No, WE don't need a kemper2

  • All I tried to say is that a fancy graphical touch UI on the hardware wouldn't be the solution to all problems.


    Nothing beats dedicated knobs and buttons for quick adjustments.

    I agree...a touch UI does not solve all problems.


    But let’s take the output section of the KPA as an example. Currently on the hardware, in order to get to the output EQ’s, we need to press the Output button, the a number of other button presses are necessary (I don’t remember how many as I’m not in front of my KPA) to get to the EQ you want to adjust. One more button press to exit.


    It works fine for the most part, but it is a lot of button presses, and just as big a distraction from playing the gig as anything.


    If you look at the touchscreen on the QC, a simple swipe down gets you to the output section, (where you can see ALL the components) one touch selects the component you want to work on, and then the footswitches - which are also basically knobs - are used to make changes.


    This is attractive to me. The fact that you have the option to adjust on the touchscreen itself OR use physical knobs is excellent.


    The same goes for editing the stomp and FX parameters on The KPA. On some stops it’s rather simple as there are few controls and they all fit on the first page. On others, again you have to hit many buttons to access the control you’d like to adjust.


    A more immediate way to access all the parameters, whether it’s a touchscreen or not, would be of great benefit to me.

  • Nothing beats dedicated knobs and buttons for quick adjustments.

    And yet I prefer RM over controlling the Kemper by physical knobs ;) And plenty prefer vst synths over the physical synths. It’s just way easier imho to noodle around on a big screen than doing it the old school way. I bought an expensive midi keyboard to control vst’s. I use Cubase and Reason. Always used Reason for midi, so I bought midi keyboard dedicated to Reason at that time. Did I ever use it? No. It was a romantic idea to sit down and use the knobs etc and feel “at one with the music”. I never play chords or anything on the keyboard. I draw everything in. It’s just more convenient to me. But the conclusion must be, that we are very much different ;)

  • I never play chords or anything on the keyboard. I draw everything in. It’s just more convenient to me. But the conclusion must be, that we are very much different ;)

    No b_ryan that’s not different, that weird ? you have some serious issues that might need professional help before you end up hurting yourself ?

  • Before the Kemper was announced, no one in the public had imagined such a thing would be invented, generally speaking. Mr. Kemper is likely to bring an even newer technology, that maybe is or isn't related to the KPA . The Virus synth series has also been unique, so I suspect there may be something coming that is also unique, once again.

  • And for this we don't need a Profiler 2 ... because all this can be done with software and the current Profiler. No new hardware required.

    No....the hardware is ten years old. That’s what need a touch up to stay in the game for the next ten years. Plenty of cool stuff to be added, but cannot as long as the hardware is limited.

  • Before the Kemper was announced, no one in the public had imagined such a thing would be invented, generally speaking. Mr. Kemper is likely to bring an even newer technology, that maybe is or isn't related to the KPA . The Virus synth series has also been unique, so I suspect there may be something coming that is also unique, once again.

    I believe so as well.

  • Before the Kemper was announced, no one in the public had imagined such a thing would be invented, generally speaking. Mr. Kemper is likely to bring an even newer technology, that maybe is or isn't related to the KPA . The Virus synth series has also been unique, so I suspect there may be something coming that is also unique, once again.

    We will see. We will see. But kemper saved me and money from buying a axe fx which I intended to do. <3 Talk about in the nick of time. Puh!

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau

  • Indeed both the virus as well the profiler are already "legendary tools" for musicians.


    Would it make sense to combine or use both as inspiration to create a new tool?


    Technically impossible?Unprofitable?


    I hope not.


    Is there a chance that we will ever hear @CKs opinion on this?

  • I'm no engineer, but I was thinking, most of these companies including Kemper provide software updates which helps keep things fresh and relevant. For the kemper it has been out for a decade and is still very relevant in it's consumer class.


    I have wondered though, why wouldn't engineers of such devices be forward thinking and try to plan a device that could also be upgraded with hardware? Maybe the forecasting of technology is too difficult, I don't know, but think about it this way, if a unit could have a motherboard or even processors that could be upgraded or even additional devices added such as a wireless network adapter or even io's that would allow for the Kemper to be used as an audio enterface for direct recording.


    I may be way out of my depth here, but I see how PCs and different types of hardware/software systems are updated and I have wondered, with the sturdy construction of the Kemper and similar units, what would be the odds of developing some type of plug and play interface, where parts are simply unplugged and new parts are plugged in?

  • I'm no engineer, but I was thinking, most of these companies including Kemper provide software updates which helps keep things fresh and relevant. For the kemper it has been out for a decade and is still very relevant in it's consumer class.


    I have wondered though, why wouldn't engineers of such devices be forward thinking and try to plan a device that could also be upgraded with hardware? Maybe the forecasting of technology is too difficult, I don't know, but think about it this way, if a unit could have a motherboard or even processors that could be upgraded or even additional devices added such as a wireless network adapter or even io's that would allow for the Kemper to be used as an audio enterface for direct recording.


    I may be way out of my depth here, but I see how PCs and different types of hardware/software systems are updated and I have wondered, with the sturdy construction of the Kemper and similar units, what would be the odds of developing some type of plug and play interface, where parts are simply unplugged and new parts are plugged in?

    I am also a tech-dummie but I could I imagine that this is difficult for many reasons.The older the tech the more difficult to replace only certain key elements.It is always a matter of cost-effectiveness..


    Maybe it would be more effective to keep for example the Profiler as it is and just ad fitting tools around it.

    A synth module.A I/O module.A module for multiple amps/cabs..this would be easier and save costs?Does it?


    But what seemed once a good idea(we had such a discussion years ago here) right now seems uneconomical.The fx are already upgraded.Many new features have been added(morphing,kone,drives)..


    In any case it could be that the kpa has reached its limits.And a follow up is already in the planning.Not to appear to soon but who knows.The competition is strong.The "digital modeler community" has always (D)GAS in it's most extreme form and as far as I can understand ..10 years for a digital tool with no hardware upgrade..this is to much to bear for most guys of this community.

  • I'd buy a Kemper 2. The past 10 years analog to digital and digital to analog chips have gotten better. Using the latest and greatest chip sets would only improve the tone capture and playing tone. I did a shootout recently with some mid grade audio interfaces released recently and they sounded better to my ears than my dedicated $2000 ADDA units released 10 to 15 years ago. The new interfaces sound clearer and have more detail.


    Also faster modern processing would allow the use of better and more complex captures of the amplifiers. There's a tradeoff between accuracy of an algorithm and latency of the algorithm creating the tone for the player. If the algorithm is 100% accurate but takes 1 second to to create it is unusable for a player. Approximations, simplifications and filters are needed to get the modeling done fast enough to keep the latency down. It's amazing what the Kemper can do with such little latency as is.


    I think my Kemper and Kone combination sounds really great but if you watch the recently posted YouTube videos comparing the real amps with the Quad Cortex and the Kemper, the real thing seems to win out to my ears especially with the clean tones.

  • I'm certainly not an advocate for a Kemper 2 "just because". But what makes you so sure a Kemper Profiler 2 would not justify the investment? All I read from your post is "money, money, money" ... money you don't have in your pocket anyway because you have spent it on the Kemper Profiler already. You want to sell it and get most of your money back? Sell it now. But what will you replace it with? Or you want to keep it? Then what's the fuss about money? I have a hard time understanding you. ;)


    Hello, allow me to introduce myself, Steph, from Belgium, teacher and owner of 2 houses and 3 apartments (so 4 rental buildings).


    In 25 years of music, I have only bought 3 guitars (my Gibson LP studio is my most expensive) and 2 amps (the second being the kemper).



    I have money BUT I only spend it on things that I think are necessary and useful to me. Very thoughtful purchases.



    The Kemper was developed on hardware that was already "outdated" at the base (very old dsp, insignificant ram) but the kemper's software is very efficient and can still be improved.


    The release of a kpa2 would mean the end of software development.

  • The release of a kpa2 would mean the end of software development.

    Well, maybe, yeah - but I mean, it is ok to step up the hardware after some point.

    People are always asking for improvements, but there's limits to what and how fast can be computed. When you reach the ceiling, either you upgrade the hardware, or start cutting corners.

    Kemper has already proved - I would say, after 10 years! - that they're not that kind of company to release a new hardware every 2 years just to get money out of our pockets, so I am sure if they did it would be to actually to bring next-level algorithms to the table, and given the quality shown so far I would buy something like that in a heartbeat.

  • CK has already stated that the most complex work that taxes the DSP has already been completed with the Reverbs and Delays. Now everything after that will be added won't tax the DSP so it's basically down to how much more they think can be feasibly done before they look at a newer KPA. Can't see them guillotining support for the Stage since it's so new in its lifecycle..

  • Well, maybe, yeah - but I mean, it is ok to step up the hardware after some point.

    People are always asking for improvements, but there's limits to what and how fast can be computed. When you reach the ceiling, either you upgrade the hardware, or start cutting corners.

    Kemper has already proved - I would say, after 10 years! - that they're not that kind of company to release a new hardware every 2 years just to get money out of our pockets, so I am sure if they did it would be to actually to bring next-level algorithms to the table, and given the quality shown so far I would buy something like that in a heartbeat.

    And that is one reason why the kemper has become a succes. Users don't like to pay much for a thing that will be discontinued after a few years and need to sell it cheap just to upgrade to the new mkII and only to find in a couple of years they have to do it again. I guess many ex Fractal users are happy they purchased a kemper.

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau