* Not for Resale* help!

Mr Chris · 2025-07-10T07:57:10+00:00

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Hi all, i have just purachsed a maschine plus form a second hand store, it turned out to be a NFR unit so Ni say they cant (or wont) release the serial number. I have found the unit works fine but the problem is without the serial it makes it hard loading stuff form native access or making any future changes to the factory setting. Ni say it will never be fully functional without the serial.

I've spent £1000's over the year with Ni, but they wont budge at all!

Has anyone else managed to work around this or should I just return it to the store for refund?

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AdelV

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/46511/not-for-resale-help

Return it and ask for refund — NFR hardware is intended for shops, partners, and artists. It's useless to a second-hand owner.

All comments

AdelV

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/46511/not-for-resale-help

Return it and ask for refund — NFR hardware is intended for shops, partners, and artists. It's useless to a second-hand owner.

lord-carlos

Yeah, you could refund it at the store.

I'm not sure how Maschine+ works, but I think with other NFR hardware you just need to own the software yourself. There is no special check between software and hardware.

PK The DJ

The Maschine Plus registration process is shown here → YouTube Video

D-One

I’m kind of surprised they don’t give you the option of somehow buying a license.
Unlike other models the M+ NFRS don’t have anything on them that states they are NFR, the MK3 for example if I remember correctly does say so on the sticker in the back of the unit.

IMO this is not OK, the company is basically messaging to the world that they are OK with this equipment ending up in a landfill… out of spite. Some NFRs unavoidably end up on the used market.

Now, if you want to be a smarta$$ you can probably just dump de computer inside and use it as an MK3 if you get a license for the v3 software, to which there are ways…. 🤷

And yes, if the computer inside is removed it works fine in controller mode, it does even with it inside. Maschine software itself does not check if you own that particular hw… so… yeah.

PoorFellow

Most likely there are legal reasons for why N.I. has to stick to the NFR rules and as AdelV writes then you should most definitely as for a refund ASAP.

ozon

@D-One wrote

IMO this is not OK, the company is basically messaging to the world that they are OK with this equipment ending up in a landfill… out of spite.

Well, NI history of dropping support for their own "dumb" controller hardware shows it's clearly ok for them. Maschine Mk1 and Mk2 are just the latest examples. Updating drivers for legacy hardware is just not profitable. Neither is considering environmental impacts.

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/37381/ending-software-support-for-some-earlier-generations-of-maschine

That is way more hardware for the landfill than a single NFR device.

Mr Chris

Thanks for the replies. Ni can't change the NFR status for tax reasons, which I guess means they are probably sent out as a tax loss. I sent it back and got a refund from the shop. They are selling at £750 new now so I might just grab a new one, but first I need to find out if the plus is stable enough as a centerpiece for live work, otherwise I'm looking at digitack or mpc.

PK The DJ

I would say it's stable (I use it for live percussion and FX) but what it really comes down to is the type of "live work" you will be doing. Give us a bit of background.

It's a standalone device so the CPU is basic compared to a typical laptop. For simple arrangements it should be fine, but if you're trying to replicate a multitrack studio session, with lots of live synth and FX plugins then you could find yourself hitting CPU limits.

For example, some of the demos provided by NI themselves can push the CPU hard, and it's not Maschine 3 compatible yet. When it is, the strain on CPU will likely be even greater.

ozon

The M+, MPC Live and Digitakt are all samplers with sequencers but have quite different features and workflows otherwise. It’s really heavily dependent on what you want to do. Maybe you should even consider an Octatrack, which many use as live performance center piece.

Debate is continued in another topic:

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/46573/maschine-plus-stability-for-live-work

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/233773#Comment_233773

Sure… But that happens for nearly every company, legacy 10+ years old hardware will eventually be unsuported on a modern OS/SW but can still be used with old OS/SW. Extremely long support only happens for brands that charge absurd prices like RME and similar, AKA for rich folks.

Thats way different than: "since no one payed full price for this no one is gonna use it"; I'd let OP pay a fee for software and scratch whoever was given that unit out of the 'get free stuff list'.

If we gonna start comparing then this happens with SmartPhones which a way bigger world problem than niche music devices.

As someone who has a bunch of NFR stuff what am I supossed to with stuff I no longer use that is still perfectly usable? Keep it for ever taking space at home or trow it in a bin doesn't seem right… But hey, thats just me.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/234078#Comment_234078

As someone who has a bunch of NFR stuff what am I supossed to with stuff I no longer use that is still perfectly usable? Keep it for ever taking space at home or trow it in a bin doesn't seem right… But hey, thats just me.

In my opinion then your point is an absolutely valid one. That however does not change how rules and laws are and if there is/were to be found a solution for any of this then it might get complicated.

D-One

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/234079#Comment_234079

What laws? Theres no laws in place for any of this, it's a free for all, each company does whatever they want. If we have a voice we should use it for things to improve.

To be fair if I had a company I would also not be very fond of people selling hw I gave away, but… I prefer to have a new costumer over having it unusable, that new costumer could buy a license, expansions, and whatever else I am selling that works with that HW. 🤷‍♂️

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/234083#Comment_234083

What laws? Theres no laws in place for any of this,

You might not be aware of this but there is tax laws that needs to be followed here.

Tax evasion is a crime.

Jeremy_NI

@Mr Chris I'm sorry for the bad experience but NFR licences exist for a reason and they are called Not For Resale. The person that sold it through the second hand store is the culprit here and is fully responsible for your misadventure. Please return the unit to the store.

This is clearly stated in our EULA:

Any Products from Native Instruments labeled or otherwise provided to you as "NFR" (Not For Resale) shall only be used for demonstration, testing and evaluation purposes. NFR Products must not be resold or transferred. NFR Products are exempt from update, upgrade or crossgrade offers, and cannot be purchased with or exchanged for vouchers or coupons. Furthermore, as an owner of a NFR Product, you are not entitled to any vouchers that ship with the standard version of the Product.

ozon

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/234086#Comment_234086

Then a private person wouldn’t be allowed to to sell anything that was gifted or donated ever. Which seems a bit absurd. In general you are allowed to sell anything in your possession (except for illegal items).

If it’s indeed about tax evasion, that would mean the NFR item was never actually given/gifted/donated to you but is still in NI‘s possession. Therefore it has to be returned if not used anymore.

Now I have to google „NFR“ 😂

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