opinions sought on NI Komplete....

I really need some experienced owners of both the Sonar VSTi's and Native Instruments Komplete for some opinions here please.

I am thinking of buying a Komplete 8 pack (and at only $400 it is a good deal I think), but I am trying to find if getting it would be beneficial in terms of ease of use, better instruments and effects etc etc...

Or is it better to stick with Sonar and just update libraries - for example is the AAS Strum Acoustic Session worth upgrading (I would need the Strun Electric too)...as this would cost near $200 for one VSTi around half the cost of the WHOLE Komplete Library, and I have read that Komplete guitars and basses and drums are better than the ones in Sonar - even the "upgraded to full version" stuff.

I bought the DSF full sound library special from the webshop and so far I am not overly impressed by these categories?

Do others think Guitar Rig 5 is better or worse the TH2 - which I only just started to play with the other day!! Quite impressive....

I guess bottom line is, is it better to continue to buy "add-ons" to Sonar, or simply go to an all in one like Komplete...

It is all very confusing. I am not THAT fussy when it comes to sound, just as long as it is decent and realistic, and pretty easy to use, as I am  player NOT a programmer!!!  I am happy creating and editing MIDI data, but once it gets into the audio world, I like it as simple as possible..

If more info is needed from me , before offering advice...please ask :)

Thanks

joden


I really need some experienced owners of both the Sonar VSTi's and Native Instruments Komplete for some opinions here please.

I am thinking of buying a Komplete 8 pack (and at only $400 it is a good deal I think), but I am trying to find if getting it would be beneficial in terms of ease of use, better instruments and effects etc etc...

Or is it better to stick with Sonar and just update libraries - for example is the AAS Strum Acoustic Session worth upgrading (I would need the Strun Electric too)...as this would cost near $200 for one VSTi around half the cost of the WHOLE Komplete Library, and I have read that Komplete guitars and basses and drums are better than the ones in Sonar - even the "upgraded to full version" stuff.

I bought the DSF full sound library special from the webshop and so far I am not overly impressed by these categories?

Do others think Guitar Rig 5 is better or worse the TH2 - which I only just started to play with the other day!! Quite impressive....

I guess bottom line is, is it better to continue to buy "add-ons" to Sonar, or simply go to an all in one like Komplete...

It is all very confusing. I am not THAT fussy when it comes to sound, just as long as it is decent and realistic, and pretty easy to use, as I am  player NOT a programmer!!!  I am happy creating and editing MIDI data, but once it gets into the audio world, I like it as simple as possible..

If more info is needed from me , before offering advice...please ask :)

Thanks

joden,


Just Kontakt alone is almost the price of Komplete...

It truly is a NO BRAINER...27 instruments...including Kontakt, Reaktor, and a slew of Basses, Guitars, Piano's, etc...and Studio Effects...just add up how much it would cost to buy them all at the regular price...


NI has some exceptional instruments...Guitar Rig 5 is HEADS above TH2 IMHO.....

I own many, I just haven't been able to fork over the money for Komplete...much to my regret...

Komplete is a no brainer.  for Kontact and Guitar Rig alone.  32bit & 64bit included, plays well with Sonar, no problems.

I bought Komplete 8, I wish I had held out and bought Komplete 8 Ultimate.

Komplete 9 is going to be released just around the corner, March 27th.  K9U they have added so much to that really if you can afford it and hold off you will be getting the better deal and many many useful things like Damage, Evolve, strings, horns and all the FX.

Komplete 9 is coming out on Wednesday. I would wait for it but i have Komplete 8 and I use it with Maschine and I run Maschine inside of Sonar X1 sometimes. Works well for me. 

I have used Komplete since version 3, and have upgraded all the way through the versions and I am now on Komplete 8 Ultimate.

FABULOUS package.

Bob Bone

Wow guys, (and gals if there are some in those replies   )  thanks heaps!   Wonderful response.

Yep that decides it for me, I just need to figure out if I should buy the cheap K8 and then go the upgrade path, or just wait and buy K9 cold?

The K8 Ultimate would have been my pref, but those sets are still pretty exxy out here at over $900.....I think the ones I am looking at are the end of the distributors K8 boxed sets somehow....hence the $400 price...

Righto, time to go and do some number-crunching 

Again many thanks to all who contributed - it is greatly appreciated....

Cheers

Thanks Bob,

I am told that out here (Oz) the K9 Ultimate will retail for around $1200

Yeah it sort of makes me think I might sit back for a while :) mebbe just stick with the Essentials version I have and just add a library or two!

The upgrade to Ultimate (from same) is about $400 (source NI's site). I was looking pretty hard at the RC24 and RC48 reverb products (about $200 stand alone) and then I saw the stuff on Session Drummer so for me the $400 is an okay price.

If you are just dipping into NI for the first time I admit the $1099 price for Ultimate seems steep - it is steep but you get a lot of bang for the buck. If you can swing it you should try if not then by all means get the base package and do the upgrade what 10 comes out. 

Regards

I'm a long time Absynth user and I upgraded to Komplete 8 so I could add Kontakt to my arsenal. I also use the kits in Battery quite a bit. I haven't had much time to dive into Massive or Reaktor. I'm not planning on upgrading to 9 due to the fact that I don't think a new version of Battery is worth it for me. I say get 8. You won't be disappointed. But plan on a "few" hours to install it all.

I'm about to buy k9 std package at zzounds because I am getting a roland gr55 and its payable over 8 payments so if I add the k9 instead of paying it over 4 payments they will let me pay it out over 8. So I'm only going to have to pay $62 something a month for it making it a no brainer.I might add ReValver as well since its a more realistic amp sim for the amp part of the signal chain and it will allow third party FX to be used inside it. Also it will be an 8 payment plan eligible product as well. 

Kontakt also opens up the access to many free and low cost third party products. Its amazing what you can pick up for less than $20.

There maybe a lot in Komplete you wont use much but the stuff you will use makes a incredable value.

I pre-ordered Komplete 9 Ultimate and it arrived last Friday. It's sitting at DLH for customs processing....it will cost me around $250 for import duties and customs fees. It will be on my door tomorrow as they promised. Can't wait to try it all.
I don't think there's a better deal out there. It's just amazing how much you get for $1099.


regards
joni

xabiton


Komplete 9 is coming out on Wednesday. I would wait for it but i have Komplete 8 and I use it with Maschine and I run Maschine inside of Sonar X1 sometimes. Works well for me. 

Yeah I agree on the brass and reeds - not so much on the strings though...unless you are writing symphonies, or chamber/quartet pieces a lot of the VSTi string libraries are quite passable, especially in a mix.