New Amp Profiles And FX For The Kemper Profiling Amplifer

Kemper Amps releases firmware 1.1   20-Jul-12

Kemper Amps tells us that, since its release in December 2011, the Kemper Profiling Amplifier has found its way into the recording studios and live rigs of internationally renowned producers and guitarists. They say that the possibility to take the unique sound of your own, personal amp rig into any studio, as well as on tour, has opened up a whole new world of possibilities to guitarists.

Some examples: Steven Wilson toured South America with his "Grace For Drowning" project, and his fellow guitar Player, Niko Tsonev, played the Kemper Profiling Amp through whatever amp was provided for him at the very diverse venues. He said he loved the sonic consistency, which can be heard on the Blu-ray/DVD available later in 2012.
Legendary German Rock Act "Die Toten Hosen" (celebrating their 30th anniversary with a #1 album this year) played to a crowd of 80,000 at Rock am Ring, with 3 Kemper Profiling Amps feeding the guitar and bass rigs. Producer Andy Sneap and guitarist Wolf Hoffmann used the "Profiler" on the successful new ACCEPT Album "Stalingrad". Andy Sneap also did some extensive reamping with the KPA during the recording sessions for the current Testament album. Steve Lukather has been spotted with the Kemper Profiling Amplifier while talking about his upcoming solo album, and Steve Morse has already integrated the Profiler into his studio. The current Marilyn Manson record "Born Villain" features some Profiler tracks, guitar legend and acclaimed "texturalist", David Torn, plays and loves the Kemper, country music megastars Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney are both touring stadiums this summer, with guitarist Dennis Hemmingson playing the Profiler.

The new Amp Profile set:
The profiles were all done by the Kemper Profiler Team which consists of Manfred Franzkowiak, Markus Wienstroer and Sound engineer Dirk Baldringer. All the profiles were taken at Dirk Baldringer's Studio 25, where they worked tirelessly to create the best possible profiles with that "3D-like" feeling. The team is delighted with the results and excited that these profiles are now available to the public.

Some of the highlights are:

• Mountain Amp / Vancouver Canada, claimed to be the worlds best 9V amp. 6 1/2 heavy duty Eminence speaker.
• Blackface Bassman from 1965 modded by Siggi Mehl / 2x12 Celestion Black Shadow speaker
• Vox AC 15 from 1975 modded by Siggi Mehl / 1x12 original CTS ( Chicago Telephone Supply ) speaker.
• Dead Vox AC 15 / the amp died during the session, we profiled that very moment, sounds like the Fuzz you can't buy, very early Zeppelin style.
• Selmer Zodiac Twin Fifty Truevoice / Crocodile period from 1963-64 with Magic Eye and original Goodman speakers
• Siggi Mehl Amp 2 / 50 Watt version completely handbuilt by Amp designer Siggi Mehlwith 4x12 Marshall Cab, loaded with 1976 Celestion blackbacks.
• Siggi Mehl Amp 2 with Baldringer Dual Drive Pedal,handbuilt by Dirk Baldringerwith 4x12 Marshall Cab, loaded with 1976 Celestion blackbacks.
• VAC 25 version 1 Valvetech USA handmade amp, free point to point wiring,Celestion H30 Anniversary speaker

Also some special Rigs by Bill Ruppert include:

• Marshall Studio 15 4x12
• Roland Jazzchorus
• Octavia Jimi 1
• Surf's Up
• Kemper Banjo
• Kay Model 703 from 1962
• Germanium Fuzz
• Danelectro Twin from 1962

The Lo-Fi FX Set
The Lofi update for the Kemper Profiling Amplifier brings eight new and unusual effects that, up until now, were mostly found only in synthesizers or plugins. The effects are: Rate Reducer, Ring Modulator, Frequency Shifter, Recti Shaper, Bit Shaper, Soft Shaper, Hard Shaper and Wave Shaper.

All new effects are available in the 'Stomps' as well as in the 'Effects' section. Due to their non-linear character, the results of placing them pre-amp or post-amp can be significantly different.
The Rate Reducer, Ring Modulator and Frequency Shifter expand the pedal-controlled effects (orange LED), and can be modified with an expression pedal or by an envelope follower (touch mode). Recti Shaper, Bit Shaper, Soft Shaper, Hard Shaper and Wave Shaper belong to the drive effects section (red LED). Here is an overview:

• Rate Reducer
  This effect reduces the sampling rate of the audio signal passing through and results in a raspy, scratchy tone with aliasing. The 'Peak' parameter continuously controls the quality of the sample rate interpolation, which alters the harmonic content drastically.
• Ring Modulator
  The signal is modulated by a sine oscillator. Lower settings produce a tremolo-like effect, whereas higher settings bend the complete harmonic structure of the instrument into a bell-like character by shifting every frequency component either upwards (sum frequency) or downwards (difference frequency). The 'Stereo' parameter divides the sum and difference frequencies into the left and right channel. The bipolar nature of the 'Manual' parameter can now be used to reverse the stereo panorama.
• Frequency Shifter
  The frequency shifter can be thought of as a 'deluxe' ring modulator. Even today, only a handful of frequency shifters exist in the digital domain. It is as useful for creating beautiful, subtle harmonic deviations as it is in producing high-pitched, clangourous noise. Like the ring modulator, it uses a sine wave to modulate the signal, but in such a way as to produce only the 'sum' or 'difference' frequencies of the two signals. In contrast to a pitch shifter, which preserves the dependencies of the harmonics, the frequency shifter bends these dependencies, resulting in a bell-like spectrum. It's not unlike a shortwave radio that hasn't been tuned correctly.
• Recti Shaper
  The Recti Shaper behaves like a physical rectifier, by folding the negative half-cycle into the positive portion of a wave. The intensity of the effect is controlled by 'Drive'. This effect is best known from octave fuzzes, which work by combining a rectifier with distortion. The Recti Shaper provides just the rectifier part combine it with other effects and distortions as you see fit.
• Bit Shaper
  The Bit Shaper continuously reduces the bit depth of a signal, with higher 'Drive' settings resulting in fewer available bits. The effect can be described as introducing a fizzy distortion, with a choking of the signal at high settings. The signal can even break off completely at the most extreme settings.
• Soft Shaper, Hard Shaper and Wave Shaper
  These are distortion effects, with a unique character, that probably never existed in the analog realm. They are especially destructive when playing double-stops or chords.

The Kemper Profiling Amplifier
The Kemper Profiling Amplifier represents a radical new approach to guitar sound. For decades, the electric guitarist has effectively been shackled to the tube amplifier as the only solution for getting "that sound". This combination may indeed be glorious, but it is far from ideal; achieving consistent results between practice, studio, and touring situations continues to challenge the guitarist, just as it has since the early 1930's. With the advent of the Kemper Profiling Amplifier, everything has changed. For the first time in history, you are free to create the most unique and individual tones that reflect the very essence of you as a player, and then capture these exact sounds into the digital domain with Kemper's patented technology.

Pricing and Availability:
The new Amp Profiles as well as the new FX set come free of charge with the Kemper Profiling Amp and can also be found in the download section on the website

More information:

• www.kemper-amps.com

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• Review: Kemper Profiling Amp 15-Oct-12