NI K3 Price Strangeness

[blue]

OTOH, never attribute to malice what is rightfully attributable to stupidity.

I think it was the copy writers who are probably to blame because this is just to stupid to be malicious.

Perhaps, but maybe the stupidity starts higher up. In my dealings with NI over the years, I've concluded that one hand simply doesn't know what the other is doing. Their website is a perfect example of how unorganized they seem to be. The flow of information there is disjointed, confusing and in some cases redundant. Blaming the people who designed the site would ignore the fact that, despite its shortcomings, the site hasn't changed in years other than a few tweaks here and there. Even with the changes I don't seem much if any improvement. For that I have to blame management.

Also, while they've changed their authorization scheme it is still hampered by problems. Its far from transparent, and I've encountered all kinds of strangeness getting certain products upgraded. Not to mention the interface for the thing is slow and overdone. Apparently they still don't get it.

[Frodo]

Also, while they've changed their authorization scheme it is still hampered by problems. Its far from transparent, and I've encountered all kinds of strangeness getting certain products upgraded. Not to mention the interface for the thing is slow and overdone. Apparently they still don't get it.

I can't disagree with this. Authorizing NI products is one of the most painful things I ever do. Sometimes it doesn't work. If an error occurs the entire install must be done over. It's always forcing an update to its authorization software, which then wipes out my previous registered products. I can start a VI of theirs one day and it's fiine. The next day I get an error message saying that it's not authorized. I go to authorize it and I get a prompt saying that the software *is* authorized. I try to run the software again and it gives me the error code. It's a cycle of madness.

[emulatorloo]

Wording is critical. In this case, it cuts both ways.

The first part of the e-mail said:

As the owner of another Native Instruments sampler or sample player, you now have the opportunity to step up to the all-new KONTAKT 3 at an unbeatable price.

It took quite a bit of Googling to parse through this.

Frodo, for what it is worth KOMPAKT is considered a Sampler by Native Instruments. Which is of course "crossgradable" to K3 -- and mentioned in the mailing you got.

It was sort of a cut down version of Kontakt and was the first NI program I ever purchased -- love it, but they discontinued it.

A nice review here:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/review_of_kompakt.htm

==

What it sounds like to me is that you got the crossgrade email because you are an EAST WEST orchestra user. Probably their database is too dumb to figure out you already crossgraded to K2.

--

[Frodo]

What it sounds like to me is that you got the crossgrade email because you are an EAST WEST orchestra user. Probably their database is too dumb to figure out you already crossgraded to K2.

--

No doubt.

It's all okay, though. It is what it is, and at least the right info *is* available elsewhere.

Thanks and happy belated T-giving, E-loo. I'm always grateful for your contributions here.

[billf]

...When I contacted them a few weeks ago regarding my Symphonic Choirs issues, and explained that Kontakt 2 would not allow me to use the libraries on an Intel Mac, their reply was "buy Kontakt 3."

Hey Bill-- sorry to hear that you are having trouble with SC and K2. I got it working on my Intel and thought I'd at least extend another offer to help you get to the bottom of things-- not that you haven't torn your hair out over it already. I do have a question about your directories if and only if you care to venture back into those waters.

Right. With a response like that, I gather that NI views us as ATM machines.

I know that's not 100% funny but it was a great analogy all the same!

My question is what their response might have been before K3 was released!! It's not so much the app itself but the jurassic rat's nest of an install and auth process they feel is so fool-proof and praise worthy that are causing the problems.

Anyway, I decided to wait until EW gets the Play situation fully sorted out, then I am done with NI stuff.

And that may take a while. They'll get it out there, but even the latest version released a couple of days ago is only an incremental update. When it will mature into trustworthiness is anyone's guess. They are milking the decimals for all they're worth, going from 1.0.000 to 1.0.032 in six months. Until it goes to 1.1, it's still a point-zero which indicates (to me) that they are still hammering out the basics.

It's a safe bet that their framework for early 64-bit threading was Carbon, which was effectively laid to rest as of June, thanks to Apple. EW must have had to go back to square one.

As for 64-bit threading in general, another developer tells me that Apple has yet to seed the official/final specifications for building apps that thread at 64-bit, so we should be in for a very lengthy wait while all developers get things ironed out on the 32-bit Tiger/Leopard front in the interim.

Thanks Frodo. I'll take you up on the offer to get the SC install working, but after I take a sanity break. I'm spending some quality time having some fun with Speakerphone while building up my tolerance to go through installitis once more.

Anyway, I'm interested in your question about my directories. I considered de-installing everything and starting over again, but maybe I won't have to go that drastic of a route?

[Frodo]

Thanks Frodo. I'll take you up on the offer to get the SC install working, but after I take a sanity break. I'm spending some quality time having some fun with Speakerphone while building up my tolerance to go through installitis once more.

Anyway, I'm interested in your question about my directories. I considered de-installing everything and starting over again, but maybe I won't have to go that drastic of a route?

Dunno, Bill. It could be the only way to go, but if some things are working and SC is the only thing that doesn't, I think pinpointing might be a better approach instead of the scorched earth method.

It's funny-- you know where the library is. EW knows where the library is, but NI doesn't. I think part of the secret is in the baby-sitting sequence of steps that have to be done on the NI side of things first.

But more on that another day. Have fun with Speakerphone-- and steak!

[waxman]

I have NI 3... why do they send out updates and then have me authorize all over again... On top of that the authorizations fail the first few times. Unlike some others I do like the product...

So what are people using instead of NI?

[Frodo]

So what are people using instead of NI?

I think part of that can be answered by asking what are people "not" using. So many libraries are powered by Kontakt, especially the East West stuff. Scarbee and others as well.

I don't have M5v2 and haven't kept up with how well it's importing libraries with complete mapping, et al. But I'm not really seeing collections being made especially for M5... unless I've been sleeping too long.

Still, that only answers half your question-- and a good question it is!

[billf]

I have NI 3... why do they send out updates and then have me authorize all over again... On top of that the authorizations fail the first few times. Unlike some others I do like the product...

So what are people using instead of NI?

If you have Logic 8, you can try converting libraries to the exs format for use in the exs24 sample player that's built into Logic.

[Frodo]

If you have Logic 8, you can try converting libraries to the exs format for use in the exs24 sample player that's built into Logic.

Performance-wise, that's a great idea. I didn't bother to check, but I just assumed that EXS24 is still not multi-timbrel.

In my case, the Kontakt stuff is so finicky that I wouldn't want to chance a conversion, not knowing about sample "reversion" and consequences.

But, the Giga stuff I've imported has been surprisingly smooth-- haven't done that much, but at least the format honestly imports.

[billf]

If you have Logic 8, you can try converting libraries to the exs format for use in the exs24 sample player that's built into Logic.

Performance-wise, that's a great idea. I didn't bother to check, but I just assumed that EXS24 is still not multi-timbrel.

In my case, the Kontakt stuff is so finicky that I wouldn't want to chance a conversion, not knowing about sample "reversion" and consequences.

But, the Giga stuff I've imported has been surprisingly smooth-- haven't done that much, but at least the format honestly imports.

Frodo,

That's why I use M5II, which really is nicely done. That said, the exs24 in L8 has to be set up as these guys detail in their post:



http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.p ... ight=exs24

[emulatorloo]

That said, the exs24 in L8 has to be set up as these guys detail in their post:

http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.p ... ight=exs24

EEK!!!!!!!! -- I read that thread, and I must say, HOW *un-LOGICAL* !

Kinda interesting too, as I still use the old emagic EXS24P Audio Unit with Digital Performer. It is multitimbral and it is a SNAP to set up.

==

[billf]

That said, the exs24 in L8 has to be set up as these guys detail in their post:

http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.p ... ight=exs24

EEK!!!!!!!! -- I read that thread, and I must say, HOW *un-LOGICAL* !

Kinda interesting too, as I still use the old emagic EXS24P Audio Unit with Digital Performer. It is multitimbral and it is a SNAP to set up.

==

I wonder why Apple decided to bork the exs24 so much. Beyond that, why don't they sell a plugins package separate from the DAW platform? So many questions, so few answers, so little time.

[guyreilly]

I have NI 3... why do they send out updates and then have me authorize all over again... On top of that the authorizations fail the first few times. Unlike some others I do like the product...

So what are people using instead of NI?

Is anybody running the new Gigastudio 4 on their Mac?

http://www.tascam.com/details;8,7,1055.html

I was never fancy enough to run a extra PC just for GS, but I saw my friend's rig and it seemed pretty ultimate for orchestra mockups... K2 is a more versatile program but I assume that GS4 will blow it out of the water performance-wise... any thoughts?

[SixStringGeek]

I gather that NI views us as ATM machines.

What vendor doesn't?

I like NI's stuff, but I hate their miserable registration process and website.

Not quite ready to call it quits on them but it could happen.