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Kemper’s New update – A step in the wrong Direction?
Introduction
I wanted to talk about the new Kemper update they’ve recently released! Before we dive in, I should mention that I don’t own any Kemper products. However, I do own a lot of gear similar to what Kemper offers. So, I wanted to share my thoughts on this recent update and why I think it was a huge mistake!
Everything I mention below is my own opinion and is based on information I’ve either found online or discussed with others, so I might be wrong about some details. However, the minor details aren’t the real issue for me. The bigger issue is the direction Kemper is taking, and that’s what I’d like to focus on. So, let’s dive into why this update is problematic!
The Issue with the Kemper Update
What’s wrong with this new Kemper update? Well, I don’t think many people reading this will be surprised. Forcing people to pay for updates or features on a product they already own is wild! Yet somehow, Kemper has decided to charge for their latest updates and upgrades. They’ve split the features into three “Levels” and charge for two of them.
If you’re expecting me to find some positives here, you won’t. There are none!
Did Kemper not look at companies like Adobe? The backlash they received for moving to a subscription model? Or Waves plugins, which faced a storm of criticism for charging for updates? People don’t like buying a product and then having to pay even more to continue using it. Whether it’s cars, games, or software, this business model is universally disliked. When companies use it, people often look for alternatives.
Let’s set aside the debate over whether charging for the new Kemper updates is fair or not and focus on the pricing. For the “Level 2” update, it’s £151, and for “Level 3,” it’s £126. If you want both together, there’s a package deal for £256, which is almost half the price of the original product! So, let’s do the math: to get the full use out of the Kemper Profiler, you pay £535 for the unit, then another £256 for updates. That brings the total cost to £791.
Or, you could just buy a Line 6 Helix, Fractal, or Headrush, and get all the features with free updates!
"To be able to apply the LVL III upgrade, it is mandatory to have the LVL II upgrade already installed."
More Hidden Kemper Update Costs
Here’s another issue I noticed on Kemper’s website:
“To be able to apply the LVL III upgrade, it is mandatory to have the LVL II upgrade already installed.”
So, if you want Level 3, you need to have paid for Level 2 first. Want to access 8 effect blocks? You need Level 3. Want rig spillover? Level 3 again. This paywall between essential features makes things even worse.
The last point I want to make is critical: this isn’t a toy. Professionals rely on this gear for their livelihoods. Forcing them to shell out extra money for features they need to do their job is unfair, even exploitative.
My Real Concern
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t own any Kemper products, but I do own gear that’s similar. This brings me to my main concern: What if other companies follow Kemper’s lead? What if this business model becomes the new standard and other manufacturers start restricting features? What if it goes even further, and individual pedals start requiring subscriptions to unlock features?
I know it sounds extreme, but it’s possible! I hope that other companies are paying attention to the backlash Kemper is getting. However, we do live in a “subscription and pay-to-play” world, so anything could happen.
Conclusion
That’s my take on the latest Kemper update. I’ll continue speaking to Kemper owners and digging into the situation. If I find out more, I’ll update this article. But based on what we know so far—what do you all think? Is this the right move? Is it fair for a company to hold back features and charge more after customers have already bought the product?
Drop us an email or an Instagram message with your thoughts on the Kemper update news and what are your thoughts!
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