Nektar Panorama T4/T6 MIDI Controller Keyboards

[chk071]

The keyboard looks very good. I absolutely HATE those plugin wrappers though. If it works the same way as Automap (creating copies of the plugin DLL's). It's a crying shame that there's not a universal API which hosts support, which can communicate with MIDI hardware. Instead, you have dozens of solutions from every hardware manufacturer, plus the MIDI learn system of every host, which is different every time as well. ARGH! And, Automap is a really bummer when it comes to stability as well. Crashed on me multiple times.

[dsbitwigq]

Now if they'd just include all these features in their flagship P-series. I have a P6, will continue to use it as my main workhorse (my ability to only have my laptop open while building my MainStage patches - being able to play live with the laptop literally closed is a game changer in my playing experience and the freedom aesthetically with our stage production by not having part of our show be about looking at some guy staring at a mystery-laptop... it's a game-changer). But I've also played around with the lx49+ series, and the pads are so much better, both in the added functionality brought by the color/lights, and feel.

Seriously, if Nektar updated the P-series into something that truly felt flagship, going slightly more Arturia/analog-synth/even Akai (who in my opinion is making hot garbage these days) with their finishes and materials (metal instead of plastic - especially glossy-black plastic... ugh... - faders and encoders that feel nice and solid, clean design) I'd pick it up in a heartbeat, and pay the higher cost they'd need for a higher margin.

In every other way the P-Series is my dream controller, and has been up til this point. I may even be the only person out there who seems to have the motorized fader be a purposeful feature instead of just demo-gimmick (when I'm switching between patches, laptop closed, the fader I use to control output immediately going to the new output setting is perfect - I know the level, and I don't have to go sliding a fader around trying to catch its value). And Nektar's customer service is ridiculously good. Every other controller manufacturer's service has been disgustingly bad in comparison.

[justin3am]

Sorry folks, I had intended to participate in this thread earlier...

The Panorama T series is not intended to replace the P series. It's feature set places it right between the Impact LX+ and Panorama P series. We do have tentative plans to refresh the P series but I can't go into any detail about that, other than to say it's a long ways off (probably best to forget I even mentioned it ).

I'm very excited about the prospects of Nektarine. It's not a wrapper in the way that automap was, so you won't end up with duplicates of your plug-ins. It's more similar to plug-in hosts like VIP or Komplete Kontrol. It's an environment in which you can organize/browser patches by instrument or various tags. It's also a comprehensive system for mapping plug-in parameters to controls via a graphical interface. With the Panorama P series, it was not possible for users to create new parameter pages or rename parameters, where that is a core feature of Nektarine. Nektarine can host VST2, VST3 and AU plug-ins, as well as being available as a VST2, VST3 and AU plug-in itself. If you are on a Mac, you can host VST2/3 plug-ins in the AU plug-in, when an AU version of a plug-in is not available, or vice-versa.

When used with one of the DAWs for which we provide deep integration, if you have multiple instance of Nektarine in a project, the Panorama T series can detect which instance is on the selected track. You can also lock a specific instance, to Instrument Mode, so that you can play one instrument from the keys, while controlling a different instrument.

Nektarine frees us from a lot of the limitations of relying on each DAW's control surface API, to access plug-in parameters. Each DAW handles plug-in parameters differently, so there was no way for us to come up with a standard system that worked the same way in each DAW, without hosting the plug-ins ourselves. However, when using a DAW for which we provide deep integration, you will still be able to control plug-in parameters even if you don't plan to use Nektarine. This is important in DAWs like Logic, Reason and Bitwig, where included plug-ins can't by hosted by Nektarine.

Let me know if you have any specific questions about the Panorama T series or Nektarine.

[Zexila]

So glad you posted and shared more info.

[zyguli]

Let me know if you have any specific questions about the Panorama T series or Nektarine.

Will automation in Cubase work as usual with Nektarine?
Will a Cubase project load correctly if Nektarine was used, but currently not installed?
Will you provide P series users with Nektarine?

[justin3am]

Let me know if you have any specific questions about the Panorama T series or Nektarine.

Will automation in Cubase work as usual with Nektarine?
Will a Cubase project load correctly if Nektarine was used, but currently not installed?
Will you provide P series users with Nektarine?

1) Yes, Nektarine forwards the automation parameters from the hosted plug-ins, to the DAW.
2) If Nektarine is not installed when you try to open a project which includes an instance of Nektarine, the project will load but Cubase will inform you that the plug-in is missing.
3) I can't comment on that.

[rod_zero]

Wonder if one day manufacturers will realize the problem isn't the lack of ways to MIDI map software, but the lack of controllers with a good number of controls to make programming stuff fun and intuitive (lets say 72 or more).

Surfing through pages of parameters with the usual 8 knobs and 8 faders isn't fun, also the distribution doesn't look as a synth. And that's why these products keep failing over and over: they are all the same old idea that hasn't worked.

[justin3am]

Wonder if one day manufacturers will realize the problem isn't the lack of ways to MIDI map software, but the lack of controllers with a good number of controls to make programming stuff fun and intuitive (lets say 72 or more).

Surfing through pages of parameters with the usual 8 knobs and 8 faders isn't fun, also the distribution doesn't look as a synth. And that's why these products keep failing over and over: they are all the same old idea that hasn't worked.

Believe me, I think there is room in the market for a controller which has a synth oriented layout... but it's not as simple as it seems. To make a product which appeals to as wide an audience as possible, the layout has to make sense for a wide variety of synths. For example, since we can't know how many oscillators a synth will have, we run into the same issue of requiring pages to access all available oscillator parameters. Or if we choose to leave out some parameters, how do we choose which ones are important? What if the parameters which are important to one patch are not used in another?

These aren't insurmountable problems, but such a controller requires a lot of thought and development time. We do have ideas for purpose specific controllers (Pacer is the first controller we have made with a specific workflow in mind) but it will probably take years before these ideas bear fruit. We would rather take our time, than to rush an idea that isn't ready.

The Panorama T-series in conjunction with Nektarine is a step in the direction we want to take our future controllers. The buttons below the faders are setup for 'direct access' to specific parameter pages, when the T-series is controlling Nektarine from Instrument Mode. These buttons allow you to select oscillator pages, filter pages, envelope pages etc, without diving through a menu. It's not the same as having a knob per function, true but I think it's a step in the right direction.

Ultimately, if controllers with generic layout were not successful, we wouldn't keep making them. Our controllers (so far) are designed to control a number of different things, including mixers and drawbar organs, so that we can make a product that is useful to as many customers as possible. I acknowledge that this approach does not appeal to everyone. Still, I think there will always be demand for controllers with a generic layout.

[pc999]

Linux support?

...but the lack of controllers with a good number of controls to make programming stuff fun and intuitive (lets say 72 or more).

Surfing through pages of parameters with the usual 8 knobs and 8 faders isn't fun....

That is so true!!!!

[justin3am]

Linux support?

Panorama T-series are class compliant USB MIDI devices so they will work in Linux. Our Bitwig DAW integration will also work in Linux. There will not be a Linux version of Nektarine.

[AlesisVi61]

News are live on KVR
https://www.kvraudio.com/news/nektar-te ... ards-41799

Pricing and availability (MSRP):

T4 $349.99 US / £279.99 / €349.99.
T6 $399.99 US / £349.99 / €399.99.

Shipping in July 2018.

Not much cheaper than P series, so my cheap theory is wrong.

Not much cheaper than the original Panorama series...are you congentially insane?The T6 is $200 cheaper than the P6...I'd say that's a significant price difference!When you consider that the T-series has features from their flagship series,has good build quality and a very usable display screen....you'd realize what a tremendous value the T-series really is.

If all you care about is dirt-cheap pricing...well...here's one for you; https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... aoQAvD_BwE

It's amazing to me,that some people are so out of touch with reality,as to expect every imaginable feature under the sun,for a rock bottom price....do you not realize the cost of research and development,extensive programming,man hours and an assembly plant?You do realize,that there is a profit margin to reach,in order to remain in business and flourish...right?Damn....you must be a millennial....if you were walking the earth 30 years ago,you could fathom and even appreciate what you have to work with,for the money.
Imagine laying down $3,000 for a hardware workstation,another $2,000 for a hardware multitracker and not even having 1/10th the sonic possibilities that a $500 PC,$500 worth of software and a $400 midi controller can produce.
You know what?Scratch all that....just take the time to do some research on the internet and see if you can find a better offering in this price range.
I was on Synthtopia's website,and some butt-wipe was complaining about the Panorama T-series not having polyphonic aftertouch...I mean...not even the flagship Panorama series has that...wtf?? Personally...I think the Panorama T-series is the best thing yet,from Nektar...as it's a perfect ratio of features and price and unlike the P-series,the T-series is much more aesthetically pleasing!

[Zexila]

Not much cheaper than the original Panorama series...are you congentially insane?

Without even reading what you have to say beyond that:

News are live on KVR
https://www.kvraudio.com/news/nektar-te ... ards-41799

Pricing and availability (MSRP):

T4 $349.99 US / £279.99 / €349.99.
T6 $399.99 US / £349.99 / €399.99.

Shipping in July 2018.

Not much cheaper than P series, so my cheap theory is wrong.

Well, my bad, again, P series prices are reduced now, so yeah, T series is cheaper than P initially, so my theory stands.

Gonna answer one more:

If all you care about is dirt-cheap pricing...well...here's one for you; https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... aoQAvD_BwE

Maybe this is cheaper version of Panorama, it resembles Impact quite a bit, got myself 61 one for 150, truly bang for the buck, guess this thing will go for cheap too.

Calm down next time and actually read before you start insulting and preaching.

[AlesisVi61]

News are live on KVR
https://www.kvraudio.com/news/nektar-te ... ards-41799

Not much cheaper than P series, so my cheap theory is wrong.

This statement was wrong on so many levels and it is an insult to the company.

[Zexila]

News are live on KVR
https://www.kvraudio.com/news/nektar-te ... ards-41799

Not much cheaper than P series, so my cheap theory is wrong.

This statement was wrong on so many levels and it is an insult to the company.

Calm down, made a mistake and made it right in next response, but turns out my theory stands, it's cheaper than Panorama and it's inspired by Impact too, don't know what issues you got with that, but spare me at this point.

[Bandaide]

. However, when using a DAW for which we provide deep integration, you will still be able to control plug-in parameters even if you don't plan to use Nektarine. This is important in DAWs like Logic, Reason and Bitwig, where included plug-ins can't by hosted by Nektarine.

Thanks for popping in, Justin.

So will Logic users use Nektarine? Or rely instead of Nektar's DAW Integration system?