One week to christmas, and I´ve got only one entry on my list of wishes:
Please let the KPA have a constant internal latency!
At that moment the internal latency gets adjusted randomly. This is confirmed by Kemper tech support.
Some of you may ask, what the problem is. There is no problem when just playing through the KPA. You won´t notice the random latency shifts. There is also no problem when recording track after track after track.
So let me show you some scenarios, where the KPA fails!
I use the KPA mostly in my studio as a billiant source of all guitar sounds imaginable. I also use reamping a lot.
Many producers let the guitar player play through several amps at once, record the amps to separate tracks and mix those tracks to get a unique sound, where every single tracks adds something to the end result.
This can be simulated by reamping one DI track through several amps. I always work like this, e.g. adding a crunchy Plexi tone to a Diezel Herbert heavy sound for more clarity.
Now try to reamp some KPA profiles from one source DI track - you will end up with random phase shifts. This means the two or more reamped tracks will not be in phase and randomly change their sound when mixed together!
You can record a DI track and a profile sound tracks via SPDIF at the same time on the left and the right channel. Try to use the DI track to reamp an additional KPA profile sound. It won´t be in phase to the initially recorded track.
(interesting question: are the left and right channels in phase? I have to test it....)
Think big an built a Bonamassa-style live rig with two or more KPAs, to play different amp profiles together with a splitted guitar signal. The FOH mixer will get two or more signals that are out of phase. He will not be able to handle the random changes in sound.
You will have those changes in your inears, too, or on you monitor speakers.
The KPA is the only digital device I know, that delivers no fixed latency. This limits it´s usabilty for reamping significantly, and other areas are also affected.
I can reamp digital preamps like PODs or Eleven Rack, VST-amp simulations, miced amps, all from one source DI track - and all will be in phase. But as soon as I add one KPA reamp track, the phase is all over the place...
I suggested Kemper tech support some kind of latency switch: fixed for reamping and studio use, and dynamic for live playing. Maybe this compromise can make the best of both worlds happen?
I hope I will get some support for this request!