I don't understand why they had to get rid of the Service Center, that was a pretty smooth approach.

Was thinking about upgrading from K10 Ultimate to 11, but hesitated, feeling that there wasn't enough I needed or wanted to justify it. So after reading this thread, that pretty much clinches it. I will pass on this. I just retired and moved, and so I can no longer just buy what I want, anyway. Only what I need. Which changes from hour to hour, of course...

Sanderxpander
I don't understand why they had to get rid of the Service Center, that was a pretty smooth approach.

To be fair the Service Center was a bug filled crapfest - it totally screwed my install of Komplete on a number of occasions. Many other people experienced the same. 

sergiosimoes

sharke
Ah but you're coming from 9U. It's actually a good upgrade in that case because there was some pretty cool stuff introduced in 10U. But from 10U to 11U it's very underwhelming. 

I'm glad to hear this because I'm coming from K9 regular, so my upgrade would be better than good . End even if the orchestral stuff is not first rate, I bet it'll be better than anything I currently have (Sonivox and Miroslav CE and, of course, a bunch of old and new HW ROMplers).

To me the upgrade to 10 from 9 was worth it for Rounds alone - I love that synth. Sonically it's nothing new, just standard oscillators, filters, FM and modulation - but that it has 8 separate voices that you can shape and pan independently, and lots of cool ways to distribute those voices to your MIDI notes, makes it capable of some truly unique arrangements that you just can't do on any other synth. One of the only genuinely cool things NI's done for years. 

Tried just installing K5 and the Kontakt factory library.  K5 still won't open.  So now I'm going back and doing a clean install of K10U on the the new drive.  Then, if that works...who knows...I'll try updating to K11U.  NI makes great products...but their support is el stinko.  Haven't heard a word from them as yet...not a peep.
 

Somewhere in Germany,
 
"Ya Ernst, it's dat AMerican mit der big yellow head komplaning again". "He dussent zee da vast zuperiority off our new inzdallation protocol". "Venn vill day lern dis izz da perfect software mitt daz Euro zound?"
 
"Let him vait a few more dayz Hans, he vill learn, unt adapt to out zuperior methods" 

Come...we go to my flat for some schnaps.
 

I just went 10 to 11.  
 
Was tempted to go ultimate, but you guys talked me out of it.
 
Ultimate only seems to me to be a good thing if you are scoring Jason Bourne movies, so I just went regular again.
 
Thanks for the discussion all !

Back to Sharke's hard core analysis.
 
Just got the email that I need to upgrade Reaktor 6. YouTube video link to show the vast improvements and infinite scope needed to unleash creativity for the right price.
 
Sounded good, but each new ensemble was a rehash. Minor variations on a worn theme.
 
Others may get different mileage.
 
John

I think NI are having "growing pains" dealing with the transition to mostly downloadable products.
If you're downloading a single instrument/library, Native Access is cool.
If you already have the libraries installed... and you just need to install Kontakt and point it to the existing libraries, you are plain SOL. 
 
I just built a machine for a TV/Film composer in LA... who had 100s of GB of sample libraries.
It took me many hours to copy these libraries over to the new machine and point Kontakt 5 to them and authorize/unlock them.
If I'd been dealing with the current version of Kontakt, it would have taken days longer.
 
It's a major step backward having to re download/install libraries... when you could just point Kontakt to their current location and authorize.  Hello!?!?  Do these folks actually use their own software?
 
Wish someone from NI would be at GearFest on the 23rd and 24th.
I'd love to bend their ear on this one...