Kontakt 6 - any rumors about release?

[Echoes in the Attic]

So another year before we see Kontakt 6. Thanks NI

My prediction is less than one year.
K12 will be the Kontakt 6 version.
Kontakt 6 will be the only addition.
But I suspect that Kontakt 6 will be
be a grand version. Spectacular
possibly.

Then K13 will bring Absynth 6 or
Massive 2 a year later.

They will likely release Kontakt 6 on it's own first. As with Reaktor, it's about money. People who need/want it will pony up the cash for it to have it right away then I'd say a good 35% of those people will also upgrade to the newest Komplete when it comes out. It means more cash flow for NI because they will get those initial sales from the release of a single product, then more sales from those same people for Komplete plus the sales of those who waited for Komplete.

Smart marketing. Pretty scummy to try and double dip your clients (because I believe they all had to pay the same upgrade/crossgrade fees) but smart.

I predict that NI will release Kontakt 6 both as a single item or with Komplete 12 so that
K12 = K11 + Kontakt 6
so that K11 owners need not purchase Kontakt 6 when released as a single item and 6 months later purchase K12 and end up with two copies of Kontakt 6. Are they aware of this? They could have done something similar when Reaktor 6 was released.

Apparently to "double dip your clients" is profitable. Sadly NI thinks and acts this way.

This is not what is happening, NI have always released products as standalones first, then later in the update to Komplete. Komplete is not NI's only product. This gives people who wish to be early adopters the option of buying early and later if they choose to get Komplete they can always sell it again.

Actually it hasn't always been the case that the standalones were released first. Remember back a few years when they released three major updates at once and the new komplete? I think it was kontakt, absynth and Reaktor or fm8. Three big releases right at the same time as the next komplete with those included. But yeah that hasn't been the norm lately.

[spinettim]

but it is in terms of libraries and most of us only use presets

[EvilDragon]

but it is in terms of libraries and most of us only use presets

Not really even if you count that, Kontakt has a MUCH bigger 3rd party selection of libraries...

[Kalamata Kid]

So another year before we see Kontakt 6. Thanks NI

My prediction is less than one year.
K12 will be the Kontakt 6 version.
Kontakt 6 will be the only addition.
But I suspect that Kontakt 6 will be
be a grand version. Spectacular
possibly.

Then K13 will bring Absynth 6 or
Massive 2 a year later.

They will likely release Kontakt 6 on it's own first. As with Reaktor, it's about money. People who need/want it will pony up the cash for it to have it right away then I'd say a good 35% of those people will also upgrade to the newest Komplete when it comes out. It means more cash flow for NI because they will get those initial sales from the release of a single product, then more sales from those same people for Komplete plus the sales of those who waited for Komplete.

Smart marketing. Pretty scummy to try and double dip your clients (because I believe they all had to pay the same upgrade/crossgrade fees) but smart.

I predict that NI will release Kontakt 6 both as a single item or with Komplete 12 so that
K12 = K11 + Kontakt 6
so that K11 owners need not purchase Kontakt 6 when released as a single item and 6 months later purchase K12 and end up with two copies of Kontakt 6. Are they aware of this? They could have done something similar when Reaktor 6 was released.

Apparently to "double dip your clients" is profitable. Sadly NI thinks and acts this way.

This is not what is happening, NI have always released products as standalones first, then later in the update to Komplete. Komplete is not NI's only product. This gives people who wish to be early adopters the option of buying early and later if they choose to get Komplete they can always sell it again.

Actually it hasn't always been the case that the standalones were released first. Remember back a few years when they released three major updates at once and the new komplete? I think it was kontakt, absynth and Reaktor or fm8. Three big releases right at the same time as the next komplete with those included. But yeah that hasn't been the norm lately.

Thanks for the reminder. So it seems that NI can be nice when they want to. I love it when they do that!

As I stated earlier they can be nice again to the loyal Komplete fans and customers by offering Kontakt 6
both as a single item or with Komplete 12 (or 11.5) so that K12 = K11 but with Kontakt 6. This is so that K11 owners need not purchase Kontakt 6 when released as a single item and 6 months later purchase Komplete 12 and end up with two copies of Kontakt 6. This way both the single Kontakt 6 and the Komplete 12 users will be happy customers. I hope I did not upset anyone with my suggestion.

Edit: Charge the $99 upgrade for Kontkat 6 users and $99 for the Komplete 12 users which in effect is a Komplete 11 but with Kontakt 6 rather than the Kontakt 5. There are several other ways to help the Komplete users avoid ending up with two copies of Kontakt 6, So I am not saying to adopt my suggestion but rather to use any method to help the Komplete users. Obviousness the best way is to release the Single Kontakt 6 and the Komplete 12 which includes Kontakt 6 simultaneously as Echoes in the Attic stated that Native Instruments handles it in the past. This way every NI customer is happy.

[Foxedge]

They need to update the factory content .. it's really becoming VERY dated.
Why do they hesitate so long with kontakt 6 this time?

[spinettim]

I agree about content upgrade but if you check similar products (halion for example), they all have quite low quality libraries packed with them.

[whyterabbyt]

They need to update the factory content .. it's really becoming VERY dated.

Nobody buys Kontakt for the factory content. And if anyone's dead-set on having high-end NI-sold content for Kontakt, they might as well get Komplete.

[dune_rave]

Imho they shouldn't even touch the factory lib, it is what it is....

[Foxedge]

Nobody buys Kontakt for the factory content. And if anyone's dead-set on having high-end NI-sold content for Kontakt, they might as well get Komplete.

"Nobody buys Kontakt for the factory content" - exactly that is what I am talking about. But they used to when it was up to date. You get my point? A modern factory library would again be a reason to buy a $400 expensive sampler "flagship". And I know one can get it for much cheaper on crossgrade sales, but that doesn't change the fact that they see it being worth $400, which it isn't anymore with this factory.

They never said "let's throw some shit old samples into it and make it $400" - the samples were nice and modern back when they were released as factory content. They never intend to give you useless samples. So it's now time to upgrade it for it being what it once was.

That being said, it's wrong to assume that people who get kontakt just go for komplete. There are a lot of people working in the orchestra genre or film music and have no use for 12 different synths or the mediocre orchestra plugins it contains. Komplete for me also is totally uninteresting.

[KyleJudkins]

I regret buying komplete ultimate

[Kalamata Kid]

I regret buying komplete ultimate

KyleJudkins,

Why the regret?

I have Komplete 11 and considering upgrading to K12 Ultimate primarily for:
(it will be the first time that I have and Komplete Ultimate)
ReplikaXT $50, I have Replika, https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... eplika-xt/
Molekular $75, https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... molekular/
SKANNER XT $50, https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... kanner-xt/
Flesh $50 https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... ths/flesh/
Total $225 (Cannot redeem the $25 e-voucher on sale or upgrade items)

I do have a little interest on the content in Ultimate but generally prefer to use my samples. So do I upgrade to K12 Ultimate for $600 or buy the individual plugins. Perhaps wait for a sale on the plugins? They do go on sale do they?

The other issue is if I upgrade to Komplete Ultimate I can never go back to the normal Komplete. So I will forever be obliged to spend more money on the future ultimate upgrades. Correct?

[waltercruz]

Hope they jump on the VST3 train with it.
EastWest did it with Play (the only real competitor IMO).

I think that UVI Falcon has some space to become a Kontakt competitor.

[Zombie Queen]

How do samples become dated? They either sound good or not. No?

[whyterabbyt]

Nobody buys Kontakt for the factory content. And if anyone's dead-set on having high-end NI-sold content for Kontakt, they might as well get Komplete.

"Nobody buys Kontakt for the factory content" - exactly that is what I am talking about. But they used to when it was up to date. You get my point?

I'd strongly dispute that part, so no. Factory content for K1 and K2 was minimal, and, for the time, more or less risible. Then, for K3 I think, it was expanded somewhat, but still paled in comparison to the third-party content out there, which is what most Kontakt users were already invested in. Since K4 or K5 they've thrown in some additional older NI content, but its always been the kind of thing (eg the pianos) that everybody already had from one source or another.

[spinettim]

my wishlist for version 6 is:
-VST3 version
-Better handling of library tabs and presets.
-New library of sounds
-New properly risizable interface