# When NKS is NOT Suported... DAW Question



## PaulieDC (Feb 18, 2019)

So the Studio One forums at PreSonus have been lit up for quite a while because Studio One 4 still doesn't support NKS. I'm trying to understand what I'm really missing as Studio One Pro 4 user... I just recently started using Kontakt because of the Berlin half price sale at Christmas so I now have Strings and Brass and Inspire (before that I only touched Play because EW libraries were my only decent samples). I use an M-Audio 61 key controller, and the Mackie Hui support allows Studio One mapping, abeit manually. I can load up Kontakt as an instruments a record instruments. I have automation for some stuff in both my FaderPort 8 and the iPad app so I can control transport easily. So what does NKS support offer that I can't live without? I should add that I may go with a full 88 key weighted controller one day and the NI S88 MKII will be in the running. It was researching the specs that uncovered PreSonus' horrible sins of not supporting NKS. I imagine it's a good thing and if I were more experienced I'd understand what I'm missing. If any actually feels like trying to explain it I'd be quite grateful (but wouldn't blame you if you said you weren't touching this one, lol). Thanks.


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## jbuhler (Feb 18, 2019)

PaulieDC said:


> So the Studio One forums at PreSonus have been lit up for quite a while because Studio One 4 still doesn't support NKS. I'm trying to understand what I'm really missing as Studio One Pro 4 user... I just recently started using Kontakt because of the Berlin half price sale at Christmas so I now have Strings and Brass and Inspire (before that I only touched Play because EW libraries were my only decent samples). I use an M-Audio 61 key controller, and the Mackie Hui support allows Studio One mapping, abeit manually. I can load up Kontakt as an instruments a record instruments. I have automation for some stuff in both my FaderPort 8 and the iPad app so I can control transport easily. So what does NKS support offer that I can't live without? I should add that I may go with a full 88 key weighted controller one day and the NI S88 MKII will be in the running. It was researching the specs that uncovered PreSonus' horrible sins of not supporting NKS. I imagine it's a good thing and if I were more experienced I'd understand what I'm missing. If any actually feels like trying to explain it I'd be quite grateful (but wouldn't blame you if you said you weren't touching this one, lol). Thanks.


The big thing is that you can’t run the SO transport from the NI controllers, so you’ll need something else to do that. I don’t load Instruments into Komplete Kontrol so I don’t know if there is functionality lost with respect to that.


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## Reid Rosefelt (Feb 18, 2019)

I don't have Studio One, but as far as I know the only thing you can't do with NKS is run the transport from a new Native Instruments controller. But you have that covered, so you're good to go. Watch some videos and if you like the features, then definitely consider the S88 MKII or any NI controller. I love NKS and it keeps getting better.

The only exception to this is that if you're willing to buy a first gen NI controller, then it _does_ handle the transport. Only the MKII series and budget A series don't. 

I should add that Komplete Kontrol does work (not as completely) from a computer keyboard. You can still audition sounds, use the arps and scales, etc.


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## CoffeeLover (Feb 18, 2019)

i never use the komplete kontroll app or any of the features
i use cord track and the midi arp and those sort of built in features in cubase 
and i use the transport controls on my kk s88 thats it
so am i missing anything crucial about the komplete kontrol app?


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## Reid Rosefelt (Feb 18, 2019)

CoffeeLover said:


> i never use the komplete kontroll app or any of the features
> i use cord track and the midi arp and those sort of built in features in cubase
> and i use the transport controls on my kk s88 thats it
> so am i missing anything crucial about the komplete kontrol app?



You can do more

You can twist the big knob and hear every patch instantly on all your NKS libraries and synths without loading them. A huge time saver. 
All the parameters on NKS are mapped onto the 8 knobs by the developers. So you immediately control everything on a synth or virtual instrument (and many effects) without doing any MIDI learn. 
You can also search for a sound through all the NKS instruments you own. Search for, for example, a bass sound (using various filters to focus your search) and get results from Massive, Reaktor, Substance, etc. 
In the next version of NKS you'll be able to search for samples too.


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