Should I use the Output's high/low cut or a stomp EQ's cut?

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    Since I haven't changed my Kemper settings for many of my rigs in years, I figured I'd take some time to look through them to make sure everything is where it should be. One thing I noticed is that for nearly all of my high gain rigs, I've got a studio EQ in the X slot for the sole purpose of using the high and low cut features (cutting all frequencies below 80hz and everything above 9000hz). Then when reviewing my Output settings, I noticed I also had a low and high cut activated in there too.

    Would there be any reason to keep one over the other? I'm assuming that the one in the Output settings is a Global effect which means it'd make those cuts to EVERY rig. But I can't think of any reason to not have it just cut everything globally instead of me having to waste a spot for an EQ in my stomps/slots. Am I missing something, or is that good logic to just let the global Output EQ take care of it?

    I did notice that when playing through my DAW, changing the settings of the cuts in the Output menu made no difference at all. So, I'm wondering if those settings only apply to the XLR outputs? Whereas, when I put the cuts in a stomp, I can hear them through the DAW. I'm using the DAW just for listening purposes - I use my Kemper 95% of the time for live performances. For recording, I'd just use the DAWs cuts.

    For reference, I play in standard tuning or 1/2 step down. Moderate gain stuff (typical cover band rock stuff, 80's hair bands, classic rock, etc.).

    Edited 2 times, last by OhG (February 4, 2025 at 7:03 PM).

  • I did notice that when playing through my DAW, changing the settings of the cuts in the Output menu made no difference at all. So, I'm wondering if those settings only apply to the XLR outputs?

    Depends on how you transmit audio to the DAW. From my understanding, the Main Out's EQ section does not affect Spdif or USB. I think it's supposed to apply to any analog output signal, though.

    As far as keeping one over the other, I guess it could sometimes depend on anything beyond the slot-X EQ and the output section. Something between them could be muddying things up, perhaps. If nothing is between slot-X and the output section, then it becomes a matter of taste. Perhaps one of the curves is different in some manner even when set equally. Sometimes stacking the same effects does well verse one broader stroke. I've stacked small EQ cuts inside a DAW before.

  • Depends on how you transmit audio to the DAW. From my understanding, the Main Out's EQ section does not affect Spdif or USB. I think it's supposed to apply to any analog output signal, though.

    As far as keeping one over the other, I guess it could sometimes depend on anything beyond the slot-X EQ and the output section. Something between them could be muddying things up, perhaps. If nothing is between slot-X and the output section, then it becomes a matter of taste. Perhaps one of the curves is different in some manner even when set equally. Sometimes stacking the same effects does well verse one broader stroke. I've stacked small EQ cuts inside a DAW before.

    That makes sense. I'm connected to my DAW using SPIDF. It's not that anything is muddying up the sound. I was just wondering what I was thinking by having a low/high cut in both my stomps AND the Output section. I was just thinking maybe I read somewhere that it's good to do, and that's why I did it. But I just can't see a practical reason for doing that in a live setting. I was probably drinking. (c:

  • It kinda makes sense to cut before FX, rather than cut fx. If you don't wanna sacrifice the X slot for that, you could also do it inside the cab section.

    EQ'ing before the amp block has worked very well for me, especially on higher gained profiles. That said, I don't do it a whole lot. I should. I've been meaning to spend some time getting a feel for the graphic EQ. I had a Boss GE7 pedal pre-Kemper, but did very little with it.

  • EQ'ing before the amp block has worked very well for me, especially on higher gained profiles. That said, I don't do it a whole lot. I should. I've been meaning to spend some time getting a feel for the graphic EQ. I had a Boss GE7 pedal pre-Kemper, but did very little with it.

    Another th9ng you can try without tying up an FX slot it to use the Amp EQ in the Pre position. It doesn’t tive exactly the same frequencies as a GE7 but does the same thing by shaping the signal BEFORE distortion so it has more a a distortion character effect than a powerful EQ effect.

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    EQ'ing before the amp block has worked very well for me, especially on higher gained profiles. That said, I don't do it a whole lot. I should. I've been meaning to spend some time getting a feel for the graphic EQ. I had a Boss GE7 pedal pre-Kemper, but did very little with it.

    the Definition parameter is a very powerful tool to shape the distortion