Some interesting news from Kemper (Profiler Player)

[Enchilada Jones]

Over at Kemper forum Christoph Kemper confirmed that sometime in future they will sell upgrades of some sort to enable more features. No word on what they are or cost etc.
I’m happy with that approach. As it is it’s a decent way to have a Kemper-in-a-pedal at a fair price.

And if you really like it you can pay Kemper to ‘mod’ much like it was a Friedman amp and Dave said ‘Sure, send it to me and I’ll add that’ only no waiting on shipping it there and back.

The question was asked about the statement that someone at Kemper presumably put out (Christoph perhaps):

“Thus we consider since quit a while to offer one or two software upgrade (with costs), that will boost the Players features towards the Head, Rack and Stage."



To mean that it is possible/likely that they will offer a paid upgrade for the Player to have more features of the Head/Rack/Stage? Like for example more effects?

To which Christoph replied: ‘Affirmative but no eta yet’

 

[laxu]

Honestly a display on something like this doesn't need to be very fancy. I absolutely love what Ashun Sound Machines did on the Hydrasynth Explorer. That whole synth costs less than the Kemper Player, but it has this:

Image by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

4 encoders and buttons surrounding a small monochrome display. That works so damn well. You see the parameters and their values, you can use the page up/down buttons right next to the display to easily flip between pages while keeping your hand on those knobs. None of this "going halfway across the front panel to navigate" nonsense. The buttons turn some of the fx on/off, or whatever you program them to do.

That's cheap and effective and I don't get why pedal and modeler makers don't do something similar.

 

[Mongillo19]

Over at Kemper forum Christoph Kemper confirmed that sometime in future they will sell upgrades of some sort to enable more features.

If they cost money that is one of the dumbest things I've heard tbh. That's the total opposite direction of what Kemper stands (or maybe now stood) for.

Can you imagine if they sold extra distortion blocks for $30 or something like that. It's more upsetting that it means they could have included these "upgrades" but may paywall them? I hope they misspoke

 

[JiveTurkey]

If they cost money that is one of the dumbest things I've heard tbh. That's the total opposite direction of what Kemper stands (or maybe now stood) for.

Can you imagine if they sold extra distortion blocks for $30 or something like that. It's more upsetting that it means they could have included these upgrades but may paywall them? I hope they misspoke

Ahhh What's that? A New Kemper Model? Profiler Player - Kemper Profiler Forum

https://youtu.be/1ObN-3_FwCM?si=365iD28vifjIThPm

www.kemper-amps.com

That seems to be the thought process. Some posts from Christoph on the link above

 

[Tanax]

I disagree with everyone that says this thing needs a screen. I think it's a blessing that it doesn't have one. No need for a UI then and they can focus on only the UX.

That being said, I do agree with the criticism here regarding bank indication and how to navigate those. Also, I would have liked to be able to access more settings via the available knobs. A push on the treble knob for instance could have let you access presence which would be a pretty natural and logical thing since both affect top end.

I think they started out with a great idea and just didn't run it all the way to the finish line as there are many minor things they could have made a lot more intuitive.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

If they cost money that is one of the dumbest things I've heard tbh. That's the total opposite direction of what Kemper stands (or maybe now stood) for.

Can you imagine if they sold extra distortion blocks for $30 or something like that. It's more upsetting that it means they could have included these "upgrades" but may paywall them? I hope they misspoke

I don’t think it’s correct for the consumer to think that the creator of a product can’t bring a lesser version, at a lower price, of one of their popular offerings to market.
I also think if it is ethical and fair to do that then the inverse of that scenario is also fair and ethical. The fact they were smart enough to build it with more capabilities so it could be upgraded is good business sense. They spent the money in advance to build it that way. That is their skin in the game.

Remember, if you want a Stage, they already sell one. At the price they think is fair. If you want the Player now that is fairly priced.
If you want the Player to be a more complete version of the Stage then you can expect the price to rise.

It isn’t the same as a Cable company with a monopoly in your home town selling you faster internet, at a higher price, because they can simply flip a digital switch on the system they already built with government subsidy and they have no competition to make that a bad business decision.

If Kemper is making a mistake there are plenty of competitors to make them regret investing more into building variants of their product because a loss of market share, a loss on investment, will be the result….if it is a mistake…

 

[madmarcus1960]

Once they're more available, it will most likely bump the Tonex pedal of my little flyboard. Comp pedal, 3 drives and a Plethora X3.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I see both POVs. I actually think it's cool (depending on the end price) that you can port the full size rig features to the small device. Full size HX in a Stomp? Yessssss. Same thought process applies here.

 

[timbuck3]

Honestly a display on something like this doesn't need to be very fancy. I absolutely love what Ashun Sound Machines did on the Hydrasynth Explorer. That whole synth costs less than the Kemper Player, but it has this:

View attachment 16208
Image by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

4 encoders and buttons surrounding a small monochrome display. That works so damn well. You see the parameters and their values, you can use the page up/down buttons right next to the display to easily flip between pages while keeping your hand on those knobs. None of this "going halfway across the front panel to navigate" nonsense. The buttons turn some of the fx on/off, or whatever you program them to do.

That's cheap and effective and I don't get why pedal and modeler makers don't do something similar.

I AGREE but i think kemper doesnt. If this was released before the stage it would have been a winner but now..too dated

 

[Enchilada Jones]

I AGREE but i think kemper doesnt. If this was released before the stage it would have been a winner but now..too dated

I bet the early sales will prove you wrong.
we are all modeling geeks here, a small group compared to the number of guitarists who don’t play modelers or only dabble in it.
This was not designed primarily for us so of course we will offer lots of criticism.

I think the same market niche is there and ToneX pedal and (maybe it becomes hardware) Tonocracy aren’t likely to outshine Kemper Player. QC could but they are priced at Kemper Stage level so not really unless Player upgrades reach that price point.

imagine if you can break the potential upgrades into two or three packages. The cost of all of them makes the total cost $1000 and for your needs you only need one of them to make it the perfect mini Stage so you only needed to spend $750. Is there something on the market currently that proves the concept ‘dated’? Strymon Iridium? Naa…anything else ?
Dated as in it’s been wanted for a few years sure. But not dated as in irrelevant and no one still wants it. A lot of us modeling geeks want it and I think many, many more pedalboard geeks don’t know it yet but they will soon.

of course none of that means Timbuck3 is ever going to buy one

 

[laxu]

So what features are actually missing from the Player compared to the Toaster or Stage, other than the profiling abilities?

 

[yeky83]

So what features are actually missing from the Player compared to the Toaster or Stage, other than the profiling abilities?

4 vs 8 effects, more effect types, morphing...

 

[Sascha Franck]

Over at Kemper forum Christoph Kemper confirmed that sometime in future they will sell upgrades of some sort to enable more features.

Oh, the hidden screen and LED rings will then become visible and the 270° encoders will be unlocked, too?

 

[Enchilada Jones]

Oh, the hidden screen and LED rings will then become visible and the 270° encoders will be unlocked, too?

No, I don’t think that’s possible do you?
I did also say this wasn’t designed primarily for us. I think the pedalboard guys are more tuned in to a few knobs and no screen. We’ve been spoiled by the inventors of menu diving…
you need a Kemper Stage I have one listed at $1000 I’ll throw in shipping if you are in continental US.

 

[Sascha Franck]

you need a Kemper Stage I have one listed at $1000 I’ll throw in shipping if you are in continental US.

Great price but I'm in Germany. And I'm actually one of the pedalboard guys (at least kinda), so I could very well do with a device sized like this - but I just hate stupid designs. And this thing covers quite some stupid design aspects.

 

[timbuck3]

I bet the early sales will prove you wrong.
we are all modeling geeks here, a small group compared to the number of guitarists who don’t play modelers or only dabble in it.
This was not designed primarily for us so of course we will offer lots of criticism.

I think the same market niche is there and ToneX pedal and (maybe it becomes hardware) Tonocracy aren’t likely to outshine Kemper Player. QC could but they are priced at Kemper Stage level so not really unless Player upgrades reach that price point.

imagine if you can break the potential upgrades into two or three packages. The cost of all of them makes the total cost $1000 and for your needs you only need one of them to make it the perfect mini Stage so you only needed to spend $750. Is there something on the market currently that proves the concept ‘dated’? Strymon Iridium? Naa…anything else ?
Dated as in it’s been wanted for a few years sure. But not dated as in irrelevant and no one still wants it. A lot of us modeling geeks want it and I think many, many more pedalboard geeks don’t know it yet but they will soon.

of course none of that means Timbuck3 is ever going to buy one

yea it will sell to kemper fans i am sure...and many who just :can: buy it because they can even though they dont need it will...and cause its new and shiney but one the limitations hit it the honeymoon will be over

 

[ucnick]

You do get that, since years ago, you can put any effect in any slot, no matter what it is called?

Understood. Not quite the same - with the Kemper, am locked into a fixed number of blocks/locations, with no ability to run parallel paths. I found it very limiting compared to the Helix/Fractal ecosystems.

FWIW, I am quite familiar with Kemper. I gigged a powered toaster from late 2013 to about 2016 or so, I then bought an AX8, the toaster sat in the closet, became tired of needing to use external control footboard.

Went to a Helix when the AX8 developed functional issues out of warranty. In the meantime, sold the toaster and bought a Stage. Used that until I became fed up with it (and rig manager, another story) and bought an FM3 and then an FM9T and have been using the Fractals ever since.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Oh, the hidden screen and LED rings will then become visible and the 270° encoders will be unlocked, too?

Oh boy the idea of adding features for more money is souring my want to order one.

 

[timbuck3]

Oh boy the idea of adding features for more money is souring my want to order one.

is the kemper guy related to thoman b lug? They both have that same plan- oh wait they are both german correct?

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

is the kemper guy related to thoman b lug? They both have that same plan- oh wait they are both german correct?

Eeeeeasy there big fella, so am I

Well only when absolutely necessary and/or convenient.