UAD Apollo Twin USB owners - how do you set your guitar channel for recording?

    Hi, I own a non-amplified Kemper, and an UAD Apollo Twin USB audio interface.

    There are a lot of "plug and play" tutorials using the UAD plugins, or recording a real amp using microphones, but nothing is mentioned regarding to Kempers, and I'm not sure how it's best to record.

    I'll describe how I do it:

    1. My Kemper is connected to the UAD audio interface (mono), having in mind that the Kemper profiles represent the sound of the amp, cab, and microphones (maybe pre-amps too).
    2. My Kempers "MASTER VOLUME" is set to 85%~, my amp "VOLUME" is set to 50%.
    3. I choose any one of my profiles (usually high-gain profiles) and from my UAD Console - I boost its LINE IN signal to around -5 to -10.

    I'm not sure I'm getting the maximum from my Kemper.

    • How do you recommend recording guitars with UAD Apollo Twin USB?
    • Should I use the UAD plugins on my LINE IN channel instead/in addition? Which is best for guitars?

    You really shouldn't have to increase the line in signal from the interface. Back it off to 0 and raise the volume on the Kemper till you get a signal that peaks wherever you like it to when recording (I prefer -9 to -12db).

    This depends on profiles you're using, but many of them already have preamps and compressors baked in, so you may not even need to use the plugins within Console. If you do want to do some further sculpting, use the plugins in your DAW instead so that you can preserve the original Kemper tone.

    Quote from nightlight

    You really shouldn't have to increase the line in signal from the interface. Back it off to 0 and raise the volume on the Kemper till you get a signal that peaks wherever you like it to when recording (I prefer -9 to -12db).

    This depends on profiles you're using, but many of them already have preamps and compressors baked in, so you may not even need to use the plugins within Console. If you do want to do some further sculpting, use the plugins in your DAW instead so that you can preserve the original Kemper tone.

    Hi, thanks for your answer, are you sure this is the best approach with non-amplified Kempers?

    Doesn't matter if it's amplified or not in this situation.

    You could record via spdif instead (using a converter). I sometimes do that to record both the stack and the DI in a convenient way.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

    Quote from hAtul

    Hi, thanks for your answer, are you sure this is the best approach with non-amplified Kempers?

    Yes, it is. You don't want to colour your Kemper signal, so don't increase the preamp level, they are seldom completely neutral.

    Also, depending on which profiles you are using, adding another preamp may not be necessary, since they are often baked into most commercial profiles.

    Plus, it's what is known as "bad gain structure" to turn a source down and raise an input gain accordingly. This effectively raises the noise floor of the signal, which is not good.

    Much better to set the input gain at "0" and have the source at 2/3->3/4 power (or higher), and if necessary attenuate (lower) the input gain to below zero if the signal's still too-hot at the aforementioned source settings. The Kemper's output is hot, so the mere thought of having to raise gain at an input is something I'll bet very few Kemperites have ever had to contemplate.