… ain’t any freakin’ , dude …

HOW TO FIRST-DATE THE PROFILER AND ENJOY IT – Page 1 of 8

FOREWORD

Hello everybody 

When you try a Kemper Profiling Amplifier ("Profiler", for short) in a store or receive your
unit (regardless if it’s brand new or a used one) it might be the case that some parameters
need to be adjusted, reset or tweaked for your gear. Also, quickly getting to know the most
influent parameters and controls you have at your disposal will make your experience bet-
ter.
This short tutorial will help guide you through your first meeting and familiarization with the
Profiler.

In this document I will often mention “FRFR” cabs. While not a technical term, this acronym,
which stands for “full range, flat response”, is quickly becoming popular among guitar play-
ers who use digital sound generators such as the Profiler, and is used to refer to a device
that, unlike a traditional guitar cabinet, exhibits a rather linear and extended amplitude re-
sponse and a (more or less) transparent sound, and is able to faithfully reproduce for exam-
ple a music program, the sound of keyboards or synths, acoustic instruments, and the com-
plex and extended range of tones and frequencies that a device like the Profiler is able to
generate.

Before we proceed, my special gratitude and appreciation goes to John Simonich, whom has
greatly contributed to this tutorial by proof-reading my English draft, by definitely improving
its readability, and by suggesting appropriate changes both in terms of concepts and fluency.
Also, John is a gentleman and has made our short collaboration easy and smooth; he has
nevertheless worked in an extremely professional, consistent, rigorous and efficient way.
Thanks John, getting to know you through this small project has been valuable to me 
Back to the Profiler now!

Gianfranco Di Mare
Rome, Feb, 2016

Last edition: April, 2019

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 HOW TO FIRST-DATE THE PROFILER AND ENJOY IT – Page 2 of 8

MEET THE PROFILER

0. Restoring the Profiler to "factory default" conditions

If you have purchased your Profiler from a prior owner, or even as a store (open-box)
demonstration model, it is highly recommended that you reinitialize and restore the Profil-
er's global settings to "factory default" conditions. This is due to the possibility that a previ-
ous owner has modified certain input or output parameters to suit their individual guitar rig
set-up, connections and sound preferences. In the case of a store demonstration unit, these
settings may have been unintentionally changed by a customer or store employee. In many
cases, restoring these global parameters to the factory default state can prevent or solve
unexpected behavior. Whatever the case may be, beginning your experience with the Profil-
er in a defined state, as first shipped from the Kemper factory, can avoid hours of potential
frustration. To restore the Profiler to factory default settings, press the System button to en-
ter the System menu. Then, select the Init Globals soft button. Your Rigs, Presets, Perfor-
mances, and Slots will not be impacted by this reset.

1. How and what to connect the Profiler to

In order to get the best tonal results, do not connect the output of your Profiler to the front
instrument input of a guitar amplifier/combo. Rather connect it to:

 an active cab or an active monitor;

 an external, dedicated power amp (not an integrated amp) driving one or two passive
cabs;
 a mixing desk (be sure the desk’s input is not set for a microphone, and to not clip it.
Also, check that the strip EQ is initially flat);
 the line input of your audio card (not the Guitar input, Hi-Z input, Mic input);
 the FX Return jack of a guitar amp, in order to use the amp's power section to drive a
passive cab or monitor.

In other words, just manage the Profiler’s signal as if it was from keyboards or synths.

What outputs on the Profiler do I use? As a starter, I would advise the following:
 the Speaker Output, if you are using the powered version of the Profiler, with its built-in
power amp, and are driving a passive monitor or guitar cabinet;
 the Monitor Output in any other case.

It’s also possible to use a pair of good headphones. The KPA makes available a function
called Space, which gives a nice depth and 3-dimensionality to stereo sounds, by creating a
spatial effect which greatly contributes to the realism and beauty of the sound.
Space applies to any stereo output. However, while high settings of this parameter can
sound great through headphones, they might sound weird if sent to an FRFR monitor, or
DAW, or mixing desk, or front-of-house/PA system.

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So you have the possibility to have it applied to the Headphone output only: Hold the Output
button (top right on the Profiler) until the Output menu is shown on the display. Move to
page 5 via the Page buttons (on the display’s right) and press the soft button over the
Space>HeadphOnly label. The knob underneath will allow you to tweak the effect.
Remember that, wherever you are in the menu, the Exit button (on the display’s right) al-
ways brings you back to the main screen (you may need to press the button more than
once).

2. Turning the Profiler on, and tuning your instrument

Switch the Profiler on by turning the chickenhead knob on the left of the front panel. If you
want to tune, just move the knob to the Tuner position. Note the few parameters which are
available in the Tuner menu.
When you have finished tuning, switch the chickenhead knob to Browser.

3. Setting the Input for your instrument

 Set the Clean Sens parameter for your instrument so that, when you strum hard, the In-
put LED (above the Input button) seldom blinks red, at most. In order to access Clean
Sens just push the Input button.
 Check that the Distortion Sens parameter (in the same menu) is set to 0, for now.
 While the Input menu section is still the focus of the display, check that the Lock button
(on the right of the front panel) is lit. If it’s not, push it. On the right of the display a pad-
lock icon will appear. Locking the Input settings will ensure you that the CS and DS pa-
rameters will not change when you try different presets (called "rigs" within the Profiler
parlance). While you are in the Input menu, you can press the Store button (on the right
of the chickenhead control) and save the current settings with a meaningful name. This is
mostly useful in order to quickly recall a set of parameters in case you use more than one
guitar and want different settings for each. In order to recall a preset, just turn the
Browse knob (the one on the right side of the display) while Input menu is still in focus.
If the Input is not locked, the parameters will inherit the values stored in each rig, which
have been created for a different guitar than yours.

NOTE: the locking feature applies to every single function. You can decide to lock basical-
ly anything (the Amp, the Cabinet, one or all the effects, the Input settings, the EQ…):
what you lock will not change when you browse through rigs!

A further note about Clean Sens: apart from determining the Profiler’s input sensitivity, this
parameter also sets the overall level of the clean rigs Vs. the distorted ones: the higher the
Clean Sens parameter is set, the louder cleans will sound. For example -- if you compare the
volume of a clean guitar sound to that of a distorted sound, and perceive the clean tone is
too loud in comparison to the distorted tone (or vice versa), you can adjust Clean Sens to a
level where the clean sounds have the same perceived loudness as distorted sounds.
Since the way we set the parameter gives the highest possible value (and sound volume), we
can only reduce the cleans’ level from there.

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4. Noise Gate
Too extreme settings for this parameter can kill your sound. If you feel there’s something
weird going in how the sound decays, check it and – if need be – lower it. The Noise Gate
knob is located on the top left of the front panel.
It is worth mentioning that such setting belongs to the Input group, and if the Input is locked
(see Section 3) the current value of the noise gate is locked as well: this means that it will
apply to each rig you load.

5. Let’s deal with the Output!

 If you want to use a traditional guitar cab, momentarily tap the Cabinet button (top row,
center of the front panel) in order to switch it off. Now push it again and hold it: the Cab-
inet menu screen will be displayed, with the indication “Off”. Now press the Lock button
again and be sure to leave it lit, and that the usual padlock icon appears. This will ensure
that no cab will be loaded when you browse through different rigs.

NOTE: there’s a way to globally bypass/disable the Profiler's virtual cabinet for the Monitor
Output only (and the Speaker Output for built-in power amp of PowerHead and PowerRack),
while leaving it on for all other outputs -- namely Main, Direct, SPDIF, Headphone. This is es-
pecially useful whenever you are connecting to a traditional guitar cabinet; for example,
when you are monitoring yourself on stage through a guitar cabinet connected to the Moni-
tor/Speaker Output. In such a scenario, you would typical want the cabinet portion of the
profile to be off, while sending the full rig (cabinet included) to FOH. Furthermore, since this
is a global setting, you won’t have to switch the cabinet off every time you turn your Profiler
on.
In order to set this configuration, switch the Monitor Cab Off parameter on in the Output
menu (currently on page 3).

 Push and hold the Output button (top right on the front panel) to bring up the Output
menu screen. Browse through the various pages using the Page buttons on the display’s
right. Below, please find the most important parameters’ settings, which I recommend
that you check. The below settings should appear as the default factory state. If they are
not, I recommend you set accordingly.
NOTE: the page number may vary in future fw releases.

 Page 1 – Main Output: Master Stereo; Monitor Output: Master Mono.

 Page 3 – Monitor Output EQ: all values flat.
 Page 4 – Main Output EQ: all values flat.
 Page 5 – If you are connected to a FRFR monitor (i.e., not connected to a traditional
guitar cab), check that Pure Cabinet is selected, and for the moment set it halfway, or
feel free to play with it depending on the rig you’re using. This parameter smoothens
the possible harshness in a close-mic’ed profile, especially on distorted sounds.

NOTE: there’s a further instance of the Pure Cabinet control in the Cabinet section. This is
per rig (or better per cabinet), while the one available in the Output menu is global. The

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highest value wins! Since Pure Cabinet is an adaptive parameter, you might want to set it dif-
ferently on a per-rig basis. Should this be the case, it’s advisable to switch it off in the Output
menu (not only set it to zero) so that you can set it individually.
Another option many musicians use is to switch the parameter on in the Output menu and
set it to zero: many find this gives just a nice touch to most cabinets. In order for this to work
for a given rig, the local setting of Pure Cabinet must of course be zero.

Push Exit to go back to the main screen.

 Check that the five buttons Stomp, Amplifier, EQ, Stack, Effects in the top row of the
front panel are lit.

 When you start playing a rig, check that the Output LED (above the Output button)
doesn’t become red but occasionally. If it stays on the red, lower the rig’s volume using
the Volume knob (bottom right, aside the instrument input socket).
If you want to overall modify the volume, use the Master Volume knob (top right).

NOTE: when you change the rig’s volume (or anything else in the rig), your edits won’t be
kept unless you save the rig. Don’t be surprised if you go back to a rig and it has not kept
your tweaks ;)
Better to not save any modifications to a rig if the unit is not (yet) yours! 

6. How the Profiler sounds

When you try a rig, remember that the person who profiled it, that is, the original author
(assuming it wasn't you):

a. more than likely was using an instrument different than yours, so they have tweaked the
amp in a specific way before profiling;
b. more than likely has a musical taste and ear very different than yours, so they have
tweaked the amp in a specific way before profiling;
c. has created certain tones they needed in a certain context or tunes, so they have
tweaked the amp in a specific way before profiling;
d. has maybe saved the rig after swapping the cab with one they liked better, and that you
may happen to dislike.

NOTE: instruments have no role in the profiling process: the final sound is determined by the
reference amp’s settings, the reference cab used, the mic(s) used, the mic’s placement and
the chosen equalization (except for the tweaks made on the Profiler once the profile was
saved, that you can apply too ).

If you use a guitar cab, remember that it contributes approx. 70% of your final, overall tone,
and that switching the rig’s cabinet off will (more or less) drastically change the original
sound (unless you’re using the same cab that was used for creating the profile!). This will not
happen if you use FRFR monitors or other transparent and linear cabs, and keep the rig’s cab

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 HOW TO FIRST-DATE THE PROFILER AND ENJOY IT – Page 6 of 8

switched on. In this case, that 70% contribution to the final, overall tone comes from the
profiled (guitar) cab and the mic(s) used for profiling.
As a general rule of thumb, there’s one or more mics and their placement, and the physical
cab you’re using, between the original rig’s sound and what you hear.

The above-mentioned factors may be more than enough to determine whether you like a rig
a lot, not at all, or all the possible in-between shadows ;) Remember, the Profiler can sound
like any amp, what you get from it comes entirely from the rig and the listening medium you
decide to use!
Basically, when played through a linear cab (FRFR) system, the Profiler sounds precisely like
the recorded music we are all familiar with when listening to our favorite artists on a home
(or car) audio system, or even live at a big concert. If this can be unsettling at first, try and
record something in a mix: you’ll see how easy is to achieve a professional result. The most
amazing experience will be of course profiling your own amps, when you realize that from
now on you’ll be able to take all your sounds with you on stage, in a 4-kg lunchbox! :D

NOTE: When the Cabinet section is active (checked) for use with linear cabs, you can easily
try swapping the cab in a rig: hold the Cabinet button and, when you are in the related
menu, turn the Browse knob. For now press the From Rigs button (above the display) and lis-
ten to how the sound changes when using different cabs and mics. Make certain that the
Cabinet section is unlocked, when using this method.
If you press one of the Arrow buttons (far right, above the Input jack) while the cabs list is
shown, you won’t be brought back to the default screen until you press Exit.

7. Controls
Navigating the Profiler’s parameters is easy.
The controls you’re possibly going to use most are the tone knobs (below the display) and
the Gain control (the leftmost one), like in any amp.

NOTE: The Gain control on the Profiler doesn’t generally react – by design – like its counter-
part on real amps: it doesn’t affect the tone, just the distortion. If you go from a rather clean
sound to a heavy distortion and aren’t satisfied with the results you’re getting, try a different
profile of the same amp or add a distortion\overdrive\fuzz to the Stomps section. In con-
junction to the EQ effects, you have a rich palette of different tones there at your fingertips.

The second most effective and easy parameters to use in order to tweak your sound is a set
of controls in the Amplifier section. To access this, just hold the Amplifier button at the top
of the Profiler’s front. Below, are the controls I recommend you try immediately (remember
to use the Arrow buttons to navigate):

Definition – It makes a rig’s sound darker or lighter. Great for example if you use single coils
with a rig conceived for humbuckers (or created by a dark-sounding cab), or the other way
round; or if a distorted rig has too fizzy of a tone for your tastes\needs, and so on.

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Compressor – Not a simple plain compressor as we are used to using. This great effect keeps
(for example) your volume constant when you roll back on your guitar's volume knob in or-
der to go from distorted to a clean sound.
NOTE: A traditional compressor is nevertheless available as an effect.

Clarity – It can change an amp’s character from more vintage to more modern (or the other
way round) by changing the distortion’s harmonic content.

Don’t be afraid of trying any other control! ;) Remember that all your tweaks will be kept as
long as you stay in the same rig (or save it). Important: If you do like all your changes, do not
forget to save your new rig, before moving on.
On the lunchbox version of the Profiler, the knobs on the right of the Noise Gate’s operate
on the fly on the most common parameters of the Mod, Delay and Reverb slots regardless of
what effect is actually loaded on those (if they apply, of course).

NOTE: the rack version exhibits a different layout, where the Mod knobs are missing and the
Delay and Reverb Knobs are located in the rightmost part of the front panel.

Let’s go back to the Distortion Sens parameter: if you feel that distorted sounds are overall
too (or not enough) distorted, you can tweak this parameter and, if your Input settings are
locked (see Section 3), the value you set will be kept when you switch to a different rig.
Think of DS as a gain control for the distorted sounds only.

8. Effects
By briefly pushing the eight buttons in the Stomps and Effects sections we can toggle the
On/Off status of the effects loaded in each slot (of course it has no effect if there’s nothing
loaded).
The effects you place in the Stomps section will be put in front of the amp, those in the Ef-
fects section will be put after the amp. Only the latter section offers stereo configuration.
If you hold down a button you’ll enter the effect parameters menu; you’ll also be able to
change the effect through the Type knob (top left corner of the display) or to load one of the
presets through the Browse knob top right corner of the display). If the slot was empty you
can load an effect.

NOTE: you can just load a preset in a slot, regardless the effect already loaded or whether
there was any effect at all: the right effect will be chosen.

9. That’s all folks!

There are other very interesting parameters that allows to sculpture your sound or to tweak
it depending on the rig you’ll be using, but you’ll be able to discover them over time.

Four final notes: remember that the Profiler will sound like the rig you’ll be using. It’s basical-
ly impossible that you don’t find one that makes you drool among the many available for

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free or by purchase.

There are two main manuals available for the Profiler: the Basic manual comes printed with
the unit: it describes the device’s layout, the I/O, the available controls. The Reference man-
ual is available by d\l at Kemper’s website (like the Basic one, the Profiling Guide, and the
MIDI Commands Chart). It explains in detail every and each features and controls of the cur-
rent fw version (KAOS: Kemper Amp Operative System).

Remember that, no matter what cab or audio system you’ll be using, they will always have a
sound on their own. This is what you’ll be hearing. If you are completely unsatisfied with
what you hear, try a different audio system or device. Some good advice is to move your
FRFR monitor or guitar cabinet away from any corners or wall. If you are using desktop mon-
itors, try not to place them on a surface that resonates too much (a solid wood table or desk,
for example).

Last, but not least, feel free to visit wikpa.org: while the site has not been updated in a while,
it’s crammed with still useful hints, tricks and users’ comments.

Enjoy the Profiler!

If you want to make a donation: paypal.me/GDiMare

PS, NB: If you find any typo, error or bit of incorrect information feel free to report to
gdimare at libero dot it

®Gianfranco Di Mare, Feb 2016