PLAYER - what were they thinking?

1st Official Post

    No display screen..

    No stereo main outs..

    Only 4 fx slots..


    Useless.


    So basically you can’t take your rigs from Stage / Head and load them onto it.


    If it was basically a cut down hardware version of a Stage without all the foot switches, but you could load your existing rigs / performances onto and scroll through them, it would have been perfect (with an LCD and Stereo out). But the software also being so hugely restricted (only 4 slots) means it’s totally useless. Who can create a sound patch with only 4 fx slots?


    Totally perplexed at what they were thinking in making such huge limitations.

    Ps. Also means can’t use this as a backup solution.


    They’ve focused on an “end of pedal board chain” amp solution but really missed a whole market of people that would have got one of these - folks that already use Kemper and don’t use a pedal board but where a cut down version without foot switches would suffice. Ie those that cycle through rigs or performances, use midi, etc - where foot switches aren’t needed. And those that would like a backup solution to their main rig that could have some of their existing rigs loaded and ready to go.

    People that don't already own a Profiler.


    Probably thinking of people interested in the Tonex, Iridium, BluGuitar, Boss IR-2, Amplifier Box, etc. and every other player looking for a pedal sized amp to fit into their existing pedal board.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

    Those options are half the price so they’re not comparable.


    At this price the Player is more compared to a HX STOMP which has most of the things this is missing and is a true “cut down” version of the other product line.. a display, stereo outs, can load just as many presets as the bigger units. It has limitations in the number of effect blocks compared to the bigger units but has (from memory) at least 8 blocks.

    You could use the stereo outputs if you need stereo to FOH, In that case you could use the XLR to use a single power stage monitor.


    It loads any Rigs from the big brother. I'm presuming that whatever effects you have in slots A, B, Del, and Rev would, and the relevant Rig settings would be dialed up on this Player. While anything you have in C, D X, and Mod from the big boys would be missing, and of course any effects the Player doesn't have.


    What seems to me to be the deal-killer is it doesn't not appear to have an effects loop. People have been wanting such a KPA to fit on a pedal board to use WITH OTHER EFFECT PEDALS or a traditional pedal board. Some of those other effect pedals are delay and reverb pedals which generally go AFTER the amp section (a philosophy that this unit implements by giving you some of their Delay and Reverbs effects AFTER the amp) Yet the Player's 5 outputs are meant to be at the END of your signal chain to go FOH, headphones, and stage monitors.


    For my uses, I love being able to plug headphones in my Stage and practice with all my effects. I don't use external effects because the four slots and the Stage/head/racks full list of effects suffices, but before they updated them I used an H9 in the loop in the X slot AFTER the amp section. In both times, I loved being able to plug headphones in and practice with all my effects.


    *To be fair the Tonex also didn't include an effects loop, which I criticized it for.

    Oh wow yes I totally missed that it doesn’t have a fx loop. For a unit designed to be an amp for an existing pedal board, that’s a massive oversight.


    Again, HX Stomp (same price point) has a loop.

    Quote from floyd99

    Oh wow yes I totally missed that it doesn’t have a fx loop. For a unit designed to be an amp for an existing pedal board, that’s a massive oversight.


    Again, HX Stomp (same price point) has a loop.

    ToneX, Iridium, all UAFX, Two Notes Cab M and Opus....none has a loop. You just put your pedals before or after it

    If something is too complicated, then you need to learn it better

    Like 3
    Quote from floyd99

    Who can create a sound patch with only 4 fx slots?


    Quote from Michael_dk

    *raises hand*

    Me too. Four slots is usually overkill for me. I may use two at most.

    Anybody wanting more needs to get the Stage. This is not for those people.

    This is for pedal board guys with a collection of pedals. Kemper's delay and reverb effects are stellar so no need for those pedals.

    The key to everything is patience.
    You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.
    -- Arnold H. Glasow


    If it doesn't produce results, don't do it.

    -- Me

    Like 5

    I think they gave it a lot of thought, scaled back small unit for your pedal board, easily transferable for your project studio and tempting to people who have wanted a profiler but mindful of the cost.


    The lack of screen explains the release of the android app, and I hope with this further development which I’ve being patiently waiting for may finally materialise.


    It’s not for me personally, but I’m not the target market.

    New talent management advice to Laura Cox -


    “Laura want to break the internet? let’s shoot another video of you covering the Nightrain solo in the blue singlet, but this time we’ll crank up the air conditioning”.

    Like 1

    I was actually hoping for an even more stripped down version. Basically just the profiles with tone shaping capabilities. Liquid, profile player and cab/ir's plus extensive eq capabilities with noise reduction included. But I still want one of these.

    Same here, most of my sounds use less than 4 effects, so I'm good here. But lack of morphing is a real bummer for me - I use it a lot and would love to be able prepare a simple preset on Stage / Head with morphing but take Player to a gig - looks like it is not possible at the moment. I hope this can be addressed in future firmware update.

    Quote from Michael_dk

    *raises hand*

    Hehe yes. Funny statement. I would totally use this as a backup if I didn't already have a Stage as backup. Give me Clean, Crunch, and Lead and I'm ready to gig all night. Only use two effects consistently. Room reverb and lead delay.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

    Like 3
    Quote from piotrmaj

    Same here, most of my sounds use less than 4 effects, so I'm good here. But lack of morphing is a real bummer for me - I use it a lot and would love to be able prepare a simple preset on Stage / Head with morphing but take Player to a gig - looks like it is not possible at the moment. I hope this can be addressed in future firmware update.

    Haven't checked up on the details but isn't that what the expression pedal input is for?

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

    I am disapointed, that the remote looks not to be compatible...Maybe due to the restirctions in slots and FX-loop... and dificultied in assaigning? So maybe understandable, but this makes is less interesting for me.

    I would have gone for a smaller form factor same functinality unit (Who wouldnt... )

    I guess it will be possible to add external switches?

    I mean 4 slots with three footswitches is already a bit short - but how will I switch rigs than?