Setting OVERALL Input Sensitivity

Tones200 · March 15, 2015 at 4:32 PM

I'm confused about the setting of input sensitivity. On most devices, I usually set my input sensitivity hot (right before clipping on my hardest pick attack) and leave it there for cleans and distortion as this sets sensitivity as an absolute relative to the input NOT the patch.. On the Kemper, you can set clean sensitivity and distortion sensitivity separately which seems to reference the PATCH (rig) being played, but I don't understand how this relates to your OVERALL input sensitivity as an absolute.

What am I missing? Should I turn up clean sensitivity to the point where I'm yellow and turn it slightly down? Does that control OVERALL input level?

smfelton · March 15, 2015 at 5:17 PM

Quote from Tones200

I'm confused about the setting of input sensitivity. On most devices, I usually set my input sensitivity hot (right before clipping on my hardest pick attack) and leave it there for cleans and distortion as this sets sensitivity as an absolute relative to the input NOT the patch.. On the Kemper, you can set clean sensitivity and distortion sensitivity separately which seems to reference the PATCH (rig) being played, but I don't understand how this relates to your OVERALL input sensitivity as an absolute.

What am I missing? Should I turn up clean sensitivity to the point where I'm yellow and turn it slightly down? Does that control OVERALL input level?

The best thing to do is read the section on 'clean sense and distortion sense in the manual. Basically you would usually keep the distortion sense on 0db and adjust the clean sense so that the clean rigs appear to be the same apparent volume as the dirty ones. The manual explains it better...but if you have particularly hot or weak pickups you can adjust he distortion sense to correct for this.

Raoul23 · March 15, 2015 at 5:30 PM

This is how I set clean sense. Pick a factory clean rig and play guitar, turn up the gain to hear the volume difference. Roll the gain back down and increase the CS until when you turn the gain up the volume levels are the same

sambrox · March 15, 2015 at 5:41 PM

...and then make it a preset for that guitar! Repeat and rinse, per guitar (or just lock that sucker already!).

Cheers,
Sam

smfelton · March 15, 2015 at 5:55 PM

Yes that too, set per guitar.

andyg_prs · March 15, 2015 at 6:56 PM

This is the first time that I have really understood how to use the Clean Sense control. I haven't touched it so far. It is true that sometimes the heavy distorted profiles sound louder than the clean profiles - playing alone.

However, with a band....and particular with a louder band.....the extra volume seems necessary eg the higher gain profiles don't seem too loud....

The different profiles in my performances are normally using completely different rigs....so maybe I should experiment with one of the rigs that I use, turning the gain up and down as suggested - but has anyone done this and then found that in a band context the higher gain versions need more volume?

Cheers,
Andy

Michael_dk · March 15, 2015 at 7:36 PM

And lock the input section (there's a button called "lock").

Tones200 · March 15, 2015 at 8:16 PM

Thanks to all - but my question is NOT how to set the clean sensitivity vs distorted sounds. I read the manual and I do understand that.

My question is this - my guitar input has a level that's feeding into the input of the Kemper. Independent of the relative loudness of clean vs distorted, the input signal itself can be louder or softer and I usually set that level on most amp modelers to be as hot as possible without clipping. I don't see a way to do that to the OVERALL input level. My Input LED light is green and I want to raise that level until it is yellow then pull back a litle. Again the OVERALL input level - NOT the relative volume of clean to distorted tones. Is there something that controls that?

smfelton · March 15, 2015 at 8:33 PM

Like I say I think what it is you are requiring is what distortion sense will offer, this you can turn up or down to allow for different pickup outputs, so if you turn it up you will increase the input sensitivity/level be aware though you DO NOT want any clipping as this in the digital world is very very bad. Hope this helps.

Michael_dk · March 15, 2015 at 9:25 PM

I have a question for you: why do you WANT to set the input level as hot as possible before clipping?

Raoul23 · March 15, 2015 at 9:34 PM

Quote from Michael_dk

I have a question for you: why do you WANT to set the input level as hot as possible before clipping?

Michael is right with this question On a real amp you can't adjust the input?
CS is there to balance volume of clean and dist sounds

Tones200 · March 15, 2015 at 11:50 PM

OK got it. I'm just used to setting input levels on the inputs of ALL of my digital devices. It seems that you should have close to clipping volume on input to reduce the noise floor and to make the signal as hot as possible without digital distortion..

paults · March 16, 2015 at 12:16 AM

In terms of noise floor, the KPA doesn't function like a line level processor. It functions like an amplifier.

With the KPA, just like a regular amp, increasing the signal close to clipping would also increase the potential for any input noise.

smfelton · March 16, 2015 at 4:06 PM

Also the main Noise Gate doesn't work quite like a normal noise gate, so do use it.

Michael_dk · March 16, 2015 at 4:26 PM

You only need to set the signal "hot" for 16 bit devices. 24 bit has a massive amount of headroom above noise floor.

40661d4ade5602bab6d4c5f085c0e61f79738f31 · March 16, 2015 at 8:15 PM

Quote from smfelton

Also the main Noise Gate doesn't work quite like a normal noise gate, so do use it.

So how does it work like? What do you mean?

sambrox · March 16, 2015 at 9:46 PM

It works more like a multiband gate, as far as I understand it. I'm pretty sure there's a better explanation in the manual, actually. Try it and see! The two gates in the Stomps sections behave like common-or-garden gates, however.

Cheers,
Sam

smfelton · March 17, 2015 at 12:51 AM

Quote from metalmike

So how does it work like? What do you mean?

Like sambrox says, but I guess the best way to put it is that it reduces the noise floor (hum etc.) even when the strings are sounding.

UpEndAdam · March 17, 2015 at 4:06 PM

Very helpful, guys! Thanks!

JerEvil · February 11, 2016 at 9:22 AM

So IF I am seeing the input led flash red, increase the Distortion Sensitivity?