Kemper Profiler MK 2

MirrorProfiles said:
There’s blind faith, and then there’s assuming that Kemper is going to catch up to what modern machine learning is doing. It sounds to me like Kemper is just doubling down on brute forcing with match EQ, and then trying to add in some poweramp/cabinet dynamic interactions algorithmically.

To me it’s just swimming up stream when you need to tinker with so many elements manually (presumably on the Kemper you’ll still likely need to mess with refining/definition/clarity etc).

I just don’t really see how it’s possible for Kemper to catch up, unless they spec totally new HW and focus on capturing with a computer/cloud GPU’s. Let’s face it, most profiling is done in a studio environment where a computer and DAW are in use already. It’s like trying to do your tax return on a microwave when you’re sat next to a laptop.
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I'm with you but I still can't help but feel intrigued by what they got cooking since they're so upfront with that bolded statement on the new profiling tech.

To be honest, I really want to them to succeed - it'll force the other actors in the profiling space to step up their game.
 
The other side of it is effects. I like all-in-one units, I don't like building spaceship pedalboards.

Kemper I recall that the effects really seemed to have a warmth and melt into the overall tone really well. QC had good amp modeling but I sold it because the effects were a let down. Fractal I think has great effects generally although sometimes it can have too much fidelity and sit separate from the guitar tone. I'm curious to try the Kemper again and see if that's the case.

So the question for me is if Kemper profiling 2.0 or whatever can get closer to the Tonex which seems the most neutral and accurate. Kemper models seem to have a little more mids and compression and smoothed high end. That's not bad typically for real life use and probably why even if it's not the most accurate it's still popular. QC was kind of lean and grainy and I never got on with captures. If Kemper can get reasonably close to Tonex with a suite of effects that is far, far better than what IK offers, it's extremely competitive.
 
norminal said:
RS-232 FTW!
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Full size SCSI Connecter is where it's at. You can seriously hurt someone with those connectors. Also don't forget to use a terminator at the end of the chain.

IMG_6688.jpeg
 
2dor said:
I'm with you but I still can't help but feel intrigued by what they got cooking since they're so upfront with that bolded statement on the new profiling tech.

To be honest, I really want to them to succeed - it'll force the other actors in the profiling space to step up their game.
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I’m hopeful too and would love for them to push boundaries on this stuff, but the marketing just suggests it’s a tweak of the same to me (rather than some totally new tech/approach).
 
MirrorProfiles said:
I’m hopeful too and would love for them to push boundaries on this stuff, but the marketing just suggests it’s a tweak of the same to me (rather than some totally new tech/approach).
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What gives me a tad bit of hope is, I think, any marketing people in Kemper's yard ought to know that that sort of statement can bite them in the a$$ if it doesn't deliver; CK's aware of NAM for sure & I find it hard to belive he'd have signed-off on that type of claim if the nerd in him wouldn't have had something to back it up.
In any case, I'm eagerly looking forward to folks putting the new profiling through its paces.
 
Jarick said:
The other side of it is effects. I like all-in-one units, I don't like building spaceship pedalboards.

Kemper I recall that the effects really seemed to have a warmth and melt into the overall tone really well. QC had good amp modeling but I sold it because the effects were a let down. Fractal I think has great effects generally although sometimes it can have too much fidelity and sit separate from the guitar tone. I'm curious to try the Kemper again and see if that's the case.

So the question for me is if Kemper profiling 2.0 or whatever can get closer to the Tonex which seems the most neutral and accurate. Kemper models seem to have a little more mids and compression and smoothed high end. That's not bad typically for real life use and probably why even if it's not the most accurate it's still popular. QC was kind of lean and grainy and I never got on with captures. If Kemper can get reasonably close to Tonex with a suite of effects that is far, far better than what IK offers, it's extremely competitive.
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I am with you as the glass is half full Hey they made the statement that it will be the best capture device available
I will always give people the benefit of the doubt and assume positive intent until they prove me wrong
If it truely makes the Player the best sounding compact device you can purchase in 2025 good for them , everybody wins
 
saarangnarayan said:
Weird way to spell "catching up to competition"...
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Good or bad, right or wrong, for better or for worse, C.K / Kemper just do things their own way and that's it.

I'm not even sure they give much of a flying f*ck about what Fractal / Line 6 / NDSP / IK etc... are doing.

I've said it before - I think its a lot to do with the "German" ethos.

This time does feel quite different though in terms of the absolutely definitive public statements about the "best'ness" of the upcoming MK2 Profiling.

It either will be or wont be .... there will be no in-between .... no way to rationalize it away if it isn't .. no room for weasel word re-definitions.

But again, its just a guitar sound so its all good.

However it turns out, some will love it, some will detest it, some wont give a sh*t , and some will think that +40 year old Tuning Peg Head designs affect the upper mid-range and resonance in an electric guitar.

Its 2025 - we live in a world where there are no longer things such as explosions - there are only rapid unplanned disassembles.
 
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BenIfin said:
Good or bad, right or wrong, for better or for worse, C.K / Kemper just do things their way and that's it. I'm not even sure they give much of a flying f*ck about what Fractal / Line 6 / NDSP / IK etc... are doing.

I've said it before - I think its a lot to do with the "German" ethos.

This time does feel quite different though in terms of the absolutely definitive public statements about the "best'ness" of the upcomingMK2 Profiling.

It either will be or wont be .... there is no in-between .... there will be nowhere to hide and no way to rationalize it away if it isn't.
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I agree but I do not love the use of precision vs accuracy for their claim.

For those that want a flashback to stats

1000003980.png
 
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BenIfin said:
I'm not even sure they give much of a flying f*ck about what Fractal / Line 6 / NDSP / IK etc... are doing.
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I'm not sure that's a great business strategy. I mean sure, I'm all for innovation for innovation's sake (and not for doing something just because the competition does it), but there are just so many QOL features that other modellers and profilers have that make the Kemper seem very dated. I do hope that changes with the new stuff in the future, tho.
 
paisleywookiee said:
Ah yeah never mind. The page I linked was the one that came up when I hit the Googles.
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I will say the link you posted led to me checking out the wording they used to describe their OG profiling. While it lays it on thick (of course), the new wording for the Profiling 2 is much more bold imo

I just wish they would have released profiling 2 with the mkii.....that would have made too much sense 😂
 
BenIfin said:
Yep. This I totally agree with. When I saw the first leaked pics I was stunned in the non-change to the "boxes" used.

I'm sure this was a deliberate cost / manufacturing / production decision to keep costs down / profits up .... disappointing, but totally normal for any business in a tough relatively niche market ... hence I think the reason for the limited scope for the MK2

To me, the big ticket [unknown] item with the MK2 is the "new" Profiling process. Their claim in the publicity is that " More than 100,000 individual frequency points meticulously analyzed for the most precise amp recreation ever achieved "

They aint claiming a better Kemper - they are claiming "the best amp copying" of all ..... period.

So if ... and I stress a big if, they pull this off, I can easily live with all the other shortcomings that do, and will continue to exist.
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I believe that Kemper simply needed to upgrade the hardware in order to continue to manufacture the device at all. The rest is marketing.

If they are able to create profiling that shows a better NULL response, good for them.... I doubt it is going to result in many sales though.

Kemper definitely gets a big benefit. They get to keep all products under a single release binary. They get to keep the hardware supply chain the same for both products (except for the paint ;) ).

.... and the customer gets what?

  • Faster boot times (OK, that's nice)
  • Better Profiling (which means nothing to 95% of users)
  • New fixed block FX / More FX slots overall (Another great upgrade for <5% of users)
  • No change in pricing (great!)

Orvillain said:
But what I can't live with, is something that sound inaccurate, or just plain bad.
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I can recommend a good doctor. They make outstanding hearing aids today.
Orvillain said:
In my house, USB-C cables have been broken easier and more often than A or B; when children get ahold of those bloody things and start chewing them, piece of piss to break them.
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Agree. USB-C is great for very small devices (like phones); however, A or B were a much better choice for a more industrial solution.
 
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