KVR Audio

Biome_Digital · Post by **Biome_Digital** » Sun Mar 15, 2020 4:52 pm

dellboy wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2020 3:58 pm So what happens when a legacy product on there obsolete list has been used to upgrade to a new product ?

I have a boxed full version of Kontakt 2 which I used to upgrade to Kontakt 5 and then Komplete 12.

Does this mean that after May 31st I will not be able to re-install my new Komplete 12 because it no longer has a qualifying product (Kontact 2) installed and activated ?

I would think you won't be affected because you have more up to date product versions.

Biome_Digital · Post by **Biome_Digital** » Sun Mar 15, 2020 6:05 pm

noiseboyuk wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2020 6:59 pm Matt from NI speaks... https://www.native-instruments.com/foru ... st-1887475

Thanks, this is worth reading.

felis · Post by **felis** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:08 am

How hard is it to activate an instrument. Shouldn't it be just an automated procedure?

I can see where they might not support really old stuff, but refusing to activate it if a
computer is replaced or something doesn't seem reasonable.

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:14 am

digitalboytn wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 1:58 am NI's B4 II was the last x86 plugin I was using and that was a beauty...

So much better than all of the sampled crap they started pushing people to use in Kontakt...

Then one fine day,Blue 3 v2 appeared and kicked it off the bandstand...

The GUI is beautiful, and the price is comparable to some other retro stuff I've bought (Ondes Martenot, Hammond Novachord). I've got Arturia's B3 emu but felt it wasn't quite there. How does Blue3 compare?

Vertion · Post by **Vertion** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:30 am

felis wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:08 am How hard is it to activate an instrument. Shouldn't it be just an automated procedure?

I can see where they might not support really old stuff, but refusing to activate it if a
computer is replaced or something doesn't seem reasonable.

It is very easy.

Let me repeat how it was explained to me: The online validation takes your system information and serial number and sends it to a program on their server that returns an unlock key. Apparently, they could easily create and run a version of this unlock program on your own computer, but it would mean they would lose that control.

Control is the key issue here. Online validation maximizes control and records a lot of information about the validation including ip address, system configuration, and a lot more. Online validation completely forces the user to depend on it and this control can be used to exploit and abuse the customer in many ways, especially monetarily.

If reasoning with these companies does not work, the only way to free yourself of this control is to avoid buying from companies who follow this practice, or find some way to remove the problem.

kbaccki · Post by **kbaccki** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:43 am

digitalboytn wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 1:58 am My x86 days were over...

Well apart from Sony's ACID Pro 7 and Sound Forge 10 that is....

Cool Edit 2000 for me.

"Aah wish aah neww how quiiit youu!"

digitalboytn · Post by **digitalboytn** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:43 am

Meffy wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:14 am
digitalboytn wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 1:58 am NI's B4 II was the last x86 plugin I was using and that was a beauty...

So much better than all of the sampled crap they started pushing people to use in Kontakt...

Then one fine day,Blue 3 v2 appeared and kicked it off the bandstand...
The GUI is beautiful, and the price is comparable to some other retro stuff I've bought (Ondes Martenot, Hammond Novachord). I've got Arturia's B3 emu but felt it wasn't quite there. How does Blue3 compare?

How does it compare ?

Most of the offerings out there are sampled organs...

About as dynamic as a dodo...

Blue 3 is a true modelled tonewheel organ like NI's B4...

But it's better

V1 didn't rock my boat,but V2 got me over the line...

darsho · Post by **darsho** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:37 am

I will check out this Blue3 Organ as well, never heard of it. I only know Blue by Rob Papen who also has a Blue II.

I use GSi VB3 for Hammond and of course NI B4II.

B4II lacks a bit in the higher regions of the spectrum in nowadays emulation game, but apart from that it's still phantastic.

Since NI abondaoned their hammond Organ emulation and never made something new, what is one supposed to do.
(I don't count their Kontakt sample libraray as a Hammond emulation)

I just noticed GSi also have a new VB3 II out !

I don't check for new things often, since everything is running fine on my music PC.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:48 am

VB3 II is out for some time now.

darsho · Post by **darsho** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:03 am

who knew, certainly not me

btw, ED, I have ported the String Synths from Hollow Sun to TX16w so I will be able to continue using them once my Komplete is sold. It's just for personal use.
Might do the same for the other HS stuff over time, although I mostly use the String Synths.

I have now successfully replaced all my NI products and de-installed them.

I replaced Guitar Rig with a real Tube Top-Amp, lol. It even has a built-in cabinet emulation for recording. Crazy new products. Never knew such things existed ! Certainly not 30 or 15 years ago !

Situations like these make an old fart like me look for new solutions, which maybe isn't bad.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:55 am

Converting stuff from Kontakt to other samples for personal use is entirely fine. Just note that in many cases scripting provides additional features not easily achievable in other samplers (except those that have scripting, but then you would have to code it up from scratch).

darsho · Post by **darsho** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:14 am

The String Synths were simple in structure. Just Multisamples.
I must say I was baffled that only 3 or 4 keys per octave were sampled to begin with. I never looked at the files before.

DarkStar · Post by **DarkStar** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:41 am

EvilDragon wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:55 am Converting stuff from Kontakt to other samples for personal use is entirely fine. Just note that in many cases scripting provides additional features not easily achievable in other samplers (except those that have scripting, but then you would have to code it up from scratch).

Are you certain? Here,
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/c ... agreement/
it says:

The usage of this product (in particular samples, instruments and presets) for the creation of a sound library or as a sound library for any kind of synthesizer, virtual instrument, sample library, sample-based product or other musical instrument is strictly prohibited.

That is also in an old sounds Licence Agreement.

Gamma-UT · Post by **Gamma-UT** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:53 am

DarkStar wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:41 am
The usage of this product (in particular samples, instruments and presets) for the creation of a sound library or as a sound library for any kind of synthesizer, virtual instrument, sample library, sample-based product or other musical instrument is strictly prohibited.
That is also in an old sounds Licence Agreement.

The language isn't exactly clear. But this seems to be more about creating a library that is then sold on the open market rather than for personal use.

Even if one assumes this is meant to cover personal use, under legislation such as the DMCA you are allowed to mess with stuff for "interoperability" - ie to keep something running. And this would generally trump a EULA stipulation in a court.

Finally, you have the practical situation: how are there going to know? And even then, are they going to sue over it?

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:04 am

Yes, that clause is more about creating a purchasable product based on samples from NI's products. For your own personal usage, you can do whatever as long as it's not shared to anyone or anywhere.

NI have announced they will no longer activate discontinued products