Nord User Forum

Hi,

does anyone use the Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2 keyboard, and how does the keybed compare to the Stage88 and Nord Piano keybeds? I know it’s a Fatar action but don’t know which one exactly, wonder how good the AP feel ist?

I was an endorser for Native Instruments, No more. The S88 MKII is decent, but I've been spoiled, the stage 3 and grand are far superior, but it depends on what you want of a controller. When you go Native Instruments, it depends on what you want to achieve. I found myself with Komplete Ultimate 12 collectors edition and in all fairness, 80% of what was there didn't influence me to write, etc I felt limited by what was there.

As a blind person, I was working with them on accessibility support, then, the rug was pulled from under me, like several others who were made redundant. There is a strong rumour that as of next year, Native Instruments have the intention to go "subscription based" for their software. now legally speaking if you own current software, they can't change that spectrum of ownership as you still own the full licenses, however, any future products would go under the Rental Scheme if this is to be the case.

This is only my opinion and not to be taken to affect your decision, I don't have a right to do that.

My words on this would be, look at the software, decide on what you want from the software, as to whether the Komplete Kontrol S88 MKII would be for you, If you're already a user of their software or hardware and are comfortable with the products, I'd say the S88 MKII is a decent controller. I actually liked mine for a number of uses, just found the software not to be as supportive to my workflow, so as of now, I'm strictly hardware.

Good luck in making your decision, in whatever way you wish to go. There are other controllers out there such as fatar studiologic which I really do recommend as master keyboard controllers, I owned one of the originals years ago and swore by it.

lew

Hi Lew,

thanks for your input, let me explain what I am looking for... Sorry for being a bit lengthy now ...

I am a classical trained pianist, was educated for more than 14 years starting when I was 6 years old and, in all modesty, had a very good technique and also very good velocity. Started my work life outside of music, playing in rock bands only then, got a family and did not play piano for about 10 years due to lack of space for a piano. Bought an upright piano after building a house about 25 years ago but still did not play much piano due to professional career, lots of global travel and time for the family. I noticed that I lost much of my former piano technique and, much more important, velocity over time and am now looking for a way to start re-practicing my piano skills. I have to do it in the evening/late evening when using the acoustic piano would disturb the others in the house. I originally bought a NS2EX-88 and decent headphones for this purpose in addition to my NS3-88 and NS3-compact, but joined a second band a few months ago and do not want to carry both my NS3 from one rehearsal room to the other every week, therefore decided to use the NS2EX for the 2nd band. So I need another one which has a decent action for classical training and also provide a very good piano sound to have fun when practicing - the NS2 was ok for that. Since I am using Komplete Player and the Native Instrument Classical Piano Collection I thought about adding the S88 MK2 to it, but want to be sure that the action is as good as the NS2-88 or even closer to an acoustic piano.

Edit: ah yes, it should not be too heavy .. NS2-88 weight is ok but not much more ...

Would appreciate other advices to achieve what I am looking for....

By the way - thanks for the information regarding possible move to subscription, thought about using the current Thanksgiving XXL offer to upgrade from Kontakt to Komplete 12, could be the last offer to get the perpetual software instead of subscription

Schorsch wrote:Hi Lew,

thanks for your input, let me explain what I am looking for... Sorry for being a bit lengthy now ...

I am a classical trained pianist, was educated for more than 14 years starting when I was 6 years old and, in all modesty, had a very good technique and also very good velocity. Started my work life outside of music, playing in rock bands only then, got a family and did not play piano for about 10 years due to lack of space for a piano. Bought an upright piano after building a house about 25 years ago but still did not play much piano due to professional career, lots of global travel and time for the family. I noticed that I lost much of my former piano technique and, much more important, velocity over time and am now looking for a way to start re-practicing my piano skills. I have to do it in the evening/late evening when using the acoustic piano would disturb the others in the house. I originally bought a NS2EX-88 and decent headphones for this purpose in addition to my NS3-88 and NS3-compact, but joined a second band a few months ago and do not want to carry both my NS3 from one rehearsal room to the other every week, therefore decided to use the NS2EX for the 2nd band. So I need another one which has a decent action for classical training and also provide a very good piano sound to have fun when practicing - the NS2 was ok for that. Since I am using Komplete Player and the Native Instrument Classical Piano Collection I thought about adding the S88 MK2 to it, but want to be sure that the action is as good as the NS2-88 or even closer to an acoustic piano.

Edit: ah yes, it should not be too heavy .. NS2-88 weight is ok but not much more ...

Would appreciate other advices to achieve what I am looking for....

By the way - thanks for the information regarding possible move to subscription, thought about using the current Thanksgiving XXL offer to upgrade from Kontakt to Komplete 12, could be the last offer to get the perpetual software instead of subscription

well, the s88 mkii won't disappoint in that respect. the onloy downside is this. no support for triple pedal and half damping is not stable enough compared to the NS3 and NS2's half damping / soft / sost pedals. taking it around is far lighter than a stage, but be warned, if you have a car, it's wider than a stage 3 by about 5" or more, so needs a different case. Using it as a midi controller for hardware racks is nice, just don't run it over USB.

yep, the sale is definitely worth going for, before all this new crap goes ahead. I sold my S88 MKII, Komplete 12 Ultimate collectors edition and tons of other software licenses for it for just under £1000, but the guy who took it on appreciated it. I ended up giving him licenses I couldn't transfer, worth a fair bit, but those were licenses I still owned before the studio closed and developers restored licenses etc for. It was time for me to call it a day.

depending on whether you just want the s88 itself or go for a package deal with komplete ultimate or komplete ultimate collectors edition, I think you'd be impressed. very intuitive, nice workflow, responsive, etc, action's nice, wouldn't exactly say the best for classical as you'd notice the action between that and a stage 88 series without question, it's a lighter touch.

lew

Lew, do you know the type of Fatar action which is used in the S88 MK2?

Schorsch wrote:Lew, do you know the type of Fatar action which is used in the S88 MK2?

sorry I don't know that one. it's not as good as the SL880 , etc, it's more of a semi weighted than weighted.

lew

Hmm ok - will check if there is a dealer nearby who provides a demo unit to test it - thanks a lot Lew!