KPA VS Whammy V

Before the flames begin and accusations cast, I am not posting this to try and tear down the KPA, I was challenged to back up my opinion that the Whammy V outperforms the new Kemper Pitch Effects, so here we go.

Now, let me also state that I think the harmonizer is kick ass and that overall it's a valiant first effort simply there's some room for improvement and that if polyphonic pitch effects are important to you then I still think the Whammy V and likely the EHX HOG/POG are better. However, for the casual user of pitch effects perhaps the KPA delivers a usable to good experience as it seems overall people have been praising them. Also, there's the chance something is wrong with my unit or the firmware update process and perhaps the effects perform better on others units. In each case you hear the dry guitar, the whammy engaged, then the KPA pitch effects engaged. In each case (IMHO) the whammy performs with less latency (some of the KPA sounds like a short delay is engaged) and more stability to the shifted notes. However 2 portions really stick out: where the KPA wasn't able to cleanly track a F#m7 chord and the very end when the KPA variable latency was so bad when pitch shifted down a 4th that it actually altered the rhythm of what I was playing.

https://soundcloud.com/willchen28/kpa-vs-whammy

Quote from Armin

Do you put the pitch effect befor or after the amp block?

I found it works much better before.

While the new effects are a great start - there is surely room for improvement.

Signal chain was as close to the same as possible. Pitch effects were before the profile.

Quote from strengdal

The pitch work, its almoust as good as the Boss PS-6 im comparing it with. Some improvement when playing chords and a bether tone in the high register and a pan controll for voice1 and 2 Is all Im missing. I think the chromatic pitcshift future is bether than in Boss PS-6. Its a great upgrade, I dont need to plugg the Boss PS-6 in the back panel off Kemper now, the Boss stays home when Im on the road. thanks.

My argument is not whether it works or not. I mean an original POD technically "works". The question is whether or not one is simply willing to settle for something that works or wants something that is great. Again, I know pitch effects aren't the priority of most. Even myself I don't use them every song, not even every other song. But I've had some form of Whammy for nearly two decades, as such its going to take something darn special for me to leave it at home.

Quote from strengdal

The Kemper is the top of the line when it comes to amp profiling, maybe they can be the best in effect modeling to. I just did a recording with the pitch effect now, I think its verry good . But playing chords need a improvement, like using the chromatic and having a +12 pitch and playing jazz chords. 1.8 is a beta, let`s hope.

I don't place much faith in "hope". All I can go by is what's been made available. Is it the end of the world if the KPA never matches my Whammy V shifting? No of course not. Just providing some perspective for those who may not have ever played any of the pitch shifting units on the market.