Posts by Alienator

  • Line 6 Helix => "STADIUM": New Hardware Incoming


    Agoura is the first real amp engine update since Helix launched — long overdue. FX blocks are still stuck in 2015. Stadium’s hardware might change that, but so far: nothing new. I was intrigued at first, and years ago I even thought Kemper would fall once Line 6 entered the capture game — way before Quad Cortex. But with so many capture units now, that clearly won’t happen. Some sound more “accurate”, sure — I’ve tested plenty. But nothing beats how my Stage feels and sounds live. So for now, I’m sticking with my MK1 and HX Stomp: clean, lean, absolutely enough. Spillover can still be a pain, but I manage. What matters now is how MK2 profiles sound. That’ll decide the road — MK2, Stadium (if modeling and cloning really deliver), or neither. Knowing Kemper, I doubt it’s just marketing.

  • Line 6 Helix => "STADIUM": New Hardware Incoming

    Quote from dmatthews

    I'm a bit of a geek by nature/job, but that just looks like too much stuff for me...

    Yes, not sure if I should be hyped or terrified.
    Yeah, it's a monster – sounds like NASA built it.

    My Stage just works. Sounds great, no drama, no black hole of tweaking.
    Only real issue for me: spillover with complex chains can choke the MK1.

    I left amps in 2015 and spent two years editing menus instead of playing – with the Helix.
    Kemper (2017) ended that madness.
    Tried FM9 and others – still came back, because Kemper vanishes when you play.

    Stadium looks amazing.
    But do I, personally, want a spaceship – or an instrument? Not sure.

    My eyes say: hell yes.
    My gut says: don’t be stupid.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    As already pointed out, I don’t think it’s just about the DSP – it’s the whole system. MK1 feels maxed out. MK2 likely brings a faster CPU, better I/O, cleaner internal routing – not just cosmetic, but real headroom. A shift in how things are handled.

    To me, this is the key:
    Kemper didn’t use a shared CPU/DSP setup like Fractal or Line 6 – until now.
    As I understand it, the old CPU handled UI, MIDI, and USB communication, while the DSP took care of all audio processing. No full USB audio, no deep routing, long boot times – classic signs of a bottlenecked system.

    Yes, MK1 does have USB audio – but only basic stereo out.
    MK2 adds full multi-channel USB, lower latency, probably better FX handling too – and I really don’t think that’s just firmware. That’s architecture.

    Fractal works the same way: DSP handles tone, CPU manages routing and control. That’s why the Axe-Fx III stays smooth even under heavy loads.

    So MK2 isn’t just a new engine – it’s a new highway.
    MK1 might load MK2 profiles in legacy mode.
    But for full resolution and what’s coming next… you’ll need that new road.

    Maybe that’s also the answer to the long-unanswered question about whether spillover finally works under every condition on the MK2.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Quote from aehaem

    The new Hardware could be necessary to create those MkII Profiles, the old Hardware could only play those...

    So an old KPA Head could become a Profile Player:/

    Addition: According to Kemper staff, MK1 units will be able to play MK2 profiles – but only in legacy resolution. (This was confirmed by DonPetersen, if I recall correctly, in another thread.)

  • How long until we see MK 2 Profile demos?

    I’d genuinely love to see an interview or intro video with Christoph Kemper.

    Because this doesn’t feel like just another feature drop – it seems like a fundamental shift: “massively higher resolution, near-zero aliasing” (as some like to call it).

    Kemper knows they only get one real marketing shot at this. So maybe the current silence isn’t hesitation – maybe it’s strategy.

  • MK 2 Unboxing and Walkthrough

    Cool video – thanks for sharing. Quick question about the MKII's performance under load:

    What always bugged me with the MKI is how easily spillover tails (especially Ionosphere and long ambient delays) get cut off when switching slots in a performance – especially with complex FX chains.

    Have you tested if the MKII handles this better due to the improved processing power?
    Does it preserve tails more consistently under heavy FX load?

    Would really appreciate any insight – I’ve asked before but haven’t seen it addressed. Cheers!

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Yes – endless, bitter, and often pointless debates in this forum – far beyond healthy info exchange – aren’t really about tone. They’re about ego.
    Let’s face it: especially among guitarists (far too many), it’s not about facts. It’s about identity.
    And in the digital age, gear talk has simply become the new psychological dick-measuring contest.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Quote from Ruefus

    If the new profiles could be played on the old hardware….whats the point of new hardware?

    Money, obviously. Like with the Player – if you want to keep your MK1, and even more money if you buy the MK2.

    Add better FX, many more blocks, faster morphing, 8 channel USB audio, lower latency (if early MK2 reports are right) – all actually useful if you play the thing and go well beyond just loading profiles, old or new.

    So yeah, that was a totally fair question from OneEng1.

    Do I expect that kind of compatibility? Not really.

    But hey – my Stage once woke up with WiFi, so… miracles do happen.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Quote from sailor

    I don't see how this could be interpreted as anything other than saying the Mk2 has cleaner, more predictable anti-aliasing. That would be good news, so I'm just curious if it's true.

    If you're isolating half a sentence and stripping it of context, the real question is: What exactly are you trying to prove?
    I've clarified the intent multiple times above (just read) – so why insist on pinning down a claim I never made?

    Feels less like genuine curiosity – and more like trying to score a point.
    That’s fine, if that’s your game. But let’s not pretend this is still about clarity anymore.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Quote from sailor

    I don't think it's a problem, but yes, there is aliasing in a Kemper. It's easy to test it for yourself, or you can find demonstrations of it on youtube. It's unavoidable, there is aliasing in any digital non-linear system and all amp sims do it to varying degrees. I would just be careful to avoid claiming there is no aliasing since critics will jump on that statement.


    Do you have a source for that? Where does Kemper say the ant-aliasing has been improved in the Mk2?

    Sure – just to clarify once more (a quick re-read might help – seems there was some overinterpretation on your side):
    I never quoted Kemper or claimed any official improvement in anti-aliasing.

    What I actually said – and clearly meant – was a general observation:
    Not a technical claim, not a critique, and certainly not an official statement.
    It simply reflected how some users perceived smoother FX behavior in MK2 – particularly in fuzz, pitch shifting, or transient-heavy scenarios.

    As for aliasing: you're right in principle – it can occur in any digital non-linear system.
    But whether it's audible, musical, or even relevant is a different matter – and highly subjective.

    G String stated there’s no known issue – fair enough. If anyone genuinely hears something off, support is the right place to go. I’ll leave it at that.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Quote from G String

    Alinator

    Okay. I've talked to support and somebody inquiring about an aliasing issue a couple of days ago and that's it. I don't want to say that there is no problem but we don't know of an issue that we are supposed to improve/fix. And we don't know who "those who do" are. or, at least only one of "those who do" did contact us so far.

    From what we know there is no aliasing.

    I won't want this to become one of those cases where a myth is repeated over and over again.

    Fair enough. No myth, at least from my side – just the kind of real-world impressions I mentioned earlier. Let’s see if Kemper has more surprises in store.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Quote from G String

    Alienator Do you hear aliasing? If you do, please contact us and show us what you mean exactly. In fact, anybody who hears aliasing should contact us through the contact form. Thanks!

    No, I don’t.
    “Not everyone hears it. But those who do – especially in fuzz, pitch shifting, or transient-heavy FX – will appreciate MK2’s cleaner, more predictable anti-aliasing”
    was meant as a general observation – not a personal complaint or any form of measurable proof.

    It simply reflects what some users have subjectively experienced as a refinement in MK2’s FX behavior – not a critique of engineering, nor a technical diagnosis.

    And yes – if anyone does hear aliasing, they should absolutely contact Kemper directly.

  • Upgrade MK 1 -> MK 2

    Quote from DamianGreda

    Could you provide any supporting information for this assumption? Terms like 'optimized' and 'internal routing was redesigned' suggest significant improvements, but I would appreciate some clarification or sources. Of course, it's not that I doubt you—I'm just keen to understand the basis for these claims.

    No schematics exist – but teardowns suggest updated NXP microcontrollers and a revised RAM and I/O layout.
    Full confirmation would require OEM schematics or a statement from Kemper – but clear visual differences in component layout are observable.

    Add to that user reports of smoother FX transitions and faster rig switching, especially in complex setups.

    So yes – same DSP core.
    But architecture and execution clearly matter.
    Real-world behavior makes the case.