Kemper Player. Everything you don&’t know. Is it Kemper or Tonex?
Kemper player exposed: What you need to know. is it really any good? Has Kemper created the simulator player that kills tube amps? Find out in this no holds barred closeup review.
Contents:
00:00 Start
00:19 Intro & Preamble
01:31 What’s in the box?
02:14 Experience with Kemper
04:47 Inside the Kemper Player
11:19 A Battery!
13:57 Second Processor
16:20 Player Controls
22:17 Rear I/O
24:17 Chinese Power Supply
25:46 Closeup of the Chips
42:53 Hardware Quality?
43:20 Thoughts so far
45:28 User Manuals
47:39 Technical Specs
51:39 More Kemper Thoughts
54:15 The TONEX?
55:22 Why Kemper?
57:10 Independence Matters
57:47 Rig Manager Software
1:13:33 Rig Manager on Phone
1:15:31 No Gain Without Pain
1:16:01 Who is the Player for?
1:17:12 Warranty
1:17:48 Buying from Germany
1:18:44 Overall Score
1:19:51 Any Concerns?
1:22:02 Happy Chappy?
1:22:34 Connect to an Amp
1:24:23 Old Stuff
1:26:19 My Free Profiles
1:29:21 Tones Played
1:29:54 SPLAWN Nitro (Lightpipe AI)
1:33:03 The Setup
1:34:43 Tumblety Track Compared
1:38:06 Download Profiles
1:38:29 ENGL E670 Lead TM
1:39:23 ENGL E670 Lead 2
1:40:16 Marshall JVM410HJS Clean
1:41:00 JVM410HJS Rhythm RED
1:42:16 JVM410HJS Lead1 W/Shift
1:43:07 JVM410HJS Lead1 No Shift
1:43:50 Marshall YJM100 Lead
1:44:41 Mesa R King II Ch3 Vintage
1:45:03 Mesa RK II Ch4 Modern
1:45:51 SPLAWN Nitro Crunch
1:47:21 SPLAWN Nitro Heavy
What you will learn:
Is the Kemper Player for you?
Is the Kemper well made?
What is the software like to use?
Related links:
My website: https://tonymckenzie.com
The original Kemper review: https://youtu.be/RNDhwM0s03I
Kemper Amp Focknrollers video: https://youtu.be/y-qYdYNzxs4
Kemper Rack Inside and Out Review: https://youtu.be/4RZUnEyG2eM
Kemper Rack Power Conversion: https://youtu.be/ymyMzfjphxI
Kemper Rack Floor Pedal Review: https://youtu.be/cZgli5vZUTI
Kemper DI Box – Why you need one: https://youtu.be/lrWnvG__HeA
And of course this video which is actually the most extensive Kemper Amp review (at least the player) so far. So is the Kemper player a winner or loser?
You could say that I have been around Kemper Profiles and the Kemper amp and now a Kemper Player since January 2012 and have seen much from this maker. Sure enough the quality of their products are genuinely usually good, although back in the day they did have issues with the lights around the controls if I remember correctly. But the Kemper is getting on a little…
When the Kemper Profile Player was released I was a little surprised really, as I expected a new Kemper Profiler with new technology, rather than this profile player. But don’t be put off, I believe that this player is produced just at the right time. But there is one ‘fly in the ointment’ so to speak – more of that later.
The great thing about this Kemper player is that for around £600 (depending on many things) and THE RIGHT PROFILES then the Kemper player can rock. And I have to say, that in my opinion this player will probably suit rock and metal players likely better than some pop band or act.
So who is the Kemper player for? These days there’s that pesky TONEX – the one I had to spend a week trying to get it authorized by its maker… and then usual suspects cry ‘it’s a game changer’. But in reality the truth is, compared to the Kemper player that the Tonex device, while having a capture mode, lags so far behind the Kemper player for a great reason. I do cover this in the video and you really should watch the whole thing to get a real understanding of what you’re buying.
Don’t want to watch the internals and chips section? No problem – just skip to 42:53 and those are gone :). I cover so many things in this inside and out review that this is likely the best review and most authentic you will ever see. Kemper and the ‘paid reviewers’ will NEVER confirm that, but hey, my opinion really is completely unbiased and I bought this unit.
Note that this unit supports guitar AND bass guitar but frankly could be used with any audio generative device… and its not really a Kemper stage is it!
I have spent considerable time creating this video over three weeks of work entirely at my own expense:
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching – I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.
(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel
#kemperamp #kemperprofiler #kemperamps #guitar #bass #synthesis #tonymckenzie #amplifier #ampsimulator #review #reviewer #insideout #mckenzie #kemperprofiler #kemperstage #ampsim
#Kemper #Player #don39t #Kemper #Tonex
Originally posted by UCuuNmrkOEmTPnz4Dcc-Hi5w at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGxDd-Gddn4
Congratulations for presentation !!! ????
If I want to use my analog delay and reverb pedals, how do I use these with the player? I assume you just put them AFTER the Kemper – but the Kemper has balanced L&R out and would be going into pedals wanting to see unbalanced TS cables? Also putting them after the Kemper would then require a DI box right to pull an XLR at the end of the chain to FOH/recorder.
I have kpp. Two things really bothers me: lack of SPDIF/ADAT output ( it is crime to have digital device without proper digital out) . With SPDIF out I could connect kpp with audio interface which has SPDIF input . Other thing , with USB audio, sample rate is only 44.1 kHz – this is shame. Lack of screan is not deal breaker, but there are many other problems with rig manager : it is not written anywhere which cab is selected. On drop-down list it is not marked, when I open the list , it starts from the beggining ( it should start with selected cab). These are rookie mistakes….
Can you do an update on how to profile a pedal?
Well, your review blowed my mind! I've found tons of (well made) videos, showing me the basics of the KP, how it sounds alone, how it sounds comparing with QC, TX or A2, blah, blah. But all they fail in two things: How the Rig Manager is for KP (and therefore, what can I expect to change inside the rig), and from an expertise point of view, how it feels the unit.
In addition, the chip part is awesome. I love to see the guts of my devices and definitely it's a safari on it.
Congrats for this video, you've a new subscriber, and a fan!
I dropped my unit straight out of the box, broke the plastic input jack. Kemper won't replace just the jack. Repair is to replace the entire board $325 . . . .
que sonzeira, top top… Brazil!!!
Hey Tony. Thank you for the amazing video. Wanted to know how much custom duty you had to pay to import the product directly from Germany. I'm planning to buy directly from Kemper as well.
I've been using profilers/modellers??? for a couple of years now and the quality (sound, not necessarily build) seems to have improved a lot. I've been recording and they are very very convenient. But the other day I just plugged the guitar into a valve amp and I felt the familiar joy I have been missing with the interfaces. I can't work out whether there is a truly qualitative difference or it's just me being old and nostalgic. I suspect it might be the real 2×12 speaker cab, which I don't get with monitors and headphones.
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Another great review, Anthony. While these new null tests are highlighting Kemper's apparent deficiencies, the feel of playing a Kemper is a unique experience; that sweet inherent compression is delicious under the fingers. Do you notice a similar sensation?
Btw
The L/R Monitor Outs are balanced TRS.
some old man can't handle software。maybe one day will happen to me also
中国人是你爸爸
My guess is the battery could be a holdup for SRAM in the event of a power loss or glitch. Program and parameters are likely written to NV flash.
Hi. Intertek is not a manufacturer, it´s a quality inspection company
Your depth of knowledge and understanding amaze me. I love simply plugging into my amp and playing but understsnd youngsters liking new tech.Thanks for all your efforts.From an old fart(80) in the US it is refreshing to watch your youthful energy and enthusiasm
Hey Tony, thanks for review that was quite detalied and good. I wonder about, there is a chance review for Mooer GE1000? And what is your opinion between Headrush Core and Kemper Player for home playing?
Tony, thank you for all your reviews. This may not be of interest or need to everyone, so just a thought. One of the things I look and listen for in modelers, is latency. Especially live. And especially in switching. Leo Gibson's test reviews of this newest Kemper, the Player, shows that it has latency similar to the original Kemper, which is about 4ms. When he tested the Boss GT-1000, he found it's latency to be smallest latency of all the modelers at about 1ms.
Your reviews are brilliant Tony, won't to thank you for spending the time to do a honest review.many thanks Peter
Hey Tony, great review as always. I looked up the Kemper in terms of functionality and I don't see the value of this over a Tonex as both lack effects loops and only feature limited onboard effects. In the US, the Tonex is 400 and the Kemper is 700, making the former cheaper to integrate into a fully-fledged platform like the GT-1000 Core.
Thanking you for this great review, my feeling is that apart of posibillity of playing kemper profiles, the unit is significantly overpriced (bottom end is an ARM chip based unit, an average and discountinued CS424 familly audio codec, …, no screen, plastic connectors, etc). I'm not sure what kind of german "quality" is here… Thank's again !
I wonder if I could use a player in conjunction with a stage and get a dual rig setup ? Still got my stage from 2019 still kicking , always a great review Tony ????
The Battery in the other units is only for the clock, if it fails , the unit will still play sounds, just have an error message to skip for the TIME
kemper kills all.
Another great review Tony. I still have my Tonex and although I hate the software and only use it for uploading captures on to the main pedal, I love how it sounds and feels. It compares very favourably with the more expensive ones. It’s much much cheaper than the Kemper. If I could afford the Kemper, I’d go for it. But I can’t. I’m waiting for the next Helix….probably be another 5 yrs so plenty time to save.
the battery is the same as in a garmin , about a fiver , thanks for the review tony !
Thanks Tony for a great in-depth review. Brilliant stuff and really helpful. Wishing you good things from Oxford UK
It has a Varta CR2032 cell on the circuit board, no doubt it is a german product.
Who cares about how old the chips are. Valves are a little bit older but you wouldn’t pull the manufacturer up about that. And for all the comments saying the manufacturer no longer exists, Freescale was acquired by NXP and the DSP56xxx used in the Kemper is still in production. It is just NRND and it’s in fact probably the best Audio specific DSP family of chips ever made hence why the Kemper is still the leader.
What an uneducated hate fest of a video. Your lack of knowledge is astounding.
Thank you for the comprehensive run through! Re: the complaint about the rating of the rigs being online but not in Rig Manager, I think it is because Rig Manager refers to "My Rating" for that rig, meaning its your rating of that rig, not the rating of others online (since you might disagree with the rating of others)
Thanks as always for the really in depth review ! I am not going to be using this type of profiler, since I really enjoy using my amp and the UA Ox, but I like to be aware of what is in the tech world, and you always are the source for straight information !!
Interesting, I've always been a fan of your videos because you dive into the hardware. I have an Amp Academy from Nux that sounds as good as anything I have tried and also has a 1 GHz microprocessor. It got updated for free with 6 additional new amps. I know that is not the whole story, but it makes the Kemper perhaps a little underpowered.
Great another pedal that is just awesome. I love all this new digital tech. Guys that do small gigs could get away with just a few pedals and cables and its off to the races without lugging around all those heavy amps.
I’m VERY DISAPPOINTED. The DSP you showed is a Freescale (this company doesn’t exist anymore, the logo has disappeared from any chip since 2015)
Speaking as a programmer and as a musician. That software IS JUST BAD.
Excellent review Tony! I really appreciate how you open the gear up to show the components ????!
Que gran aporte en este video, excelente video, los datos son de gran aporte. Me llama enormemente la atención que el ToneX tiene mas DSP que el Kemper: M4 vs M7; Wao!!!!
Wow ! The person on the right looks so creepy staring without moving for long
periods of time !
The only interesting question : Is this hardware as powerful as the biggest kemper to enable more effects and amp parameters (compression definition…) in future update ?
Thanks for taking the time to make this Review Tony ????????
Very informative and insightful!
A buzz fest
As expected, your videos are top notch.
congratulations . I love seeing things inside.
Wow a 10/10 Tony McKenzie review! ????????????
That's incredible!