Kemper Profiler MK 2

[Orvillain]

Friedman don’t sound like Marshalls. Yet there is still a pretty big market for Friedman as a hot-rodded Marshall amp.

Accuracy is objective. Improvement is subjective.

Why the fuck did I post in this thread again…

 

[OneEng]

They need to improve their UI drastically, and add channels in order for it to be as giggable as a Fractal. That’s what I was hoping for, for MkII. A single preset with four captures switchable, four drives, four delays, four modulations.

I actually prefer the workflow of the Kemper where a "Performance" contains all the rigs I need for a specific song and I can switch between them instantly with the verbs and delays carrying over between rigs. The way Kemper currently has it, I have 5 amps, 20 drives, 20 delays, and 20 modulations (not all at once ). It seems pretty comprehensive for gigging. Currently I don't even wish for those added "fixed effects". I still have empty slots in every rig I have.

There have been several people that have asked for multiple amps (captures) to be used at the same time. I am good with a single amp myself, but understand those that want this (as Fractal can do this already).

I think that Kemper's method of handling multiple sounds in a song is easier to setup and route. YMMV.

What I was really hoping for in an MK2 is a better UI. That's really it. I would love for them to have more accurate captures, but I don't capture, so it isn't that much use to me.

The current Kemper design has an application processor and a DSP processor. I am fine with the DSP as it is. All they would have needed to do to make me a happy camper (and buy a new unit) is to get rid of the old UI (on the unit AND the FC ..... so actually, I would have purchased a new FC too). This would have been a fairly easy upgrade IMO.

Since they went through the trouble to replace the application processor, I just feel it was flat out lazy not to update the UI and FC.

In essence, I think that this is basically what Line 6 did with Stadium. It's mostly a face lift (a very good one at that). I think they also added a more capable DSP, but out the gate, it's just doing what Helix could do with the DSP it already had. They also added a ton of features .... but most are related to the application layer vs the DSP layer. It's also a really nice looking FC... again, nothing that Kemper COULDN'T have done. They just didn't.

 

[BenIfin]

.... In essence, I think that this is basically what Line 6 did with Stadium. It's mostly a face lift (a very good one at that). I think they also added a more capable DSP, but out the gate, it's just doing what Helix could do with the DSP it already had. They also added a ton of features .... but most are related to the application layer vs the DSP layer. It's also a really nice looking FC... again, nothing that Kemper COULDN'T have done. They just didn't.

I think your kind of missing the main point of Stadium ..... it is a whole brand new ground up modeling methodology and process ...... a bit more than a "very good facelift"

 

[OneEng]

MY reality is a little different now though.

I have automated my show using Band Helper and wireless MIDI. The only thing I use the FC for now is to change sounds in the middle of the song (boost, clean patch vs dirty patch, etc). Moving from song to song in the setlist on my tablet makes the change between songs for me now.

Since the MIDI is associated with the song, all I have to do is create a setlist from the songs we play and all my changes happen automatically at the gig.

Honestly, this is the biggest upgrade to my show that I have had since I bought my Kemper in 2013.

I would still prefer a color UI on the FC .

 

[OneEng]

I think your kind of missing the main point of Stadium ..... it is a whole brand new ground up modeling methodology and process ...... a bit more than a "very good facelift"

There is that . I am looking forward to hearing the A/B reviews when it comes out and gets tested in the wild!

 

[Chocol8]

I think your kind of missing the main point of Stadium ..... it is a whole brand new ground up modeling methodology and process ...... a bit more than a "very good facelift"

I thought the main point of Stadium was how well it pairs with e-drums?

 

[paisleywookiee]

I thought the main point of Stadium was how well it pairs with e-drums?

 

[dws2384]

I fully expect a ban from the Kemper forum, even though I take great care to be a good poster I can't help but call out over the top ass kissing or talking down to anyone who could potentially be considered as possibly thinking that the Kemper is anything other than perfect.

It also really ticks me off they keep locking feature request threads for the Kemper Player "because it can't do that". THAT'S THE WHOLE FUCKING POINT OF A FEATURE REQUEST THREAD IN THE FIRST PLACE.

They might be the worst of the manufacturer forums, and that's a pretty low bar.

/rant

I spent about a week there before I quit. It’s more of a cult than a forum.

 

[Eagle]

I thought the main point of Stadium was how well it pairs with e-drums?

I thought it was a face lift so they made an opportunity to sell the Helix to you again the exact same but “ better “.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I thought it was a face lift so they made an opportunity to sell the Helix to you again the exact same but “ better “.

No, it’s not the Kemper MkII with its sweet black paint job.

 

[dws2384]

Kemper is the most giggable rig out there IMO

You keep saying this in all your replies. After using all of the top units in this space I simply don’t find this to be true. There are things kemper does well and things it doesn’t. They all have similar tradeoffs. There’s no mic drop feature that kemper has that puts it clearly ahead in this situation.

I actually prefer the workflow of the Kemper where a "Performance" contains all the rigs I need for a specific song and I can switch between them instantly with the verbs and delays carrying over between rigs. The way Kemper currently has it, I have 5 amps, 20 drives, 20 delays, and 20 modulations (not all at once ). It seems pretty comprehensive for gigging. Currently I don't even wish for those added "fixed effects". I still have empty slots in every rig I have.

You can do this with an FM9…except with 2 amp blocks and 4 channels in each you can have 8 amps and any combination of routing for the 4x4. Same with delays, reverbs, drives, etc. with full Axe 3 you get even more blocks in a preset. The 8 scenes you get also can be any combination of these. Footswitching options are light years ahead of Kemper.

FM3 has 1 amp blocks so still 4 amps in any combination with 2 delay, verb, drives, mods, all having 4 channels and 8 scenes in a preset. You can do more than you can with the competing Kemper product which would be the player. The 3 footswitch options also make the ones on the player laughable

 

[OneEng]

You keep saying this in all your replies. After using all of the top units in this space I simply don’t find this to be true. There are things kemper does well and things it doesn’t. They all have similar tradeoffs. There’s no mic drop feature that kemper has that puts it clearly ahead in this situation.

• Kemper has no noticeable delay between rig changes in performance mode (~15-20mSec last time I measured mine).
• Kemper tone does not change when firmware is updated
• Foot controller is exactly the right combination of small, and functional
• Rack version with a single Ethercon connector to both communicate and power the foot controller is perfect for gigging.
• The ease of creating a specific sound heard on a specific song is industry leading
• Kemper is physically built like a brick shit house.
• Kemper Rack is small enough to fit in a shallow 3 space rack

I agree that there isn't a single "mic drop" feature that makes Kemper "the best for gigging" in my book, it is a combination.

While Fractal has great tone in it and the efx are unrivaled in general, for my use, the Kemper is still a better option for the reasons I listed here.

FM3 has 1 amp blocks so still 4 amps in any combination with 2 delay, verb, drives, mods, all having 4 channels and 8 scenes in a preset. You can do more than you can with the competing Kemper product which would be the player. The 3 footswitch options also make the ones on the player laughable

Up until a few weeks ago, I would argue that no 3 footswitch device was good for gigging, not even as a backup.

Now that I am using wireless MIDI and BandHelper to organize my song list and do MIDI switching for each song, I might be willing to use a 3 switch device as a backup, but I still prefer having my full Kemper foot controller.

I know Kemper isn't everyone's cup of tea, but as of now, it's still got my vote for the best gig rig on the market.

 

[LP59]

• Kemper has no noticeable delay between rig changes in performance mode (~15-20mSec last time I measured mine).
• Kemper tone does not change when firmware is updated
• Foot controller is exactly the right combination of small, and functional
• Rack version with a single Ethercon connector to both communicate and power the foot controller is perfect for gigging.
• The ease of creating a specific sound heard on a specific song is industry leading
• Kemper is physically built like a brick shit house.
• Kemper Rack is small enough to fit in a shallow 3 space rack

I agree that there isn't a single "mic drop" feature that makes Kemper "the best for gigging" in my book, it is a combination.

While Fractal has great tone in it and the efx are unrivaled in general, for my use, the Kemper is still a better option for the reasons I listed here.

You're comparing a Kemper rack to an Axe-FX III? You have things backwards.

- The Axe-FX now has gapless preset switching.
- The tone not changing when the firmware is updated is a strength of Kemper, I'll give you that.
- You're seriously comparing a Kemper foot controller to a Fractal foot controller? LOL.
- You sound like you don't know foot controllers generally connect to rack units like an Axe-FX with a single cable.
- Matching the tone of a recorded guitar part is usually easier on an Axe-FX since it has a tone match feature.
- The build on a Kemper and Axe-FX are similar.
- The Kemper rack and Axe-FX have similar dimensions.

As far as 3 footswitch unit goes, dws2384 is right, the FM3 gets far more out of 3 footswitches than a Kemper Player.

 

[JCW308]

You're comparing a Kemper rack to an Axe-FX III? You have things backwards.

- The Axe-FX now has gapless preset switching.
- The tone not changing when the firmware is updated is a strength of Kemper, I'll give you that.
- You're seriously comparing a Kemper foot controller to a Fractal foot controller? LOL.
- You sound like you don't know foot controllers generally connect to rack units like an Axe-FX with a single cable.
- Matching the tone of a recorded guitar part is usually easier on an Axe-FX since it has a tone match feature.
- The build on a Kemper and Axe-FX are similar.
- The Kemper rack and Axe-FX have similar dimensions.

As far as 3 footswitch unit goes, dws2384 is right, the FM3 gets far more out of 3 footswitches than a Kemper Player.

With 3 foot switches I can get 6 "scenes" with morphing, tap tempo and tuner on the Kemper Player all in one bank. That's pretty decent for any gig. I had an FM3 and the Kemper Player beats it for foot control (for me at least).

 

[LP59]

With 3 foot switches I can get 6 "scenes" with morphing, tap tempo and tuner on the Kemper Player all in one bank. That's pretty decent for any gig. I had an FM3 and the Kemper Player beats it for foot control (for me at least).

That sounds like a good setup for you. I was referring to lack of a hold function on the Player. On the FM3, the hold feature allows you to freely assign any 6 functions to the three switches. By using one of those for a mode switch, you can get far more than 6 functions out of the three switches. The Player is designed to be easy to set up the switches, but the FM3 is designed to give you a lot of options. And there's the scribble strip lack on the Player. You need a cheat sheet to figure out what you have loaded.

 

[paisleywookiee]

With 3 foot switches I can get 6 "scenes" with morphing, tap tempo and tuner on the Kemper Player all in one bank. That's pretty decent for any gig. I had an FM3 and the Kemper Player beats it for foot control (for me at least).

The screen is higher resolution and easier to read on the FM3 though.

The press and hold features of the FM3 beats anything out there, and the device as a whole is barely more than a loaded KPP.

 

[Eagle]

No, it’s not the Kemper MkII with its sweet black paint job.

We will see.