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→Tweaking vs. Auditioning
== Tweaking vs. Auditioning ==
While the KPA can be tweaked heavily while still sounding organic like a real amp/cab, this may involve a fair amount of time and effort. Since there are literally thousands of free and commercial profiles available, it becomes a question of efficiency as far as trying to tweak profiles vs. auditioning other profiles. My advice is to audition first and tweak later. The Rig Manager software allows auditioning the free rigs on the Rig Exchange to be quick and simple. For any given amp or tone, find the best 2-5 profiles available and save them onto your KPA or a Local Library folder in Rig Manager. When auditioning, it is perfectly acceptable to make quick tweaks, such as adjusting Gain, enabling/disabling effects (or loading your favored effect presets), adjusting the ToneStack EQ, adding a simple boost. If you have to start digging into the Amp/Cab parameters, add a post-stack EQ effect, switch the Cab profile, or dial in some intense pre-Stack EQ, the profile may simply be a dud that is not worth your time. Continue to search for better profiles. Only when you've exhausted your audition choices should you revisit the so-so to good profiles and start doing advanced tweaking.
== Gain Staging and Clipping ==
The KPA is smart - it is impossible to clip its digital signal path. You can chain together numerous EQ's or other effects that boost volume without having to worry about getting unwanted clipping as you would with real world devices or most modelers/multi-FX units.
The only thing that can be clipped is the Output block (D>A converter or SPDIF), which happens when the digital signal is too hot. This is easily remedied by turning the Volume knob down. You could also edit each effect to be more volume-neutral, but often you want to toggle those on/off ''for'' the volume change such as for a solo boost.
'''Be wary of rigs in the Rig Exchange that may be clipping.''' There are lots that have the Volume turned up or use Boost effects post-stack that push the volume too high. Just turn down Volume and see if the tone cleans up. Even a heavily distorted tone will sound bad (or at least harsher than it should) if subjected to this kind of clipping.