Solved Use Arturia Keylab mk2 and NI Kontrol 88 mk3 hardware controllers at same time?

[MisterE]

I'm not sure why you feel that Native Instruments under InMusic is less secure than it was under Francisco. The whole point of the transfer of ownership was to remove its debt and give it a secure future in an organisation whose only focus is music! However, you're right that a few deals have begun to appear - I've just seen it for £679 at thedjshop.co.uk, which is a very good price indeed.

I'll guess that you're way more into the NI ecosystem than I am, which is why you'd like to be optimistic about the changed-hands company's future prospects and I don't really care. The problem with how the uncertainty in my mind and business as usual viewpoint in your mind affects us as users and potential users of NI KK mkIII controller keyboards with S1/FSP is that NI was already villainized by its own users for taking ridiculously long to implement the functionality they claim possible with essentially a computer inside the mkIII boards. The pace of progress was glacial even before the big insolvency announcement. If I were you, I'd like to remain optimistic too.

Anyhow to make up for this departure I'll testify that it was completely painless to use an Arturia Keylab 61 mkII with S1 at the same time as a Korg M3 keyboard. Took zero extra effort other than the initial setup of both boards.

 

[TimC340]

My point is that I don't think that there are any longer any reasons to be any more pessimistic about NI than about any other music equipment company. None of them has a guarantee of survival, and that's a risk we take as customers. The issue of debt that Francisco loaded on them is now removed and, judging from their finances prior to the takeover by InMusic, without the debt repayments they should be comfortably in profit. But we'll see how it plays out; if they were to go down tomorrow I'm pretty sure my NI hardware and software would work for several years ahead!

However, no shade on Arturia - their keyboards are excellent. And I have very fond memories of my old 1993 Korg i3 (no relation to the current product). Wish I still had it!

 

[MisterE]

My point is that I don't think that there are any longer any reasons to be any more pessimistic about NI than about any other music equipment company. None of them has a guarantee of survival, and that's a risk we take as customers. The issue of debt that Francisco loaded on them is now removed and, judging from their finances prior to the takeover by InMusic, without the debt repayments they should be comfortably in profit. But we'll see how it plays out; if they were to go down tomorrow I'm pretty sure my NI hardware and software would work for several years ahead!

However, no shade on Arturia - their keyboards are excellent. And I have very fond memories of my old 1993 Korg i3 (no relation to the current product). Wish I still had it!

I'd stick to music, cause I don't think you have a future as an oddsmaker if you really believe in your heart of hearts that newly restructured NI is as good a bet as, say, RME or Yamaha, to survive trying times. Which isn't to say there isn't a grain of truth in what you say; for example, my YouTube algorithm has taken to placing videos in my feed like "What happened to Teac?" or "What Happened to Studer" or "What Happened to Flagship Receivers" and the same deal with cars like "Whatever happened to Studebaker" and "Whatever happened to Pontiac." So, you are certainly correct in opining that no company is ever safe forever, no matter how bulletproof they may appear at any given moment in time. I mean, whatever happened to IBM? Compaq?

 

[TimC340]

I'm not interested in gambling in any form.

To predicate your hardware buying on subjective 'what if' speculation is likely to lead to total inaction, or at least restrict your choices to the very largest manufacturers who are more likely to survive - in your opinion, and without significant supporting data. That's your prerogative. Of course, these very large manufacturers may well not make the hardware you desire, but hey, at least you didn't risk them going bust.

I'm very happy with my choices. As, I suspect, are the other NI users here.

 

[MisterE]

I'm not interested in gambling in any form.

To predicate your hardware buying on subjective 'what if' speculation is likely to lead to total inaction, or at least restrict your choices to the very largest manufacturers who are more likely to survive - in your opinion, and without significant supporting data. That's your prerogative. Of course, these very large manufacturers may well not make the hardware you desire, but hey, at least you didn't risk them going bust.

I'm very happy with my choices. As, I suspect, are the other NI users here.

Buying the S88 mkIII when S1/FSP didn't really accommodate all its possibilities when Cubase did was a gamble. And we'll just have to disagree that the solvency of a given company should be a consideration in any purchase. But hey, it's not like I'm rooting against NI and its legions of customers. I hope they support you till the cows come home even if I haven't chosen to plant my flag in their ecosystem.

 

[TimC340]

I bought my S88 well before the V2 firmware issue came up, so it wasn’t a consideration then - it was just a little frustrating when, after the update happened, I tried Cubase and saw what I was missing. But I have a boatload of controllers, so really it doesn’t matter to me - the KK/Kontakt integration is its main purpose, which it does brilliantly.

Yes, we’re obviously going to stay in our own trenches on NI! As you say, let’s hope I’m right and I get to enjoy my NI stuff for many years. You can say ‘I told you so’ somewhere down the line if I’m wrong!

 

[MisterE]

I bought my S88 well before the V2 firmware issue came up, so it wasn’t a consideration then - it was just a little frustrating when, after the update happened, I tried Cubase and saw what I was missing. But I have a boatload of controllers, so really it doesn’t matter to me - the KK/Kontakt integration is its main purpose, which it does brilliantly.

Yes, we’re obviously going to stay in our own trenches on NI! As you say, let’s hope I’m right and I get to enjoy my NI stuff for many years. You can say ‘I told you so’ somewhere down the line if I’m wrong!

Not looking to gloat. Am still looking for a "future proof" (ha!) 61 or 73 (73 will take a lot of prayer!) keyboard controller with a keybed I enjoy that excels in FSP and Cubase that isn't quite so NI-centric— though as noted seeing program names would be alluring.