Komplete Kontrol S49 MK2 discontinued?

paul doolan

Bax Music has just stated on their web site that the Komplete Kontrol S49 mark 2 has been discontinued, is there a mark 3 on the Horizon i wonder.

nightjar

Hmm.. curious info...

Mk3 versions of the S-series keyboards has been a strong rumor for several months.

Inventories running out in August might be just what NI wants if they are ready to ship in September...

Seems that the S49 MK2 is still in stock other retailers... but maybe Bax is the front edge of the supplies running out.

nightjar

Quick and dirty S-49 Mk 3:

JesterMgee

IMO, terrible!

too many encoders, no screens (Making the usefulness of many controllers limited), too cramped around controls, touch strip still in an unusable location below mod/pitch wheels, X/Y pad on the right (whereas would be much more useful on the left based on how people play). I'd say that is much worse than current design.

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/88674#Comment_88674

There is a screen above the 2 rows of encoder to identify the function of these 16 encoders and the buttons above. The trackpad to the right is for pointer navigation, replacing the current joystick... and is also for point/click of desktop screen GUI

JesterMgee

Yeah, that is why it's best leave it up to people who know how to design things. I wouldn't want a cheap track pad on the thing if it wasn't for X/Y control, also I wouldn't want to lose the screens but rather utilise them more, maybe have touch navigation instead of the encoder wheel and certainly would not want all those fixed position potentiometers. Too many non-dedicated controls become a clunky mess.

In your mind it's ideal, in my mind it's clunky and cramped and far from what I would want to use, that is why no solution will suit everyone, peoples ideas of what is a good solution vary greatly. IMO, the design now is perfectly acceptable and usable, maybe 16 encoders would be good, 8 above and below the screens with values all shown on the screens and more usage of the actual buttons. X/Y pad (no "mouse pad" wasting space) and a programmable scribble strip as well as touch screens. That would be all I would need for most tasks.

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/88676#Comment_88676

Trackpad would be of quality on par with Apple laptop and have multi touch gestures like Apple. Using it for x/y performance simultaneously with keys would be rare. Much more frequent used for selection navigation.. perhaps some occasional x/y performance recording of loop modulation where right position would be preferred by many.

Touch screens would be too gimmicky for the reality of practical screen size.

And these are 16 continuous encoders, NOT fixed position potentiometers. The screen above labels their function and would indicate their level as a ring. Having two rows allow simultaneous pan and level when in mixer mode.. button above for mute/solo depending on short/long press.

Have encoders above screen is not as good as two rows below... your hand obscures screen when using encoders above screen.

JesterMgee

All of that is in your opinion, my opinion differs almost 100% from everything you have said.

All those encoders squished together is a nightmare to fumble around in. The cost of a "quality Apple like track pad" adds cost which many may not want especially if they HATE using trackpads for navigation and why bother using it if you can easily make touch screens.

Your claim that they are too small doesn't make sense when people use screens of similar size like an iphone and have been fine with that for 15 years.

I know it is pointless arguing with your personal vision of the future but my $0.02, that misses the mark on what I feel most people out there are looking for just based on the feedback I have seen over the last 10 years. I mean, I cannot even see your screens you say are there so that's the first issue...

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/88684#Comment_88684

The screen is right above the encoders.. just like current product. It is one long horizontal display that is currently showing a representation of the 16 encoders below it. It provides their labeling and current value in this example... 2 banks of Massive X macros.

And a touch screen experience on phone is different in that you are typically closer to it when using. Getting the same touch screen functionality at the arms length distance of a NI keyboard would need to scale up display size as you see the trend in the most recent car dashboards... like Apple CarPlay for example.

JesterMgee

Ah, from your (crude) picture what you call the screen looks like another 16 controls. Wouldn't allow much ability to browse content and presets.

And a touch driven screen would not have to offer the same iphone type of experience, just an easy way to select and scroll presets and devices, reorder effects etc.

Again, each individual will have their idea of what makes an ideal layout, I don't agree with this idea myself, others might.

nightjar

The screen area in this mockup is sufficient for a good user experience in preset browsing.

The current NI product fails in this regard by trying to present too much artwork.

By forgoing the unneeded artwork and focusing on smartly thought out columns of text info, the long horizontal screen + trackpad good yield a good list of presets to audition.

And with the preset list persistently displayed in columns across the upper portion of the horizontal screen, the lower portion could have a persistent display of the first macro bank to allow an immediate deeper auditioning process.

To use a touchscreen for a satisfying experience at arms length, the screen area would need to be as large as an iPad.

Really everything above the keyboard could be replaced with couple of big touchscreens.. zero buttons and encoders needed. Is this what users want?

100% touchscreen would be cheaper to make..

But what about muscle memory and tactile feel?

Hmm...

paul doolan

Well lets hope that they will also update Komplete Kontrol to go with it rather then the Amstrad CPC 64 version they have now.😡

Toltemic

Ayo we're doing quick & dirty edits of the s series?

heres mine :)

basically the maschine jam is incorporated, I did post this in another thread awhile back

nightjar

Nice! Vertical strips would likely appeal to many.

Some fun to share these things before a reveal... (September??)

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/88824#Comment_88824

I think we will see something semi-significant with KK before the end of the year.

Not my dream of machine learning browsing... but still a nice improvement will happen.

JesterMgee

Doubt any of the overbloated ideas will be the next version, KK has always been about sleek and dedicated control with browsing capabilities, for those that want a bazillion controls, pads and such there are other keyboards out there already for that. Not saying some ideas aren’t good, just doubtful the focus is going to be making the keyboards more expensive than already.