All that and Firmware OS 8.7x

  • Help me understand, because I truly don’t.


    Let’s assume EQs end up in the…uhm….EQ button.


    What one sound requires 8 effects at once?

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

  • Help me understand, because I truly don’t.


    Let’s assume EQs end up in the…uhm….EQ button.


    What one sound requires 8 effects at once?

    While I and many others are not effects heavy players (generally I use only reverb and delay), there are those who work heavily with a sculpted sound and layers in series and parallel of different efx. For them, the simplicity of the Kemper is restrictive. I have frequently thought that these users would be happier with an Axe III Fx which excels at signal chain complexity.

  • While I and many others are not effects heavy players (generally I use only reverb and delay), there are those who work heavily with a sculpted sound and layers in series and parallel of different efx. For them, the simplicity of the Kemper is restrictive. I have frequently thought that these users would be happier with an Axe III Fx which excels at signal chain complexity.

    For me the simplicity and limitations of the Kemper are actually great features. Making it significantly more complicated would be a negative step in my mind. On the other hand, I also get that some players need far more complex routing/effects etc which the AXE (or even Helix) totally excels at. The fact that they are different beast is a good thing as long as you choos the right one. I wouldn’t want to take Ferrari Off Roading and wouldn’t stand much chanch with a Land Rover Defender at a track day. Doesn’t make one better than the other. They are both superb at what they do best.

  • For me the simplicity and limitations of the Kemper are actually great features. Making it significantly more complicated would be a negative step in my mind. On the other hand, I also get that some players need far more complex routing/effects etc which the AXE (or even Helix) totally excels at. The fact that they are different beast is a good thing as long as you choos the right one. I wouldn’t want to take Ferrari Off Roading and wouldn’t stand much chanch with a Land Rover Defender at a track day. Doesn’t make one better than the other. They are both superb at what they do best.

    Totally agree, although everyone will always want the best of both worlds, which is fair I suppose, but as with your analogy can lead to compromises that aren't favorable.


    As you requested yourself I think, the ability to select which effects are pre and post might help.

  • For me the simplicity and limitations of the Kemper are actually great features. Making it significantly more complicated would be a negative step in my mind. On the other hand, I also get that some players need far more complex routing/effects etc which the AXE (or even Helix) totally excels at. The fact that they are different beast is a good thing as long as you choos the right one.

    Same here ! ;):thumbup:

    I had a Helix before and tried all i could do.

    At the end, didn't/don't catch why i should use a complex chain. Even a multi-amp or an amp with many cabs sims is useless FOR ME !

    I have to switch quickly between a clean fender tone to a crunchy Marshall but nothing else....

  • For me the simplicity and limitations of the Kemper are actually great features. Making it significantly more complicated would be a negative step in my mind. On the other hand, I also get that some players need far more complex routing/effects etc which the AXE (or even Helix) totally excels at. The fact that they are different beast is a good thing as long as you choos the right one. I wouldn’t want to take Ferrari Off Roading and wouldn’t stand much chanch with a Land Rover Defender at a track day. Doesn’t make one better than the other. They are both superb at what they do best.


    Same here ! ;):thumbup:

    I had a Helix before and tried all i could do.

    At the end, didn't/don't catch why i should use a complex chain. Even a multi-amp or an amp with many cabs sims is useless FOR ME !

    I have to switch quickly between a clean fender tone to a crunchy Marshall but nothing else....

    Yep. I am with you guys. That is why I am a Kemper guy ;).


    4 in front and 4 in back is more than enough for me and my FX needs. In the front 4, If I use anything, it will be a noise gate and drive (sometimes just pureboost) so I can get 2 exact tones from a single rig.


    I do know guys that layer it on thick though. I am just not one of them. I have a good friend with an Axe III Fx. If I am feeling the need to fiddle, I can borrow it for a week or two ;).

  • I'm someone who does use several effects because it's the style of music that I play. So in one song, I might go from a clean amp with some comp, a dual delay, and 2 different reverbs, to a dry heavy tone with just a boost, to a lead with a boost, poly octave, delay before the amp, different single delay after the amp, and totally different reverb, then back to the original clean dual delay sound, but with boost engaged. Suffice to say, a few simple improvements would make my life easier, such as the ability to remember the state of morphs and pedals when switching rigs in a performance, per-performance effect slots, set morph to pedals 1-4, or even a Helix-style snapshot option. I don't see how any of those things would take away from the simplicity that others enjoy.


    Back to the car analogy, I'm not asking to take a Ferrari offroading, I would just like it more if the Ferrari had a power convertible top.

  • I'm someone who does use several effects because it's the style of music that I play. So in one song, I might go from a clean amp with some comp, a dual delay, and 2 different reverbs, to a dry heavy tone with just a boost, to a lead with a boost, poly octave, delay before the amp, different single delay after the amp, and totally different reverb, then back to the original clean dual delay sound, but with boost engaged. Suffice to say, a few simple improvements would make my life easier, such as the ability to remember the state of morphs and pedals when switching rigs in a performance, per-performance effect slots, set morph to pedals 1-4, or even a Helix-style snapshot option. I don't see how any of those things would take away from the simplicity that others enjoy.


    Back to the car analogy, I'm not asking to take a Ferrari offroading, I would just like it more if the Ferrari had a power convertible top.

    Those things sound easy enough to implement in the current KPA architecture. Hope you get them!


    When people ask for things like double the efx slots, multiple amps, flexible routing like Helix and Axe III Fx, etc, it isn't just a tweak to the existing framework, it is a whole new product. I think your asks are easily within the wheel-house of plausible.

  • Help me understand, because I truly don’t.


    Let’s assume EQs end up in the…uhm….EQ button.


    What one sound requires 8 effects at once?

    EQ button? Where on the stage?
    and who said at once?

    Let me explain it (as best as I can do)


    post fx -> X: eq , Mod: chorus, delay: delay, verb: verb

    What if I want a tremolo or choose between two delays.
    what’s the problem of having eq built in cab block? It just free one effect block. Use it if you want don’t if you don’t.
    Where do I put a phaser, a double tracker ?


    Pre: 1: wha 2: noise gate , 3 : boost , 4: drive

    what if for exemple I want an octaver?


    For the moment I use a lot of performances and switch all the time.
    I play in 3 bands, 250 songs at least. It’s a nightmare sometimes if we choose songs on the fly.

    It would easier for MY way to work to have some more effect at disposal on one rig. Not all at once all the time but having the possibility to do it.

    I have to play a lot of « medleys » that requires a lot of effects and variable gain stages. I have to make choices every time because of things like Eq or noise gate. 5 rigs is sometimes not enough.


    I just want to have more flexibility. More like I would do with amp, effects and midi looper/switcher.

    Having switching effects scenes could also help a lot. For the moment you can’t. It’s great but I could be greater. you can assign a lot of effect on one switch but it’s either all on/off or 1/2 w and 3/4wo vice versa.

    Having the possibilities to also switch on/off effects with morphing would help reduce the numbers of performances. You could have morphing as it is and « morphing scene » available. It would also help reducing the time copy/pasting or tweak rig. It’s fun when you have 20 rigs but becomes a nightmare when you have to do it 90 times. Just be able to recall a morphing scene on a rig would be cool.

    Hope you get it now, if you don’t, never mind.

    That’s not important, that’s I would want for MY use.
    My wishes don’t stop you to use your kemper as it is now.

  • If my post sounded antagonistic to you in some way, that was not my intent.


    I see what you’re talking about.


    It’s another example of the idea that it can’t be all things to all people. A Helix or AxeFX can do what you want…with their own inherent trade offs..

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

  • If my post sounded antagonistic to you in some way, that was not my intent.


    I see what you’re talking about.


    It’s another example of the idea that it can’t be all things to all people. A Helix or AxeFX can do what you want…with their own inherent trade offs..

    no everything’s cool 👍.


    Yes it’s all wishes and dreams lol.


    Long story short, I bought the kemper in a hurry, because I had to have a unit for work and the waiting list for a fractal was not possible.


    I have my kemper since last April and honestly at first coming from the tube world I hated it lol.
    i had to re-educate my ears to a miced amp tone and have to go through the profiles rabbit hole. Find a guy that profiles amps you like with the same « ears » as yours.
    But since December, I’m really enjoying and loving playing with it, dynamics are awesome, tones can be near perfect. (Maybe it’s because we’re playing in the same kind of bands but Thanks to Bert for his profiles)


    i guess we’re just kids in adult world that always want more candys 😂.

  • Helix is fantastic from a usability standpoint and has excellent effects, but the core amp tones are just not there for me. Fractal sounds great, but it's about as easy and enjoyable to use as doing my taxes or going to the DMV. Kemper Stage is the sweet spot for me, so I just want a few extra niceties.

  • I just had a thought. I have speculated that the design of a Kemper MINI would require most operations to be done through a phone or tablet app (even before they existed). This would let the device work with a minimum of physical controls and thus make it easier to make it smaller and less expensive.


    Since this new release includes support for an iPhone app, perhaps this is the prelude to the Kemper MINI announcement :).

  • I just had a thought. I have speculated that the design of a Kemper MINI would require most operations to be done through a phone or tablet app (even before they existed). This would let the device work with a minimum of physical controls and thus make it easier to make it smaller and less expensive.


    Since this new release includes support for an iPhone app, perhaps this is the prelude to the Kemper MINI announcement :).

    That would be fun, but as a person who will never get an iAnything it's sad at the same time.

  • I just had a thought. I have speculated that the design of a Kemper MINI would require most operations to be done through a phone or tablet app (even before they existed). This would let the device work with a minimum of physical controls and thus make it easier to make it smaller and less expensive.


    Since this new release includes support for an iPhone app, perhaps this is the prelude to the Kemper MINI announcement :).

    Unless something dramatic has changed, it can’t be.


    The Profiler code is written specifically for the chip it runs on. Not at all unlike Apple optimizing their code to run on their silicon.


    Can’t have one without the other.

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

  • Unless something dramatic has changed, it can’t be.


    The Profiler code is written specifically for the chip it runs on. Not at all unlike Apple optimizing their code to run on their silicon.


    Can’t have one without the other.

    Agree; however, there is nothing to prevent them from using the exact same architecture and simply not having very many physical controls on the foot controller. In fact, that is the only way it makes any sense at all. The stage already has a built in WiFi chip for this purpose. Wouldn't take much of a change to eliminate a bunch of physical controls and shrink it down to something a little smaller than the current foot controller (not stage), and put a few more hooks into the common code base for the MINI.

  • As flattering as that may be, I truly doubt that as the OP, my thread had any influence. I'm "Mr. Nobody" (Fast & Furious reference).

    Peace out,


    JP (Pierre) Moatti