Pro tools expansion vs Komplete 6

[badvibration]

Hey guys, i just found out about the new pro tools expansion pack, which now includes transfuser, which was the only reason i didn't buy it before. But before i found out about this i had been looking at NI's komplete 6 and they both look amazing so i don't know what to get. For Air's pack i mostly will be using transfuser and structure, while on NI's i really want reaktor and kontakt... and i might get the pack bundled with kore 2 from musicians friend if i go that route.

Now pretty much whats holding me back from going with the komplete 6 is structure. I really want a sample editor with that kind of power. I've heard kontakt and structure were pretty similar, but does kontakt have the same sample editing powers that can be seen from structure on the old digidesign videos?

Please give me your feedback, as well as other recommendations that i should get.

greatly appreciated,
Badvibration

[tlennon]

IMO, Kontakt is simular to Structure but Kontakt has a better workflow and organization. Structure has too many tabs to contend with where Kontakt uses a rack paradigm. The only thing that you can't do with Kontakt is drag a region in directly from PT but Kontakt's modulation and effect are better. I would get Konplete over the expansion pack and maybe purchase the expansion pack later. You probably will find that you don't need it with Komplete and just opt to purchase Transfuser from Avid or The Finger from NI.

[mindnoise]

With Komplete you get SO MUCH MORE.
inkl VST AU and RTAS.
Personally this is important for me because I also use AU/VST DAWs.
And I don´t know in which way I will stay with PT (just see my sig!)
So I only buy Multi Plattform Plug-ins anymore.

And I would rather put my luck on NI's quirky upgrade and update policy then on AVID's even worse. Especially now.

pick your poison.

[soundmaster]

I have K6 + Transfuser, Structure LE, Strike and Hybrid. Kontact is my main sampler for Scoring. Very intuitiv and excellent covolution reverb with separat Aux for each instrument. If you have the money, just take both. I don´t want to miss Transfuser and Strike at all. Reaktor and Absynth are very cool also...

[relaxo]

Komplete has so many great features that AIR doesn't have and vice versa.

AIR murders NI in sound quality and rich fatness. NI VIs sound thin hard and digital.

[Eric Lambert]

AIR's pack is like a toy boat. NI's is like a yacht. Honestly, it's not even a fair comparison. I realize WHY they're compared so often, and I realize that ProTools users naturally think of AIR products, but NI's plugins are MANY steep steps above.

To be more specific, not only is Kontakt leaps and bounds more powerful, but it's actually easier to use than Structure.

Transfuser is the one plugin in the AIR pack that I'd use often. They've "borrowed" enough from Spectrasonics to make it an intuitive plug.

Overall, I'd be absolutely amazed if anyone who A/B'd these two bundles (I mean TRULY used them, not just read about them, and we certainly must ignore the fanboys) would ever pick AIR over Komplete. Komplete is too refined, too evolved, too advanced, too powerful.

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by relaxo

AIR murders NI in sound quality and rich fatness. NI VIs sound thin hard and digital.

Old versions of NI software, perhaps, but he's asking about Komplete. Thin, hard and digital doesn't play into their current line, unless thin, hard and digital is the "point" of the sound, which it is in some cases.

For all intents and purposes, it sounds great. Fat, soft and analog even.

I read things like that and I know when someone's pissed at NI for their customer service, or they're pissed at ancient versions of their software, or they've read more than they've used, or they're a little too giddy about Digi software to have an open mind.

I hated NI with a passion a few years ago, but they've redeemed themselves. In any event, I'm certainly not an NI cheerleader.

[relaxo]

Originally Posted by Eric Lambert

Overall, I'd be absolutely amazed if anyone who A/B'd these two bundles (I mean TRULY used them, not just read about them, and we certainly must ignore the fanboys) would ever pick AIR over Komplete.

I own both and have since AIR v1 and Komplete v2. I will truly amaze you and say that along with NI's obnoxious behavior and hard, digital sounding VIs, I MUCH MUCH MUCH prefer AIR.

Originally Posted by Eric Lambert

Komplete is too refined, too evolved, too advanced, too powerful.

This is essentially very true and meaningful, especially when it comes to Structure and Kontakt. And Structure and Kontakt sound equal to me when playing the same samples.

KONTAKT 4 not as buggy anymore... the best sampler ever made, hardware or software.

ABSYNTH 5 (NEW!) - hard and cold

GUITAR RIG 4 PRO (NEW!) digitally hard and cold

ELEVEN - the best sounding PC amp sim...by miles.

BATTERY 3 good interface, my favorite electronic drums by far. Good sound quality.

MASSIVE - never really used it because of my dislike of their other synths.

FM8 - hard and cold

PRO-53 - hard and cold

REAKTOR 5 - hard and cold

Hybrid - fat, 3D and warm.

Electric piano 1.5 buggy w/ avg sounds

XPand2 - Only ROMpler VI made really.

Strike is totally revolutionary in it's sound sculpting

Transfuser is a powerhouse in so many different ways.

Velvet is superb…some say the best VI ever.

Organs in both AIR and NI are very strong for VIs.

Like the separate AIR VIs, the PT8 collection of VIs and effects are all thick, rich bad creamy, clever and USABLE…
that make Native Instruments Komplete sound like the paper thin shrill hard VIs synths that they are.

I like all NI stuff really except for their synths (absynth, etc), Guitar Rig and **** attitude.

[relaxo]

My best of:

hardware synth = virus (i don't like beeps and buzzes like early rolands and moogs)
hollywood and mooD synth = Korg Z1
softsynth = virus and omnisphere
electronic drum collection = battery
real drums = Superior 2 w/ custom and vintage
hw or sw ROMpler = Xpand 1 and 2
hw or sw sampler = kontakt
piano = Ivory
basses = Trilian
electric piano = velvet
organ = tie DB 33 and B4II
PC soft amp = eleven
hardware soft amp = Axe FX

[mindnoise]

Originally Posted by relaxo

AIR murders NI in sound quality and rich fatness. NI VIs sound thin hard and digital.

Funny, for me it´s the opposite.