Kemper needs to update

  • Well... It seems to me that the only reasons Kemper would "need" to release a new hardware platform is if A. The existing unit finally ran out of memory and/or horsepower to continue the present upgrading approach, or B. Sales of the current version dropped below a specific threshold due to not being competitive in its market. But if the current model is still meeting all sales goals, then I don't see any reason to fix what ain't broken.

    ...or if they came up with something that was a step change.


    Like i think you are suggesting, I don't think dual amps and touch screens are enough to warrant an upgrade but Kemper might introduce a step change again ( that's my hope).


    I just think that we have such high quality already that its the law of diminishing returns so they need to think in terms of a step change....


    Exciting times!

  • This is an opinion, so don't get all twitchy on me:

    I think the idea of dual amps is incredibly overrated for the benefit you actually get.

    I regularly play with a guy running two KPA racks. He knows *exactly* what he's doing with his gear. Makes a living and toured with it. When we play together, my single Toaster's sound gives up nothing to his dual-setup.

    Personally, I think the whole dual-amp thing has more to do with getting feature parity with Helix and Fractal. "They both do it...and so should Kemper!!"

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

  • I might have posted this before, but it's perfectly possible currently.


    The chain:


    Kemper out to either a mixer or signal splitter => inputs of both amps => Mics to a mixer => output of the mixer to the Kemper. It's basically the same way you would create a multi-mic profile, just add a splitter to the output signal from the Kemper.



  • Personally, I think the whole dual-amp thing has more to do with getting feature parity with Helix and Fractal. "They both do it...and so should Kemper!!"

    i happen to agree about dual amps but that’s also just my personal opinion.


    however, I have also said on numerous occasions that one of the things that impressed me so much about Kemper’s way of working is that rather than just saying we can do it lets go for it.They alway question what problem are we solving? What is the real benefit and who benefits from it? Will it really make things better or just add complexity and feature bloat.


    there are many reasons to change or upgrade a piece of gear but “me too” was never a good business case for anything.

  • All guitar processors could use an update all the time. There's always something to improve.

    But this thread is created as a response to the QC , I feel.

    The Profiler needs an update but QC is certainly not the reason.

  • All guitar processors could use an update all the time. There's always something to improve.

    But this thread is created as a response to the QC , I feel.

    The Profiler needs an update but QC is certainly not the reason.

    It depends on what you call "perfect". The Kemper is designed to "copy" amps. Once you reach that stage where it does that so exactly you cannot tell the difference from the "real thing", what is there to improve? IMO the Kemper was not designed to follow trends others have (4CM, multi amps and paths, super flexible routing etc). It was designed to copy your amp or somebody else's amp and deliver that and it does. In that respect, it IS "perfect".

  • I totally agree. I honestly think for live, simple is best...carries more power and cut.

  • All guitar processors could use an update all the time. There's always something to improve.

    CK has said (repeatedly) that they've taken the profiling code as far as it can be taken. He made no qualifications (that I'm aware of) that adding processing power would yield 'better' performance in this regard. With this - what's the point of updating the processor?

    As I understand it - the code in the KPA has been written and optimized specifically for the chips used. The two are tightly integrated. Therefore, it is far more complicated to alter the hardware than we think. Compared to upgrading the video card in a PC, which is fairly basic, to me it sounds more like trying to get iOS to run on non-Apple silicon.

    Forget it. If you did manage it - it would be about as fast as I am after Christmas dinner.

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

  • CK has said (repeatedly) that they've taken the profiling code as far as it can be taken. He made no qualifications (that I'm aware of) that adding processing power would yield 'better' performance in this regard. With this - what's the point of updating the processor?

    As I understand it - the code in the KPA has been written and optimized specifically for the chips used. The two are tightly integrated. Therefore, it is far more complicated to alter the hardware than we think. Compared to upgrading the video card in a PC, which is fairly basic, to me it sounds more like trying to get iOS to run on non-Apple silicon.

    Forget it. If you did manage it - it would be about as fast as I am after Christmas dinner.

    I didn't specifically say performance updates. :)

  • He made no qualifications (that I'm aware of) that adding processing power would yield 'better' performance in this regard. With this - what's the point of updating the processor?

    Exactly. Like I said, others that come out with the latest greatest are still searching for something. It's just the new mindset of the cell phone generation where you have to have a S10 because it outperforms the S4. The Kemper does what it set out to do and does it well. Some things just work and don't need upgraded or changed around every year; Hammers, Tacos, Jack Daniels etc.

  • No problem! Update i.e. software update.

    Upgrade - better hardware - new device.

    If I understand you are talking update, Kemper updates more than any device I have ever had. Mr. Kempers idea and way he handles his product and updates is of the highest standard other's can't come near.

  • If I understand you are talking update, Kemper updates more than any device I have ever had. Mr. Kempers idea and way he handles his product and updates is of the highest standard other's can't come near.

    I didn't complain!

    I was just pointing out that any and all processors could use an update all the time. There's never a lack of things to improve.

  • I didn't complain!

    I was just pointing out that any and all processors could use an update all the time. There's never a lack of things to improve.

    I agree there's never a lack of things to improve with many things, but Kemper has been doing that continually for many years.

  • I was just pointing out that any and all processors could use an update all the time. There's never a lack of things to improve.

    This is true that eventually they do.


    What has been amazing is Kemper have delivered this capability using the same hardware over nearly 10 years and it seems as if there is still some latitude for further developments on the current hardware.


    Part of this seems to be the close coupling of software and hardware and a long term vision. I think this is some of the brilliance of Mr K rather than just having to throw more DSP at more functions.


    I'm always amazed at the size ( or lack of it) of each .kipr file...tiny!

  • I'm always amazed at the size ( or lack of it) of each .kipr file...tiny!

    I was concerned at first saving all these backups, presets and rigs would take up a bunch of space then I saw how small they were. Very impressive and well thought out. I heard it was done using MIDI language but I would still think it would have to be a bigger file to hold all the parameters and such. I love that about the Kemper.