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Kontakt is not thrilling me...


Dan South

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I finally got the chance to put Kontakt through its paces on OSX (new version), but I'm coming away feeling rather underwhelmed. Here are some of the issues.

 

(1) Copy protection. After installing Kontakt, I started up Logic and I immediately see multiple pop-ups telling me that Kontakt has not been authorized, it will expire in 30 days, and that I should run Kontakt's authorization tool to rectify this. This is fine, but the pop-ups seem to screw up the Logic GUI. Everything is shifted a bit. If you try to select a track with the mouse, for instance, you select the next track below it. This renders Logic all but unusable, and it happens whether you have Kontakt running in a sequence or not.

 

Happily, I own my copy of Kontakt (not a demo) and was able to gain authorization almost immediately using their authorization tool. - Kudos to NI. - I'm concerned that I won't be able to use the same copy of Kontakt on a second computer (laptop), but I'll have to check on that.

 

(2) Audio problems. There are a lot of clicks and pops when Kontakt is running (Logic 6.2). Further, sometimes the level is very low, then it jumps higher for a moment, then back down. The output is much lower than native Logic plugins.

 

(3) Audio quality. This is the real kicker. I'm not thrilled with the way that Kontakt sounds. Well, that's a bit of an understatement. The samples that come with the program are realtively large, but the tiny compressed samples in something like an XV-5080 sound better to my ears. So much for large samples and disk streaming! Kontakt is a good choice if you want to process samples heavily with filters, effects, and modulators, but if you want really clean, clear sound quality, you may be disappointed.

 

Epilogue: I just picked up a copy of Mach Five. I'll compare it to Kontakt over the next few days and post my impressions.

The Black Knight always triumphs!

 

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Originally posted by Dan South:

I finally got the chance to put Kontakt through its paces on OSX (new version), but I'm coming away feeling rather underwhelmed. Here are some of the issues.

 

(1) Copy protection. After installing Kontakt, I started up Logic and I immediately see multiple pop-ups telling me that Kontakt has not been authorized, it will expire in 30 days, and that I should run Kontakt's authorization tool to rectify this. This is fine, but the pop-ups seem to screw up the Logic GUI. Everything is shifted a bit. If you try to select a track with the mouse, for instance, you select the next track below it. This renders Logic all but unusable, and it happens whether you have Kontakt running in a sequence or not.

 

Happily, I own my copy of Kontakt (not a demo) and was able to gain authorization almost immediately using their authorization tool. - Kudos to NI. - I'm concerned that I won't be able to use the same copy of Kontakt on a second computer (laptop), but I'll have to check on that.

I think you get two installs that will register over the net. After that you have to call NI. Thus, you can install it on your laptop, but the next time you format a HD or reinstall your software on your DAW you will be giving NI a call.

 

(2) Audio problems. There are a lot of clicks and pops when Kontakt is running (Logic 6.2). Further, sometimes the level is very low, then it jumps higher for a moment, then back down. The output is much lower than native Logic plugins.
I have not noticed this on the Windows version but I do not use Kontakt for streaming large samples.

 

(3) Audio quality. This is the real kicker. I'm not thrilled with the way that Kontakt sounds. Well, that's a bit of an understatement. The samples that come with the program are realtively large, but the tiny compressed samples in something like an XV-5080 sound better to my ears. So much for large samples and disk streaming! Kontakt is a good choice if you want to process samples heavily with filters, effects, and modulators, but if you want really clean, clear sound quality, you may be disappointed.
Do not judge Kontakt by the included samples. There was much negative backlash from early users about the included sample set. NI's response ended up being something in the line of "These are free so why are you complining?" I never used Kontakt much until I picked up SonicStation. Even now I use it more as a software ROMpler instead of a something to compete with GigaStudio.

 

Epilogue: I just picked up a copy of Mach Five. I'll compare it to Kontakt over the next few days and post my impressions.
I will be interrested in hearing your view on Mach Five. Especially the quality of the import routine. I would like a good software sampler that imports Akai, Roland and Emu samples. The conversion programs I have tried so far are not satisfactory.

 

Robert

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

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Man, it's so cool that between the three or four power users of samplers on this forum, I've heard more real-world information on the topic here than amywhere else. Coming from me, that's a pretty huge compliment.

 

- Jeff

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Originally posted by Dan South:

Kontakt is a good choice if you want to process samples heavily with filters, effects, and modulators, but if you want really clean, clear sound quality, you may be disappointed.

 

This isn't even remotely close to my experience. Kontakt is a quality sampler. Sounds like you've got some AU/OSX issues with it. I wouldn't know. I only run it on my PCs where it's stable as hell and sounds as good or better than anything out there. I don't run soft synths/samplers on my OSX Mac because it's fucked--for me at least.

 

Busch.

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Originally posted by burningbusch:

Originally posted by Dan South:

Kontakt is a good choice if you want to process samples heavily with filters, effects, and modulators, but if you want really clean, clear sound quality, you may be disappointed.

 

This isn't even remotely close to my experience. Kontakt is a quality sampler. Sounds like you've got some AU/OSX issues with it. I wouldn't know. I only run it on my PCs where it's stable as hell and sounds as good or better than anything out there. I don't run soft synths/samplers on my OSX Mac because it's fucked--for me at least.

 

Busch.

Ditto to the quality of Kontakt on an XP Machine! :love:
This way, no, wait, that way!
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I have Kompakt, and can vouch for the pops & clicks. This is running on a PIII600 with 768meg ram.

 

Although I have no problems with the sound quality, I'm disappointed by how much CPU power this thing sucks.

 

I'm hoping an eventual pc upgrade will solve the performance issues.

 

Had no probs with the authorization key. I have it on my laptop, and have yet to authorize on my pc, in case I upgrade soon.

What we record in life, echoes in eternity.

 

MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg.

https://www.abandoned-film.com

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Originally posted by DanS:

I have Kompakt, and can vouch for the pops & clicks. This is running on a PIII600 with 768meg ram.

 

Although I have no problems with the sound quality, I'm disappointed by how much CPU power this thing sucks.

 

I'm hoping an eventual pc upgrade will solve the performance issues.

 

Had no probs with the authorization key. I have it on my laptop, and have yet to authorize on my pc, in case I upgrade soon.

DanS, I didn't know what you're running. I've got a 1.8GHz desktop and 2GHz laptop and I find Kontakt to be one of the more efficient soft synths. But that's comparing it to things like Atmosphere, Moog Modular, V-station, Xphrze which probably wouldn't even run on your machine. The pops and clicks are either your sound card not setup properly or just not enough CPU available for the processing. It does make you appreciate programs like GigaSampler. I used to run Giga on a 500Mhz PIII with 256MB RAM and I got a lot of functionality out of it. On my newer systems, Giga rarely pulls above 5% CPU usage.

 

Busch.

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Originally posted by burningbusch:

QUOTE]DanS, I didn't know what you're running. I've got a 1.8GHz desktop and 2GHz laptop and I find Kontakt to be one of the more efficient soft synths. But that's comparing it to things like Atmosphere, Moog Modular, V-station, Xphrze which probably wouldn't even run on your machine. The pops and clicks are either your sound card not setup properly or just not enough CPU available for the processing. It does make you appreciate programs like GigaSampler. I used to run Giga on a 500Mhz PIII with 256MB RAM and I got a lot of functionality out of it. On my newer systems, Giga rarely pulls above 5% CPU usage.

 

Busch.[/QB]

Unless there's some specific tweaking to do on my Delta66 card with regards to Kompakt, I don't see the card as the issue. Yeah I use Gigasampler with few problems, even less now with the added ram. My point still stands, Kompakt is a cpu hog.

What we record in life, echoes in eternity.

 

MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg.

https://www.abandoned-film.com

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The soft synth/sample playback route has been underwhelming. The sounds seem to be GM or maybe GM plus at best. Giga seems to be the one that wins Gold, but to buy a separate machine. . . & a PC. My PC experience is getting pretty old at this point. The soft synth is shaping up like the hardware synth. Want good B-3 sounds, get B4. Want good EP sounds get, EVP88 or Lounge Lizard. Want the best grand piano, get Giga. Want good analog synth sounds get Reaktor. This is what everyone has been doing for years, except in Rack form. You know the drill "I use this module for this sound & I use that module for that sound" My hopes of one soft synth that does a good job at all are fading fast. The Keyboard mag article Virtual Sampler Spectacular/Oct.03 said it all. There was no clear winner & it seemed like each sampler review said it's a great sampler because of the formats it can use, make better 3rd party sounds available to you.

Steve

 

www.seagullphotodesign.com

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  • 2 weeks later...
The sample library that comes with Kontakt is just pitiful; the pianos that come packaged with Reason, for example, are much better than the ones in Kontakt (and you can't set the bar any lower than that). I kind of doubt that Kontakt otherwise sounds "bad", though.
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It's all good, Merry Christmas, use what you have, make it sound better, harmonicas are cheap if you're unsatisfied and want more hardware. :wave:

 

rt

 

p.s. matter of fact buy harmonicas instead of new sneaks and they'll take up less space in the closet, too.

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