Sound at homestudio vs Sound at rehearsal (Kemper Kone / Imprints...)

    Hi, this is the setup:

    Kemper stage Monitor Outputs into 2 non powered Kabinets through a Seymour Duncan 700 powerstage.

    As far as the Kemper Kone at the Output menu is concerned, I've been trying three options:

    1/ Kemper Kone off

    2/ Kemper Kone on / Monitor Cab off and select imprint on (I've tried all of them)

    3/ Kemper Kone on / Monitor Cab on

    The problem is that no matter what I use, I can't get the same tone I get when I play at homestudio through Kemper Main Outputs into M-audio track eight with KRK Rokit 5 speakers. That's the tone I love, as far as I'm concerned is perfect, but at rehearsal place, with the setup I mentioned before (non powered kabinets and SD700) unfortunately it's completely different. It's driving me crazy...

    The main output and monitor output menus and eqs are identically setup. I've already tried to adapt the monitor output eq to the rehearsal environment but the difference remains too huge.

    Any help is truly welcome! Thanks!

    There are probably several issues at play here.


    First the room itself. Small rooms and square(ish) room like most home studios have very unpredictable acoustic response.


    Next, small speakers like Rocket 5 has significantly reduced bass response. KRK in particular are also famous for their bright aggressive highs.


    The Kone isn’t a Full Range speaker like studio monitors but rather a wide range speaker. The higher end rolls off quite a bit faster than studio monitors.

    Let's not forget - the Kone and Kabinet should not sound like the main outs. What it gives you is the sound of an amp-in-the-room, without a microphone in the signal path.


    If you want the exact sound you get out of the studio monitors, placing them in full-range mode is the closest you'll get.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

    Like 4

    Precisely why I run my powered monitor output to a good PA,FRFR or whatever you want to call it, cabinet for my onstage monitoring. This is my attempt to avoid tweaking for different speakers and having to compromise. This works well for me. I don't quite get the concept of the Kabinet providing amp in the room(whatever that is). IMO, the Kabinet will force a compromise with regard to tweaking every profile. YMMV...

    Thanks for your feedback.

    The sound I get at studio with Kemper imo is 10/10, and all the chosen profiles sound awesome to me.

    But at rehearsal, through the kabinets and trying all those different set ups I mentioned before, the sound has got nothing to do with the sounds I get at studio.

    The "solution" I used most, like Ruefus mentioned, was Kabinets in full range mode (Kemper Kone off), thinking it would be the closest to the studio sound, but it was equally disappointing.

    I also tried to sound at the rehearsal room through Kemper Main Outs into the PA, like in Studio. The rehearsal room is too little, usually we only run the vocals through the PA at rehearsals. Moreover, the PA ain't that good, at the end, I tried but it also sounded far from the wonderful sound I get at studio (even worst than through Kabinets).

    Again, big thanks to everyone for your support!

    Unfortunately, you won't have the same sound.


    I do like you, i play at home only on one Focal alpha 50 in my direction. At rehearsal, i use my DIY Kabinet laid on to the ground, i'm pretty happy with it but the sound is not the same (imprints inside )...

    There are so many parameters that come into play ; at home you are alone, the sound goes straight to your ears, you can tweak every sources ,etc....


    I've met some gig situation that the band uses exactly the same rig configuration and the sound was awful or i couldn't hear myself....

    But instead playing in "round", we are all in lines turning to the audience (of course ), the room is too small, too much reflection, that f*** drummer is too close to me, i think he kicks me instead of his instrument , and so on.....

    But sometimes the sound is Top !!!

    Yes, I agree, but when I'm at rehearsal place all alone, without the band, and I test the sound, is already completely distant to the perfect sound I get at the home studio. Later, with the band, that's an other story and obviously the sound problem not only remains but... as you suggested, it may even get worse... (tiny room, loud drummers, etc... it happens everywhere...)


    I'm so desperate that I'm seriously considering to sell the Seymour Duncan powerstage 700 and the 2 non powered Kabinets to buy 2 powered Kabinets, maybe then the sound will be closer to the one I get at homestudio.

    I don't even use the same profiles while recording versus live. I need something totally different for live volumes (less gain, less highs)

    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

    Like 1
    Quote from toni dd

    I'm so desperate that I'm seriously considering to sell the Seymour Duncan powerstage 700 and the 2 non powered Kabinets to buy 2 powered Kabinets, maybe then the sound will be closer to the one I get at homestudio.

    The sound will be exactly the same so you would be wasting a chunk of money. If you are going to move away from the non powered Kabinets you would need to move a Full Range speaker like DXR10 or something. I don’t have any personal experience with any of the powered FRFR speakers but there are plenty of posts about the subject on the forum.

    If the band you're playing in has any aspirations of playing live, you need to find a sound you like in that context. Even when recording your sound may be perfect on its own, but will likely become completely lost in a mix. At minimum it'll get muddy and even if post-eq trickery helps, you're better of starting with a different sound.

    You will never get your studio monitor sound anywhere else but there. Close? Maybe - but *never* the same. Not even if you drag the exact setup to your rehearsal room. Other instruments playing and the room itself will change it. That's just how it works.


    If you listen to recorded guitar tones by themselves, very often you'll find they sound like crap by themselves but magic in a mix. Even then, it's going to depend on what 'isolated' track you're hearing. EVH sounds epic isolated - but that is not the sound Eddie heard when he played it. He was in the room with his amp getting the raw sound. What's on tape is similar....but not the same.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

    Like 3
    Quote from Wheresthedug

    The sound will be exactly the same so you would be wasting a chunk of money. If you are going to move away from the non powered Kabinets you would need to move a Full Range speaker like DXR10 or something. I don’t have any personal experience with any of the powered FRFR speakers but there are plenty of posts about the subject on the forum.

    Yes, a DXR10 would do an excellent job of reproducing what you hear from monitors. A Headrush would do as well.

    Quote from toni dd

    I'm so desperate that I'm seriously considering to sell the Seymour Duncan powerstage 700 and the 2 non powered Kabinets to buy 2 powered Kabinets, maybe then the sound will be closer to the one I get at homestudio.

    Just my opinion but I wouldn't do that.

    I have the sd700 and had 2 Kones, wasn't a fit for me. I also purchased a powered Kabinet hoping it would sound different, it really doesn't. If you like the studio monitors get something powered like the dxr10 as recommended in the posts above. Or, since you already have the sd700 you might consider a good passive cabinet, and if at all possible, try before you buy.

    dmatthews will chime in to answer the question directed at him, but I'll throw the following in. If you prefer your studio monitors the closest to achieving that with the Kone is #3 (see manual below), but the Kone is it's own beast and I don't think it will be close to the sound your looking for as a speaker such as the dxr10 would be.


    From the manual page 96:

    The KEMPER Kone is fully controlled by the software of your PROFILER. Please activate its “intelligence”, navigate to the "KEMPER Kone” page in the Output Section and press the soft button labeled “KEMPER Kone". You will find three familiar parameters that we have mirrored on the KEMPER Kone page for your convenience: Monitor Volume, Monitor Stereo and Monitor Cab Off. When Monitor Cab Off is not highlighted, the KEMPER Kone works in full range mode.


    Wheresthedug gave a good explanation for why the Kone doesn't behave or sound the same as your studio monitors:

    Quote from Wheresthedug

    There are probably several issues at play here.

    First the room itself. Small rooms and square(ish) room like most home studios have very unpredictable acoustic response.

    Next, small speakers like Rocket 5 has significantly reduced bass response. KRK in particular are also famous for their bright aggressive highs.

    The Kone isn’t a Full Range speaker like studio monitors but rather a wide range speaker. The higher end rolls off quite a bit faster than studio monitors.

    Ruefus and others elaborated further

    Quote from Ruefus

    Let's not forget - the Kone and Kabinet should not sound like the main outs. What it gives you is the sound of an amp-in-the-room, without a microphone in the signal path.

    If you want the exact sound you get out of the studio monitors, placing them in full-range mode is the closest you'll get.


    Quote from Steve5478

    Unfortunately, you won't have the same sound.


    Quote from dmatthews

    Yes, a DXR10 would do an excellent job of reproducing what you hear from monitors. A Headrush would do as well.

    The Kone isn't going to emulate the sound from FOH or studio monitors and I don't think that was the intention when designed. To me they are a personal monitoring solution for the musician only, for that individuals enjoyment, more responsive interaction with their instrument and hopefully it inspires them so they play better. It's closer to a regular guitar speaker and much more versatile, but it definitely isn't a pa speaker nor a studio monitor, I believe many people (myself included) initially had expectations that the Kabinet and Kone might replicate those two sound sources.

    Quote from toni dd

    The "solution" I used most, like Ruefus mentioned, was Kabinets in full range mode (Kemper Kone off), thinking it would be the closest to the studio sound, but it was equally disappointing.

    your assumption that turning the Kemper Kone mode off would activate full range mode is wrong. Without the Kone Mode the Kabinet is a broadband system. You always need to have the Kone Mode active when you use a Kemper Kabinet. If you want to use the Kabinet in full range mode you must make sure that the Monitor cab off option is not activated.