NI Komplete (with Kontakt) being blown-out for $399

[mhschmieder]

I saw Komplete went on blow-out for $399 starting yesterday, and didn't initially think to post it as there are so many sales these days with the bad economy, and I don't have time to post them all.

Then I remembered how many people here have resisted buying excellent sample libraries because they didn't want to have to buy Kontakt.

So this posting is for them: spend the money now and get lots of useful products for a bargain basement price.

Komplete 6 is undoubtedly on the way, or whatever packages they decide to put out if they drop the idea of Komplete itself.

But it hardly matters. Upgrade prices are usually $200 or less these days, and aren't absolutely necessary anyway -- especially right away.

I didn't check whether individual product pricing is also on blow-out now -- for those who simply can't swing $399 under any circumstance.

[rtcstudio]

So this is Komplete 5?

[James Steele]

So this is Komplete 5?

Yes.

[mhschmieder]

Sorry; the topic title length restrictions make for difficult choices in what to delete.

Then I forgot to qualify it in the content as I had originally put it in the title.

[mattfort]

Anybody using this with a G5?

[kwiz]

Anybody using this with a G5?

I'm using it as stand alone VI's on a dual 1.8 G5 that's dedicated to VI's only and everything works just fine.

[emulatorloo]

Heck of a deal. Was finally thinking about upgrade Kontakt 2 to Kontakt 3 - if I can come up with the cash this makes a heck of a lot of sense. THNKS FOR POSTING.

[James Steele]

Heck of a deal. Was finally thinking about upgrade Kontakt 2 to Kontakt 3 - if I can come up with the cash this makes a heck of a lot of sense. THNKS FOR POSTING.

I'm in the same boat. It seems like a no brainer, but right now business is slow and $400 is more money than it was last year. I too wouldn't mind being able to upgrade Kontakt Player to full Kontakt.

[mhschmieder]

Believe it or not, on the other forum where I posted this info, people are complaining that it's a "rip-off" and a "trick" because a new version is obviously on the way.

There's less rational discourse on that forum than this one, so my point about the upcoming upgrade likely only costing $200 or less and the sum total still being less than buying the next version new, as well as there being no pressing need to upgrade anyway, fell on deaf ears.

I'm glad I was able to at least help some Kontakt hold-outs here.

And this isn't meant to denigrate Mach Five either; it's just that the reality is that most of the most advanced sample libraries these days are Kontakt and KSP based.

Oh, I see I just collided with another post, to which I'll comment:

Sorry business is slow, James. Slow at my end as well, monetarily, but faster than ever in terms of actual "work". Having a day job affords me the "luxury" of doing pro bono work for friends to help them get their stage and film projects jump-started. So I'm busier than ever, but making less.

[James Steele]

There's less rational discourse on that forum than this one, so my point about the upcoming upgrade likely only costing $200 or less and the sum total still being less than buying the next version new, as well as there being no pressing need to upgrade anyway, fell on deaf ears.

And that IS a very good point. I always keep an eye out for deals on older versions because frequently there is an upgrade path to the newest version, and as you point out, it's STILL less money than buying the latest version directly. For myself in particular, necessity forces my making due with my PPC Mac for a while longer, so I won't need the latest, greatest version until that glorious day arrives when I can buy a new Intel Mac.

And this isn't meant to denigrate Mach Five either; it's just that the reality is that most of the most advanced sample libraries these days are Kontakt and KSP based.

One can't argue the reality and what you're stating is simple fact. For whatever reason, MachFive has not been aggressively upgraded and maintained and it's hard to make the case to third party sample library creators to support it directly. For example, even MachFive 2 has issues with how the GUI displays in DP 6.02 on my machine. It's not unworkable... a minor inconvenience... but since both products are from the same company, you would expect it to be fixed sooner. Of course, since from what I understand MachFive is basically the work of the UVI people under contract to MOTU (hence the compatibility with Plugsound Pro and UVI Workstation instruments, etc.) perhaps the people in France have been too busy on their endeavors to give the MOTU stuff the time they need.

Sorry business is slow, James. Slow at my end as well, monetarily, but faster than ever in terms of actual "work". Having a day job affords me the "luxury" of doing pro bono work for friends to help them get their stage and film projects jump-started. So I'm busier than ever, but making less.

Well, nobody is immune from the requirements of a "day job." I have a non-music related business that helps me get by and that too is slow right now. I know guys who are losing homes and having divorces. True, I'm currently single, but I still have my home although it's worth about $30K less now than what I owe on it. Of course that's going on all over the country, but California has been hit especially hard. At this point, I'll stop lest I go into a diatribe about our wonderful state legislature in California and their "solutions" to the problem.

[grouse]

This is annoying.
I was just about to splash out on Zebra 2 and now this offer comes along! Decisions, decisions. It'll probably be my last piece of gear for the decade!

[rtcstudio]

Then I remembered how many people here have resisted buying excellent sample libraries because they didn't want to have to buy Kontakt.

Does anyone know if Kontakt 3 reads the Logic Sampler's EXS files? I know it will read the old Apple Loops and samples that were in AIFF format, but what about the new Apple .CAF files?

I was interested in MachFive 2 because the tech specs say it reads Logic files, but then after emailing Motu they said it would only read the aiff versions. A .CAF upgrade will come along later.

[mhschmieder]

FWIW, I have heard from many people that one of Mach Five's strengths is that it is better at importing formats, especially Logic's, then other samplers.

I deleted all my EXS files recently, as well as Giga files, to make more room on my hard drive. I know there are some EXS-only features, but I figure KSP-scripting is so far along, I'm not missing anything really. I didn't have any libraries that were only in EXS format, so I saw no reason to keep them.

The only format I have found easy to import trouble-free in Kontakt is the SoundFont format. I seem to recall failing with Yamaha-format sample libraries, but don't trust my memory at this point.

I do feel Mach Five is the better product in terms of features, ergonomics, GUI, and import/export capabilities (as well as advanced editing), but I passed by an opportunity to buy it cheap last year, simply because my primary focus is on acoustic world instruments, and most of those advanced libraries are now targeted towards Kontakt.

For those who can afford Komplete 5 at this blow-out price, I feel that even if Mach Five is preferred, this is such a good investment for the future and no one would regret it.

For one thing, there is an excellent if limited subset of Chris Hein Horns Volume II in the Kontakt Band folder. FM8 is excellent and I use it all the time. Battery is sample-based so not so great for analog synth drums (I use Waldorf Attack for that), and nowhere near the resolution of BFD, AD, or DKFH, but I use it a lot for special effect drums and hip-hop "trash" drums. I use B4 II a bit also but am not a huge Hammond B3 fan in general.

Massive, Reaktor, and Absynth add a lot of value to the package as well, but the Pro-53, Elektrik Piano, and Akoustik Piano are more questionable in their value (some swear by them though). I will say that Akoustik has a very nice upright piano though. I occasionally delete it to make more room on my hard drive though, then reinstall it later.

[grouse]

For one thing, there is an excellent if limited subset of Chris Hein Horns Volume II in the Kontakt Band folder. FM8 is excellent and I use it all the time. Battery is sample-based so not so great for analog synth drums (I use Waldorf Attack for that), and nowhere near the resolution of BFD, AD, or DKFH, but I use it a lot for special effect drums and hip-hop "trash" drums. I use B4 II a bit also but am not a huge Hammond B3 fan in general.

Massive, Reaktor, and Absynth add a lot of value to the package as well, but the Pro-53, Elektrik Piano, and Akoustik Piano are more questionable in their value (some swear by them though). I will say that Akoustik has a very nice upright piano though. I occasionally delete it to make more room on my hard drive though, then reinstall it later.

And you forgot to mention "Guitar Rig".
I was just watching Computer Music's countdown of the best softsynths on Youtube. Komplete has 3 in the top 10 (Massive, FM8 and Absynth) but number 1 is...Zebra.

[mhschmieder]

Ah yes, I use Guitar Rig for special effects that aren't covered in other guitar modeling packages, such as Talk Box.

It definitely earns its keep, even if my go-to amp modeler is AmpliTube 2 and its spin-offs (and eventually the SofTube products).