Thanks, Paul - I'll give it a shot. But theoretically, that's exactly where as I was at after step 3 above. (Tried this twice, with reboots to be sure.) Then "Restore Factory Rigs" caused my KPA to magically travel backwards in time. I don't understand how, where, or why all my personal rigs (nearly 1000 of them) would have been stored prior to the factory restore. Nothing browseable, no PC hookup, no thumb drive. Absolutely bizarre.
Wife's theory: the Kemper really does not want to be sold.
Hi all,
I've asked about this once before, but I still don't get it. All I want to do is wipe my Kemper, get it back to original factory state, and load the (current) factory rigs. I can't see any simple way of doing this. The latest thing that I tried really freaked me out:
1. I restored another user's backup (Maurizio's) so that I had no favorites tagged.
2. I selected the option to delete all non-favorites.
3. I confirmed that there were no rigs on the KPA, by Browsing All Rigs.
4. I selected the option to restore factory rigs.
5. When the Kemper rebooted, somehow it had all the rigs etc. from before my restore in step 1. WTF?? How is this even possible?
Can anyone help with a simple process for getting the KPA to a clean, factory fresh state? I'm trying to prep mine for resale. It's driving me crazy one last time LOL.
Okay nevermind they have rack unit already.
I think they're going to need to do something about the pricing though. Rack plus footcontroller runs an extra $500, and there's very little additional functionality over the all-in-one unit.
I hear you about spills, though. Last year I built a nice little pedalboard, all analog stomp boxes, meticulously wired - many hours and many hundreds of dollars - and knocked my own damn Guinness on top of it during the first song of our first show. (Luckily that stuff is pretty beer-proof, but what a mess.) There's going to have to be a "no drinks on the stage" policy if I ever gig with the Helix.
Don't forget that $1499.00 is really close to the price of a Kemper unpowered head. I would never pay this money for just an upgraded Pod HD, even with a lot more of three colors ice cream!
We're definitely on the same page here. (I keep listening to Top Jimi's latest JTM45 profiles and going back and forth: "There's no way the Helix will be able to cop this tone... please let the Helix sound like this..." and repeat LOL.)
But as for the price comparison, you have to bear in mind that a) the Helix can be had for significantly less than the street price of $1500 if you're resourceful, and b) you need to compare it with the cost of an unpowered Kemper + a really capable floorboard. In Kemper land that can put you close to $2500. So it's not really apples to apples. Realistically, the Kemper is more costly, and we presume its superiority in tone warrants that cost. If nothing else, the Kemper will always have the edge by way of allowing the user to determine how it sounds, by creating or acquiring new profiles.
Do you remember the Line 6 Spider Valve pre-order promotion?... Ok yamaha is in the portrait now so we'll see!
LOL I actually never saw that promotion. I did briefly own the head version of that amp - I bumped into it in a store, mentioned it to my wife in passing, and in an impulsive, newly-wed, coolest-wife-in-the-world moment, she snuck out and bought it for me! Imagine how bad I felt having to bring it back... All I really remember about that amp was how frighteningly loud it was when you were dialing through the unpredictable presets. I think I chipped a couple of teeth. :O
Holy s***, and44 - you are living the dream.
LOL! I will have to wash mine too...
About the Helix now. What is the most important thing in an amps and FXs digital device? The tone!!!
So, for now, we just can speculate. And we only know that it's a Line 6 gear and it will cost more than twice their last generation devices. And there is a lot of lights and screens that make it look cool. But, still, the tone???
I'm afraid guys that we will have to wait in august to know what this thing really worth...
I agree that tone is the most important thing. And I agree that we won't know much about that until August (or whenever Helix actually ships.) But I disagree that all we have on balance are screens that "make it look cool". That completely ignores the flexible internal and FX loop routing, flexible pedal assignments, vocal effects, etc. which some players (particularly in live contexts) are likely to find useful.
Eltzejupp... stunning. (Big Mesa and Jem fan here.)
OT here - could anybody connect KPA out to the Variax guitar( instead of pickup) and pfofile it?:)
Damian, I think this would be pretty challenging because the complete system impacting on output as a function of input includes a mechanical component, i.e. compression of a piezo element by a vibrating string. You could feasibly tap into the electrical input that the piezo feeds, but you'd have to make significant adjustments to amplitude etc. I'm guessing the results wouldn't be worth the effort.
It's more realistic to take something like a Roland GP-10 or GR-55, and tap into that system with a breakout box at the GK input and at mono output - but even then you could only profile the I/O characteristics of one string, so the results won't be as convincing as just running that same processor into the front of your Kemper. I've experimented with this approach myself - profiling various COSM synths on the GR-55. The results are interesting, but never quite what you expect since time-domain DSP is not represented.
Quotehe shrugged his shoulders and said "it's not going to sound like the Kemper".
Yet, here and on TGP the Helix discussions are as if the wheel has just been re-invented.
Are you sure these two things are mutually exclusive? I have no expectation that the Helix will sound like the Kemper. At the same time, I expect it will bring some significant advances to the table.
Different needs, different products.
Nice work - the S2 looks awesome! I didn't expect it to be a half-width enclosure like the original Studio was. I like having that extra space for small outboard gear even with a power amp fitted.
UPDATE: My KPA arrived safely at home yesterday, fully repaired with a brand new faceplate (display, LEDs, controls). So apparently this particular train was on time; I just didn't see it coming.
Hats off, once again, for Kemper's generous warranty service.
Your timing is uncanny. I just got an email from UPS indicating it will be arriving today. (I was under the impression Kemper USA would be shipping it today.) Once I've had a look at it to ensure it's all in good order, I'll get back to you. Thanks!
Me to I just listened to the video of Helix vs HD500 and found the tones very unappealing
It's probably too soon to tell whether Helix will sound good or bad - promo videos are always hard to interpret anyway. I'll need to actually play one, through familiar monitoring, to have a sense of it.
That said, I am getting very frustrated with Line6 and Sweetwater shooting these otherwise unrelated videos and using the same amp tone over and over and over. It's just unfathomable to me. The entire point of a modeling amp rig (as opposed to, you know, an amp) lies in its versatility. What is with this "plexi plexi plexi" fetish?? (It sounds more "Line6 Line6 Line6" than "Marshall Marshall Marshall" to me, besides.)
Just annoyed... still cautiously optimistic. 
QuoteAs far as the responses from Kemper I'll just say Based on years of playing in Europe and dealing with the German culture, it is in fact a cultural difference. It's fine.
Yes. I'm always hesitant to cite "cultural differences", as generalizations can veer perilously toward something like racism, or otherwise expose my own ignorance, but I hear you. I have family in Germany and have spent a bit of time there, so I'm familiar with the cultural differences - partly (though not entirely) a consequence of a language barrier. But there are other sweeping generalizations about Germany: e.g. the streets are clean, the trains always run on time, etc. In other words, if you want to be efficient and uncompromising in your words, you should also be efficient and uncompromising in your actions; that's the bargain. One without the other is a worst-of-both-worlds proposition which, in this case, places the burden squarely on the customer.
Luckily for everyone I am not a professional, just a cranky old hobbyist - and increasingly one who questions whether it's really so important I have the greatest sounding amp in the world. Perhaps not worth my frustration, nor Kemper's.
I am BEYOND LIVID and am considering selling my Kemper gear even though it sounds great because of my frustration with not even being able to order the damn remote. I can't imagine I'm the only one. This is screw up and slap in the face to customers on an unimaginable level. I just sold my Liquid Food because I thought I could even order a remote and was willing to wait 3 months. NOT 5 and the site will not let me order one on any browser. FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL.
It's all first world problems, of course, but yes this rollout has been a little rough, and at minimum the corresponding PR could do with a change in tone. I'll make a point of not overstating this, and just say: it seems like the ball gets dropped a little more often than it should, and the responses are too brief, sometimes too quick to make light of the problem, sometimes even a little smug. Prefacing a response with "Hey man, really sorry about that, but..." is pretty damned easy, and it genuinely helps. If you're a public facing employee of a company, that becomes an important part of your job, whether you personally care or not.
On a related note, I finally got word that my amp wasn't repaired, because Kemper had run out of parts. The delay is not the end of the world (and Matthew at Kemper USA has been very helpful) but it's frustrating that I had to inquire 3 times after being told it was en route, when there was a simple explanation that could have been provided immediately. This is one complication that comes with success: there are a lot of eyes on Kemper right now, and you'll need to step up and be professional with your customers. I've already decided to move on, Sventvkg is considering the same... this is a very real aspect of your business.
Jesus, I'm so sorry - that is a crazy story... I can't even quite make sense of all of it. It is amazing how the frustrating pursuit of gear can trip up your creative life, even your personal life in extreme cases. I've wasted a lot of years "kissing frogs", as well. But nothing like that. So sorry for your loss, man.
As for Line 6, they never struck me as a company that had any business building or distributing guitars. All of their previous products were essentially thinly wrapped software. I owned several Variaxes and all of my experiences were like your own - right down to a repair center that sat on two guitars for months and months before admitting they didn't actually have any idea how to fix them. I've since gutted all of my Variaxes and used them for parts for transplants, i.e. put them in guitars that are worth a damn. And even then, the piezos are just too unreliable for anything other than toying around with them in the safety of my own home.
As for QC for their preamps/processors - hopefully the Helix will be OK. If nothing else, it has an internal power supply, so that's one less thing. But there is a whole lot of mechanical stuff to consider, including those capacitive switches. I'll have to run it through it's paces pretty hard during the return window, to be sure it's built to last.
Hi Jason,
Yes, it is still for sale, and available. However, it's presently at the Kemper repair site for replacement of the front panel (it had the original panel and one of the LEDs went out.) As soon as I get it back (any day now, I hope) I will post here and see if you're still interested. Thanks!
i see that you're in conversation with support already and you've received a reply two days ago. i'm sure that you'll get another mail once there are news to share - they are on it already.
gs
The email I got two days ago was basically to tell me that they couldn't help with the ticket I opened trying to resurrect my original ticket. I've already replied to the following, with both ticket numbers, the RA number, and the name and email they (remarkably) told me they had no way of knowing. Point is I was told nearly two weeks ago that the amp was repaired (for which I am grateful) and would ship in a day or two. I just need a tracking number. Whatever... I'll wait - an ongoing theme here.
QuoteDear Marc.benigni,our service center is assigning so-called RMA-numbers to each repair. They can search for such a number or the serial number. Have you sent the device directly or via a dealer? If a dealer has been involved, the Service Center cannot know you name nor e-mail.
Sincerely,Burkhard DinniesKemper Amps Support TeamThis is in reference with your Request Ticket Number: #KA00098641. Please reply back to this email without changing the subject line if you have further clarifications.
Ha. You're a balanced dude, man. That 3 weeks' delay I mentioned was on top of the month I waited for the unit to reach Australia, so I totally understand where you're coming from, as I suspect you do I. I'm just cutting them some slack 'cause the product's so great and the company's not huge... but I think you've figured that this was what I was getting at anyway. Ah, if only the world was this agreeable. Thank you for showing the sensitivity you did, mate. No feathers ruffled here (impossible, really).
Hey, thanks for the compliment. I know I have to check myself now and again, because we've all had our own unique experiences as Kemper owners, and mine has (hopefully, thankfully?) been an unusual one. The latest speedbump is I can't find the damned thing. Allegedly repaired - and major props to Kemper for their generous warranty - but now no one will respond to emails to tell me where it is or when I might expect to see it again. As soon as I do, I'll be selling it, and not least because of the cottage industry (yes the same kind of industry I would prefer to "champion") style service.
Anyway, yes, thanks for being so agreeable, and for tolerating my moody waffling.
Like Kemper, FAS also has a pretty big commitment to providing regular updates and improvements, something it seems that Line 6 has not done in the past with other products (though I have no personal experience with any of their products specifically, Kemper and FAS seem to be the exception rather than the norm - for instance, my Roland GR55 hasn't seen an update in years and probably never will have another one.)
Comparing with Roland skews things a little bit, as they are the extreme opposite of Kemper, etc - often releasing products that never see a single firmware update. The GR55 had one minor bug fix firmware before Roland announced they were done, and no one who's owned their products before was surprised.
Line6 is a happy medium in this regard, I think. I've been off Line 6 for a few generations now, but watching from the sidelines it looks like they get fairly substantial f/w upgrades two or three times per product cycle. Enough to offer some new content without turning all their customers into underpaid software engineers LOL.
