Profiling preamp confusion!

Sorbz62 · May 15, 2015 at 8:41 PM

Hi guys,

I just recently fot my Kemper unpowered head and have found some great tones. I am using a Peavey 50/50 poweramp and guitar cabs to amplify it, which sounds great.

i now feel like profiling my rack preamps and the preamps of some of my heads but am confused a little with the difference between Direct profiles and Direct amp profiles. Am I correct stating the following:

1. A direct profile is preamp only and should sound the same through my setup as the original preamp.

2. A Direct Amp profile is from a speaker tap, profiling the pre- AND poweramp. This will sound different through my poweramp (2 x poweramps!) and will enable me to use different cabs withing the Kemper for outputting to headphones/PA/ FRFR etc.

3. Both profiling methods will have the cab light on even though the cab has not been profiled, as the Kemper cannot be differentiate between methods and I should leave it on otherwise the profile will sound different.

the reason for this is that I do not have a microphone and am using the poweramp setup. I want to use preamps only into my poweramp setup.

cheers,
Jim

Ingolf · May 17, 2015 at 10:06 AM

I think you got that right.

Sorbz62 · May 18, 2015 at 6:42 PM

Danke sehr Ingolf,

So that means I can profile my Bogner from the fx send to get a preamp only profile and from the line-out for a preamp + poweramp profile?

In that case I presume I can use the preamp only profile out to my valve poweramp and guitar cab AND the preamp+poweramp profile with any cab from other profiles for the DI signal?

Can I then merge the 2 profiles to enable me to have the preamp only on the monitor out and the preamp+poweramp on the main outs? Inotherwords a 'merged profile'

please excuse my ignorance but I have just got the Kemper and it is all sounding good.

Cheers,
Jim

Ingolf · May 18, 2015 at 11:24 PM

Quote from Sorbz62

Danke sehr Ingolf,

So that means I can profile my Bogner from the fx send to get a preamp only profile

Yes

Quote from Sorbz62

and from the line-out for a preamp + poweramp profile?

No, you need a D.I. box that is capable to be fed a speaker signal directly from the amp's poweramp.
FX send and Line out are both line level.

Deadlightstudio · May 19, 2015 at 3:07 AM

You are almost right but with preamp instead full amp profiles using other ones merged cabinets will sound strange because the poweramp Portion is missing in amp+cab profile. Will work great on your tubepoweramp but going direct will sound like preamp to cabinet. Im not sure but when you merge a preamp profile with your own studioprofile of that setup, maybe the poweramp portion will be included in the cabprofile after that and work for going direct

nkay · May 20, 2015 at 7:17 PM

I was just about to ask the same question, except I am using an ISP Theta Preamp pedal. I really love the the sound of it, and I'm wondering how I can make a 'direct' profile of it, then use it with a cab from a merged profile.

For example, just now, I was playing guitar > Theta preamp > Kemper input, and then I picked one of the profiles from the free Michael Wagener pack (in this case Mrs. Scary), but turned off the amp portion, and it sounded quite good. But then I thought I am missing the power amp part of the equation, and sure enough if I switched between other Wagener profiles that used the same cab, it sounded different.

So... can I profile the Theta preamp pedal successfully?

chrismilne · March 20, 2017 at 6:16 PM

I have a similar question, how do you profile a tube preamp direct? I have an ADA Mp1 as well as a Eganter M4 MTS system, can I profile the ouptut of the preamp directly and then run that to a poweramp later and get a similar sound as I get normally (assuming i'm using a solid state poweramp).

I also have a Tube poweramp, for that I would need to use the direct box method to get the sound of the poweramp as well?

Thanks.

Deadlightstudio · March 20, 2017 at 6:51 PM

Short answer to both questions: Yes

chrismilne · March 20, 2017 at 8:47 PM

Thanks. One follow up:

For Direct profiles (as opposed to Direct Amp Profiles) as i discussed can you still assign a cabinet to record it with a cab output?

Deadlightstudio · March 20, 2017 at 8:48 PM

A allready merged cab yes...

chrismilne · March 21, 2017 at 5:22 PM

Do you mean, if i profile my same preamp through a poweramp and a cab then i can merge that with my direct (only) of the preamp?

Deadlightstudio · March 21, 2017 at 8:02 PM

Not sure if it works when its only the preamp - without a poweramp..but worth a try!

endlessnameless · March 21, 2017 at 8:46 PM

I'm really confused by all this.

I have a preamp (effectrode blackbird) but it has no speaker/cab sim.

Can I profile the blackbird as a DI profile (with any stomps in front of it) and then add a CAB sim from other profiles I have?

Deadlightstudio · March 21, 2017 at 8:49 PM

yes...but i dont know about your preamp...most preamps sound horrible without the colour/saturation etc of a Poweramp.
If yours sounds great without poweramp..there will be no problem

chrismilne · March 21, 2017 at 9:20 PM

Quote from Deadlightstudio

yes...but i dont know about your preamp...most preamps sound horrible without the colour/saturation etc of a Poweramp.
If yours sounds great without poweramp..there will be no problem

It looks like my Peavey Classic 50/50 does have a line out, so maybe i could try both ways when i get time and compare.

Deadlightstudio · March 21, 2017 at 11:14 PM

I owned a Peavey Classic 120/120 before....awesome poweramp and has a huge impact in the overall tone.
I would not use the lineout of the Peavey Poweramps...this is not the same as a DI box between the Poweramp and cab.
The DI Box will capture the interaction between poweramp+cab better

chrismilne · March 22, 2017 at 12:01 AM

Ok. Thanks. Will have to wait until I get one the.