Ideas for a Kemper 2 in the future.

  • I just bought my Kemper ( classic unpowered toaster) and so many of these features you’ve all mentioned would be amazing. For me the number one feature I want is instant boot. Waiting for this thing to fire up before I can play is painful. Had me considering how to go about upgrading the ram and the hard drive myself the other day lol.

  • I just bought my Kemper ( classic unpowered toaster) and so many of these features you’ve all mentioned would be amazing. For me the number one feature I want is instant boot. Waiting for this thing to fire up before I can play is painful. Had me considering how to go about upgrading the ram and the hard drive myself the other day lol.

    If you haven't already, utilize Rig Manager and only keep your favorites Rigs on the head itself. I have thousands of profiles from various packs and so forth in Rig Manager, some I've never even tried. So after some point, it's not worth keeping what you don't need when time matters on the KPA itself. You'll cut down on the load up time substantially if you do this. Plus if you're away from your computer, it's a lot easier to navigate through rigs and such if you don't have too many on I've found that if I turn on my KPA, it's ready to go by the time plug in a guitar cable and hook up a guitar. About as fast as the QC turns on btw.

  • I only keep around 4-5 profiles on my powerhead at any given time but I kinda like the boot up time myself. It's like being on virtual standby waiting for the virtual tubes to start cooking. :)

  • MIDI command Center.


    Yeah yeah. This one is a copy from others but the Helix command Center and even the QC’s one is something that I want so much for Kemper to offer. The current options are so limited.


    Guitar profiling (built in) (as a guitar kit)

    Similar concept to the SIM1 which took inspiration from KPA. Pretty sure Kemper can do an even greater job at this.

  • I’m not the only one but… a small pedal version no larger than the HX Stomp. And make it able to load two profiles. I’d be happy if it just did that and no effect blocks… it would be entirely for amp tones and a pedal board platform or studio tool for adding plugins to.

    I'm here to see if Kemper is moving towards something new since I'm maybe getting the IK Multimedia ToneX pedal. It does pretty much what you're asking for, unless you mean two amps simultaneous (it stores many, but only one can be active). The ToneX capture is really great too, so basically I really want Kemper to take the next step cause I still really dig my toaster and would love to stay in the Kemper family!

    Why not the ToneX for me yet? One cannot split signal to support Amp AND FOH. Nor does it have a FX loop, making it impossible to place delays or other time based effects before the built in reverb. So, Kemper; Yes to the small format. Keep the Kempers possibility to select signal path per output, and add a FX loop. Quickly please, before IK does it ^^

  • I would like a small format factor unit, something like BluGuitar Amp1 or Helix Stomp.

    Improved amp capture.
    Possibility to run two amps simultaneous. Preferably as stereo (4 outputs).

    Assignable outputs so I can send different signals to e.g. an external amp+speaker and FOH.
    Some core FX should be built in, like compressor, boost, delay & reverb.
    Type/style of FX should be editable.

    Each amp should have it's own, or shared (selectable) FX loop that can be moved pre/post the built in effects and preamp/speaker sim.

    The BluGuitar Amp1 has a really nice amp section, so I'll add the request for a 100w amp also that can be run in stereo.
    On must be able to run the unit without any speakers connected.

    Cheers!

  • ?(

    It's NOT a PC.

    Very true, just had me wishing it was because I already build computers! :) I was just thinking about the instant on that new macbooks have with their SOC and thinking of how that could be applied to something like the Kemper if/when a new version is released.


    Genuinely if startup time is my only complaint (which it is) then things are going swimmingly indeed.


    If you haven't already, utilize Rig Manager and only keep your favorites Rigs on the head itself. I have thousands of profiles from various packs and so forth in Rig Manager, some I've never even tried. So after some point, it's not worth keeping what you don't need when time matters on the KPA itself. You'll cut down on the load up time substantially if you do this. Plus if you're away from your computer, it's a lot easier to navigate through rigs and such if you don't have too many on I've found that if I turn on my KPA, it's ready to go by the time plug in a guitar cable and hook up a guitar. About as fast as the QC turns on btw.

    This is great advice that I read somewhere else when I first got my unit and you are spot on. I have loads of rigs but like most I suspect I tend to play a handful more than any others for my day to day tones practicing and whatnot. How many do you usually have on the profiler itself? I assume I can backup the stock profiles somewhere and remove those as well correct?

  • Very true, just had me wishing it was because I already build computers! :) I was just thinking about the instant on that new macbooks have with their SOC and thinking of how that could be applied to something like the Kemper if/when a new version is released.


    Genuinely if startup time is my only complaint (which it is) then things are going swimmingly indeed.


    This is great advice that I read somewhere else when I first got my unit and you are spot on. I have loads of rigs but like most I suspect I tend to play a handful more than any others for my day to day tones practicing and whatnot. How many do you usually have on the profiler itself? I assume I can backup the stock profiles somewhere and remove those as well correct?

    You can back up everything. A good rule is to create a backup anytime you do significant change. I like to do one before I update to the latest OS, just in case something goes wrong. (In the 11 years owning a head, now a stage, I've never had to to utilize a backup, but peace of mind...) You can create a backup with a USB drive or from within Rig manager and it saves wherever you like on your computer. For the factory content, within Rig manager there are Rig packs in the left side. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but these are the categories of free stuff from Kemper, which I believe includes all of the factory content. Not sure if all of this comes installed on a new unit or not. But suffice it to say that all of that stuff is always available in those folders for you to import into your physical kemper. There's also the Rig exchange folder, which includes every Rig that's ever been shared on the user exchange and updates automatically whenever you open up Rig manager. When your kpa is hooked to Rig manager you can drag any of those rigs into the local library, where you can place commercial profiles, copies of ones from the factory rig packs or rig exchange, and ones you've made. Any of those in the local folder, rig packs, or rig exchange can be dragged to your physical KPA. Likewise any on your physical kpa can be dragged into the local folder.

    If you haven't done so, watch a tutorial on how to utilize Rig Manager, as it's easier to see than explain. In any case, it's super easy to drag whatever you want onto your KPA. Often there's little need to. When using Rig Manager you can play any Rig in any of those folders just by double clicking on it. You only need to drag it onto your KPA itself if you want to use it when not connected to your computer.

  • Genuinely if startup time is my only complaint (which it is) then things are going swimmingly indeed.

    I have a friend's Quad Cortex I'm trying out for the next week or so.

    Comparing startup times between my Toaster and the QC show that, yeah....the QC boots faster. But only by around 10 seconds.

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

  • I just returned the QC after three weeks. I SO wanted to love!. The KPA generation 1 in my opinion is a superior product and has more power and versatility where it counts.


    Pros: the captures and such sounded great, not better than kpa profiles. I like the touch screen for naming things. I like how it took so little room on my desk and could fit in my computer book bag. That's about it. Can function as an interface. But, I already own an interface that I leave on in my office while working, would never want to leave my kpa or QC left on all day so I can use it to listen to music through my studio monitors.

    Cons:

    1) Dual amps is cool, but I couldn't find a combo I'd prefer to any single amp, so what's the point of adding the complexity for editing sake?

    2) No volume compensation. The supposed time saved with a touch screen? I forgot how much I hated compensating volume after making minor gain adjustments; wasted so much time. Set up some scenes with different gain stages, then realize that overall it's too loud compared to other presets. back and forth, back and forth adjust, adjust, compare, hit save, repeat...... Oh wait, I could just adjust the overall volume by adding a EQ effect at end of chain, darn not enough DSP.

    3) No dual delays. You NEED to set up a parallel path to merely have a 1/4 and 1/8 dotted delay. Delays in general were quite limited compared to KPA. The kpa delays come with so much complexity that I personally never need two at the same moment in time anyway; with spillover in the delay slot, there's no need to cram additional delays in the same Rig for other songs or parts of songs; just copy paste the rig and add a different delay.

    4) No effect presets. You can only set the default for an effect type. Huge waste of time.

    5) No ducking anything. I use ducking delays and even a little ducking on more ambient reverb all the time, cuts down on tap dancing. KPA has ducking on all delays, reverbs, mods, pitch, etc.

    6) No editor: the touch screen speeds some things up, but then it's on the floor, whereas the iPad/iphone app for the kpa takes a moment to turn on.

    7) Not enough foot switches, which are too close together btw. You have to use Scenes since there's an audio gap and no spillover between presets. But it's cumbersome to get to another preset; getting back to preset mode requires stepping on two switches, and then hit them together again to get back to Scene mode. BTW the footswitches make this irritating scratchy sound when pressed. The KPA's front row of switches are closer to the ground requiring less foot raising and easier access to the second row as well. No dedicated tuner button on the QC, I kept screwing up the bpm trying to access the tuner.

    7) a vulgar exaggeration of power. I ran out of DSP using a compressor, 1 OD, two captures, an EQ, two delays (necessary because they don't have a dual delay model) and a reverb! I had to turn off the global EQ! And yes I correctly spread everything out among two sections to utilize all of its DSP. Though the kpa only does one profile at time, I could do all of these other things on the kpa, only needing 1 delay module to do what QC needs two to do, add an extra OD model, add a couple mod effects, utilize the looper, transpose, a 2nd compressor via the amp block compression, no need to turn off the global eq! Even better I can do all this on the kpa and go to another rig without an audio gap and maintain spillover, unlike the QC.

    8) The capture menu on the QC is an absolute mess. Even though I downloaded less than 100 amps+cabs, presets, and OD captures it was a total pain to find what I was looking for. Totally disorganized, unsearchable, stupid categories. Suppose you capture the amp and speaker of a Fender twin? This would go in one category. Then capture the Fender twin plugged into a physical separate guitar cabinet. This is supposed to go in another category! Even though they're both capturing an amplifier and a speaker! Create or worse download a bunch of captures and try and remember which ones are in which category! and then scroll down the whole list of each trying to find the one you are looking for.

  • Holy cow.

  • I’ve got access to a QC for the next week or so.


    I’ve got a few hours of time with it.

    The captures are good. Very good, IMO. But there are no controls to tweak beyond B, M, T, gain and volume. It either fits or it doesn’t. The feel of a capture vs a Profile is…..different. Not better, not worse. Just different.


    The time-based effects are….meh. Adding one puts a very digital ‘sheen’ on the sound. That makes it sound worse than it is.


    The size and user interface are killer. Lightyears beyond the Profiler and even the Helix in many ways. I love the footswitch/encoder combo.

    So far I just like it…..but I’m not really inspired. The effects ruin it for me. The Profiler received a massive update to its delays and reverbs, so we know how that can improve.


    For the best part of two grand? I won’t say never, but certainly not yet.

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

  • IMO, all of this gets down to the basic concept and design goals of the original KPA. It does quite a bit. It does it really well, and it is easy to get there.


    While some may advocate a move to the routing monster chain that is Fractal, Neural and Line 6's forte, I am still a very strong advocate of the "Kemper Way".


    KISS! (.... and make it sound great).

  • IMO, all of this gets down to the basic concept and design goals of the original KPA. It does quite a bit. It does it really well, and it is easy to get there.


    While some may advocate a move to the routing monster chain that is Fractal, Neural and Line 6's forte, I am still a very strong advocate of the "Kemper Way".


    KISS! (.... and make it sound great).

    This!



    We already have units that do all the routing etc and the main complaint against them is complexity and difficulty to use on stage. The Kemper sacrifice some of the flexibility for simplicity and easy of use. There are room for both options and users can decide which suits their needs best. For me it is the Kemper simplicity by a mile.

  • After spending enough time with a Quad Cortex to know that 1) It doesn’t suck. Not even close, and 2) it just doesn’t ‘fit’ for me, I recognized a great feature of the Profiler.


    The Kemper-only amp controls. Definition, Clarity, Direct Mix, etc.


    Minor changes to these can have a huge impact on results. I don’t think that gets talked about enough.

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