Ask me anything: Kontrol S-Series MK3

NKS 1 will be supported and maintained, as it's what remains compatible with our existing hardware user-base.

We can't easily back port the new features to existing hardware, as they rely on things only the new hardware is capable of, Navigation included.

As you should!

I'm representing the blunt truth of why the integration isn't there (not enough people used it). Truthfully, bringing back some form of integration via software remains an option, and a question of priority.

But until we do it, if we do it, which for now we won't, it makes sense that MK2 remains the option for people who want that featureset. And MK2 is supported indefinitely anyway.

I love how behind the scenes this AMA is becoming. Buckle in for the ride!

Having taken a look at your tickets, at least one of the issues was –I think– caused by the following.

• Prior to October 2022, Komplete Kontrol could only load VST2. Therefore, NKS only existed for VST2 instances of any given plug-in.

• On October 31st, 2022, Komplete Kontrol added support for Apple Silicon, VST3, and one of Steinberg's VST2 to VST3 auto migration mechanisms.

• Supporting this migration mechanism was a huge undertaking, but ensured project continuation for end users, particularly when opening on Apple Silicon in native mode, which is VST3 only. If a user attempts to load a VST2 in Komplete Kontrol (directly, or because they opened an older project), and a VST3 version of the same product is available, the auto migration kicks in, and instead loads the VST3, preserving all the parameter settings, and translating the NKS map.

• Ideally, this is all invisible to the user, who just continues to create music, but for two scenarios: 1) if the product itself was not up to date with the latest version of VST, and therefore did not support Steinberg's auto migration and/or 2) certain NKS features could not translate, as they existed outside of parameter automation (e.g. the lightguide).

• To allow partners to author NKS for VST3, we released version 1.6 of the NKS SDK to partners. To be fully VST3 and NKS compatible, updating to NKS 1.6 or higher (it's now on v1.7) is necessary. Many partners have done so or continue to do so by now, but not all. I believe Spitfire are working on this, but until they ship those updates, you may see loading issues. The workarounds would be to use VST2 (which requires Rosetta if you're running Apple Silicon).

I could be wrong, but I think the version mismatch might be the root of one of the issues reported. Hopefully the explanation helps somewhat, even though I can't lessen the frustration caused. If nothing else, it's a window into the technical intersection of so many variables the operating system, the chipset, the DAW, the host plug-in, the VST2 and VST3 SDKs, the frameworks within, the NKS SDK, and the implementation efforts. Most of the time, it should never break, but once in a while, it's possible things do.

It is definitely built tough.

Well, we didn't start developing MK3 the day after MK2 was launched, so no.

Kontrol S MK3 has been a three year effort spanning multiple internal and external teams across four continents. Maybe the features aren't for you, but they are for many others, and I'm pretty proud of what they've been able to pull off, and excited for where it goes.

That said, we're always interested in continuously improving the ways we work, and we're hiring across the organization. If you'd like to help us do things harder/better/faster/stronger... come onboard man!

Once Avid ship their Q4 update (I'm not at liberty to provide their calendar dates), it will be the same level of integration as every other integrated DAW:

• Transport buttons (Play/Restart, Stop, Record/Count-in)
• Metronome and Loop buttons
• Undo/Redo
• Quantize
• A mixer page for gain, pan, mute, solo.