When you get your keyboard, you can register with NI and always download the latest updates:

KOMPLETE KONTROL 2.3.0
KOMPLETE KONTROL 2.3.0 is a free update including workflow improvements and bug fixes:

• MIDI Assignment Editor support has been added for the A-Series and M32 keyboards.
• “DAW port missing on Windows” issue has been fixed.
• NKS scanning bug has been fixed.

www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/keyboards/komplete-kontrol-a25-a49-a61/software-updates/

 

So basically this was fixed through an update ?

 

If so, in the longterm MPE would maybe become interesting for you...
https://www.midi.org/midi-articles/midi-polyphonic-expression-mpe

 

+

Currently there is ...

a huge really high quality production suite that comes with!
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-13-select/

 

I am talking about the pots not the build quality of the housing

Een teh NI forum is full of reports that Maschine Pots fail, or parameters start to jump. Yet, I sold My Maschine Studios Controllers start jumping after a few yeas usage either

 

There is also a physical difference, a potentiometer is like an long resistor it has a physical pickup.
An encoder is most times contactless. I bet there are even higher qility pots which last longer than 2 years while keeping its feel and function. Thats why I ask, I head that NI choose higher value pots in teh Maschien MK3 so I ask for experience.
BTW with the Maschine Studio , the physical resistance (how hard they are to turn) will wear out very fast if you use them daily. At the end mine had nearby no resistance at all , and it produced jitter values even when i was not touching the unit. So it was continious changing values by its own, happy mixing

 

You are asking a somewhat complicated thing. Because it is a manufacturing and industrial production subject matter, more than just music issues if you actually want to understand it. It is factories, component suppliers, quality assurance departments, engineers, production scheduling and machining type changes, etc. etc. Component tracking is extremely difficult.

When you see a device with it's model # as MK 2/3 etc; there are two possible reasons this is ever done. One is just a product upgrade for new features, and they love to tell us all about these new "Marks #'s". The other #s represent product improvements, and they do this as quietly as possible. Because it fixes known defects and bugs which cannot be fixed with a firmware or software update. Something like a bad batch of screens, or potentiometers, attenuators, whatever the component failure is.

It is like a silent product recall. But since it does not have anything that affects UL like fire hazard; they have decided to do what is called
"fix as fail" until the warranty period expires for those products. It does not mean every one of them is defective. It means a certain known percentage of them will be, and this can include up to 100% of whatever defective component was used. The manufacturing Lot #'s and any tracing information for the component becomes impossible. The LCD factory up the road who supplied the screens has no way to tie any of their manufacturing records against what units they went into.

This is how you end up with two samplers from the same batch and model, and one with less hours and a broken jog wheel.

 

Very nice, the buyers must be very happy with this good deal!

 

That would be great, but in fact pcb mounted encoders used in keyboards, samplers or other musical equipment are mechanical and prone to fail after a while. I used and also serviced many synthesizers and keyboards from Roland, Yamaha, Akai and so on, and most mechanical problems were rubber contacts of keybeds, micro switches, and rotary encoders. These encoders usually give impulses indicating if they are turned clockwise or anti clockwise. If they wear out, they start getting jumpy, until they are completely unusable. Most musicians know these problems.

How fast they wear out depends on build quality and how much they are used. Personally i prefer potentiometers, and while servicing musical equipment, i had far more problems with encoders than pots.

 

Thst why i mentioned high quality, I just read that there are even contactless inductive parts. Yeah parameter jumps that reminds me to a MicroQ. I bet there are even high quality encoders which work perfectly.

 

Before selling I replaced the encoders with brand new ...so yes

 

It is all a matter of money, if they would use higher quality parts the parts would last longer.

 

Of course. But because Banesatis is looking for a farting unicorn that can cook and makes the dish washing for him under 300,-,
there is no place for a longevity knob question!

 

All i want is good keys and aftertouch... that's literally it i do not want the other stuff and would prefer to buy it seperatly.

 

Hey Banesatis, did you end up getting the A61? If so, how is it? I'm currently searching for my next MIDI keyboard, and A49/61 is at the top of the list so far.

Or if you got something else, what is it and how is your experience with it?

 

I have the Roland A800 Pro and I have to say I do like the combined Joystick Mod/Pitch and prefer this to the seprate controls, although totally understand the comments that have been made about this joystick type.

One thing to understand if you use transpose, especially by semi tones, the Roland A800 Pro is a pain in the backside as you have to go menu diving to transpose in semi tones, then you have to commit that change before you can hear it and if its not correct back to the menu diving. Its the only thing I really dislike about this controller. makes more sense to hold transpose and and then click the octave plus and minus like on many other keyboards. If i'd have known this before I wouldnt have purchased it.

I also have the Arturia Keylab 61 MKII which is a lovely controller. But thats over your budget. I think they do an essentials one also.

I hope you get something your happy with, good luck.

 

The Roland A800 is a really appealing option, i do value durability, i'm sure it plays really nicely, and i LOVE the way it looks.... that's why it's such a bummer that their rotaries aren't endless!!! I would definitely buy it otherwise, it ticks all the other boxes. Endless rotaries is one of the "must have" elements on my list

Really don't understand why all MIDI keyboards don't have endless knobs

 

Korg Kronos