Reduced Sound Quality When Using SPDIF

mikegrahamguitar · January 11, 2017 at 2:32 PM

Hi guys,

I use SPDIF to record from my Kemper. Last night I was having a jam and decided to just plug my headphones directly into the Kemper for a change. The sound quality seemed much better than usual, which was weird. The sound I get from SPDIF is great but there did seem to be an improvement when I listened via the Kemper. Any thoughts or experience with this?

Cheers,

Michael

Kemper Support #1 · January 11, 2017 at 2:58 PM

The digital signal coming out of the Profiler is being converted into an analog signal in your audio interface. Apparently the DA converter of your audio interface sounds different from the one that is being used in the Profiler. The same goes for the headphone output amp.

Michael_dk · January 11, 2017 at 3:02 PM

More likely, it's du to the impedance of your interface's headphone output being different from that of your kemper. Or alternatively because the output settings are different between spdif and heaphone outputs.

mikegrahamguitar · January 11, 2017 at 5:37 PM

Quote from hjscheffler

The digital signal coming out of the Profiler is being converted into an analog signal in your audio interface. Apparently the DA converter of your audio interface sounds different from the one that is being used in the Profiler. The same goes for the headphone output amp.

Thanks for the response but why would my interface be converting the digital signal to analog? I though the whole point of SPDIF was to avoid that. When using SPDIF is the chain not as follows: analog (guitar) - Digital (Kemper) - Digital (Audio Interface) - Digital (DAW)?

Quote from Michael_dk

More likely, it's du to the impedance of your interface's headphone output being different from that of your kemper. Or alternatively because the output settings are different between spdif and heaphone outputs.

I think this sounds more likely - either impedance or output settings. I'll check output levels. Thanks!

Kemper Support #1 · January 11, 2017 at 5:40 PM

In order to hear the signal in your monitor speakers or the headphone out of the audio interface the signal has to be converted to analog.

mikegrahamguitar · January 11, 2017 at 6:56 PM

Everyday's a school day. Thanks Kemper Support #1.

JanneLunnas · January 31, 2017 at 6:54 AM

I guess it is also about personal taste but the sound I am getting from my Komplete Audio 6 interface's headphone output (I connect Kemper via SPDIF) is much better than the sound I hear from Kemper's headphone out.