Can someone confirm that this sounds normal?

Fireloogie · February 2, 2018 at 1:22 PM

Or that it does not?

Any opinion on this would be highly appreciated. I've been wondering for too long now if my KPA was damaged from day one and since I keep reading about similar issues that turn out to be defective units, I'll post some samples now. (Guido XTC and Crunch Rig are good examples I guess.)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wblejunic3b…W0Bohdqaba?dl=0

Here's what I feel:

The sound is somewhat crumbly, does not ring out constantly and has that static noise all over it.
The issue disappears a little when giving the notes vibrato (samples).
Happens on any profile, any guitar, any output (analog, digital), distorted profiles are worse.

Examples contain (bought) profiles from

TAF,
Guidorist,
plus Loomies 5150 from factory content.

Some recorded with fx, some without. The JCM full and full picking got some fx on that seem to increase the issue.

Here's what I tried:

Any kinda reset.
Different settings on all input options.
Altrnaive input.
Adjusting PU height.
Support Ticket of course.

K-Team was trying to help, but couldn't find something wrong with the sounds I recorded for them. So I thought I have to live with this. Other than that it feels and sounds fantastic of course, but that crumby static noise appearing when notes ring is annoying. So in short: Do you guys think this is normal or is this something defective. If so, I will reopen my Ticket. I don't have any KPA around to double-check.

Thank you very much in advance.

Cheers.

paults · February 2, 2018 at 1:49 PM

What guitar are you using? What pickups are in it? New/old strings? How low is the action?

Fireloogie · February 2, 2018 at 2:08 PM

Quote from paults

What guitar are you using? What pickups are in it? New/old strings? How low is the action?

Hi & thx for answering. In these examples it's a Yamaha Pacifica. I also tried my Fender Strat, Ibanez RG, another Pacifica. All PUs from SC over HB to P90. Strings from any condition over the time. Action is what I consider "normal". Low as possible without fret buzz.

skoczy · February 2, 2018 at 2:09 PM

The noise over the "keith marrow loomies.mp3" is prominent. And in the sample "keith marrow loomies vibrato.mp3" I can notice than vibrato takes away this noise.

Fireloogie · February 2, 2018 at 2:11 PM

Quote from skoczy

The noise over the "keith marrow loomies.mp3" is prominent. And in the sample "keith marrow loomies vibrato.mp3" I can notice than vibrato takes away this noise.

I consider this a "yes".

Thank you!

Ibot39 · February 2, 2018 at 2:13 PM

I will listen to your recordings later or tomorrow. I think I know exactly what you are talking about, if it is the same you brought up once (and totally understand your feelings).

I have had some "uncertainties" too. What I can say today is, that ALL "weird" phenomena I have experienced with the Kemper turned out to be normal behaviour of REAL (tube) AMPS (and/or normal "effects" guitars are sounding like). I could replicate every "issue" on real amps (not amp sims!). I just didn't notice those details before.

Certain tones fretted on certain areas on the fretboard do sound in a certain "weird" way if you let ring the notes out (without vibrato) and listen very closely. That's simple the characteristic of our vibrant instrument played through tube amps. The Kemper only does a good job being a kind of picture of that. But some things could be emphasized a bit on the Kemper maybe, cause it profiles a signal chain including mics and so on.

skoczy · February 2, 2018 at 2:14 PM

Quote from Fireloogie

I consider this a "yes".
Thank you!

Yes, it does not.

Fireloogie · February 2, 2018 at 2:16 PM

Quote from Ibot39

I will listen to your recordings later or tomorrow.

Thanks in advance. I don't hear it in most KPA-videos and have not experienced this with any other gear. It's also not just in one fret area. Curious what you think

luntho · February 2, 2018 at 2:25 PM

how about the noisegate (internal or stomp)?

Fireloogie · February 2, 2018 at 3:05 PM

Quote from luntho

how about the noisegate (internal or stomp)?

You suggest the noisegate to be the culprit or to use in order to avoid the issue?

However, tried it and it affects the regular gain noise - not the issue itself. Thank you anyway!

Slyman · February 2, 2018 at 4:41 PM

Stupid question here, but did you try swapping guitar cables?

Fireloogie · February 2, 2018 at 4:48 PM

Quote from Slyman

Stupid question here, but did you try swapping guitar cables?

Yes So you think something's wrong?

Slyman · February 2, 2018 at 5:02 PM

I do hear it.
I use 5 different guitars, different pups, tons of different profiles and never had a similar issue.
Do you hear this on all individual KPA outputs?

Michael_dk · February 2, 2018 at 6:05 PM

I hear some artefacts of the noise gate, I believe - try turning it off completely (ie. turn it all the way to zero). Be aware that if you don't lock your input setting (in the inpu menu), the profiles themselves may have a setting higher than zero that will then "override".

I do hear another problem in especially the Guido example, which I've also noticed on my guitars (several of them, if not all). I've also contacted Kemper with this, and the result was the same as yours.

tommyguitar · February 2, 2018 at 10:32 PM

Sounds like 60 cycle hum/hiss combined with the noise gate. Tonally it sounds normal, although I would never use any of those tones, personally.

mikeb · February 3, 2018 at 5:38 PM

That sounds like a neck pickup. Fairly normal I'd say overall for a warm pup in that position.

Ibot39 · February 3, 2018 at 10:09 PM

Quote from Fireloogie

Thanks in advance. I don't hear it in most KPA-videos and have not experienced this with any other gear. It's also not just in one fret area. Curious what you think

If you mean the "kind of added high frequency crackling" that appears after hitting the string - yeah, that is normal behaviour. That was what I was talking about. You can hear that with tube amps - and the Kemper alike.
Just try out any real amp, if you can reproduce this "issue" without the Kemper in the chain. Maybe record and compare.

So I would say the clips sound "normal" - but JCM 800 has heavy noise gate and is dark.

ashtweth · February 4, 2018 at 4:34 AM

Here is the creeepy thing, i just now for the last 2 weeks have been getting static noise BUZZ ringing out on ALL GUITARS on my second kemper, i hit the LOW E string , just at the end of the sustain, Fing buzz.

Does not happen on the identical profile i play on my second kemper, and after 10 mins it can vanish!!
(but strange it some times goes away, only happens on one of my kempers)

Now at first i thought it was my mission cab, (i run 2 kempers and 2 mission cabs sorry stereo cabs )

I have high end TRS and guitar cables, you know me i dont muck around with music equipment, i was running a Morley ABY and going into the Mimiq i thought its gotta be the cables and connections right? Soon as the Fing Buzz came on my 2nd kemper, i plugged it into my second mission cab with a brand new cable and ones i am using ..no buzz. (so i knew it was not the cab or cables tried different guitar , maybe it was the kemper?)

Freaked me out...because it will show up on certain rigs only, then it started showing up on all , but then it goes ..then some times returns when i fire up the kemper.It a loud Buzz man, sadly i cant record as i dont have an Audio interface (saving up as most know)

But its there.
Then its not, does yours vanish after a while?
If so then its the same as mine Bro
really sorry your having that prob and even worse i cant suggest a solution

Ash

397f7c95538961c9090da40b2b0b6e229b278069 · February 4, 2018 at 5:19 AM

Sorry to hear this guys, is it on the toaster's or rack's? Powered versions? Do you use power conditioners or are there any magnets close to your units (KPA"S)?

ashtweth · February 4, 2018 at 5:45 AM

I run a toaster and Rack version, the buzz came up on the rack version(both non powered) , but strange its not there some days, its the most amazing sound in the world to me both kempers and 2 stereo FRFR cabs.

Here is some thing even stranger or may be relative, THE DISTANCE OF THE GUITAR TO THE PROFILER, effects the noises..(not just the random buzz some times)

So for example, i sit down on a couch have one kemper either side, now on my actives (loomis 7 string) and strat if i STAND UP and go back a bit from the profiler(s), some rigs when i need a noise gate, the noises are not there!. Prob nothing to do with the mystery buzz but i just thought i would mention it. I had no Buzz on the 2nd kemper few days ago, only buzz i had was the beer

Ash