Hi mates,

Soft topic here. Just want to ask your opinion about the "new" Kontakt.
I know we're entering 2023, Kontakt7 isn't that "new", if I remember correctly it's 3 month old now.
But I'm an old user of the previous version.
I remember already having a tough time updating from the Kontakt 5 back in the time lmao

I know I can find on Google some pros and cons but I wanted to know the community's pov about it.
Here we have the most critic and accurate musicians and members.

So, for you, is there some major advantages to update ? And if there is, what are from your pov those major points ?

I'm an undecided individual, this could really help me a lot.

Thanks a lot friends, wishing you the best musical journey. And hey, happy new year everyone ! <3

 

I'd written a post somewhere before about how some updates are really nice and significant (Pigments 3 to 4, Playbeat 2 to 3, Blue 2 to 3, Nexus 3 to 4.5, etc), but Kontakt wasn't one of them. A few of the newer sound libraries require 7, but functionally, it's almost the same as 6. The new browser is a waste of time, to me anyway. My old libraries weren't recognized so I just use the traditional one on the left of the UI. Very underwhelming update.

 

I was also 'undecided' about it for awhile, didn't install K7 until very early December. So, I'm checking it out now for a bit over a month. I have to say, I'm sorry I did it. I'm not finding anything that's become measurably better from my K6 install. My old K6 install, which was the bobdule version, worked just fine, no problems with it at all. With K7 (using the r4e version) there's a lot that's not working smoothly. K7 just works and feels like kind of a mess! I don't think it's r4e's work that's causing the problem though, I'm certain its issues with K7 itself. BTW, my libraries got all fouled up now on BOTH K6 and K7. I'm probably going to have to uninstall all of it and try to get a clean start again with Kontakt. So, unless you want to have to spend a lot of time fiddling around trying to get Kontakt working right I'd skip K7 for now, when most likely K6 will get the job done for you.

IMO, the only reason I'd go for K7 is if there's a library that you can't live without that requires K7 to work. Otherwise, I'd wait for Native Instruments to get this new version a little more together. Like maybe a year from now it might be worth it

 

K7 is faster then K6. The Portable on Rutracker runs perfect with ALL libraries.

 

Kontakt 7 runs better for me than v6 (which crashed a lot my DAW). But if K6 is not broken for you, you can pass on K7 for now.

 

I still have V 5.6 i dont find the need to update, if u are buying or using newer libraries, then its a good idea. For me the version i use has all i need. But some of these companies make a stupid decision to sometimes make it necessary to have the latest version for some libraries to work, i see no point whatsoever, in the end its a glorified sample player. I mean its not gonna a make a song on its own and win a grammy for us.. or does it?

 

the only reason I'd stay would be if I had projects I am still working on in the older version. Otherwise I'd just get it over with. I have seen enough people upgrade to worry about some migration disaster. And on Mac is very easy to just go back to older version, should that even happen.

 

Not for me, Shimmer Shake Strike 2 not loading, but in Kontakt 6 portable (from RuTracker) it loads fine.

 

do you want new libraries? if not, then no, simple as that

 

Ok, might be that a single lib doesnt work but i have 50 libs or so installed without any probs. its faster and its working. so thats the point.

 

I hate plugs making you update! No i stopped at 5!

 

Upgraded to 7 and had no issues. I only did it because I wanted to use a library that required it. It seems to work just fine.

 

Since I haven't downloaded a new Kontakt library in years and everything I have and don't use much (lol true I use K so rarely) I'm still at last version 5. I can't even remember what number... 5.6 or 5.7 perhaps? Anyway, it is perfectly stable and that's the most important thing for me. I sometimes use it as a sampler (weird huh? ) and there aren't enough useful differences for me since v5 to justify updating.

Rant warning -
If I was a legit Kontakt user I would stop being a NI customer years ago. It is utterly annoying, even maddening this thing with newer sample libraries demanding newer Kontakt versions even if the library doesn't use any of the new scripting features. Even worse is when people resave some older library with newer Kontakt and then share it... That's like showing you a birthday cake and then eating it in front of you.

 

"Should I consider updating to Kontakt7 ?"
By asking the question clearly you are already considering. Maybe you are considering not considering.
I suggest you finish considering and find K7P 7.1.5 !
Even with generic i5 and default old on-board Intel Graphics 2000, 4 of the 5 GUI Tweaker options work in Win7. Faster, stable. The new preset management is decent once sorted out. I have lots of issues with aspects of its design like no full screen, limited window size, no shortcuts for selecting the next and prev sounds and lots more. Ver 7.0.11 worked with Software emulation while D3D and OpenGL failed. With 7.1.3 all 3 available graphics modes failed (Black Gui, no launch).

With 7.1.5, WARP and Mesa3D emulation were added. For me OpenGL caused 2 crashes so next I tried WARP. With WARP so far, no crashes. Of the 5 options only D3D fails for me. For Win7 using WARP requires KB2670838 which I had since 2015.

To be rid of the annoying distracting prompt to Save when closing an edited instrument, I use PowerPro with an Autorun Command List that detects the dialog when it opens and dismisses it with N, for 'No' (An AutoIt or AHK script would work too). If I want to Save an Instrument I will save it explicitly with the menu. Preventing K7P from saving is important for preserving instruments for use with K6P 6.7.1 by K7 so they don't fail in K6P. Make backups of your nki's.

On 7.0.11 with Software Emulation graphics mode (only mode that I could use) the menus had a transparent background. The right click opening of the Quick Launch was missing. Both are fixed in 7.1.5. And 7.0.11 is awesome too while 7.1.5 is moreso. With 7 there is no more VST2.

I set up a PowerPro command menu to load instruments (using saved .fxb files, so they are like .multis) from a menu while running it under Savihost1.43 x64. I also run an another Savi instance for ValhallaRoom as a system wide reverb (it is the only reverb I have found that has loud enough clear long reverb tail and a Rev Direct balance that doesn't feed back (under VoiceMeeter at 96KHz on a cheap AudifyFX) using the VM ASIO AUX input and settings to get live reverb and another Savi hosting a Velocity Curve plugin to match up 2 of my controller keyboard velocities.

For changing to the next K7P sound using the computer keyboard, I have a PowerPro KeysMouse command that for an active Kontakt window sends a mouse left click when I press the / key and for going through sounds, with the cursor over the Next Preset arrow icon, for the next sound, I press the / key.

Ignition ready... props up... ready for liftoff... Kontakt!

 

Does it show all libs in the new view? Inc. custom / 3rd-party

 

I´m using it this way...because i have many libraries and need overview...

https://imgur.com/a/qN6T1eh

 

I install the v7, no problem so far, but I don't like the new browser (my v6 was really organised the way I want, by sound type).

I didn't need to update but I always do for future compatibility, and with this version I though NI would still use the same name as they did implement with Kontakt v6 (naming the vst just Kontakt, without version in the name, like Arturia do with Pigment), but they put the number back.

The good news is that with that issue, both version (6 or older and 7) can run at the same time, which is nice for older project compatibility. So you can try the v7 to see if you like it, and if not, you can still go back to using only v6. But if you want to use newer library you'll have to update anyway (that's probably why I don't use Kontakt that much anymore)

 

I have Kontakt7 installed, and Portable 6 & 7 set up as well.
When it comes to "Adding" libraries to Kontakt, i could not care any less if they "Add" in the wallpaper browser, because I use Quickload. Quickload does take a bit of time to set up, but nothing compared fooling around trying to get things to 'Add'.
I said "F*** that!" once I realized about Quickload.

Quickload is an actual folder on one's hard drive that Kontakt will use.
I moved that folder to my own location and symlink it into whatever version of Kontakt I am using.
Because it is an organization of libraries and nothing to do with the program itself, it is best saved / kept in a personal location, or with Kontakt Library and symlinked.

For symlinking, i use https://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/linkshellextension.html.
It is great to have a GUI tool like that to make symlinking easy, and it can save trouble and allow you to move things where you want and then just symlink to them.

One other folder it is good to symlink is your own 'User Content" folder.
That contains your snapshots. which are like presets, and again, work with the library regardless of what Kontakt you are using.

Spoiler: How I set up my presets, in general

I keep all those kinds of of folders in my personal "E:\[ Studio ]\[ Taken Presets ]\" folder, which has categories for : DAW Presets, VSTi Presets, vFX Presets.
In each of those are subfolders for 'Vendors\Product\0 - Taken\" [my personal preset folder for each usually has a dash-space, or number , or something to make it at the top of list or where i like it in the particualr synth, fx, etc.].
Each of those I symlink into the preset folder of the particular product.
(For u-he, I delete the "user" folder and symlink my folder in. Then I rename the symlink to "user" so it works the same for saving as the 'user" did. That same method is best for several vendor products ..can't recall the others right now.)

With Quickload you can create your own categories and just drag library folders to categories.
A little cleanup (dragging 'items' from the "instruments" folders into the main folders & renaming) and you can have a great setup.
You can still access the wallpaper browser if you like to see 8 wallpapers and scroll for eternity...
Or use the files tab to access any that you don't want to put into Quickload (I put EVERYTHING there, and it does not seem to slow anything down by doing so.

Only in the very rare case that a library somehow would not run ("not installed") have I ever had to play with any installation. I have been using portable since it was available, but also have installed versions (like this new K7 I installed just to check out and make sure i COULD run it "side-by-side")
Here is an example of how the opganization can look. I created all numbered category folders, and with a little creative renaming (mostly abbreviating) it all goes very nice. I don't usualy keep the navigation pane open ...i don't need to....
163 Libraries "Added" in Kontakt wallpaper browser, but I have over 300 libraries ...

 

Last edited: Jan 16, 2023

Kontakt 7 runs better for me than v6 (v6 crash cubase from time to time with isolated plug-ins)

 

Kontakt 7 is slower than 6 for me, but it has got global purge option. We had to purge the instances one by one before v7. I would like to go with 7 but I have to change my all templates made with kontakt 6 and can't open my old projects which has v6 instances. NI doesn't think or care about people who works with templates.