Kemper XLR and Line Output

I would say XLR is best

My keyboard player once accidentally stepped on the 1/4" cable from my KPA to my K10 onstage, yanking it out in the middle of my guitar solo. Since then I've always relied on XLR.

The XLR can be less noise-picky in "noisy" environments, an carries a 3-dB hotter signal (both qualities providing you use a balanced cable from one end to the other).

I usually use 1/4" tho, easier to match with what I find on the spot.

At most venues, they will have an XLR cable or two ready for the guitar microphones. Unplug the mics, and plug the XLRs into the KPA.

I'd avoid that. He'd better use 1/4"s, unless he's sure that the strip(s) can switch to line level. They might forget to disengage the mic pres, or the strip could be designed to switch them on when an XLR plug is detected.

Quote from viabcroce

I'd avoid that. He'd better use 1/4"s, unless he's sure that the strip(s) can switch to line level. They might forget to disengage the mic pres, or the strip could be designed to switch them on when an XLR plug is detected.

That's why so many of us have the Main Output set to -015db. That setting drops the XLR signal level low enough for the channel to be used with the microphone preamp engaged.

But this is just a patch! Better to use a line-level signal in a line-level input when you can choose, isn't it?
Using a 1/4" connection almost always ensures that the sound guy can get the best sound, the highest dynamics and the best N\S.
If you supply a guitar- or mic level signal to the mixer, the guy will have to increase the gain... and will amplify both the Profiler's and the desk's noise.

Quote from viabcroce

Better to use a line-level signal in a line-level input when you can choose, isn't it?

If you let the Sound Company know in advance that you want to use 1/4" Line Level sends, that would be an option. But, I don;t recommend surprising them with that suggestion at sound check. They might not have available 1/4" channels in their snake for that option.

The Sound Companies we work with routinely use XLR cables for line level keyboard DI, bass DI, in addition to using them for guitar microphones. Before the gig, we send them a stage diagram (and also give them a link to the one posted on our website), to let them know that all of us send a direct line to the PA.

With my Output set to -15db, I have never had a complaint from the Sound Technician.

Yep, others on this board AYMR have reported that the mixing console auto-set for a mic-level signal and got noise and distortion.
A matter of logistics, different people and communication finally.

I just felt I wanted to integrate your "At most venues, they will have an XLR cable or two ready for the guitar microphones. Unplug the mics, and plug the XLRs into the KPA", just to make Felix aware of the different choices and their rationales.

OTOH, as good as the Profiler does sound, there's certainly more dynamic and clearness with a line-level signal. How much the difference is perceivable depends of course from a number of things.

Better to know what you are doing and why, is (one of my) motto(es)

Quote from viabcroce

Better to know what you are doing and why, is (one of my) motto(es)

Agreed! And, whenever possible, let them know ahead of time what you and the rest of the band will need to connect to the PA.

Very often if you give them a line signal the sound guy will just pop it straight into a DI Box anyway to get a balanced input

Hey Rob,
by "balanced" you mean just the plug's shape (XLR)? Because if the line is unbalanced, you can't balance it through a DI

An unbalanced signal becomes a balanced signal from the D.I. box back along the XLR to the desk though I thought ? ....correct me if I'm wrong GF

I am afraid this is not the case Rob, since inserting an unbalanced 1/4" plug into the DI makes the whole line unbalanced, unless the DI itself is gifted with the circuitry needed to create a balanced signal to send along.
I am not familiar with the hardware tho, so it's possible that some DIs make just this.

OTOH, all the DIs I see on stage in Italy have XLR sockets... even so, if you feed them an unbalanced signal through an XLR cable the signal is not split\duplicated\inverted\transmitted\inverted\merged, because they expect to receive two phase-inverted signals from the source.

Anyone more knowledged on the matter?

Hmm, all the DI's I have used (and my Bass player) can take a 1/4" unbalanced signal and shoot it out on a balanced line.

Most are powered either through phantom power or a battery. Some are not such as the Pyle Audio PDCI.

It's a common use for a bass player who doesn't have a DI output on their amp to send a long balanced and impedance matched signal to the mixing board.

I would agree that feeding an XLR or TRS input with an unbalanced signal would result in an unbalanced output, because in this case, the unit is expecting a balanced input signal.
But if it has a TS input, then that SHOULD give a balanced output.

Balancing a signal is the main purpose of a DI Box - breaking ground loops and signal level matching (from Line to Mic) are (sometimes intended) side effects of their transformer based designs.

It doesn't matter if the input connector of the D.I. is TS, TRS, XLR or RCA, if there is an XLR Output - it IS a balanced output regardless of the input signal type

The Behringer HD400, Ebtech Hum Destroyers and the Lehle P-Split are wired balanced on their TRS based outputs aswell.

I would always try to use the KPA's XLR Outs instead of using external D.I. - just because i'm paranoid that the signal might be degraded by additional/unneeded components in the signal chain.

Just to be sure I'm talking of the same item, I'm referring to this

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PDfChjmML._SX300_.jpg

The ones I see in Italy don't exhibit 1/4" sockets.

This is stage-box - the stage side end of a Multicore or Snake cable.
You should always plug a balanced signal into this.

Yeah, as Rene says, thats a "snake". Some snakes do have 1/4 returns, but all the plugs/sockets are typically direct to each other with no electronics.They come in many channel sizes and lengths and are used just to extend your cables, not to convert. You can get simple ones for a small band with no box, just plugs and sockets at each end.

A Direct Injection box (D.I.) has electronics to convert impedance, levels and create the balanced line. Some have transformers to do this.
The ones most of us use only handle one signal at a time, although there are multichannel versions.

Heres a non powered one:
http://www.pyleaudio.com/sku/PDC21/14-I…XLR)-Direct-Box
Here's a powered one
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/DI100.aspx

So nothing here you didn't already know, but just a difference in terminilogy.