Kemper Profiler MK 2

[Orvillain]

Seriously, and as said before, one of *the* key features of the Kemper and QC to me always appeared to be the on-unit-capturing. Ok, as you can't run multiple profiles simultaneously, it's possibly less relevant on the Kemper than on the QC (which you can for example use to easily grab captures of all dirt pedals on any pedalboard, no further strings attached), but still, people not understanding that some people simply don't want to connect another device - well, that's irritating, to say the least.

100%

NAM sucks because it is locked to a computer. One of Kemper's real USP's is profiling on the fly. Unquestionably.

 

[Lysander]

Imagine being so butthurt and ideologically captured that you set your forum signature to that! LMAO. Jesus Christ, some people.

This is some top-shelf coping. One of the differentiators for Kemper was always the ability to profile in-box - if you need to plug in to your PC to create captures, why would anyone spend $1500 on a Kemper when a $400 ToneX will do?

PS: Bonus points for people suggesting hand-wavy AI magically improving captures

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

Does the RM thing mean you can optionally use just a computer and reamp/loadbox, without the Kemper hardware to reamp/capture?
Or is it a requirement to need the Kemper hardware for routing?

 

[Sascha Franck]

This is some top-shelf coping. One of the differentiators for Kemper was always the ability to profile in-box - if you need to plug in to your PC to create captures, why would anyone spend $1500 on a Kemper when a $400 ToneX will do?

Well, to be fair, with the Kemper, regardless of whether it needs a computer or not, all leveling issues aren't issues. It just works, whereas with ToneX it doesn't.
Also, if you were to gig, there's just no comparison. The Kemper is largely made for the gigging crowd whereas the ToneX requires you to go through quite some hoops, add additional stuff and what not.

 

[ChordInversion]

Well, to be fair, with the Kemper, regardless of whether it needs a computer or not, all leveling issues aren't issues. It just works, whereas with ToneX it doesn't.
Also, if you were to gig, there's just no comparison. The Kemper is largely made for the gigging crowd whereas the ToneX requires you to go through quite some hoops, add additional stuff and what not.

I'll throw in that as a multi-year owner and user of Total Studio Max, a Tonex, and all four X-gear pedals, IK Multimedia is the most disinterested gear manufacturer I've encountered in about 35 years of playing guitar. And some of their design decisions are plain old weird.

 

[madmarcus1960]

The Kemper forum is an enforced echo chamber. If anyone is found not to be singing in harmony, they’re taken out back and re-educated with rubber hoses. The place gives me the creeps.

Proudly banned for a week.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I'll throw in that as a multi-year owner and user of Total Studio Max, a Tonex, and all four X-gear pedals, IK Multimedia is the most disinterested gear manufacturer I've encountered in about 35 years of playing guitar. And some of their design decisions are plain old weird.

Yeah. I own their Total Studio Max bundle, and while there's some theoretically great things in it, you keep stumbling over plenty of things making you scratch your head.

 

[ChordInversion]

The Kemper forum is an enforced echo chamber. If anyone is found not to be singing in harmony, they’re taken out back and re-educated with rubber hoses. The place gives me the creeps.

I really don't get the stridently devoted, loudly advocating customer thing in any context. If a person paid for a product and they enjoy it, then great. There's no need to join the company's marketing team as an unpaid hype man. It's a transaction, not a commitment ceremony. I don't defend the honor and assert the primacy of my car's manufacturer or whatever the brand is of the desk chair I'm sitting in right now, either.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Personally, I would really like to see the Null-O's out there eating their words and replacing their NAM and ToneX with a Kemper later this summer.

Imagine typing that sentence out

The translation of this is “I really hope Kemper catches up to the competition and others can validate my choice of gear”.

I don’t care about null tests in the slightest. All I care about is the accuracy of captures (judged by listening to them), and the ease of use. Kemper is currently a poor choice for both from someone who wants a plugin as their preferred choice.

Kemper has got a long way to go to catch up to the rest, and if we’re being totally honest we should count things like Tonocracy and STL Tracer which are both somewhere between ToneX and NAM levels of accuracy.

 

[Joshual-L]

I just don’t understand the marketing strategy…

They have teased with an MKII, they have released the new product BUT even if you have bought it you have to wait 2/3 months to get the firmware update that gives you the new features of your unit???

They introduced DLC with the player and now they introduce a kind of pre-order thing?

That makes absolutely no sense at all…

And don’t compare that to the fractal fm3 or fm9, it’s totally different.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

…..why would anyone spend $1500 on a Kemper when a $400 ToneX will do?

Uh, because of all the other things Kemper does better than the ToneX?

After all, creating the ‘profile/capture’ is a small part of how you use it to make music.
I’ve had a ToneX Pedal and a Stage and I’m positive I would grab the Stage every time over the Tonex.

In my mind a lowly mkI Stage is worth every extra dollar they charge above the ToneX price.

 

[Lysander]

Uh, because of all the other things Kemper does better than the ToneX?

Which is fine, but you're trying to sell me an upgrade here. Hell, i could've made the same argument with a QC.

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

I keep seeing more and more bargain basement prices for used Kempers lately. . .
It's fascinating how little they are worth now compared to a year ago.

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

I just don’t understand the marketing strategy…

They have teased with an MKII, they have released the new product BUT even if you have bought it you have to wait 2/3 months to get the firmware update that gives you the new features of your unit???

They introduced DLC with the player and now they introduce a kind of pre-order thing?

That makes absolutely no sense at all…

And don’t compare that to the fractal fm3 or fm9, it’s totally different.

Would you have prefered them keeping Mk2 in their warehouse, and continu to sell mk1 through summer?…so everyone buying a mk1 in the coming months ends up with hardware not ready for new firmware?

 

[ChordInversion]

Yeah. I own their Total Studio Max bundle, and while there's some theoretically great things in it, you keep stumbling over plenty of things making you scratch your head.

Agreed. I finally uninstalled the bundle, considered it money burned, and moved on. My Tonex has been sold. I may need to trade the X-Gear pedals in at a GC, because I'd have to practically give them away in order to get them to sell locally.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Would you have prefered them keeping Mk2 in their warehouse, and continu to sell mk1 through summer?…so everyone buying a mk1 in the coming months ends up with hardware not ready for new firmware?

No. But making the big fuss they are actually making right now is still not justified.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

Which is fine, but you're trying to sell me an upgrade here. Hell, i could've made the same argument with a QC.

I must be misunderstanding the point. I was assuming you were saying that someone who had neither a ToneX or a Kemper would have no good reason to buy a Kemper over a ToneX because the ToneX is cheaper and also needs a computer to create a profile/capture.

As for the ‘upgrade’ aspect. If you have a Kemper and want the mkII abilities then the cost is between what you sell your mkI for and what you pay for the mkII. If portability with no need for PC is important then don’t upgrade, or spend that money on a QC. Although I’d rather have a Stage than QC and if a mkII Stage is going to be delivering ToneX level amp capture sound then the rest of what a Stage offers makes even the QC a bit of a weak choice for me.

 

[Lysander]

I must be misunderstanding the point. I was assuming you were saying that someone who had neither a ToneX or a Kemper would have no good reason to buy a Kemper over a ToneX because the ToneX is cheaper and also needs a computer to create a profile/capture.

Sorry, i was specifically talking about the MKII. If its main selling point is improved capturing, but you need a computer to unlock those, then the value proposition changes significantly.

There seems to be little reason to buy a MKII vs. an original Kemper otherwise.

 

[Sascha Franck]

What would possibly tame all the uproar would be if they allowed the unit to still create Mk1 level profiles straight on the unit while capturing enough data to later on use it connected to the RM, which would then allow you to bring the profile to Mk2 level.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

What would possibly tame all the uproar would be if they allowed the unit to still create Mk1 level profiles straight on the unit while capturing enough data to later on use it connected to the RM, which would then allow you to bring the profile to Mk2 level.

That would be great.
So would a definitive official explanation of what is and what will never be. I don’t mind an early release with firmware lagging.

Even if it’s a move done as timing issue to get foot in the market ahead of a competitors impending release.
And even if it is because your production to replace mkI hardware is on schedule but the firmware is delayed…I’m still good with that.

However, by doing it that way you should feel some responsibility to be forthcoming.