Since I have updated to Kontakt 8, do I need to keep 6 & 7?

NMJazzCat
NMJazzCat Member Posts: 1 Newcomer
in Kontakt

I have updated to Kontakt 8 and was wondering if I need to keep Kontakts 6 & 7 or if I can delete them.

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Best Answers

  • Monochrome
    Monochrome Member Posts: 1,346 Expert
    Answer ✓

    That depends on whether you have DAW projects using those versions, as installing Kontakt 8 normally won't automatically replace older version instances/content. Unless you use Cubase, Nuendo, Maschine or Komplete Kontrol - they do this.

  • D-One
    D-One Moderator Posts: 3,579 mod
    Answer ✓
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193294#Comment_193294

    I am no expert regarding Kontakt shenanigans but theres only 2 versions of the Library, 1 and 2. — .x Updates for each version are generally related to new features of whatever the current Kontakt version was or bugfixes — There could be updates that increase size a bit but its never drastic, hard to tell since NA2 is not showing release notes for the v1 of the factory lib.

    I think Kontakt can always load older versions, I'm on K8 now but I do keep k7 and k6 just in case. It's as @red_nick said afaik. MacOS + VST3 + No auto migration in on most daws can complicate things tho… I don't advise leaving very old projects (with K4) unattended, I'd search by date, put them all in a folder, open each verify things, move to a more recent version of Kontakt if its not done automatically and save the project.

Answers

  • Monochrome
    Monochrome Member Posts: 1,346 Expert
    Answer ✓

    That depends on whether you have DAW projects using those versions, as installing Kontakt 8 normally won't automatically replace older version instances/content. Unless you use Cubase, Nuendo, Maschine or Komplete Kontrol - they do this.

  • DiosGnosis
    DiosGnosis Member Posts: 196 Helper
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/192710#Comment_192710

    When you say 'instances/content' does this include Content Libraries from previous iterations? If I've been a Komplete user since 8, upgrading every couple of years or so, would I still need to install previous iterations if I only wanted the Content Libraries from those versions, or would the latest version (in this case, Kontakt 8) include Content Libraries from previous versions with updated content for the latest iteration?

    Put in a simpler format, do NI software iterations ship with different content libraries and do these iterations need to be installed for access to those specific libraries?

    For instance, my Kontakt history goes from 5 - 8. If I ONLY install Kontakt 8, what library/libraries would get installed?

    I suppose I'm not familiar with how the content libraries get updated. Do previous libraries just get added on to, or are the libraries for each software iteration slightly different?

  • Retsoor
    Retsoor Member Posts: 1 Newcomer

    FWIW, and I'm new on the forum trying to get some answers, but I've never seen any NI VSTi software updated in the 6 years I've owned it, only the Kontakt Player. Also FWIW, I currently I have Kontakt Player version 7.10.6 on my DAW and the NI installer is telling me that I need have version 7.6.0 to run Ethereal Earth - and - that I "have no viable version of Kontakt installed" on my DAW.

    NI seems to be on the far end of a very distant galaxy. Good luck with your question.

  • Monochrome
    Monochrome Member Posts: 1,346 Expert

    @DiosGnosis By "content" I meant any tracks that you have in your DAW utilizing Kontakt 6. They won't get automatically replaced with/converted to Kontakt 7 or 8. You would have to manually switch those out.

    @Retsoor 7.10.6 is the last available version for Kontakt 7. There won't be any new updates for it since the focus is on Kontakt 8 now. Because your post is rather off-topic, I'd suggest you to create a new thread here.

  • tetsuneko
    tetsuneko Member Posts: 797 Expert
    edited November 24

    I've got DAW projects going back as far as Kontakt 4, I dread to think what will happen when I try to open them now.. I guess I'd have to have all Kontakt libraries from version 4 onwards installed? 🙈

    This makes it very painful to upgrade to be honest.. every upgrade, I will be forced to install yet another factory library.. they are already taking up the majority of my diskspace by now.. And their size grows every time too!

  • DiosGnosis
    DiosGnosis Member Posts: 196 Helper
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193163#Comment_193163

    I don't think it's a new Factory Library per iteration... Maybe @D-One can clarify what exactly happens in these instances?

    From what it sounds like to me, previous iterations of NI products have a specific 'signature' when used in a DAW. Keeping older versions of NI products installed ensure no loss of previous works perhaps?

    To be honest, I've just recently started working with a DAW (Logic Pro 11) so, my older projects to date have all been in Maschine SW environments.

  • red_nick
    red_nick Member Posts: 203 Advisor
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193163#Comment_193163

    AFAIK, Kontact < 7 will all be using the same VST (Kontact.vst), that of Kontact 6. Kontakt 7 and 8 have their own VSTs: Kontact 7.vst and (I assume, don't have it) Kontakt8.vst that's why it won't automatically upgrade unless you have a DAW that will do it for you.

    Couldn't you just remove old factory libraries if you don't use them?

  • tetsuneko
    tetsuneko Member Posts: 797 Expert

    I dont think I can, because I might have used them in my old projects.. and in such case, their sounds would not recall, right?

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 2,702 Expert

    "7.10.6 is the last available version for Kontakt 7. There won't be any new updates for it since the focus is on Kontakt 8"

    Actually - I believe @Matthew_NI mentioned (recently) - that there is one final Kontakt 7 update in the pipeline - one that I supposedly intended to mitigate some of the scanning delays some users are seeing with Kontakt at startup.

    No ETA but he did mention it is coming.

    VP

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,454 mod

    There is at least one more update to Kontakt 7 shipping this year.

  • D-One
    D-One Moderator Posts: 3,579 mod
    Answer ✓
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193294#Comment_193294

    I am no expert regarding Kontakt shenanigans but theres only 2 versions of the Library, 1 and 2. — .x Updates for each version are generally related to new features of whatever the current Kontakt version was or bugfixes — There could be updates that increase size a bit but its never drastic, hard to tell since NA2 is not showing release notes for the v1 of the factory lib.

    I think Kontakt can always load older versions, I'm on K8 now but I do keep k7 and k6 just in case. It's as @red_nick said afaik. MacOS + VST3 + No auto migration in on most daws can complicate things tho… I don't advise leaving very old projects (with K4) unattended, I'd search by date, put them all in a folder, open each verify things, move to a more recent version of Kontakt if its not done automatically and save the project.

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