Tha KPA in say ...10 years from now. Where do we wanna go?

  • Time for a bit of philosophy.....
    When I was sifting through the feature request wish list it kind of struck me; what kind of gear will the Kemper PA
    be when I turn 60 (thats 9 years to be exact)? As I work as a engineer I know that any good product developement is
    based on incremental/iterative feature adding until one reach the point where you you can't get further without totally
    rewriting the concept paper.


    So, if we would lift our eyes towards the horizon and maybe give mr Kemper some revolutionary ideas to go,
    what do you think are the main features of the Kemper PA (or whatever if it's still around) in 2022?
    If we look 10 years back in the mirror, for example the VOX ToneLab was introduced (I had one myself) and we all know
    this is obsolete by now. This was a modeling type of device.The one unique idea of the KPA is the profiling concept. This makes it
    truly unique apart from the modelers. If we stop at the obsoleted modelers for a while and reflect over them, ask yourselves:
    - What was good and what was bad about the particular device
    - Why did it become obsolete?
    - What type of equipment obsoleted it? Thas maybe several but one good example is enough
    - What was the key properties of that, new equipment?
    So, when looking at these quiestions and their answers, what does the future hold? Think big, try to imagine the
    holy grail of amp techniqe. The one that actually makes you a better player ;). I go first:


    1. Has built in backtracks and a HDMI output to allow for a screen where you can read the sheetmusic (or tabs)
    along with a camera view of the player to show the riffs/licks.
    2. Voice control - "Hey, load my XXX rig and turn up the presence two notches. I'll use my Les Paul"!
    (maybe a bit silly as its not particulary useful in a gig situation) but great for home pratice and thats
    where we spend most of our time don't we ^^ )
    3. Better DSPs renders more calculating power. We should be able to mimick some fancy guitar/amp
    feedback by then.
    I'm sure someone can do better than me in gazing into the future. What will the next unique feature be?
    Will it be feedback profiling?
    Lets hear it :)

  • If the Kemper does too much more it may make my wife obselete. :whistling:

    New talent management advice to Laura Cox -


    “Laura want to break the internet? let’s shoot another video of you covering the Nightrain solo in the blue singlet, but this time we’ll crank up the air conditioning”.

  • Kemper with stereo input @ 192 kHz 32bit float precision. Stereo Profiling possible, mic inputs with 48 V support :)
    A Kemper Power-Combo line FRFR 1x12 with wedge option, 2x12, 4x12
    A collectors Version: a Kemper wich looks like an old Marshall top.
    A Floorboard-only version, without profiling capability for half the price
    A small Kemper Pedal. 128 Presets, editing only via USB. For a quarter of price.
    A "profile my Pickups" feature - editable like in Rolands VG 99. A special "kemper string" is hold over the PU, and it oscillates in a special pattern similar to the profiling sounds. The output is analysed and measured.
    A "profile strings" feature. Could be done via a speaker, wich makes the strings resonate, and the according output through the piezo pickup is analysed and measured.


    Maybe I should apply as crazy ideas- machine :D

  • I want it to Just be about the same in 10 years... if it ever gets too complicated it will just be another pain in the AZZ...


    it sounds amazing, it's not a toy and I really get the feeling some people here miss the point a little


    if we have to mic amps in our apartments just to get a decent guitar amp tone into out DAWS, I for one would be very Pizzed :!:





    Leg em down and yackem smackem

  • I want it to Just be about the same in 10 years... if it ever gets too complicated it will just be another pain in the AZZ...


    it sounds amazing, it's not a toy and I really get the feeling some people here miss the point a little


    if we have to mic amps in our apartments just to get a decent guitar amp tone into out DAWS, I for one would be very Pizzed :!:

    I know what you mean. I think no one wants a more complicated man/machine interface but actually makes it
    easier to use and helps you to become a better player.

  • If we keep getting amp profiles & rigs at the pace we've seen the last 6 months, I'm pretty sure 10 years from now the demand for profiling amps will be mostly gone. Instead I could bet some wealth on a small, portable profile/rig player that makes the Korg Pandora Mini and comparable devices obsolete.


    If the Kemper Profiling Environment wants to remain successful, they will have to come up with another, much more refined Rig Exchange platform. The current implementation is really really basic and far from being an attractive and inspiring platform.


    For the KPA itself I think there's room for one more hardware generation with higher input/processing/output resolution, much more flexible audio output options incl. USB audio interface, selectable sample rate and bit depth, more digital audio connectivity, not just the consumer friendly S/PDIF, option to be slaved to external sync (word clock via BNC). Enhanced computing power should enable dual profile rigs.


    And now away from thinking hardware only:
    I'm pretty sure there would be some considerable interest in a Kemper VST plugin as well. Basically it's all software anyway, so at some point in time (and 10 years is quite some time) , re-amping on a DAW could be done with the Kemper VST Plugin Suite. :)


    Many more potential directions but this should be enough for now ... from my side.


    Cheers,
    Martin

  • I wouldn't say the Tonelab is obsolete, it has a use in the chain of affordability for new and younger players or those less able to put this much kind of money into a hobby.


    What I LOVED about the Tonelab was it was the closest to a real tube simulation I'd heard.


    What I LOVED about the POD XT was the online software and integration to the community presets. The upgrades were just automatic and done from hooking it up to the computer.


    What I LOVED about the 11R was reamping and integration to my DAW, although I had to use Pro Tools and I prefer Reaper.


    So I would say this about a future "KPA":


    1) It already has the realism of an amp but it needs these improvements:
    a) Fleshing out accurate profiles of amps it currently can't profile well
    b) Being able to integrate multiple profiles of an amp into one, for a complete RIG, rather than 11 rigs to flesh out an amps possible tones.
    c) Showing a picture of the amp you are using, user uploadable, HA!
    d) Skins so we can pimp out various TOLEX covers
    e) A VST would be cool, but one that works in tandem with an external hardware unit that provides the raw DSP needed, a la Universal Audio.
    2) A software component that can:
    a) automatically upgrade the OS
    b) allow for drop n drag rig adding of rigs
    c) allow banks or folders to be setup and managed externally then dumped into the Kemper
    d) Allow deeper routing so pedals can be setup and paired (double delay)
    e) Of course, this involves allowing a wifi to be added to one of the I/O ports in the back! Or direct I/O connection.
    3) A virtual laser interactive keyboard, and virtual laser screen. Even if it's remotely controlled or used through a new "ipod" that has those features, which are on the way.

  • I'm new to the KPA but it seems that it's not possible to profile stopboxes and effects as standalone profiles. It would be cool to be able to profile your favourite pedals, especially modded o/d's, etc.

  • These are all EXCELLENT ideas. Especially 1. b). I like the way you think db. :thumbup:

  • I think the sound is like 90% - 95% of a tube amp and far better than any device on this planet, in my opinion.
    So the only thing that could get better , is the user interface. I used to have an Digitech 2112 with its dedicated
    pedalboard control one. That is the best and most flexible set up to this day. You could control every parameter
    with the exp. pedal. The sound was....ähm... all right ;) .
    A future KPA would have:
    a dedicated pedal board with with every parameter contollable, not just a few midi parameters
    a blue tooth connection pedal board/kemper, or something like that, no more cables
    a pedal board with a display as big as the kemper
    a talent boost pedal :thumbup:
    a touch screen display

  • It all depends on the competition.


    If there would be not other profiler (or however it would be called):
    - then we may get a footcontroller in the second half of this year and performance mode, spring reverb and some pitch effects.
    - next year we may see a footcontroller with inbuilt profiler (or playback only profiler)
    - in two or three years we'll get the next gen profiler



    If competition will come (Yamaha, Fractal, Boss, Zoom, Line6, ...) then all will be much more fun (for the customer) and Kemper has to develop faster.



    In 10 years?
    I expect a software profiler in the next time - and am sure that my iPhone can be used as a profiler soon.


    The next logical step would be to build some kind of 'profiling' guitar.
    Put any real guitar into the input of the profiling guitar play some chords - and done.


    Maybe in 10 years everybody uses the profiling guitar and amp (all in one device) - wireless connected to the PA.


    And I will love to use the new toys ..... in addition to real tube amps and real guitars (my Variax is collecting dust) :P

    (All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with soundside.de)


    Great Profiles --> soundside.de

  • Ok here's mine:
    The KPA in 2023 will have this little cam on it. When shown a picture of an amp or a real amp, it matches the profile in it's memory and loads it automatically. You'll be able to refine it by entering the serial number of the actual amp. Plus you'll select the type of tubes used in the real amp of needed. And an extra feature; you can select the brand and the model of the guitar that ur gonna use so it's gonna have a specific version of the profile depending on the guitar :D

  • It will be similar to the keyboard development.


    We are now at the beginning where everybody tries (more or less good) to replicate the great sound of real tube amps.
    After the first try with "modellers" we are now in the early state of "samplers".


    Like with the synth should be the next step - the multimode - to be able to create many amp sounds at once.


    The big challenge would then be to create a profiler which can profile the full amp - so that the tonestack, drive and all other knobs react as on the real thing. So we would need only one profile of each amp channel to capture all.


    After this will get more and more advanced - more and more players will get bored by just recreating existing sounds and will look for new sounds - which sound similar to the sounds of tube amps but bejond them. Then we get truly new sound machines - not only devices that creates imperfect copies of existing gear.


    Then as mentioned do I expect the profiling guitar.


    And like with the Keyboard hope for some kind of Midi to connect any Master-Guitar with any guitar-sound-generator.

    (All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with soundside.de)


    Great Profiles --> soundside.de

    Edited 6 times, last by Armin ().

  • These are all EXCELLENT ideas. Especially 1. b). I like the way you think db. :thumbup:

    I can't claim credit. I read CK musing about this possibility in an interview. I was just about drooling as I read it.


    It seems obvious if you think about it, but CK's genius is to make this amp simulation dream we've all had a reality in obtainable and concrete steps rather than delivering a half-finished sound.