Namm 2016 - Day 1 - New Kemper stuff! with pics

    Quote from Pick909

    I'm personnaly amongst people who prefer not to have their precious $2000.00 rig at their feet on the floor where there is so much things that can fall on. But I understand how a one device rig can be appealing. My Kemper head with the remote in one bag is very cool too... and safer IMHO.


    My idea WAS NOT an AX-8 style "profiler on the floor", but rather a companion product that is a profile "player" of sorts with very minimal controls that allows the user to load it up with profiles (from the Profiler) and take it on a gig.

    Quote from benvigil


    My idea WAS NOT an AX-8 style "profiler on the floor", but rather a companion product that is a profile "player" of sorts with very minimal controls that allows the user to load it up with profiles (from the Profiler) and take it on a gig.


    @benvigil, I was speaking about a full Kemper floorboard. Your idea would be nice if it cost a lot less than a full Kemper. For example a performance loader that would work only if you are a full Kemper owner but once load don't need the motherboard for the gig so your Kemper stay at your home studio. Why not if it would cost less than 1K and if Kemper can produce such a device. A lot of ''if'' thought! :)

    I prefer to have most of my gear safely stacked in the backline. I could however see use for a minimalist approach. It should be possible to fit most of the KPA's internals inside the KPA FC, and have it remote controlled from a smartphone or tablet (android/ios). The FC already has a network port which could hook up to an ethernet switch. A lot of people run a wired/wireless network at home, in their studio or even on stage these days. Back it with optional bluetooth networking on the FC as an alternative way to link to the tablet/smartphone. A mic-stand-mounted touchscreen-device provides a much more convenient UI than a bunch of pots and buttons on a floor-unit.


    My guess is that the cost of components are almost negligible compared to hardware/software engineering and manufacturing so I would not expect a shrunk or reduced-feature-set-unit to cost substantially less than the existing profiler models.

    Edited once, last by heldal ().

    It doesn't make sense for them to NOT offer something floorboard based IMHO and agree with the above that a "rig loader" just for performances would be very cool. I thought about it for the entire year I have had my Kemper and can say, I would not buy another version. The toaster is perfect for me. Small enough, light enough and looks great. I too am one who prefers my stuff backline and waist height for easy adjustment.

    Quote from Pick909

    benvigil, I was speaking about a full Kemper floorboard. Your idea would be nice if it cost a lot less than a full Kemper. For example a performance loader that would work only if you are a full Kemper owner but once load don't need the motherboard for the gig so your Kemper stay at your home studio. Why not if it would cost less than 1K and if Kemper can produce such a device. A lot of ''if'' thought!


    Exactly... think of it as a baby Kemper, < $1000. You could have a VERY basic UI for adjusting overall EQ and maybe some amp parameters, but the goal is to have a rugged pedal with [mainly] just switches. You can transfer your rigs to the pedal and even download them directly from the RM if you don't have a Kemper, but for most this would be a value-add to their Kemper.


    But let's face it, as much as the HD500/Helix/AX8 form factor is appealing and convenient for transport, you aren't going to be using the pedalboard controls in a live context. I think a lot of people figure that out after they buy it -- you end up with the pedalboard on your desk, or you use a software editor almost exclusively -- and the pedalboard controls are there as a last resort.

    If a floor unit can play profiles on its own and is significantly cheaper, the KPA might no longer sell enough units to keep it a viable product unless it's only limited somehow to those who currently own the KPA. This floor unit that can play profiles on its own, needs to be very close in price to KPA IMHO.

    Quote from Dean_R

    If a floor unit can play profiles on its own and is significantly cheaper, the KPA might no longer sell enough units to keep it a viable product unless it's only limited somehow to those who currently own the KPA. This floor unit that can play profiles on its own, needs to be very close in price to KPA IMHO.


    I wouldn't think so. It has no profiling capabilities, limited I/O options, no deep parameter editing. It's a Kemper Player, not a profiler.

    What I personnaly meant was not a complete Kemper profiler in floorboard version but just a loader with which you would need the real Kemper head (or rack) to be able to use it. It would only be an accessory for gigging and It would not work if you don't already own a real Kemper.


    I don't know how they would achieve this thought. Otherwise I agree with deanR that the price of a complete Kemper floorboard version, even without profiling capabilities, would have to cost much more than 1K because a lot of users don't profile so much anyways and it could kill much of the actual Kemper forms sales.

    Quote from Tritium

    If you are in Italy, a Single Helix will cost you an RNAro, whereas a Double Helix will cost you a DeNAro. ;):P
    I'll be here all week, folks. Make sure to tip your waitress.



    Well, I just realized the price of a Helix, Holy Shit!!!! Keep your precious molecules @Tritium I thank more of something like $1299.00US but anyways we are in total speculation now and I'm perfectly happy with my Kemper head! :)

    Hmm..thinkin´ about the issue logically a "profile-player" for less than 1000euro/$ would be the next step after we get these fantastic delay/reverb-upgrades.To use the "whole package" (amp-profiles with "pure cab",FX,downloading all these) you still would need the KPA.Not to mention the profiling-thing which is a "must" for each semi-/professional.


    A pure "profile player"-midi-pedal with minimum tweaking-ability would never be enough for the "whole package".


    So thinking like this a "KPA-extension" for the guys who have their KPA in their studio rack and need "something to go" this(profile-player-midiboard) would be the best solution.KPA-users would get their "live/rehearsal-extension" (plus a back up for the KPA) while kids with less financial means could have their "start up" with 7000 profiles in the RE.And the kids dont want to "tweak" anyway.You even dont know the difference between different tube-amp sounds when you´re 12-16 years old.


    Not to mention that this would also be the best way not to "piss off" the older KPA-users(like Cliffy does with the AX8 and many older AXeFX users) while Kemper would get Line6 and FAS at the edge of their sanity.. ;)

    Edited once, last by Nikos ().

    Like 2
    Quote from Nikos

    Hmm..thinkin´ about the issue logically a "profile-player" for less than 1000euro/$ would be the next step after we get these fantastic delay/reverb-upgrades.To use the "whole package" (amp-profiles with "pure cab",FX,downloading all these) you still would need the KPA.Not to mention the profiling-thing which is a "must" for each semi-/professional.


    A pure "profile player"-midi-pedal with minimum tweaking-ability would never be enough for the "whole package".


    So thinking like this a "KPA-extension" for the guys who have their KPA in their studio rack and need "something to go" this(profile-player-midiboard) would be the best solution.KPA-users would get their "live/rehearsal-extension" (plus a back up for the KPA) while kids with less financial means could have their "start up" with 7000 profiles in the RE.And the kids dont want to "tweak" anyway.You even dont know the difference between different tube-amp sounds when you´re 12-16 years old.


    Exactly my thoughts.

    Although I am a full kemper owner like the rest of you, I am also involved in product development and engineering.


    Cell phones used to be very big, very expensive, and only the very elite had them. I suspect that the people that sold them made a pretty penny on each one sold (the margin was huge).


    Today, cell phones are owned by everyone (including children above grade school age). While the profit on each one is likely small, the overall profit is huge since the numbers sold are so high.


    Imagine what would have happened to a company that stuck with the original cell phone design in an effort to continue keeping their existing customer base happy.


    I don't think Kemper is in any danger of this in the near future. AFAIK, there is only 1 competitor which is currently more expensive (AxeII Fx). I haven't heard any tone comparisons between the new AX8 and the Kemper, but my gut (and history) tells me that it is likely the Kemper would do very well in such a comparison.


    Of course, time passes and the competitive landscape never stays the same.


    If Kemper were to release a floor unit (Oh lets just say it costs ~ $1200 as suggested). Lets say it has all the capabilities of the current Kemper (minus the powered option of course), sure, it would likely canabolize some of the original KPA sales, but it would also bring in lots more sales.


    Today, we have 2 options (for the most part). A 2K kemper paired with $600 Kemper pedal board, or a $150 FCB1010 with a Uno4Kemper chip.


    The former is a better gig rig for several reasons. The latter is a good poor-mans gig rig. Still, the consumer is looking at a $2150 - $2600 gig solution.


    A Kemper floor unit at $1200 would be as usable as the $2600 solution and would be just as functional (from a gig perspective). I would think that a great PC editor via USB would be the best way to get around the HMI issues associated with most floor processors. It also allows the unit cost to be kept lower.


    I don't know about the rest of you, but my use model doesn't allow me to tweak the kemper at gigs. All my tweaking is done outside of a gig environment. Basic controls on the floor board, with a great PC editor would be just fine for me ;)


    Love speculating.


    Regardless, I would not be selling my Kemper. I am very happy with the solution I have.

    Yup.


    A full-featured floorboard unit with a minimal UI (to control costs) would only make sense with a full-featured PC/OSX/iOS editor as a companion. Since FAS doesn't seem keen on the editor front, my suggestion was a rig "player" unit only.