Profiler Stage Introduction Thread

  • I have my Profiler Stage on preorder. Been using two AX8’s live since their release. Straight to PA and monitors. I have waited forever for Kemper to bring this floor board to market. So glad they have.

    If all works as well as I am hoping, I will be ordering another Profiler Stage and retiring the AX8’s

    Really looking forward to receiving it ?

    Very cool shots! "When" you retire the AX8's, let me know if you want to sell one. I am Kemperfide but still want to try one.

  • Some people have been asking about it for quite a while, hence it comes up quite often. That's what consumer feedback is for.


    Also, the point in asking or wanting that feature is to not have to buy a Helix or Axe-FX, nor have to buy a 2nd KPA.


    These are things people have lived without before, but if its direct competitors offer the option and some people like them or find them useful/inspiring, why not ask and hope the KPA eventually offers it and you're able to create dual profiles in the future using your own setup. As creatives, we're always looking for more tools to help create unique and inspiring soundscapes.

    Hence my starting the post with “For me,.”

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

  • Yep you are exactly right. I was thinking of getting the stage and so close to pulling the trigger, but realised I would need to run 3 XLR’s to the back of the stage for to the bands Mixer for both FOH and the IEM rig and then I’d have to have a power chord at he front also. Where with my KPA rack and remote everything is wired in all I have to do is run the remote cable to the remote at the front of that stage

  • The guitars have two outputs. I want to be able to switch between one signal or the other instantly (this can be done already just by changing rig in a performance) as well as being able to blend the two signals to have acoustic attack mixed in with electric. However, blending from a single output/input means both signals go through both the Stack and Parallel path . I want the ability to separate these but still have more than 1 FX on the parallel path.

    I have a similar guitar, Tom Anderson Crowdster Plus 2. I have found a way to handle what you are talking about on the Kemper that works for me, maybe you can get a bit of inspiration from it. I run the electric signal to the input as normal, effects and amp as expected. For the acoustic signal, I use a separate unit to treat the acoustic signal, send it out in stereo to the “AUX inputs” on the back of the kemper (the same inputs you would use to monitor an MP3 for example). In my case I use a Boss AD-10 which has 1/4” stereo outs. I then turn the aux signal up on my master output. In this way I use the kemper like a mixer to balance the electric and acoustic signals at the kemper then send one stereo signal to FOH, then I can do what you want which is playing acoustic and electric at the same time.


    I do understand what you are saying, you want to be able to plug in your untreated acoustic signal directly into a 2nd kemper to treat your acoustic signal in the parallel path, but not have it treated the same as your electric signal. Because what you are wanting is not possible, the above is the solution I have come up with that works for me.

  • My Hamer Duotone has (as its name implies) both a magnetic and a piezo output. So I am in the same boat as Alan.

    I would love to be able to make full use of these by plugging the electric guitar (magnetic pickups) into one input and the acoustic (Piezo pickup) into a separate input. Then have the Piezo run through the existing parallel path while the magnetic pickups feed the stack.


    I too find that a blend of the two voices can create a fabulous tone. But at times I want either solely piezo and at other times I want solely magnetic voices. Of course, I also want to use effects that are built in to the Kemper. Being able to control which effects and their parameter levels for each path separately is a must.


    Talking about dual amping or parallel effects routing. We have a unique feature set that is relating to the serial signal flow as it is. That is „condition-free spillover“ of the DLY and REV module, individual output sources such as Stack, Mod, Dly&Rev wet - and especially MonitorCabOff, to switch off the cabinet solely for the Monitor Output and run a real guitar speaker through the power amp. Those features can be set globally, without tweaking every individual rig.


    We know that a very large part of our customers utilize and enjoy these features. With dual amping or parallel effects routing those features are not possible, because there would be no determined points in the signal flow any more.


    What do you think?


    CK


    Mr. Kemper, I think I understand what you are saying, when you specify doing this on a single Kemper. But two Kempers in parallel would be able to do dual amp and/or effects routing. The only potential issue I see would be some sort of phase issue between the two Kempers. I note that the Stage can be set as a slave when used with S/PDIF I/O. If you used S/PDIF to connect a Rack or Toaster (set as master) to a Stage (set as slave), would potential phase issues be eliminated?


    And of course with two Kempers, a dual output guitar can have a set of parallel effects.


    I am almost positive I will get a Stage to go with my non powered rack.

  • Wow. Nice addition to the lineup CK.


    While it is possible that some sales of the traditional products will be lost, they will more than be made up by the sales of the "Stage" unit.


    To those that are not understanding this, please consider this from a gigging musicians point of view for a minute.


    To have a real gig rig with either a toaster or rack, you need the foot controller too. This puts you at around $2400.00. There is a WHOLE lot of sunlight between a $2400 Kemper rig and either a Helix or AX8 (both around $1600). I suspect that Kemper will sell the lower priced "Stage" model 2 to 1 over the current head + floorboard combination.... maybe as much as 4 to 1.


    This is a brilliant use of engineering resources and IMO (and I do this kind of thing for a living), will have a tremendous ROI (way better than a Kemper 2 or dual amps). Keeping the same code base for release is also essential. Personally, I would have liked to see a bluetooth interface with an iPhone and Android app for tablet control of editing; however, I totally see the simplicity of keeping as many of the critical buttons and knobs as possible to minimize the code changes needed to support the product.


    While it would be nice not to need to connect a cable to edit remotely (or place the unit on a desk to edit), the vast majority of users will not be doing editing live (I certainly don't do this with the current product and can't ever see doing it in a live situation).


    Professionals, and weekend warriors that prefer a faster stage setup with fewer cables will still greatly prefer the rack or toaster (I fall into that group). I don't see a large percent of people who already own a Kemper buying the new "Stage" .... other than the most ardent supporters here of course :).


    For those that can't quite swing the full $2400 for the "premium" solution, the "stage" $1700 solution gives them the same capabilities and same tone ..... and it is smaller and lighter. Really, this is a winning combination.


    Anyway ..... that is my read on the product. Great strategy CK.

  • AES/EBU is basically the same as the SPDIF protocol with more robust connectors (XLR vs RCA) and support for longer cable runs because it uses balanced lines. It is nothing like the added complexity of a built in USB audio interface. If SPDIF hardware is in place in the KPA, it is simply a different routing of that electric signal - like the difference between unbalance TS outputs and XLR balanced outputs for audio.


    The advantage of AES/EBU for something like the KP Stage is the connectors won't be so prone to coming off like RCA ones do AND you can run your digital output 10 or 20 meters or whatever you need to connect to your interface or digital mixer or whatever. My Fireface UFX takes AES/EBU inputs and I have to run converter cables to get the KPA digital signal in.

  • I think that dual amps isn’t all that people make it out to be.

    I don't get the hype since the beginning for dual amp, I now for sure that I don't need it, for me it's a good way to loose time in tweaking, also in recording situation I managed that I don't use to different amp to play the same part, usually prefer double the guitar part with the same amp sound.


    A good solid amp sound is just enough for me. There are a lot of things that I would like before that.



    For the Profiler stage, a thing is missing that i need is the midi thru, also my kemper as to be close to my laptop/Maschine so the head is the way for me.


    One thing that i will be jealous is the respond time of the expression pedal that will be better than in the remote.

  • Seems that i missed the info that the new Kemper Stage can be set to SPDIF slave. Will the Rack and Toaster also receive this feature?


    "Digital Inputs and Outputs PROFILER Stage

    S/PDIF Input/Output 44.1/48/88.2/96 kHz (24 bit)

    with RCA phone connectors for coax cables

    (master or slave) "

  • I think you might actually need more cables onstage...

    Not for everybody. I am using an active monitor which right now stands right beside the Remote so if I would change my setup to the Stage the difference is the I would be running one XLR cable to back of the stage to connect to the PA instead of instead of the Remote cable. Actually that setup would mean two cables less on stage cause right now my Rack has to be connected to the PA with an XLR cable too and also no long cable is needed to connect the KAP to the monitor. And an additional power cord is also not needed because I need one for my active monitor anyway.

    Edited once, last by Firebird ().