Komplete Kontrol S series MK1 keyboards End Of Life

J Tracks

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/99244#Comment_99244

This is a big deal. The problem isn't necessarily that they are phasing out the old software or hardware (this is to be expected) but they are breaking compatibility in the process of doing so without much warning to legacy users and messing up legacy users experience. Ever since this I have not been able to load up old projects that use the VST2 version. Even now when installing the VST 2 dll, it now says the plugin is incompatible with Ableton. (I've tried old versions of Ableton as well).

So this is a nuisance for Mk2 owners as well (and I would imagine folks who just use Komplete Control VST2 software with no hardware) (as I do not own the Mk1). I would have thought it would have been "nicer" to have both of these versions play nice together. Now I'm stuck with having to figure out how to load all of my old sounds in old projects.

I don't think many folks would be that upset if they just created a new version that wouldn't work with Mk1 hardware but left the old software alone and created it so it wouldn't conflict with the old software (so legacy users could continue using the old software and deciding whether to upgrade or not).

fluffy

Yes. When breaking changes like this happen it would be much better for them to do side-by-side installs, e.g. having “Komplete Kontrol 2” and “Komplete Kontrol 3” as separate apps/plugins, with the older one being cycled into “legacy installs” rather than being memory-holed outright.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Vocalpoint

@J Tracks

"This is a big deal. The problem isn't necessarily that they are phasing out the old software or hardware (this is to be expected) but they are breaking compatibility in the process of doing so without much warning to legacy users and messing up legacy users experience"

"They" are not breaking anything. You are doing the breaking by jumping the gun and blindly running with KK3 - because it's a good idea or "cool" or "there" or whatever your use case is.

And - 5 minutes on any forum out there - starting with this one - would have given you ample warning. You would know that new version is a disaster right now (form and function wise) and that staying with v2.9.x is where you need to be until further notice.

Just because something suddenly appears one day - does not mean you need to install it, commit to it.

VP

mykejb

And - 5 minutes on any forum out there - starting with this one - would have given you ample warning. You would know that new version is a disaster right now (form and function wise) and that staying with v2.9.x is where you need to be until further notice.

That's ok for people who check the forum every time there's a new version of every product you get in Native Access. I certainly don't, and I'm happy to bet that a good proportion of other users don't. If you install KK3 it will mess up your experience if you used any of the features that disappeared, there's no argument about that. Should it have come with a health warning? Probably. Should KK3 have been a separate product rather than replacing KK2? Probably.

-- Mike

Kubrak

@Reefius

Are you forced to use the new version? I don't think so. You have a choice here: use the new version which is incompatible with old projects, or keep using the old version and your old projects keep working.

So far one is not forced to use new version. But if KK3 has dropped MK1 support, Maschine SW will also sooner or later.... OK, one might stay on Maschine version that supports MK1. It would be OK, if one has only MK1 keyboard and no newer model or Maschine HW. In the latter case user wants to use other NI HW with latest SW...

MK1 is not that old that it would not deserve SW support for at least few more years... It is only five years since official end of sale. And even less if bought from NI distributors....

Not supporting MK1 in current SW makes artificial oblolence of NI HW....

Vocalpoint

@Kubrak

"MK1 is not that old that it would not deserve SW support for at least few more years... It is only five years since official end of sale."

Need to start dialing this back as it is never going to happen. MK1 and its support is frozen - rehashing it again and again just sounds desperate.

We have KK 2.9.6 for MK1/MK2 users. Period.

We have KK3 for MKIII users (and those MKII users that really want to mess with their workflow).

You do not have to like it but regardless of what you "think" should have been done - it's done.

Saying it over and over is not going to change anything.

VP

JesterMgee

While "no one is forcing one to use the new software" this does not consider the fact that it is normal to expect when you update a software package you will get the same basic package that you have used for 10 years with some new features, not a complete reimagining and basically an initial beta-feeling backwards step mess that has new bugs, missing features and a heap of usability changes many simply do not like.

For users out there, there is no warning of this, no pre-face to say "hey, this is a new "ground up" design that changes everything you love and may make you frustrated so maybe check into it a bit more..."

No, what the NA installer offers is a simple "update all" option which people often use but without any warnings or even basic capability to exclude something from an update. Also now means for the leagues of users who now have no interest in using v3 or can't because they are using an MK1, they cannot use the "update all" feature or if they forget they are now frustrated further having to try and manually revert back to an older version.

I agree that KK V3 should have just been a completely new product because basically it is.

Kaldosh

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/111628#Comment_111628

Yeah like Kontakt Kontrol 1

Kubrak

@Vocalpoint

Need to start dialing this back as it is never going to happen. MK1 and its support is frozen - rehashing it again and again just sounds desperate.

We have KK 2.9.6 for MK1/MK2 users. Period.

Never say never......

NI may change its mind as they did it with Jam support for M+. Or I may write the driver/driver wrapper....

But generally, such thing should not EVER happen in decent society. PERIOD!!!!! ;-)

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/111656#Comment_111656

I am betting on never. As is NI.

V

B.Minor

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/111628#Comment_111628

I have to agree all the way with what @JesterMgee has mentioned. I'd even like to describe the whole situation around Komplete Kontrol with a little metaphor:

Let's assume we are talking about an apartment building called "Komplete Kontrol". It was built some time ago and its first floor is called "NKS". Since many years people are living there. Now, lately a natural disaster has swept across the country and destroyed important parts of that building, including pillars and other loadbearing beams (let's call this event "Update V3"). The situation doesn't look very trustworthy to all the residents currently living in that house, as their life quality has suddenly declined from one day to the other. And to their surprise, the homeowner even started to build another floor on top of the first one (called "NKS2"), instead of repairing all obvious damages first. By ignoring any complains coming from existing inhabitants and by just promising advantages to those people who are willing to move in on the second floor, it seems that the owner is "Komplete Resistant" to any external advices or influences.

The owner would have had the big chance to build another solid new house beside the old one, exclusively reserved for - and tailored to - all new "NKS2" residents to be recruited in the future, by calling that new home differently (like "Komplete Re-Start", "Total Recall", "Final Destination" or whatsoever), while also repairing the damages on the old "NKS" home simultaneously. But no, the choice was to continue building on top of the damaged foundation by cancelling any further support for that "Resident Evil" crowd still residing in the first floor, as focusing on the second floor seems to be more profitable in general.

And in addition, some nosy neighbors have shown up already, even speculating how the roof of the new construction could look like in the future, before even the second floor has been fully completed, but most of all, before the first floor and its damaged foundation has been repaired and strengthened. In this case only time travel seems to help to get things straight again.

I know that this parable will greatly inflame some minds, but I think it's not a stretch to see that there is some truth in this metaphor, as it is somehow reflecting the current KK situation for MK1 and MK2 owners who have been shelved lately.

Matthew_NI

To be very clear: that narrative does not reflect the development process we followed, and is not accurate.

BIF

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/111826#Comment_111826

Let's assume we are talking about an apartment building called "Komplete Kontrol".

Does this apartment building include a swimming pool? Only the best apartment buildings do, you know. And is the pool on the ground level or on the roof? The best apartment buildings will have their pools on the roof so that the ladies can put shea butter on their skins and lay under the broiler we call Sol.

Now tell me when we go from Pool 2.0 (a plain swimming pool on the roof) to Pool 3.0 (The same pool but now extended so that it has a clear side and a clear bottom overhanging the street below), will I have to get out of the pool while the workers jackhammer it? I already know they're not going to drain it, because I was told that I can still swim in the Pool 2.0 part of it during construction, right? 😏

I know that this parable will greatly inflame some minds...

I'm looking forward to that fancy pool. I just hope we don't have to wait for Pool 3.0 before we can get a suitable UI, though...

LostInFoundation

Edit: message canceled.

Since I decided not to partecipate in this forum anymore, it’s correct that I don’t say what I think also on what Matthew wrote