[closed] user refuses help

    What do you guys consider acceptable, timewise on a support issue?


    I opened a ticket going on over two weeks ago.
    They did reply fast with the obvious list of things to try.
    I did what they asked and got right back to them with no delay. They said that my reply email had no info in it.?? It did, I have a copy of it. The info just said I did what you asked and it did not help.
    So I instantly resent it.


    More days go on with emails from them, really had nothing in them that had anything to do with helping me. Just one line, one quota email a day wasters.


    Finally they ask me to send some other recordings. I did. They said it was not done the way they needed it.
    Ok, I did not understand exactly what they were asking for by the way they explained it. Good English but not perfect. Some people may have picked up what they wanted but I didn't.
    Either way I remade the recordings and got it right back to them.
    I always get right back to them so hopefully the ball keeps rolling. Remember, I can not use my guitar equipment.
    I have not heard back for days now.


    I sent an email yesterday asking where this stands so I know what to do next. So far today I have not received a reply.
    Germany is 6 hours ahead of the eastern U.S. Their work day will end here shortly so that will push this onward and stagnant for yet another weekend.


    When this issue started I figured it wouldn't be too bad because I have heard some good things about their support. I am not seeing it. At all.


    I figured we would go back and forth a couple times with some questions and they would tell me what to do next.
    I figured, by now, there would be the big next step, do this or send it in for repair.


    I really am not liking being a bug/ beta, issue tester any more. I don't mind helping them figure this out but now it is going over two weeks and I am no where closer to using this thing.


    Was I supposed to just send this thing back and get it fixed or replaced?
    Or is this normal to go this long before even getting an initial diagnoses so I know what to do?


    I have seen others get catered to with fast service on the forums through the years. Hell, I have seen where they have sent replacement KPAs before the customer even sent theirs in. Does it matter who you are?
    I am not expecting this. But not what I am getting.
    Actually when I have had issues with PC hardware, they would take my CC and send me a new one and once I received it, I would send in my defective one. That is the way good support should work.


    Once again I did not ask for that but this thing is under warranty and this process is just going on too long. Considering we are STILL just in the questioning phase.


    I come home everyday, walk in my music room, look at all of my equipment but turn around disappointed and walk out.
    I would understand more if it were out for repair but it is not. It is just sitting here, unusable and useless with no fix in sight.


    I really don't want to put them down. That is not my goal but this is just getting to the point of being unacceptable.
    I paid $2200 for this thing. I would really like to use it.

    Me too.
    I don't think I am being too impatient.
    I just recently bought new guitars and other equipment but I can't use none of it.


    My biggest problem is being ignored or at the least not being kept informed.
    Let me know what you would like me to do now.


    If this is an issue others are having too, we shouldn't have to wait while they try to figure it out.
    That is on them. Not us.
    In the mean time replace the KPAs or replace the parts involved. Regardless what it takes.

    To be honest, I have wondered about your patience. Dimi84 did not have any helpful feedback too, as I know. I can't believe Kemper team still has no idea what causes the issues you described.
    But why don't they explain (clearly) what they guess (or know) and what is next?? With better communication, at least you won't sit on pins and needles every day and feel ignored.

    I don't have a comment on the support issue, but hopefully it can be resolved quickly for you.


    I have often wondered about the time frame for my own Kemper should it have issues, especially since I am not in a country with a service centre.


    That is why I have kept some tube amps and a tech21 sans amp, as a backup.

    It gets better.


    I received this reply this morning-




    Dear Joe ####,


    our engineering is aware of this phenomenon. It does exist since day one and has nothing to do with current software revisions. It has been reported once or twice before and for example never by professional and commercial Rig providers.


    We will do further testing. At the moment it isn't even clear, if tube amplifiers don't do that as well. We will do further assessments of that phenomenon incl. tube amplifiers.


    Sincerely,
    Burkhard Dinnies
    Kemper Amps Support Team






    What ?
    I can only surmise that they are mixing up support tickets.
    EVERY gain profile I try sounds like total shit.......ALL of the time ! This is not a some time some profile issue. It is across the board. Profiles that have been paid for, profiles that are on the rig exchange, and as they asked, profiles that come with the KPA.
    THEY ALL DO IT !


    I have done everything they have asked for. For weeks now and this is what they come back with so far.
    They have been given samples of a totally naked KPA. Nothing connected, system ini, no effects on, from the direct out and everything they have asked. I have tried FIVE guitars. All within a year or less from being new.
    Not cheap guitars either.


    They are calling this a phenomenon ?
    Seriously, how dumb can they think I am.


    I was playing over a couple weeks ago and the KPA suddenly started doing this........while I was playing. You could hear it change suddenly. It is permanent.


    There is no mistaking it. I cant even play the damn P.O.S. !
    At the moment it is a P.O.S.


    Phenomenon ? They cant possibly know what this word means.


    I have very common guitars. New Elite Stratocaster. New American Tellicaster. Schecters. etc. It is not my guitars.


    They hear the issue but are skating around fixing it ?


    I don't care what anybody claims about their customer support.


    I am here to tell you it is INSULTING and HORRID !!
    Their replies have been somewhat insulting and condescending at times also.


    If I had to use one word to describe how I see the Kemper team on the forum and through their so called support........it would be ARROGANT.
    This isn't just because of the support issue I am having.
    This is just how I have seen it from day one. I have never said it on the forums because I was never forced to deal with them personally or one on one besides a couple interactions with mods through the years.


    Well now I am forced to deal with them because of my issue. My WARRANTY issue.
    Low and behold, they are continuing to reinforce my perception of them.


    As I told them today, I just want it replaced now. It is under warranty. It is broken.


    This whole deal is really pissing me off !
    I have totally run out of patience with these people and this company !
    I paid $2200 for this thing, it has a 3 year warranty.....it is not working correctly. I wanted it fixed or replaced but since they don't seem to know their product or how to diagnose or fix it, I want it replaced.


    The more I read over their email from this morning the more I think it is a mixed up ticket reply. It has to be.
    It sounds more like they are replying to somebody with an issue with profiling.


    FRUSTRATED to no end !


    I cant play my F...IN guitars !


    Haven't been able to for weeks !


    If I am off course here, please explain it to me. I will listen.

    I expected that kind of answer - but I only hinted it, by saying that I don't believe they have no idea. That means they know about that phenomenon since years?!? And now they will do further testing and sort out, if it is maybe "normal" and is noticeable on tube amps too?! After years?


    Another issue people are reporting (since day one?) is, that Kemper amp changes sound from one day to the other, than fixes itself, on the other day, sounds different again...


    One problem is, only few people are testing devices playing long notes (or chords) and let ring out. I tested my Kemper again - and indeed I can hear some kind of "artefact like, hard to describe" phenomenon with high gain profiles (like Dimi84 describes). I couldn't reproduce it on tube amps first. But than I noticed it VERY subtle with Engl E530 using solid state power amp and VERY subtle on solid state Amp (Hughes&Kettner). It is not subtle because of cabinet vs studio monitors. DI profiles to cabinet are affected too. No amp sim has this effect (Amplitube 3+4, Revalver, TSE...).


    Maybe Kemper is more correct, but emphasizes that phenomenon too much (subtle or "more brutal" by others)? I don't know - but I am not the expert! Maybe Kemper Team can clear things up in the next few hours / days... not weeks, or YEARS. Come on...

    Sorry to hear about your troubles.I dont know if this will help,You did say you're in the USA.You can try calling Kemper USA @ 1-303-248-3864.Thats sales but they may be able to help you.

    Mine isn't just HARD gain profiles. It is any gain profile. The problem continues even as I turn down the gain to zero. Once it is totally clean I don't hear it any more.


    This isn't an on off "artifact". It is permanent.


    I have had this thing over 2 and a half years. This is a sudden change. You cannot play anything and it sound even remotely good.
    This is not what it is supposed to sound like at all. If it did, I would have returned it from day 1, no question.


    This whole issue is getting minimized and I am getting a bit sick of it. I know what this thing is supposed to sound like. I know what any reasonable amp is supposed to sound like. It is not this, this thing sounds like shit now.
    Something gave or failed. It sounded fantastic before.


    There is nothing more I can do. I want it fixed.


    Give me another that DOESN'T have this phenomenon !!

    On a side note.
    I did not go from 0 to 100 instantly.
    I have been quite decent and accommodating for over 2 weeks now but I have finally reached my boiling point after getting no help from Kemper.
    This is just plain BS.

    Quote from Lokasenna

    Looks to me like they're aware that this is a problem that has shown up for a small number of people, with Kempers dating back to the earliest models, but they aren't sure what the problem actually is or how to fix it.

    Give me another one then.
    It is that simple.
    They can have mine and dissect it all they want. On their time.
    I have no more time to give.
    I paid my money.

    Quote from Lokasenna

    Looks to me like they're aware that this is a problem that has shown up for a small number of people, with Kempers dating back to the earliest models, but they aren't sure what the problem actually is or how to fix it.

    I think the problem THEY are referring to is present on all units - but subtle and not all users seem to care or see it as a problem. As they said, at the moment (after years of knowing about) "it isn't even clear, if tube amplifiers don't do that as well".


    Intruthout has a stronger issue and I don't see the response from Kemper Team suitable, too. Maybe they really mixed something up? Or is there a connection?

    I am guessing that without a total failure of something visual like a display screen, knob, power issue or the like you may get dicked around.


    This is an AUDIO device.


    I am so hoping this last email was a mixup.



    Quote from Lokasenna

    If only a few users are noticing it, the most obvious explanation is that something went wrong with their units. I doubt we're all dealing with shitty sound and not caring about it.

    Right. I know what the KPA should sound like, especially since my main profiles are what I have been using for years. There are only a few that I use on a regular basis. I know them like the back of my hand.
    They sounded fantastic. That is why I use them.
    Either way it is on all profiles with gain.


    Once again, I heard the change midstream when I was playing. It has not gone back to normal since.

    Quote from Lokasenna

    If only a few users are noticing it, the most obvious explanation is that something went wrong with their units. I doubt we're all dealing with shitty sound and not caring about it.

    o.k. - I never said that?! Please read the answer from Burkhard Dinnies (that to me is not picking up the problem of Inthrutheout)!


    Engineers are aware of the phenomenon. "It does exist since day one and has nothing to do with current software revisions." That professionals had not reported too, to them seems to be a sign, that this "phenomenon" is not a "defect", but maybe tube amplifieres do it as well - so normal behaviour. And I read it, as if every unit has this. I never talked about shitty sound. Even more I stated, that I could reproduce it on other amps - but more subtle.

    Even my wife is getting annoyed with this. Every evening she asks how the A1 Kemper support is going.
    I show her the emails. Even she is like WTF. Especially when I sent her this last one to her job today.


    When I went to buy this new tech we went with it because of the 3 year warranty.


    Love the KPA but that don't mean shit if they don't stand behind it.
    I have talked up the KPA through the time I have had it. I have said very nice things about it on these forums and to anyone who would or even didn't want to listen.
    Some may not have been proclaiming it is perfect but always very positive in the end.


    Is this why I am getting dicked around?
    I can only guess.

    If you did a full reset and updated and restored and the error is still consistent, no matter what profile is used then its a hardware damage and the unit should be replaced.
    Nothing else. Just my opinion.