https://www.gearnews.com/...trol-s61-mk2-keyboard/

honestly looks so cool but if it's not completely integrated for full Sonar control I'll be skipping again.

polarbear
honestly looks so cool but if it's not completely integrated for full Sonar control I'll be skipping again.

Both controllers are not designed to control a (any) DAW.
S61 can control transport (also in Sonar) and switch tracks (not in Sonar). It can be used as a simple MIDI controller, and so can be mapped to something in the DAW.
Machine is a bit more advanced in DAW operations (also in Sonar), but still like an "extra feature".
 
NI is not considering Sonar a primary DAW, so they do not provide any Sonar specific integration.
 
It is more like a phone with a car, they sometimes can work together, but since they have different primary purpose, I do not think many people select a car based on particular phone or a phone based on how good it integrates with particular car...

Intro video for Komplete Kontrol mk2:-
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ECBgxAowig
 
Intro video for Maschine mk3:-
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjKWqUuIv04
 

azslow3
Both controllers are not designed to control a (any) DAW.
 

You gotta watch the video to see the integration with abelton and logic. Looks amazing. Definitely has a lot of control. And looks really useful if it would do all that in sonar.

The S61 looks like an improvement over the current version with its display, I also like the way they have replaced the touch strips with wheels and kept a touch strip for times when that is more appropriate.
 
I do wish they would make a 73 key version with synth type keys though. That would seriously make me think about upgrading.
 
I hope future improvements to the Komplete Kontrol software don't stop for the older hardware.

polarbear

azslow3
Both controllers are not designed to control a (any) DAW.

You gotta watch the video to see the integration with abelton and logic. Looks amazing. Definitely has a lot of control. And looks really useful if it would do all that in sonar.

During the first time I watched videos, I was unsure what "mixing" mode is controlling (DAW or NI software). From short reviews (I have not found any deep information on topic), it can be that volume control+pan+level indicators are bound to DAW strips. Is that going to work throw Mackie emulation? I have not found the answer. With hi probability they use some "proprietary protocol". Ableton scripts should uncover it (as it was with track switching in current version).
CW has cooperated for Console 1 integrations... Who knows, may be they can do the same for NI.
NI has not published any plans about Sonar yet.
I do not have (and I have no plans to have) NI controllers, so no plans to integrate myself.
 
Abstract DAW control surface should have no particular plug-in dependency. NI hardware is NI software oriented. So while they probably added a bit more DAW functionality, they are not going to position these devices as a general DAW controllers, at least I have not seed such statements.

Right exactly. But they do control Ableton and logic and some kind of cubase integration coming so we can dream for sonar...

I love maschine, but I'll wait  to see what's new in maschine studio ...

polarbear
Right exactly. But they do control Ableton and logic and some kind of cubase integration coming so we can dream for sonar...

Well, if you want Sonar controller without faders (both NI devices do not have them), you can try X-Touch Mini:
http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,377.0.html
Cheap, now and the level of integration with Sonar is hard to beat for that form factor
If you master ACT Dynamic mapping (not so hard), in addition to Sonar operations, it will control your plug-ins (FXes, ProChannel, Synth) on reasonably good level (think of third party Synths without special Komplete Control support inside NI wrapper).
I do not claim it is on the level of this new NI thing for Komplete, Sonar simply has no such machinery for synth/preset selection and the device has no display, but years can pass till NI S is so capable as Sonar controller (if that ever happened).