Display MoreThis has been said before, but the reason an external editor for all things related to sound (as opposed to managing your collection of profiles) is much less of a priority for the Kemper than for other digital amps is that it already comes with such a great hardware interface built in.
If you look at the Korg Pandora, the Axe FX, the Line 6 series etc., their front panels are laid out like that of a digital appliance, with mostly anonymous, abstract, multi-purpose buttons and knobs, and lots of pages and multi-level menus to dive in and out of. Add to that a tiny, low-res screen, and it's easy to see why a PC editor was high on the list of user demands.
The Kemper, on the other hand, has much better ergonomics, with most parameters right there on the front panel or one button press away. It's impossible to lose track of where you are in the interface. And it feels like it was consciously designed to teach the user to use their ears and intuition instead of constantly keeping an eye on digital values. I know it works for me: I'm normally very "anal" when working with digital interfaces -- the urge to round off all values to whole numbers or at least multiples of 0.5: I'm sure it sounds familiar to some -- but with the Kemper, I can just let go and give the knobs a good yank to the left or to the right, dial back a little, do some finer adjustments... all without looking at the numbers on the screen. It's a different mindset.
Now I'm not saying that the request for an editor isn't legitimate. I can understand at least some reasons -- like a studio setting where the Kemper is some distance away from the desk and getting up to do some adjustments breaks the engineer's workflow (although it's great for your blood flow, guys!). And different strokes for different folks: some people simply prefer working with a mouse and a computer monitor. Who knows, maybe if you keep asking the editor will come. Just wanted to add my two cents given the comparisons with other devices and their editors.
After i typed "pandora korg" i could see someone would use it's lack of knobs and small screen as an argument. The thing is, there are lots and lots of other pedals, multieffects units and recording interfaces that have all the controls physically on the unit but still have a dedicated editor (and for a ridiculously cheap price). Zoom, Digitech, Line6, all have offerings with knobs and good screens and also a pc editor. One does not negate the other, and as you say, different strokes for different people.
Not that i'm saying that i don't like my kemper (i have one and use it daily), but i can only see the lack of an editor as an extremely cheap move to cut costs (it's a 2000usd unit and they couldn't spend resources in making a simple editing software?), or just the company being stubborn, which in turn takes away sales. As i mentioned before, i know some people that would go another route due to the lack of editing software.
Something that i have not seen being mentioned is one of the main reasons why i'd want an editor too. Call me cheap and paranoid, but manipulating the knobs and buttons on the kemper will eventually wear it down, specially if you are a constant tweaker. I'm not too fond of having to service the unit myself and sending it back would suck (overseas). Other than that, having options is never a bad thing (as in, why not both?).
I also want to clarify that i'm not wanting to start a riot or fight and none of this is written as an attack. It's just that i find a bit dumb that there are so many other units (both cheaper and more expensive) that do have an editor, and the fact that i love the KPA makes it a bit more sad that it's limited in that way, and i do believe most people that complain about wanting that software are in a similar position (loving the unit, hating the lack of editor).
