Soundside-Profiles explained

We were asked about our way of profiling - here I like to answer all these questions.
(btw. I respect all other profile sellers - this is only to explain our unique way of profiling)

First something about our 'Regular Profile Packs':

Soundside Profile Packs are available since January 2012 and a few thousands of happy returning customers are enjoying them.
Here I like to explain what we offer for YOU.

Soundside profiles are VERY different compared to other profiles because:
-We try to capture the “amp in the room sound” as close as possible
(it’s not our goal to tone match the sound of any recordings or feature the signature sound of any microphone)
-We offer a HUGE number of profiles for each amp

Each Pack features ONE amp(setup) as close as possible:
-all amp channels
-switches: amp modes, bright switch, boosts, …
-many drive settings (clean to cranked)
-many tone stack settings

This can be just 10 profiles for a simple single channel amp - or more than 100 profiles for a complicated multi-channel-amp.
By using these Packs you can virtually select an amp channel, mode, option switch and adjust the tone stack of the real amp ==> to fit best for YOUR guitar and style.

It’s the same as using a real tube amp for the first time - sit down, try how the different channels, options and settings work for your guitar and style.
Then find YOUR best setting - e.g. for the clean, crunch and lead channel.

Now use these 3 profiles from this pack - and feel free to delete the other profiles from your KPA - no need to keep 100 profiles from the same amp in your KPA (in case you need the space or like your KPA to boot faster).
(You may recheck the other profiles later - when you use another type of guitar or like to change your sound.)

This way is IMHO much better as to offer only a few profiles per amp - which may work fine for a Strat but not a LesPauls - or may work fine for a LesPauls with Humbuckers but not for a LesPauls with P90 …
(As with a real tube amp we would use the modes, switches and settings different for each guitar type.)

All these profiles are RAW profiles = no EQ’s used, nothing changed in the KPA advanced parameters, no effects used.

Now comes the second step:
-Use the KPA tone stack to fine tune the profiles for your needs.
-Feel free to add your favorite effects.

Done - now you have your Custom-Profile-Pack which fit’s perfect to your needs.

In addition contain most Regular Profile Packs some ‘ready to use’ profiles = RAW profiles WITH advanced parameters and effects.

These profiles are similar to offers from other profile manufacturers = they may work for your guitar/style or not.
If you find they do not work but like the used effects - simply lock the effects and browse thru all the RAW profiles.

Check out our website for more information about the used gear, number of profile in each pack and sound samples.
(even more information is included in each packs documentation).

Note:
Some amps were used in more than one packs - e.g. with a different speaker or microphone setup.
(Please check the information on our website or send me a PM - I can help you to find the best profile packs for your needs.)

b) Recording Packs
===================

First, can the ‘Regular Packs’ be used for recordings?
Of course they can - check out the demo samples on our homepage

So why these ‘Recording Packs’?
Recording Pack's features ONE (or a few) amp setting(s) and MANY different mic's / mic setups or stomp boxes.
By selecting the profiles you virtually select one or more microphones or change mic placement or add e.g. a TubeScreamer®.
(Features may differ from pack to pack)

Metal Recording Pack I:
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[Blocked Image: http://www.soundside.de/shop/images/RPMetal.jpg]

This was our first recording pack.
It features a Mesa Boogie Rectifier via our Elmwood 4x12" Vintage 30 cabinet

We use only ONE amp setting:
Channel 2 (Vintage Mode)
Gain =13:00
Treble=14:00
Mid=09:00
Bass=14:00
Presens=11:00

This setup was miked with a SM57 (as very common for Metal tones).
There are profiles for all these mic positions:
MC=center
ME=cab edge
MM=mid of cone

In addition can you add a Royer R121 or a Palmer PDI09 to all the above mic positions.
(It’s also possible to use only the Royer R121 or Palmer PDI09)

All these settings are available with the pure tube amp sound or an Vintage Ibanez TubeScreamer in front of the amp.
(Gain=Min Tone=12:00 Level=Max)

The profiles are named like this:

RP RECT V T0 MC R

RP 	= Recording Pack
RECT 	= Mesa Boogie Rectifier
V	= Vintage Mode
T0	= Tube screamer (0=off, 1=on)
MC	= SM57 microphone cab center (ME=cab edge, MM=mid of cone)
 	  (without MC, ME or MM = only Palmer or Royer R121 used)
P	= additional Palmer PDI 09 Speaker simulator (normal setting)
R	= additional Royer R121 (cab edge position)

Metal Recording Pack II:
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[Blocked Image: http://www.soundside.de/shop/images/RPMetal.jpg]

All the same as above but the 'Modern' mode of channel 2 was used

Amp setting:
Gain =13:00
Treble=14:00
Mid=09:00
Bass=12:00
Presens=11:00

RP RECT M T0 MC R

RP 	= Recording Pack
RECT 	= Mesa Boogie Rectifier
M	= Modern Mode
T0	= Tube screamer (0=off, 1=on)
MC	= SM57 microphone cab center (ME=cab edge, MM=mid of cone)
 	  (without MC, ME or MM = only Palmer or Royer R121 used)
P	= additional Palmer PDI 09 Speaker simulator (normal setting)
R	= additional Royer R121 (cab edge position)

Rock Recording Pack:
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[Blocked Image: http://www.soundside.de/shop/images/RPRock.jpg]

Features a Friedman amp with the typical ‘Brown Eye’ sound - IMHO the ultimate ‘British Style Rock Tone’.

Two amp settings are used:
Gain=4 and Gain=8 (Tone stack = neutral)

These settings are profiled via two cabinets:
Elmwood 4x12" Vintage 30 cabinet (for a more modern sound)
Marshall 2x12" Creamback cabinet (for a more classic sound)

5 Mic settings are selectable:

100% Royer R121
70% Royer R121 and 30% Rode NT
50% Royer R121 and 50% Rode NT
30% Royer R121 and 70% Rode NT
100% Rode NT

The profiles are named like this:

RP FPT G8 E (N3-R7)

RP      = Recording Pack
FPT     = Friedman Pink Taco
G8      = Gain setting (knob values)
E       = Elmwood cabinet (M=Marshall cabinet)
(N3-R7) = 30% Rode NT, 70% Royer R121

RAW profiles vs. "Ready to use" Profiles

What are RAW profiles?
RAW profiles are profiles without any modifications (advanced parameters, EQ's or other effects) - just the simple sound of the tube amp.

Are these profiles "ready to use"?
IMHO yes, I use almost exclusive RAW profiles - if you add effects later in the DAW - then this is all you need.
If you like just to jam with the KPA then add any effects you like.
Our latest packs includes delay and reverb effects - but they are deactivated - just activate then - and 'rock'.

"Ready to use" Profiles:
In addition to the RAW profiles include most packs 'modifications' of the RAW profiles = advanced amp parameters and effects.

Some packs contains more of these 'Modifications' as the total number of profiles provided by other sellers.
(The number of profiles per pack is shown on our homepage)

Here is a list of the additional "Ready To User" Profiles per pack:

Pack/Number of additional "Ready To Use' Profiles
01 10
02 3
03 10
04 8
05 22
06 11
07 9
08 15
09 13
10 8
11 8
12 6
13 4
14 12
15 7
16 13
17 7
18 2
19 3
20 2
21 4
22 3
23 5
24 3
25 4
26 12
27 9
28 10
29 9
30 7
31 7
32 7
33 4
34 6
35 5
36 7
37 5
38 6
39 5
40 7
41 5
42 6
43 3
44 4
45 5
46 4
47 3
48 6
49 5
50 7
51 9
52 -
53 -
54 3
55 4
56 3
57 -
58 -

Tags:
Yes, you are right - as soon as there is a release MAC version I may rework the metatags - but it will be a lot if work.

Naming:
Most users like the naming very much.
The solution - leave all the RAW files as they are, adjust and store the modified rig using whatever name you like.

What would you recommend for naming?
VH4 - #110
VH4 - CH2 A lot of gain
??

It's the same amp - but totally different profiling philosophy.

Pack#56 is a regular amp pack - featuring the amp with many different settings (almost clean to fully cranked) different tone stack settings - but all via the same speaker cabinet (Marshall 1936V with Celestion Creamback speakers) - one (multi) microphone settup.

The Rock Recording Pack (#58 ) features only two amp settings (see some posts above) - but this two amp settings are each captured via two different cabinets and 5 microphone combinations.

2 Amp settings * 2 speaker cabinets * 5 microphone combinations = 20 profiles.

Blues Recording Pack:
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[Blocked Image: http://www.soundside.de/shop/images/RPBlues.jpg]

Features a “D-Style” sounding Fuchs amp.

Profiled via an open back Kammler Turnator speaker cabinet loaded with a Celestion Alnico Gold speaker.

We profiled this amp at 5 different settings (2 clean and 3 overdriven).
Each of these 5 amp settings are captured via 5 microphone settings:

100% Royer R121
75% Royer R121 and 25% Rode NT
50% Royer R121 and 50% Rode NT
25% Royer R121 and 75% Rode NT
100% Rode NT

Naming:

RP FBJ OD1 R025 N075

RP      = Recording Pack
FBJ	= Fuchs Black Jack 21
OD1	= Two clean settings (CL1, CL2), three overdrive settings (OD1,OD2,OD3)
R025	= Amount (%) of the Royer R121 mic
N075	= Amount (%) of the Rode NT mic

5 Amp settings * 5 microphone combinations = 25 profiles

Sag!

Many tube amps have 'sag' = a kind of compression.

This will parameter can be set in the KPA's advanced amp parameters - manually - it will NOT be captured by the KPA during profile.

So all Soundside RAW profiled does NOT change this parameter.

In case you like to get this feeling simple adjust the KPA SAG and Compression (Amp) parameters to your liking.

(the included 'Ready to Rock' profiles may have this parameters adjusted.)

Why do we offer so many profiles per Pack and use 'Cryptic Names' - Why don't we offer profiles like this:

BrandX Very Clean
BrandX Clean
BrandX A little bit distorted
BrandX Distorted
BrandX A lot of distortion

a) "Real-Amp-Names"

Problem:
We can't use the 'Real Brand Name' in our profiles because of copyright reasons - yes, there are profiles available with 'Real Names' - but this can be very expensive for the seller in case some amp manufacturer get's angry about it.

Solution:
It's totally legal when YOU rename the profile - for you private use - to any name you like. E.g. to the "Real Brand Name".

b) "Cryptic Names":
Problem:
We run out of names for 20+ profiles per pack - not to talk about 50+
That's why we have a well explained naming convention (there is a PDF file included for each profile pack).

Solution:
Feel free to rename our profiles.

c) Why don't we just offer less profiles per amp?
Problem:
A clean profile created for a Strat may sound muddy for a LesPauls.
A little bit pushed clean file for a Strat may sound distorted for a LesPauls.
The "BrandX Distorted" profile created for a LesPauls may sound clean for a Strat.

Solution:
We create MANY different profiles - and out of 20+ profiles will you find a great clean, pushed and distorted profile for the Strat or the LesPauls (or any other guitar).
Then feel free to rename these profiles for your need.

Think of it this way - we send you a set of T-Shirts (XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL) - and you select the one which fit's to your needs - feel free to erase the other profiles from your KPA (put the remaining T-Shirts in your basement) ...

... you may need them later when you change your style or get a new guitar.

We don't believe in 'One fit's all'

Thank you and enjoy!

Better demos - will you create some?

lasvideo
Thank you and enjoy!
Let us know the results.

Mago
The RAW profiles = unchanged KPA output after profiling and refining - no parameters changed - no internal or external EQ's use.

The 'Mods' = my tweaked profiles, may have some of the advanced parameters changed - and effects added - in most cases just a few (delay / reverb).

All profile packs contain RAW profiles - most of them some additional 'Mods' - see some posts above for the number of included 'Mods' and my homepage for the total number of profiles in each pack.

While the advanced parameters and effects of the KPA RIGS are great - but we only have the promise that the RAW profiles will not change in future firmware updates.