Komplete Kontrol S series MK1 keyboards End Of Life

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Comments

  • Alexbg
    Alexbg Member Posts: 3 Member

    5 year's after the sale ended is not a long life circle, they only reason they do this because the want everyone to buy a new one, there is no reason the 8 knobs wouldn’t work with newer System too as the worked before.

    The next thing is it would be possibility to make 2 different software (maybe kk2), so nobody can’t update per mistake, the Mk1 and I think a lot of others feel the same, is absolutely the best for me, self the screen from Mk3 can’t replace the screen on my Mac.

    the only conclusion NI gave us, to never buy again a hardware from NI itself, every other company make good stuff that didn’t end after a few years.

    i bought they keyboard of the features to control their library and the light guide, this both would end with midi mode so my love to NI would also end.

  • nightjar
    nightjar Member Posts: 1,322 Guru

    In my personal universe, I would go the other direction...

    Controllers would be dumber.

    They would be more like computer input accessories... cousins to mice, trackpads and such. All the brains and display would be via a separate device.. interchangeable a desktop/laptop/tablet.

    The controller would have high quality hardware components, and would be laid out to be visually related to the GUI provided by the desktop/laptop/tablet display... allowing for instinctive "heads-up" operation of these components.

    Such "dumb" controllers could last for years & years...

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,461 Expert
    edited October 2023

    Thank you.

    Although not agreeing with NI decisions, showing that at least you are willing to make the last version we will be able to use as stable as possible (at least in the present) is a good sign.

    And anything I was asking for from the first page of this thread. All the other things expressed are opinions, but as I already said, NI is free to do what they want (in the laws boundaries), specially if they don’t mind the consequences their decisions will have between their existing users

  • Milkman
    Milkman Member Posts: 260 Advisor

    Excellent suggestion. Im on Bitwig myself after 20+ years in Cubase and a couple others, and I also use the Driven By Moss scripts. At first I was resistant to using them because I wanted NI to always be the vendor to improve and support their hardware, but now... that I see the MK1 being EOL, and that overall philosophy creeping in more and more, I've reconsidered.

    Im using my maschine MK3 in "dumb" mode more and more lately, taking advantage of polyphonic aftertouch and using it to experiment in many plugins. Bitwig is the perfect DAW for me today, and considering Driven By Moss as a lifespan-extender for "old" hardware is a great idea!

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,051 Expert

    @Maciej Repetowski

    I’m questioning the reasoning behind that design. There’s no reason why it can’t be both. Mk3, once updated with promised standalone functions will be exactly that.

    It’s just a pity that it took NI two iterations of controller to finally understand that it is desirable .

    I guess there were several reasons.

    1) The cost which would be OK for big keyboards, but rather limiting for small ones, or budget ones.

    2) CPUs have roughhly 10x more computing power than 10 years ago. Computers are probably smaller and dissipate less heat. Again important for smaller models....

    3) Easier to add new functions....

    4) Less things to break, lower costs for quarantie.

    5) No, or almost no flashing firmware. Less troubles, less HW bricked, ....

    Generally, it has many advantages. If one is mainly in NI ecosystem. And preferably on Win....

    But, for sure, it has dissadvantage for non NI users and for NI users if NI drops SW support......

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,051 Expert

    @nightjar

    Such "dumb" controllers could last for years & years...

    Well, KK Sxx MK1 is the example of completely dumb controller like mouse..... To where that path may lead we just see.....

    On contrary, KK Sxx MK2 is sort of "smart" controller.....

    -----------------

    You are right, it might be better to have "dumb" controlller and the rest in computer. Like mouse, or computer keyboard.... But the standard for such a "dumb" controller would be needed. So that many producers would produce interchangable "dumb" controllers and many companies would produce SW to use them seamlessly.....

    That is not going to happen any time soon.....

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,461 Expert

    You should see what Driven by Moss can do with Akai MPC Live 2 or Akai Force…it can also use the touchscreens!

    Now this is what I call being clever and allowing clever people to add functionalities on your devices (Akai sent the devices to the guy in order to allow him to make these clever scripts…a win/win situation for users and for Akai)


  • nobadmojo
    nobadmojo Member Posts: 110 Helper

    Aye we're of like minds here. Since NI doesnt make a keyboard with pads, I;ve been using a Novation Launchpad x after trying a Maschine Mikro mk3 and summarily dumping it, not being able to jive at all with the Maschine metaphor. The Launchpad also has a Moss script and tightly integrates with Bitwig...it's by no means a dumb controller and has aftertouch. If you use the bitwig clip launcher at all, the Launchpad is a no brainer.

    So this actually turned out great for me...the s61mk1 knobs now control things like track volume, modulators, vst's, panning, etc and most of the KK stuff still works including the scales. My next keyboard will not be from NI thats for sure.

    I kinda regret getting sucked into the NI stuff....Had I known they dont care enough about their vst's (and customers) to upgrade their stuff, I would have gone with another company. I have 3 of the Session Guitars..they are all stuck on version 1...they dont all operate the same. the latest one has more features . etc. They should all have the same features, work the same, and they should be upgraded from time to time unless they think all their stuff comes out of the womb perfect...who knows, they might sell more vst's this way..or even be able to package guitars as a group..you know...sell more stuff??? rant over.

  • nobadmojo
    nobadmojo Member Posts: 110 Helper

    Does the new komplete kontrol 3.0 at least give the option to show an onscreen keyboard? No way I am reinstalling it just to satisfy a curiosity or spend the time to noodle around the threads here where people are kinda hacked off about 3.0 for various reasons and the mk3 hardware

  • mykejb
    mykejb Moderator Posts: 1,694 mod

    Nope, it's pretty much the same as KK2 in that respect. I'm assuming there's no OSK as it's intended to be used with the hardware. Have to say though, I'd like an OSK for when I'm just messing around on a laptop, would save me loading KK into Cubase and using the Cubase OSK

    -- Mike

  • nobadmojo
    nobadmojo Member Posts: 110 Helper

    Yes, I get that, but if you have a NI A series keyboard, or any other keyboard that isnt the uber expensive s series, you cant even tell where the keyswitches are thus not making Komplete Kontrol komplete at all. You can load Kontakt inside of KK to see where the keyswitches are, but why in the world should you have to do that just to see where keyswitches are? the locations vary based on the instruments, I must be missing something here..Is this just nothing more than an attempt at a money grab so people have to buy the uber expensive s series keyboard.

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 2,283 Expert
    edited October 2023

    You are not missing anything - except (I believe) the fact that NONE of the A Series boards are supported under KK 3 anyway. (Apologies If this assumption is wrong - I did not see any evidence that the A Series IS supported under KK3)

    The only boards that should be considering KK3 are owners of the brand new Kontrol Series MK3 and guys like me with MKII hardware (Like my S61MKII)

    Anyone not on this hardware should stay put on their fav flavour of KKv2.x.x

    Even I am not going to use KK3 (and my board IS supported) until such time that it catches up to and exceeds KK2 in function and useability.

    VP

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