Is the Komplete Kontrol without Komplete worth it over the Keylab MKII?

Just as a general midi keyboard.

I just need a studio keyboard with a quality keybed, pitch and mod wheel, and some knobs. I use Reaper and Ableton exclusively. Any sequencers, scale modes, screens, etc. won't really make my production time any more efficient (also I already own an Akai APC 40 for Ableton controls). Just looking to upgrade from the Keylab Essential to something with better keys for recording my playing (mostly retro analog emu softsynth stuff or e-pianos). I just don't have a desire to get into Komplete or the Native Instruments environment after buying the Maschine Mikro MKIII, sorry (I still love using it as a general drum pad in midi mode though, good feel and responsiveness).

It's either that or the Arturia Keylab MK2, the Novation just has so much stuff I won't use despite people saying the keybed is good.

Thoughts?

 

Based on your needs and your disinterest in getting into Komplete as aVST manager then I would say, without having any knowledge on the Keylab that it would prob be your better option.

Komplete is more designed to take control of your software instrument library and connect the important controls direct from the keyboard to your DAW to save that step of having to map parameters between keyboard and DAW. Just makes loading a sound/instrument and recording what you need all that much faster.

However, without the PC attached or using the KK software as the host, the midi functions of encoders and keyboard is the same as any other basic midi keyboard. You have some CC controls over a few pages, you can setup the keybed to split into ranges/channels (on the S series at least) and you can play notes with a decent keybed.

Can't comment on Keylab but it seems more geared towards more midi centred stuff and controlling the Arturia Analog Lab software and library, like Komplete but not 3rd party VSTs which KK can do. For more MIDI specific stuff looks like you get the encoders plus faders and being 9 channels not 8, better for drawbar instruments. Also you have the pads so I would assume the keyboard offers channel mapping to all this allowing control over drums or samples plus an instrument. Guess it depends on how you work

 

Yeah but every midi controller that has a good synth action keybed seems to be focused to doing something specific so it is indeed hard to say which is better for me since my needs are so vanilla. If I get the Arturia it has stuff made more for Analog Lab/V Collection, if I get the SLMKIII it has all sorts of distractions and is meant to specifically integrate well with Ableton, and if I get the KK It's meant for Komplete (I mean I also found things like ReaKontrol and scripts that help it work with basic DAW controls in Ableton and Reaper so there's that).

This is good to know. There will be a PC attached though to be clear, wanting to use the KK as a general USB midi controller.

This is another case of "is the quality of the hardware good enough to justify not using the stuff they made it to do" for sure. No pro organ playing here, just synths and piano sometimes. The Arturia is said to be built like a tank but...I also see people say the keys are not good so I'm gonna keeping doing more research into how much of that is true. I have the Maschine Mikro so the drum pads are really nothing to me. It's rough that no where near me has one I can try or I would.

What if I got the KKS61 at like $600 instead of full price? Someone was trying to sell me one in Mint condition for about that much, $100 more than the Arturia brand new but if the keybed is better then maaybbeeee It could be worth it? idk....tough spot.

What I like about the KK is the minimal look. So many controllers with good keybeds have so many distractions built into them that really I just need something for recording my playing and inputting notes that doesn't feel like a sponge like my current controller does. Would help me focus on just creating. My current keyboard controller even has control buttons for DAWs, but I'll still end up clicking record or play with my mouse or using keyboard shortcuts so having the option doesn't really entice me.

I guess now I'm at Keylab MK2 vs S61 MK2 for my use. At least that narrows it down to 2 options, easier that way.

I appreciate the reply btw!

 

Strictly commenting on the quality of the keybed here, as that seems to be your major reason for wanting one of these: I owned the S49 MK2, a friend of mine had the Keylab 49 MKII. The keys on the KKS49 are nicer, in my opinion. Arturia’s keybed is good, but not quite as good as the S49. My friend agrees and frequently mentions it when we’re talking gear.

I recently got rid of mine and went for the S88 because I wanted the hammer-action keybed. No complaints there, either. Having said that, I am heavily invested in the NI ecosystem and that’s probably the only reason *I personally* would spend the extra money for NI over Arturia. If the keybed is really important to you, I say go NI no matter what.

 

Sounds good to me. The only thing I would really be missing between the two is the sliders/knobs, but my Akai APC 40 has a bunch of assignable knobs and sliders that I can assign to anything in any plugin (already works perfectly with Abelton of course) so that's not really much of a loss. The S61 has some Ableton transport integration in case I ever use it but that's whatever (and Reaper has this). I definitely want the better keybed though, so I guess I'm going with the S61MKII. Also I realized I do use Kontakt sometimes so I mean hey, might integrate with that somehow I imagine?

Welp, time to join the S61MKII club. Thanks , Captain o7.

 

The integration with Kontakt is excellent. I don't use the light guide for playing scales, etc really, but it is excellent for using the key switches in Kontakt instruments. Especially for the symphonic libraries where an ensemble of instruments is separated by colors on the light guide.

 

There is a free plug that integrates the KKSMK2 with Reaper; transport & mix view. It works really well. The less expensive KKS61 is probably a MK1. DAW integration with MK1s isn't as nice if at all.

 

I wasn't planning on getting he MK1 anyway, but that's good to know. Thank you.