Ask me anything: Kontrol S-Series MK3

jsturms01

How deep is the integration with Pro Tools?

rozling

My heart goes out to the PMs having to wade through all this in the morning :D

I'm an S88 owner, and as someone else pointed out the action on the S88 really deteriorates over time, making a clunky / clicky sound. This has a big effect for me and really puts me off playing it :/

Has the action improved in the new keybed, and has anything been done to prevent it deteriorating over time?

If not I'd echo requests for a desktop unit that allows us to choose our own keyboard, because as much as I would love to get the new generation I can't justify spending that money on something that I don't enjoy playing.

A small question / suggestion: the display looks awesome, but will it be possible to turn off the brightly coloured artwork to reduce distractions and focus on just playing + controlling?

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94866#Comment_94866

This one does too, there's a separate USB-C port meant only for power delivery.

I'm quite happy about that and USB-C tbh

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94866#Comment_94866

There is a separate usb-c port you could use for separate power to not drain laptop battery.

Then again, this keyboard even with a laptop, is not likely to run off laptop battery in a home studio.

Likely to share a powered usb-c hub

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94871#Comment_94871

no, it mk2 keyboards will keep doing their thing for years to come.

But they will miss out on the fun of nks2

JCChaconJr

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94012#Comment_94012

Absolutely! I purchased Komplete Standard even before I ever purchased NI hardware (which I have since upgraded to CE as of 14). The option to buy an Mk3 S-series keyboard without software to eventually replace my M32 would be heavenly.

bloodysnare

I would love more information on how Kontrol mk3 behaves with Maschine. We know integration has been rolled back, but what does that mean exactly? Is Kontrol mk3 just a brick when working with Maschine?

I thought that the possibility to work in a purely NI ecosystem was what NI ultimately desired for their clients, but leaving Maschine users behind with this new piece of incompatible hardware is pretty surprising.

I like the new mk3. The screen is cool and nks2 looks great and I think I'd enjoy this controller, but Maschine is the main component of my workflow, which seems to indicate this new Kontrol isn't an option for me.

DanC

I love my S61. Hardware is great: keyboard, buttons, etc.

Do you plan on an updated version of the Komplete Kontrol screen anytime soon? The font is tiny, and the lower left corner list of presets is way too small. Wish I could resize the screen to make it more readable. Maybe a maximize button to fill the monitor screen?

JesterMgee

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94886#Comment_94886

It will allow you to play notes like any MIDI keyboard, you can also setup some basic midi mapped controls. Currently what it means is you do not have access to the NKS browser or NKS control of instruments, the mixer or the transport controls. All of these functions are available on Maschine itself so what KK will offer is just a way of inputting notes via a keyboard. Likely at some stage next year we will see transport working, possibly mixer control and the NKS control of instruments tho still may not mean you can browse presets on the keyboard in Maschine.

JesterMgee

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94882#Comment_94882

Doesn't add a heap of new functionality. Some simple icons and grouped pages. Would call it a mild update which won't really make MKII users hungry to update, it's like owning an iPhone 14 currently and looking at anything in the 15 that could possibly make you want to dish out another $2k. Some nice things, but not worth if you have a working one already. Depends on how much money people have to waste.

bloodysnare

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94889#Comment_94889

That's what I was thinking, and confirms that the new Kontrol mk3 isn't made for Maschine users. Pretty steep price point for a basic midi controller.

Staykool

I like the new keyboard. Are there any plans for a Maschine MK4?

Sample42

Here’s the thing…incremental change is ok if there are plans to expand the ecosystem quicker than every 4 or 6 years. This update is not for me, and here’s why.

I have been BEGGING the support team to integrate sliders and drum pads on the extra real estate on the 88-key controller especially. While I support the large screen, the fact that so MANY manufacturers make touch screens for their flagship controllers and NI did not is appalling. And while I’m on the topic of sliders and pads, the mixing that many of us would like to do from the keyboard is not just one track at a time, but a mix environment where we can mix two or more channels at once. Using the rotary encoders doesn’t make that at all possible, as a circular motion to make incremental or sweeping changes ON MULTIPLE CHANNELS is insanely hard.

Full disclosure, the work I personally do doesn’t involve polyphonic aftertouch, but having that in addition to pads and sliders would’ve MAYBE tipped the scales for me. The loss of integrating Maschine feels extremely off too. Gaining access to Kontakt directly IS exciting to me as is the new NKS protocol, but it’s not gonna make me plop down $1300. Had the engineers come up with a solution to match controllers like the Keylab, or others, I’d be totally into the new controllers. For now, I will stay with my workflow: a perfectly working S88 MK2 and a fader bank by its side. No reason to upgrade. What a shame.

JesterMgee

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/94891#Comment_94891

Well that is where you have kind of nailed it. It is made for users more like me who aren't really Maschine users. I own a Maschine but the keyboard does its best work in a DAW for use with plugins and easily recording ideas. Honestly, if Maschine integration is ones real focus the MK2 would be just as good a bet especially since Maschine does not even support Poly AT, if you have an MK2 and only really use Maschine then the MK3 offers almost no added value, if you have no keyboard and are in the market for one for Maschine, an MK2 would likely now be a pretty good buy.

Dave BK

Will the new S88 mk3 contain the same keybed as the mk2. I didn’t buy the mk2 as I disliked the stiff heavy action of its keybed. I think the idea of Komplete Kontrol and NKS is fantastic and ended up buying a S61 mk2 just to get the integration and a Kronos for the hammer action. I know that a number of folk are not happy with the s88 mk2 action in the forums and given that it is being sold as a high end controller, the inclusion of a superior hammer action more comparable with a Roland FP60/90 would be good thing.