Hi Preacher,
Thanks for the well thought-out reply.
Kemper isn't restricting their communications with regards to features, only the timeline (afaik). I agree with your assessment that the likely advantages of communications outweigh the negatives. After all, how many of us are there on this forum compared to the total number of Kemper users?
Personally, I feel like the KPA is rapidly approaching a point where no further updates should be required. Will the community still want more? Sure. Always do. The question is, does the KPA need many more updates in order to maintain its position in the market? I am personally thinking it doesn't, but that is purely my opinion.
For my purposes (live gigging and practicing at home), the KPA is already the best solution on the market at a price point well below its closest competitor.
There may be other use cases where the KPA lags (like the editor); however, I seriously doubt that the KPA will ever rival the Axe with respect to the editor.
The KPA was designed from the ground up to be a tube amp purist replacement. The Axe was designed as a digital replacement for said amplifier with configuration capability front-and-center as its Unique Sales Propositions (USP's).
It is hard to imagine the KPA attempting to morph itself into an Axe. It really goes against the very fiber of the design goals of the device. It is equally impossible to see the Axe becoming as easy to use as the KPA.
This left turn in discussion is only an example of why I feel that the updates for the KPA may well be slowing and stopping soon.... since I know there are many who yearn for a comprehensive editor from Kemper (although I think the Toast ME is quite good as it is).
Verbs, Navigation, maybe some better drive stomps are all I can see as "bang for the buck" improvements to the device. With this next release, nearly all of those will be done
.... which is why I am so looking forward to those rich new verbs and improved navigation (I don't use the stomps much myself)