NAMM 2025: Introducing the NKS Hardware Partner Program

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/207235#Comment_207235

Re FX in KK - hope we are finally going to see some movement on this, not much point in having FX without a FX version

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/207215#Comment_207215

These are already NKS2 actually

MLARS

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/207308#Comment_207308

Agree on FX. BTW I wonder if NI with iZotope plugins would release an NKS mix controller?

Two third party candidates for NKS FX control support is SSL and Softube. SSL has the Solid State Logic UF1 hardware which is a likely candidate for NKS implementation with four knobs and a dynamic display with four buttons at the top (a half Komplete Kontrol).

Softube has dropped NKS support on their software plugins but the new open support for third party hardware could open up the door for NKS again (I hope so). Suspect they may already be working on a similar master fader controller as the SSL UF1 (with FX control of Mastering chain macros, Reverb, Delay etc), adding NKS could make sense for FX plugins like reverbs and delays. They could also add NKS support for the already released Console 1 (which already support some limited third party plugins EQs, Compressors, Shapers, Saturation with their own proprietary control layer).

JackGGolden

So final update: de-registered my A49 and selling it tomorrow.

I will wait for the next update of Komplete and either hope it works or buy a cheap m32 for 50 bucks.

I'll probably save up my money for an Osmosis and some Arturia controllers one day.

I would love it if apart from Kontakt and Maschine 3, NI would also focus on their synths and give them some proper updates or integrate them into Kontakt. Why is it so hard to have a proper "Main Envelope" in Massive X, or a better Browser in Reaktor, Battery and FM8.

Also a big question why can't they develop an XY Pad plugin for their FX, no-one (as far as I know of) has tried it yet and it would be awesome. Also some more effort in naming presets or giving an info, on the songs they originate from, would be cool.

Also what would be a good idea and a pleasing thought: if users could buy a complete update on the libraries they already own instead of having to rebuy them again.

MLARS

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/207687#Comment_207687

Sold my M32 last year when it never got Kontakt compatibility. A new M32 MK2 or bigger M-series (hopefully 37 keys) keyboard, likely with NKS2 and Kontakt compatibility, may arrive now as early as February or March (but this year). I would wait if I was looking for a M-series keyboard a few weeks more.

XY expression works ok on the MK3 keyboards. Y for Modulation Midi CC1 and X for Expression (touchstrip is sideways) Midi CC11 is default in some Kontakt instruments. Agree though, a touch pad would be nice.

Agree Massive X feels underserved and the Reaktor tech debt is kinda awful atm. The life cycle management at NI is not super clear and sometimes it feels like products are just forgotten instead of providing strong incremental releases boosting the value of the products. Meanwhile Arturia just released Pigment 6 as a free update - this is a much more fun flagship softsynth compared to Massive X at the moment IMO.

I personally have moved my excitement for Arturia synth products atm. NI needs to release synths with killer presentation and either considerably upgrade Reaktor or move to a new DSP platform to compete with Arturia's overall synth offering. There are hints we may see new (hopefully competitive) NI synth products in 2025-2026.

Kymeia

‘XY Pad plugin for their FX, no-one (as far as I know of) has tried it yet and it would be awesome’

They did - it was called Kore 2