When I reached out to NI about it, they too said they knew about it. Then they invited me to be a beta tester.I think I read over on the NI forums that the pedal assigment problems are a known bug. Who knows when it will be sorted, however.
This happens occasionally to me on my S61 mk2. I keep a copy of the Komplete Kontrol Mk2 settings.dat file and restore it whenever it loses its presets, which happens about once a month.One weird quirk which I have yet to resolve deals with the MIDI assignment in Komplete Kontrol. It keeps wanting to revert back to a stock pedal/footswitch MIDI assignment. I build and save a new template in the stand-alone app, but from time to time, it just vanishes, and I don't know why. Then I have to open up the app again (and wait for the time-consuming scan), and set up the MIDI assignments again. Sure wish I could find a way to lock those things in.
My friend has a Kawaii, but they are super heavy aren't they?!At random, my S88 mk2 loses the pedal assignment. Which means it doesn’t work. Then I have to go and set it up again through Komplete Kontrol.
soooooooo annoying when I just want to sit down and play or record.
However - I DO like keyboard action, and I’m a piano player too. But I’ll admit it’s not as good as my Kawaii MP9.
Previous one was said to be TP100, which makes sense given the weight. It's not heavy enough to have a TP/40 in it. I've pretty much just accepted that unless you are paying about $2k and up, something that approximates a real piano isn't going to happen. The Yamaha CP4's can be found under $2k, also the Roland RD-2000. If you want something that is as good as it gets? That's the Kawai MP11. It is better than a lot of acoustic pianos. Not high end grands, but shockingly good.
I'm considering Studiologic - could I ask which one?I am not an expert but I think my Studiologic actually comes pretty damn close.
I think you have to understand what you are buying. It’s a controller and NKS system first, keyboard second. To vilify it I think is unfair - it was never billed as the finest action known to man.BTW, another update on my S88MkII...
I've had the continual vanishing pedal assignment problem since I got it, but that's nothing new. Sometimes it keeps the assignment, sometimes I have to launch Komplete Kontrol and reassign. Glad to hear others are having the same issue and it's not just me.
But, my S88MkII just developed some new problems. It would sometimes jump pitch. And an additional problem, the range of the pitch bend wheel has become restricted. All of the bending, up and down, happens in the first quarter inch or so of wheel movement. The rest of the travel does nothing. Makes it really impossible to use.
So, just to check things out, I opened it up. FWIW, ALL of the screws on the bottom and in the side bell need to come out with the exception of the four holding the rubber feet on and two of them in the back that are holding some plastic spacers.
Once inside, I discovered one of the problems... The middle wire of the potentiometer for the pitch bend was NEVER SOLDERED! It was just laying in the connection. Very shoddy workmanship. Soldering that wire seems to have taken care of the sudden pitch changes, but not the control travel problem. I checked to make sure all connectors were secure. Not worth troubleshooting this any more, because I don't think there's a way to get parts from NI.
Anyway, I wish I could unsee what I saw inside the S88MkII. The construction and the build of the action is HORRIBLE! This is a disposable piece of junk. Huge glops of lubricant slathered over the action. And, if you ever needed to repair a key, you have to completely disassemble the instrument to get at it. If you have one of these, play it lightly to be SURE you don't break a key! Way too much plastic in this instrument.
Honestly, I really liked the idea of NKS, and the LEDs indicated key switching. Very handy. I owned the original S88, and didn't like the action on it. I upgraded to the MKII hoping it would be an improvement. It was slightly nicer, but not great. It has the typical inconsistency of velocity from key to key of Fatar keyboards. No way around it. This is an inferior action.
I've emailed and gotten an initial response from NI support. It's out of warranty. I imagine I'm going to have to send it in for repair (and that's going to be fairly expensive for a large instrument). Waiting to hear on that.
I don't think, though, that I can ever go back to having that instrument front and center in my studio (I have some other nice options, but obviously, without NKS). NKS is a great idea, but if it requires a sub-standard key action, it has no place in a professional studio.
So currently, I've got my Korg KronosX 88 key front and center. No NKS, but the action is ENORMOUSLY better. I can see, now, that I was really cutting the S88MkII a lot of slack, because I really wanted to have the NKS capabilities (I've got a lot of Kontakt libraries).
If the S88MkII is out of the picture, I'm kind of at a loss for what else I might want, in terms of a MIDI controller. I DEFINITELY don't want anything else with a Fatar action (that rules out Doepfer, StudioLogic, NI, Nord, and a bunch of others). I really like the high-end Korg action, the high-end Yamaha action and the weighted Kawai action. Unfortunately, Yamaha and Korg don't make 88 key weighted controllers. The Kawai VPC1 is great, but has no MIDI controls or pedal inputs, and is too tall to put in front of a screen.
Maybe MIDI 2.0 is going to bring a whole new round of options. The Roland A88MkII looks like a well-made keyboard (with the way I have things positioned in my setup, though, I'm a little concerned about the thickness of the case - the key tops would be higher off of my desk than what I'm used to).
Hopefully, there will be more new MIDI 2.0 options in the near future from quality manufacturers.
Try to find one somehow and try it out. It’s not as bad a keyboard as some are making it out to be.I want to buy a NI Komplete S88 but after reading all your experiences... I will search for other options. The light guide is the thing I will miss more. I have a lot of Kontakt libraries and I think for all the Sonokinetic ones the lights are super useful.
I will follow it to see your suggestions. I like the KAwai VPC1 but is expensive and I didn't know that doesn't have pedal input!
I studied piano in the past but I am far to be professional. I am not very picky with the keybeds. I tried the touch of the S88 in a local shop and is ok. Maybe a little bit "rubbery". In the past I had a Casio Privia (I don't remember the model) but I remember that I like more.Try to find one somehow and try it out. It’s not as bad a keyboard as some are making it out to be.
we’d probably all be shocked to open electronics to see what’s inside.
now an unsoldered wire - yeah that’s pretty bad. there’s alwaysan occasional lemon in every product line.
my s88 mk2 performs excellently. I just used it to record a very fast and intricate piano part. No problem.
Of course I want you to be happy! Whatever will work for you. I just wanted to balance the extremely negative review with a positive, also true, one. I respect everyone's experience.I studied piano in the past but I am far to be professional. I am not very picky with the keybeds. I tried the touch of the S88 in a local shop and is ok. Maybe a little bit "rubbery". In the past I had a Casio Privia (I don't remember the model) but I remember that I like more.
If I by the S88 Mk2 I will need to use both for composing and to play because I don't have too much budget and space on my tinny home in Hong Kong!
Thanks for your opinion Thundercat. Maybe I will give it a chance.
I'm considering Studiologic - could I ask which one?
Edit: Specifically thinking about Numa Compact 2 vs SL88 Studio if anyone has those.
I think you have to understand what you are buying. It’s a controller and NKS system first, keyboard second. To vilify it I think is unfair - it was never billed as the finest action known to man.
I own the s88 mk2 too - and I’m a pianist and it acceptable for composing on, for me. Perhaps not for you.
I also own a Kawai mp9. Superior action. That’s what I use to really play piano on.
I just think youneed to realize the purpose of the product. To compose things.
That’s my take anyway. I’m sorry you’re not happy with it. I hope you get this resolved.
best,
mike
Try to find one somehow and try it out. It’s not as bad a keyboard as some are making it out to be.
we’d probably all be shocked to open electronics to see what’s inside.
now an unsoldered wire - yeah that’s pretty bad. there’s alwaysan occasional lemon in every product line.
my s88 mk2 performs excellently. I just used it to record a very fast and intricate piano part. No problem.
I want to buy a NI Komplete S88 but after reading all your experiences... I will search for other options. The light guide is the thing I will miss more. I have a lot of Kontakt libraries and I think for all the Sonokinetic ones the lights are super useful.
I will follow it to see your suggestions. I like the KAwai VPC1 but is expensive and I didn't know that doesn't have pedal input!
I want to buy a NI Komplete S88 but after reading all your experiences... I will search for other options. The light guide is the thing I will miss more. I have a lot of Kontakt libraries and I think for all the Sonokinetic ones the lights are super useful.
I will follow it to see your suggestions. I like the KAwai VPC1 but is expensive and I didn't know that doesn't have pedal input!