Best way to get "perfect" keyboard?

Whistlebird

Hi I have been using my Komplete Ultimate 11 for a few years now but just with a normal 88 key digital keyboard with no control surfaces, not even a pitch bend or mod wheel. I love the sounds and wondered what people recommend as far as getting a brand new S88mkiii - on other forums I saw some folks complaining about getting defective NI S88 keyboards and wondered if there are maybe new quality controls in place? Or if there is any retailers who have a better track record with weeding out bad ones? I would prefer to just order directly from Native Instruments and get it shipped - is there an option to sign a waiver or something and have a Native Instruments worker double check to make sure there are no wonky knobs or bent sliders or whatever? Just physical stuff - I am glad my wish came true and I waited until NI produced a keyboard that is MIDI 2.0 ready - so I am not worried about software bugs because it seems like that will be way more fixable and improvable now either by NI or other genius third party people who maybe will be hired by NI if their ideas are super useful... Let me know okay? Excited to have more control! With respect and gratitude, Tim Lang

JesterMgee

Well there is no "perfect" keyboard and I cannot speak of what I do not own (I have the 61 key MK2 version) but with things like reports of issues with hardware you need to keep in perspective that close to 100% of people will post if they have an issue, close to 0% will post if they have no issues at all. No product line is 100% issue free and retailers can't really "weed out" the bad ones without opening each one up and testing every function which no retailer would be bothered to do, this is why warranties exist and why it's good to go via a local retailer in your city that you can take it back to if it fails to deliver.

Choice of keyboard should be based on the features it offers for your needs, if it ticks the boxes, is affordable and you have confidence in the company, get it. However be wary of software and the hope that any things you feel are issues or limitations being addressed in any future updates. While it can happen, never assume it will because we have all been burnt by that stick. If it does not do what you want today, assume it never will and if that is fine by you you should be right.

JesterMgee

Well there is no "perfect" keyboard and I cannot speak of what I do not own (I have the 61 key MK2 version) but with things like reports of issues with hardware you need to keep in perspective that close to 100% of people will post if they have an issue, close to 0% will post if they have no issues at all. No product line is 100% issue free and retailers can't really "weed out" the bad ones without opening each one up and testing every function which no retailer would be bothered to do, this is why warranties exist and why it's good to go via a local retailer in your city that you can take it back to if it fails to deliver.

Choice of keyboard should be based on the features it offers for your needs, if it ticks the boxes, is affordable and you have confidence in the company, get it. However be wary of software and the hope that any things you feel are issues or limitations being addressed in any future updates. While it can happen, never assume it will because we have all been burnt by that stick. If it does not do what you want today, assume it never will and if that is fine by you you should be right.

reffahcs

I pre-ordered my S61 MK3 directly from NI and there were no hardware issues with the keyboard. I will say upfront that I've never used an NI keyboard before, so this isn't a MK2 vs MK3 opinion.

All of the knobs have the same feel, there's none that feel looser or easier to turn than others. Same with the main control knob, everything feels solid, none of the directional controls feel different than the others. Up feels the same as down, left, and right. If I had to complain about the hardware I would say the capacitive touch on the knobs is a bit too sensitive, as I'm constantly triggering it when I'm just trying to turn the knob. I feel like this is 100% something that can be fixed in software though. At some point the capacitance gets converted to a digital value so it's just a matter of readjusting that value. It would be pretty awesome if NI could add a sensitivity setting to the menu, but I'm pretty sure they're working on more important issues.

You're not wrong on the bugs though, there's some issues with the keyboard that seem to relate to USB connectivity, cables or power.... but personally I don't feel it's an issue with the keyboard itself.

With all that said, I've had a lot of software issues with Komplete Kontrol and Kontakt, but I've had issues with these programs before the new MK3 was even announced. Overall I'm happy with the keyboard and it serves as my main keyboard. I don't regret my purchase, and I'm looking forward to future software updates and learning more about all the NI instruments out there.

Whistlebird

Thanks y'all, I think I will probly order direct from.NI tomorrow. I am sure having several more ways to affect the sound in real time as opposed to stopping what I am doing to use the mouse, etc, will be really luxurious. Thanks for taking the time to think about and answer my concerns.