Kontakt 8 & Guitar Rig 7 still a mess with loading times!

[EvilDragon]

NI is aware of the issue but I am not sure how much can actually be done when you have a huge massive 3rd party dependency like Qt...

[jancivil]

To be perfectly frank, the OP issues must be down to FL and/or their system. I just tried it on a brand new VE Pro release (a version ahead of the official), Sequoia OS. Guitar Rig 7 loaded too fast to even start a countdown and same w. the components, then Kontakt 7 was about as quick, with what I'll use in it taking like half a second.

I'm using one instance of GR7 in my current project which is kind of loaded to the point where VE Pro takes a few minutes to load all of it and it was quick enough. In Cubase 13 GR7 took about 4 seconds the first time (I think the very first time here) and virtually instantaneous subsequently. K7 took half a second, and "Threnody Strings" which is not terribly small within 2 seconds. This is on the entry-level M1 MB Air (ca. 2020).

Kontakt 7 has bugs in either of my configurations, tho. It has to be unsnapped in VE Pro to even show up. Fine, that's how I'm going to use it anyway. This as VST3. AU version in VEP has more bugs, its output cfg is 7.1 and cannot be changed at all.

Stopping development with real bugs (that no one checked for is my guess) present has put a full chill on my continuing to buy anything that requires above Kontakt "6".

[EvilDragon]

The startup issues seem more Windows bound than macOS, IIRC.

[rasmusklump]

On my 2021 windows rig Kuassa 360 guitar suite starts in about 1 second.
Although I own a komplete license I haven't installed it in more than 10 years now.
Everything UVI has a much better playability than any Kontakt library anyways in addition to all the other NI issues

[concealed identity]

I really wish owning a Kontakt license gave you access to older versions as well. I used Kontakt 6 in a former shared setup, and by the time I built my own setup, 7 had been released. Despite a much beefier computer and slimmer setup, 7 loads so much slower than 6. I'd be much happier using that, but my only option is to find someone selling a second-hand license. Loads of companies give you access to previous versions, I really wish NI did the same. Kontakt went from the centerpiece of my workflow to something I only use if my other samplers can't do what I want.

[EvilDragon]

Everything UVI has a much better playability than any Kontakt library anyways in addition to all the other NI issues

Sorry but this is simply not true.

[Winstontaneous]

For this to have any meaning folks absolutely need to include their computer/OS/DAW info!
I'm by no means an apologist for NI (not a big fan since they cashed out), but...

On my 2024 M3 MacBook Air running OSX Sequoia 15.5 -
Both standalone apps and AU plugins in Ableton Live:

GuitarRig7 standalone loads in 3.3 seconds
Kontakt 8 in 2.3 to 2.8 seconds
+- 10ths of a second multiple times in a row.

I'm pressing the stopwatch "start" before clicking on the program icons so it's even quicker than that.

[jancivil]

Ok, I can type more, I'm being idle, I'm in the last stage of a project and sick of it.

I have the first MacBook Air circa 2020 iirc with 8GB.
Now, though I have it connected via a CAT 8 cable, that @ one end is USB-C from the MBA, to a Mac Mini with 16GB. The MBA's OS is Sonoma 14.7.6, the Mini is running Sequoia OS 15.5.

opening GR7 standalone the first time on the latter config. took 4 or 5 seconds; subsequently I don't get thru 'one thousand' counting 'one one thousand etc', not very different than the plugin in Cubase.
Kontakt 7 standalone, I'm sure I have opened it before as it's standard practice, like one second passed. Load "Choral" in the extant project in VE Pro, too quick to count. (Kontakt 8 is not installed here)

So here NI stuff (btw I'm not really a fan at this point, my other post should tell) loads extremely quickly and performs excellently. It probably doesn't on older setups and bogus hosts like FL.
That's life.

[mudi1974]

It’s probably a Windows issue with all of the snake oil. Maybe try to exclude the VST folder and sample library folder from virus scanning. Or perform a test with antivirus completely turned off, just for comparison.

[EvilDragon]

It's not the virus scanning thing. It's literally something with Qt, deep in there.

[KIMCHRISTOPHER]

I wonder if there has been any change regarding this issue... It's October 2025 and my guitar rig 7 is still very slow to load...

[Uchmania]

It's not the virus scanning thing. It's literally something with Qt, deep in there.

I'm also have the same issue, It literally takes about 40 secs for GR to load and it takes Kontakt 8 about 20 secs. I don't have this issue with any other plugin.

I'm on Windows 10 and using Reaper. But after the first instance of GR and Kontakt loads, other instances load under a second. Its really frustrating