Profiling An Amp - Kemper Profiling Amplifier Manual

40 KEMPER PROFILING AMPLIFIER

Profiling an amp

Now we're getting to the fun stuff! Profiling your own amp, custom digital simulation, or favorite stomp
box is what sets the KPA apart from every other digital amplifier out there. We've spent years getting our
profiling system to deliver the goods in terms of sound quality, playability, and ease of use — all wrapped
in a user-friendly interface. So while there's a lot of science and technology behind the concept of profil-
ing, you'll find that it's quite easy to actually do; this guide can show you the basics and get you started
right away.
General considerations
In order to make a profile, the original amplifier (which we will refer to as the "reference amp") has to be
connected to the KPA using the DIRECT OUTPUT and the RETURN INPUT on the back. The KPA then
sends various tones and signals into the reference amp — it will sound like warbles and static at various
pitches and intensities, in other words: not too musical! To get technical for a moment: these dynamically-
changing sounds allow the KPA to learn about the nonlinear behavior of the tube architecture and the
dimensions of the passive components in the original amp. The KPA then listens to how the reference amp
reproduces these sounds and analyzes the results. These characteristics are then recreated in the virtual
signal flow of the KPA. Even the characteristics of the speaker cabinet and microphones, including all the
frequency buildups and cancellations, are detected and become a part of the profile.
If that sounds a bit complicated, don't worry about it. The important thing to understand is that those
weird sounds are how the KPA determines the unique way that your reference amp changes the sound of
your guitar dynamically over time. With the information the KPA gets from those weird sounds, it is able to
create a digital profile of your reference amp.
You can also profile solid-state amps and modeling amps, although the results from profiling modeled
amps can sometimes be underwhelming. The reason for this is that some emulations try to mimic the typi-
cal tube sound using techniques that don't necessarily match the analog reality.