening.

I put a VU meter calibrated at -18dbFS on every channel, bus, and the 2bus, which is the equivalent of gain staging at analogue console levels (many plugins are also calibrated at this level). The trim option comes in handy too, as well as the Mono Maker for sorting out your low frequencies.

Controlling your levels in this way will leave enough headroom for the mastering process.

https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/VUMT/VUMT.php

Anyway, that's how you get good sound inside your DAW, just google "gain staging with VU meters"  

Jonathanthomas83

@Freebird

1. So much stuff to learn. However much I want to learn about that stuff, I'm conscious that I wanna get stuff down too. Is there a happy medium with it, which is nice and fast - yet does all the nice things and follows best practices? Got a nipper on the way and will have even less time to do things the correct way.

I know there's often no shortcut with this stuff, but it'd be nice to set up a good template that just happens when I'm inspired.

2. If I've lowered the gain on the Kemper, to the point where it's no longer clipping in the DAW, what's the purpose of the VU meter and would it further help and why? Sorry, the answer is probably a google away, but worthwhile putting it here for posterity, maybe?

Freebird

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@Freebird

1. So much stuff to learn. However much I want to learn about that stuff, I'm conscious that I wanna get stuff down too. Is there a happy medium with it, which is nice and fast - yet does all the nice things and follows best practices? Got a nipper on the way and will have even less time to do things the correct way.

I know there's often no shortcut with this stuff, but it'd be nice to set up a good template that just happens when I'm inspired.

2. If I've lowered the gain on the Kemper, to the point where it's no longer clipping in the DAW, what's the purpose of the VU meter and would it further help and why? Sorry, the answer is probably a google away, but worthwhile putting it here for posterity, maybe?

1. The technical term is "sound engineering" which implies some knowledge is required  I suggest learning the basics and then use your ears, but recording levels are probably the most critical aspect of getting a good sound. Templates are definitely the way to go.

2. You have various points in the recording chain to control levels, i.e. Kemper Output, audio interface preamp, DAW trim plugin, etc. I would say start off by getting the best possible sounding output from the Kemper, and then adjust the preamp levels.

The VU meters are just another way of monitoring the input signal, over and above the existing meters that are built into the DAW. VU metering harks back to the days of analogue consoles, and it is a recording methodology that people still find useful in the digital realm, as a lot of plugins have been calibrated to sound best at -18dbFS.

3. I actually posted a short series of videos on here which cover this topic. It is presented at a sufficiently high technical level to be very useful. The presentation is a bit dry, but it's worth persevering as the bloke is a professor at a music conservatoire.

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/114133/

Jonathanthomas83

Thanks @Freebird, I started those videos and didn't finish. Will look again.

FarleyUK

https://www.kemper-amps.com/forum/index.php?thread/40298-i-heard-a-rumor-about-a-new-kemper-reverb-that-compete-big-sky-or-immerse-type-o/&postID=457157#post457157

Reverbs are completed - but they're now doing a new preset manager so the reverbs are being delayed until that's completed.

Jonathanthomas83

FarleyUK said:

https://www.kemper-amps.com/forum/index.php?thread/40298-i-heard-a-rumor-about-a-new-kemper-reverb-that-compete-big-sky-or-immerse-type-o/&postID=457157#post457157

Reverbs are completed - but they're now doing a new preset manager so the reverbs are being delayed until that's completed.

FFS, I really hate that type development. In my line of work, we'd get absolutely torn a new one if our delivery process was like that. If it's ready, release it and get on with something else. They're independent of each other, so release. If they're dependent on each other, then there's a problem with your development strategy and it needs to be changed.

Sorry, rant over.

FarleyUK

Jonathanthomas83 said:

FarleyUK said:

https://www.kemper-amps.com/forum/index.php?thread/40298-i-heard-a-rumor-about-a-new-kemper-reverb-that-compete-big-sky-or-immerse-type-o/&postID=457157#post457157

Reverbs are completed - but they're now doing a new preset manager so the reverbs are being delayed until that's completed.

FFS, I really hate that type development. In my line of work, we'd get absolutely torn a new one if our delivery process was like that. If it's ready, release it and get on with something else. They're independent of each other so release. If they're dependent on each other, then there's a problem with your development strategy and it needs to be changed.

Sorry, rant over.

Agreed. Seems very strange, especially given it's a German dev team.

joeyowen

Also agreed, maybe don't tease so early as people will get itchy on it

Jonathanthomas83