Native Instruments Kontrol S49 Mk3 49-key Smart Keyboard Controller Reviews
Since the inception of the Kontrol smart keyboard controllers, Native Instruments has embarked on an uncompromising odyssey to bridge the physical and digital divides, seamlessly integrating their cutting-edge NKS technology with nuanced, tactile control that makes any Virtual Instrument feel as real as possible. With the Kontrol S Mk3 controllers, they’ve elevated the series to new heights of expressivity, available in 49-, 61-, and 88-key options and loaded with cutting-edge Fatar keybeds developed in collaboration with Native Instruments to ensure that the highly detailed polyphonic aftertouch captures every nuance of your sound. While the S49 and S61 feature semi-weighted keys, the S88 boasts one of the world’s first widely available hammer-action polyphonic aftertouch controllers, blending worlds of sound, form, and function like never before. Producers and keyboardists at Sweetwater are amazed by this keyboard’s comprehensive control, not just for expanding the DAW integration of its predecessors to go far beyond simple transport controls, but for its future-minded design via MIDI 2.0 compatibility and USB-C MIDI.
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Highest Rated Reviews
Works as advertised
Really love it, no complaints. I know some people aren't happy about the Maschine integration leaving and I totally get that. Hopefully they add it. I'm not a maschine user so it's great for me.
NI really got this right!
From the perspective of an Ableton Live and NI user frustrated by a lack of truly well-integrated keyboard controllers, this is a breath of fresh air. Ableton integration just works and is fairly intuitive, and of course integration with NI's own modern synths is a breeze -- and only getting better!
Built quality is top-notch, too. Although the body of the S49 and S61 are plastic, it's got a great feel and is nice and rigid. The keybed with polyphonic aftertouch is a joy for me to play on. Routing it to my PolyBrute and Take 5 through Ableton is highly responsive and these synths truly come alive with poly AT.
The display is also really nice -- big and bright and crisp.
There are still a couple of things NI needs to do to "finish up", and I'm sure they'll do it. The redesigned internals with full on-board processing should leave them plenty of horsepower to add functionality for years.
The setup was easy peasy
This has way more control over sound than previous models. The keys are a very good weight. And it makes me look thiner and 10 years younger playing it!
Hoping this gets better...
Just opened the box. There are no instructions, not even a sheet of paper for any help or instruction. It comes with one cable but requires two for the hook-up it appears. Is the provided cable for the power or the connection? My laptop has one USB-C port and my Clarett+ 8Pre is plugged into that one. I am at a loss right now. Not even a power cord to plug this thing in? You have to waste a USB port to power the thing? I should have researched this even more...
Firmware Update Nightmares
Native Instruments support is nonexistent, I have been waiting for 8 days since I created a ticket there and no response yet. My first keyboard failed to update its firmware after 4-5 hours of waiting. Upon power cycling I found it now boots into a recovery mode with no path forward. Sweetwater kindly shipped me a new one after I detailed the issue to them. THE SAME EXACT THING happened on the replacement keyboard... BUYER BEWARE check the NI forums there are a multitude of nightmare stories with no real resolution.
