Should I upgrade my KK MK2 to the new K MK3?

Steven Sehnert

Wondering if it's worth upgrading my S61 MK2 to the new S61 MK3? I do use my Machine MK3 with the S61 MK2 and I like what little integration there is between the two.

DunedinDragon

This question is really dependent on your preferences and needs. I'm still wrangling with this decision myself. I get along fine with my MK2 but certain features seem pretty useful such as the poly aftertouch, the location of some of the controls (especially the sliding volume control), the tighter integration with the navigation methods found in Komplete Kontrol and the additional USB and MIDI ports, better, higher quality knobs and such so I can see a use for all of them, but I'm still trying to figure out if it's worth the money I'd need to spend on it.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/98052#Comment_98052

Most every piece of hardware becomes obsolete at some point. But the MK2 ought to be workable for the very least some years more. Mind you, when you personally think that something is obsolete also depends on what you demands !

So you could argue that the MK2 is already obsolete now that the MK3 has come and all development will have most new features , if not all , aiming at needing the MK3. On the other hand if you are a person capable of being happy with what you got and not needing latest features , that is happy with what you got now ! , then your equipment will not be obsolete before it stops working hardware or software / OS support wise !

Personally then when I bought my S61 MK2 then I looked at the tech development with respect to MPE and thought that most anything sold were kind of obsolete already , but I also knew that new keyboards both took time to arrive and they would most likely be more expensive so I decided to 'start' with the S61 MK2 and be happy with that !

Seeing the MK3 then yes ! , I kind of wish that I had saved my money until then/now , but hey , so did I also at last sale when they sold keyboards bundled with Komplete Kontrol software. And if you start looking at it that way then your life is soon going to be nothing more than one long row of regrets.

You can not both save your money and buy everything and in the end then being happy with what you got and get the best from that will maybe often serve you better than thinking it obsolete because you can not do all that the guy next to you can do !

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/17154/should-i-upgrade-my-kk-mk2-to-the-new-k-mk3

Depends a lots on what you enjoy doing and how you spend your time. And your financial resources to pursue such things.

Are you a bit of a gadget lover? Is this as much of a pleasure as creating music? This is a totally valid consideration.

If so, then go ahead and get one. It will be fun to see how the NKS2 environment and Direct Connection grows over the next year.

JesterMgee

The MKII will be no more obsolete than the MK1 was when it came out, and that is there are STILL people in professional areas using the MK1 without issue and even now, it is still 100% supported and works fine. Sure if you are a mac user then everything has a finite life but as long as you can install the software and the drivers it is supported in the current KK software and I would bet that it will still work in 10+ years, so I would not factor in obsolescence as a reason to update now. Wait a year and likely many who jump in quick will get bored and sell it and you have the used market to offer a better deal.

If you are lucky to have money burning a hole in your pocket and just can't get any productions finished with the sheer limited functionality of the MK2, then sure, upgrade and that will solve all those problems and u'll be making hits in no time.

LostInFoundation

Quite a strange question, since the decision can’t be taken that by yourself.

You are already saying that you will miss the Maschine integration, so what should make you decide is if the features it has are worthy to you.

The main ones should be polyphonic aftertouch and NKS2 (when (and if) it will be widely adopted and implemented good). Honestly the big mono screen is, at the moment, quite only aesthetic. Some could even debate if the dual screen we have now is not better.

So…if you think you really need poly aftertouch and you’ll use it a lot (and you need it more than the Maschine integration), it could be the keyboard for you. Otherwise…you already have the controller you need

Steven Sehnert

Thanks, I'm still figuring out what all the MK2 can do, it's been a long slow learning process for me as I came in as a newbie to all of this! I appreciate your help, though! Thank you.

DunedinDragon

This question is really dependent on your preferences and needs. I'm still wrangling with this decision myself. I get along fine with my MK2 but certain features seem pretty useful such as the poly aftertouch, the location of some of the controls (especially the sliding volume control), the tighter integration with the navigation methods found in Komplete Kontrol and the additional USB and MIDI ports, better, higher quality knobs and such so I can see a use for all of them, but I'm still trying to figure out if it's worth the money I'd need to spend on it.

Steven Sehnert

Well my thinking was, to trade in my mk2 for the MK3, which Sweetwater Music allows you to do...but I think tm going to hold back. Really what I'm wondering is for how much longer will NI support the mk2? Are they pretty good about their product updates and support and making sure they don't end up obsolete?

DunedinDragon

At the basic level I'm sure your MK2 would work for a long time. However you have to remember these "smart" features are a result of upgrades to the Komplete Kontrol and Kontakt 7 architecture. At some point those upgrades might leave the MK2 behind or create problems.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/98052#Comment_98052

Most every piece of hardware becomes obsolete at some point. But the MK2 ought to be workable for the very least some years more. Mind you, when you personally think that something is obsolete also depends on what you demands !

So you could argue that the MK2 is already obsolete now that the MK3 has come and all development will have most new features , if not all , aiming at needing the MK3. On the other hand if you are a person capable of being happy with what you got and not needing latest features , that is happy with what you got now ! , then your equipment will not be obsolete before it stops working hardware or software / OS support wise !

Personally then when I bought my S61 MK2 then I looked at the tech development with respect to MPE and thought that most anything sold were kind of obsolete already , but I also knew that new keyboards both took time to arrive and they would most likely be more expensive so I decided to 'start' with the S61 MK2 and be happy with that !

Seeing the MK3 then yes ! , I kind of wish that I had saved my money until then/now , but hey , so did I also at last sale when they sold keyboards bundled with Komplete Kontrol software. And if you start looking at it that way then your life is soon going to be nothing more than one long row of regrets.

You can not both save your money and buy everything and in the end then being happy with what you got and get the best from that will maybe often serve you better than thinking it obsolete because you can not do all that the guy next to you can do !

nightjar

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/17154/should-i-upgrade-my-kk-mk2-to-the-new-k-mk3

Depends a lots on what you enjoy doing and how you spend your time. And your financial resources to pursue such things.

Are you a bit of a gadget lover? Is this as much of a pleasure as creating music? This is a totally valid consideration.

If so, then go ahead and get one. It will be fun to see how the NKS2 environment and Direct Connection grows over the next year.

Vocalpoint

"Really what I'm wondering is for how much longer will NI support the mk2? Are they pretty good about their product updates and support and making sure they don't end up obsolete"

Agree with others in here that as soon as the MKIII was announced - you can consider the MKII obsolete.

But it has already been well documented in the recent "Ask Me Anything Kontrol Series-S MK III" thread that NI will continue to fully support the MKII series - both with actual "support" (hardware issues) and of course NKS1 integrations and Komplete Kontrol software updates.

But new firmware is not in the cards nor is any dream of "porting" selected MKIII features back to our MKII series.

I took a good long look at MKIII (I have the S61 MKII as well) and I am staying with my board. The MKIII is good but it's not worth a trade and pay cycle for me to get there from the MK II

VP

JesterMgee

The MKII will be no more obsolete than the MK1 was when it came out, and that is there are STILL people in professional areas using the MK1 without issue and even now, it is still 100% supported and works fine. Sure if you are a mac user then everything has a finite life but as long as you can install the software and the drivers it is supported in the current KK software and I would bet that it will still work in 10+ years, so I would not factor in obsolescence as a reason to update now. Wait a year and likely many who jump in quick will get bored and sell it and you have the used market to offer a better deal.

If you are lucky to have money burning a hole in your pocket and just can't get any productions finished with the sheer limited functionality of the MK2, then sure, upgrade and that will solve all those problems and u'll be making hits in no time.