Fair enough, I guess I just see it as a bit disrespectful. There are many other places more suited IMO e.g. TGP, Rig Talk... I guess the difference I see here is this is just a new product discussion, not comparing or relating it to the Axe in any way.
Cheers.
Well I'm going to anyway - cuz I'm an insensitive twat
I fired off a few pertinent questions to Kemper as details on specifications are still a bit of a mystery.
No 7 pin Midi/phantom power option planned ever
Floor controller compatibility specs being finalised and 'not available for a few weeks' - sounds like they are pushing development their own bespoke controller similar to the MFC to be available when they formally launch. Powered via the cat5 socket or wall wart? No info.
IA ccs to internal stomps and post amp FX are supported - no real surprise there.
No finalised launch list of FX types available - 'still in development'
While it is possible to have 2 output paths - one to FOH with Cab IR via balanced XLR or unbalanced jacks and another with cab IR removed to Monitor out for stage power amp and cabs - the monitor out option is MONO only - so no stereo backline set up unless you split the main FOH stereo outs. Splitting obviously means any cab IR you wanted on the FOH sends would be sent to your backline set up too - FRFR speaker or IEM system friendly but not so much for conventional guitar speaker cabs unless you go the mono route. (OK - so a mono output only isn't such a big deal - unless you have a nice 2 channel valve power amp which can't be bridged!)
I also asked them if you profiled an amp using a mic on it's cab would the cab IR not be integral to the 'profile' and be influential on any subsequent adding cab IRs from the internal library. They just said that the original cab's sonic influence can be removed from a profile - so I assume some of those farts and whistles during the profiling process are aimed at capturing and separating the cab/speaker/mic IR? Dunno how or if that would work well?? Don't think I've seen any demonstrations of them actually showing this 'original cab removal' in action?
The Axe still has the mojo in comprehensive studio/live dual functionality, deep tweaking, FX and portability as far as I can see - and there's still no indication as yet of when the Kemper will actually launch and in what quantities. The Axe range has a proven pedigree and user base and the Kemper is still on the nipple.
The price point difference between the Axe and the Kemper in the US looks like its going to be $750 (based on unconfirmed $1850 tag for Kemper and current full retail of $2600 for the Axe2) - but the difference in the EU will be greater €2300 v €1435 (unconfirmed) = €865 (around $1215).
While the Axe may be still the more desirable IMO - the price difference between the 2 in the EU might be the decider for quite a few newcomers to the digital modelling/profiling genre (and Line6 upgraders
).
EU needs allocated more AF2s FAS!!
(Yes, you guessed it - it's a new angle to try and hurry things up for us over the pond 'whiners' isn't it?
)
