Josh Turvey of NoiseQuest returns with a review of one of the most complete music production bundles around; Komplete 15 Ultimate.
Summary
Komplete 15 Ultimate maintains its status as one of the most popular solutions for music creation, composition, and sound-design. Serving up a seismic platter of diverse and innovative content, the iconic bundle specialises in sampled instruments, some of which are truly transformative.
Although some older products require a refresh, the bundle remains a rich source of inspiration, and provides fertile ground for near-endless creativity.
Pros:
- A superb collection of premium tools that is massive in scope and scale.
- The sampled instruments have been expertly curated and impeccably crafted.
- The bundled content is genre-agnostic and applicable to all compositional disciplines: from music production, to film and game scoring.
Cons:
- Some older products in the catalogue are due for an upgrade, both in terms of visual design and functionality.
- Native Instruments’ prioritisation of sampled content for Kontakt’s ecosystem runs the risk of stagnating other flagship products, e.g. FM8, Massive X, and Reaktor.
Intro
Native Instruments (NI) was just seven years old when Komplete 1 was released in 2003. Bundling together nine of their then most popular products, Native Instruments signalled their intent to cement their rising status in the world of professional audio by dominating the market of virtual instruments. It’s safe to say that they haven’t looked back ever since.
The landscape of bundled content has radically transformed since those halcyon days, and it is now a fiercely competitive aspect of the music industry. Producers and musicians are spoiled for choice by the deluge of incredible options that have been painstakingly modelled, sampled, coded, and created by the ever-increasing host of talented developers. As a veteran pioneer, the Komplete series has maintained its iconic status throughout the years, with many creatives adopting it due to its versatility, quality, breadth, and scope.
Whether composing, beat-making, sampling, sound-designing, or building instruments from scratch, Komplete caters to every creative whim, irrespective of one’s chosen genre or discipline. Currently available in five packages (Start, Select, Standard, Ultimate, and Collector’s Edition), the various bundles target different budgets, varying drastically in size and included content. Here, we explore Komplete 15 Ultimate.
Bundle Contents
Weighing in at over 850Gb, Komplete 15 Ultimate is a veritable behemoth that contains a multitude of Synthesisers, Instruments, Expansions, and Effects. Users can manage their content from Native Access, which includes specifying one’s preferred installation locations—a huge timesaver when using external drives to store sample libraries and expansions.
The experience of using the installer is intuitive, however, with a bundle of this size, it would be nice to audition the content before installing it. This could be achieved with the addition of audio demos, and links to the relevant webpages and documentation, which are not currently accessible from Native Access.
In fairness, Komplete Kontrol (see image above) seeks to fulfil this role by serving as a unified hub that facilitates the exploration and playback of all presets—provided that the previews or instruments have been installed on one’s system.
Although Komplete Kontrol works with any MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controller, it mostly shines when using one of NI’s hardware devices. As a result, browsing and auditioning one’s library can feel clunky at times, which is understandable given the enormity of Komplete Ultimate. Although its absence is in no way a dealbreaker, being able to briefly audition content in Native Access before installation could help to better acquaint new users with their purchases.
Composition & Sound-Design
It’s no exaggeration to suggest that catering to the complex demands of professional composition and sound-design is Komplete’s raison d’être. The bundle unquestionably excels in this regard, delivering an experience that is both all-encompassing and overwhelming. The sheer size of the bundle is staggering in its scope and scale, serving up a repertoire that could genuinely take a lifetime to explore in full—even with the help of Komplete Kontrol.
Sampled Instruments
When it comes to sampled instruments, there are few platforms that can rival the ecosystem that Kontakt has fostered since its release in 2002. Now firmly established as NI’s primary flagship product, Kontakt (see image below) has spawned a rich and thriving community, bolstered by an ever-expanding plethora of boutique and third-party developers—all of whom create premium instruments and libraries on a near infinite scale.
Komplete Ultimate rolls most of NI’s most popular libraries into one cohesive bundle, and it is really this aspect that sets it apart from Komplete Standard, which is comparatively light on sampled instruments. This distinction is a clear indication of the value that NI places on Kontakt’s ecosystem, and it’s an estimation that is justified by the enormous quantity of high-quality content on display.
Komplete Ultimate leaves no stone unturned in its quest to cater to every imaginable compositional need and desire, and there is no clearer indication of this than Kontakt’s included content (see image above). Libraries range from deeply sampled, orchestral ensembles; priceless strings; pianos; choirs; and guitars—to vintage synthesisers; drums and percussions; cinematic instruments; experimental libraries; and immersive, world instruments.
Indeed, entering the world of Kontakt is to step inside an Aladdin’s Cave of sonic exploration—a fact that becomes evermore apparent as one dives into the ocean of third-party developers that have contributed to the platform throughout the last two decades.
This industry-wide adoption is testament to Kontakt’s enduring prowess as a comprehensive and accessible sampling workstation (see image below).
Whether building highly complex, multi-sampled instruments and libraries, or creating simple, re-sampled instruments for personal use, Kontakt accomplishes every sampling need with relish. In truth, it really excels with the former use-case.
Stock samplers included with most professional Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) have come a long way since Kontakt’s introduction, and they now tend to suit quick, sampling tasks more readily. The major advantage to using Kontakt for this purpose applies to users whose workflows necessitate jumping back and forth between multiple DAWs. In such cases, Kontakt ensures that these instruments follow their creators wherever they go.
Whilst Kontakt is equipped with all the necessary features for users to build sampled instruments from scratch, the content that NI provides is world-class, and their constant improvement shows no signs of slowing down. The latest libraries are slick in design and execution, and whilst the older products still sound great, there are some that would benefit from being re-sampled and updated to better align their quality with the most recent releases.
Overall, it’s evident that NI have perfected the art of sampling and that they’re masters of their craft. Their richly deserved reputation is impeccable in this regard, and one need only explore the likes of Mysteria, Thrill, and Stradivari Violin as proof of their devotion to the sampled instruments they create.
Synthesis
Komplete Ultimate houses a range of synthesis tools, which present an enticing alternative to the readymade, sample-based instruments discussed above. The bundle includes fan favourites FM8 and Massive—two iconic software synthesisers that tackle Frequency Modulation (FM) and Wavetable synthesis, respectively.
Massive’s successor—Massive X (see image above)—is also included, along with a comprehensive selection of preset packs that extend its usability. As NI’s reigning, flagship synthesiser, Massive X sounds fantastic, and it handles complex sound-design and synthesis workflows with aplomb. It’s not as comprehensive as some of its modern competitors (e.g. Serum, Pigments, Phase Plant, and Current), so there is room for the synth to grow should NI wish to expand its capabilities.
Reaktor (see image above) is a fascinating, modular environment that enables users to build synthesisers, samplers, effects, and sound processors from scratch. Every instrument within the platform can be dissected and reverse engineered, so the creative potential is limited only by the user’s imagination.
Like Kontakt, it also hosts a rich ecosystem, comprised of free and premium tools that have been crafted by NI, third-party developers, and community users. Reaktor’s catalogue in Komplete Ultimate is particularly enticing, which includes a large factory library and 18 premium tools that do an excellent job of showcasing its illimitable potential.
With its origins dating back to 1996, Reaktor is rightfully woven into NI’s folklore, boasting an incredible record of continuous support and maintenance. Whilst this is undeniably admirable, newcomers to the platform may find the act of building custom processors outdated and incongruous with modern sensibilities. Those acquainted with the platform can attest to the considerable learning curve required to unleash Reaktor’s potential. Although this pursuit can yield deeply rewarding results, Reaktor’s readymade tools ensure this is not a requirement. There’s so much to explore within this platform that one need not ever go to the lengths of designing custom audio processors and instruments from scratch.
In recent years, it would appear that NI have directed more of their focus towards developing premium instruments for Kontakt. As a result, many of their remarkable synthesis tools are starting to feel dated, especially when compared to the explosion of alternatives that have entered the market in the past ten years. That’s not to say that they don’t still hold up.
As the adage suggests—“if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, but there are many long-term users who’ve heavily invested in Komplete over the years, only for the likes of FM8 (see image above), Massive X, and Reaktor to show signs of stagnation. These tools have been hugely influential to a generation of musicians, and they are deserving of continuous evolution. Given the advancements of modern computers, it really would be wonderful to see them reach new heights. One hopes that NI will breathe new life into them in the coming years.
Creative Effects
A diverse selection of creative effect processors have been included in the suite, thereby providing further scope for experimental sound-design. One notable standout is Guitar Rig (see image below). This versatile plugin hosts a dizzying array of effect modules that can be used to enhance any audio source, therefore transcending its intended use-case as a guitar-oriented processor.
Various quality Delays and Reverbs are also available in Komplete Ultimate, as are the highly regarded Crush Pack (Distortion) and Mod Pack (Modulation), both of which contain three effects each for further sonic manipulation. Users also have access to NI’s premium Reaktor effects, which mostly consist of unique multi-effects that—despite their age—still represent excellent value and creative utility.
Finally, NI has also included some partner products from Plugin Alliance and iZotope. This relationship was previously discussed in our recent review of iZotope’s Music Production Suite 7.1, and although Komplete Ultimate features a different collection of plugins, these won’t be covered in detail here. However, two of the major standouts in terms of effects include Plugin Alliance’s Crispy Tuner (for realtime vocal tuning), and iZotope’s Trash—a creative distortion effect.
Expansions
Komplete Ultimate furnishes the bundle with a plethora of additional sample libraries and presets. These expansions add content to NI’s flagship products—most notably Kontakt, Massive X, and Battery. Expansions are typically arranged into categories that encapsulate specific genres, themes, or production styles. Consequently, their inclusion adds a ton of value to the suite, helping users to generate ideas more swiftly, whilst also expanding the creative potential of the tools they represent.
Mixing & Mastering
Komplete Ultimate is fairly light on traditional Mixing and Mastering processors, which is reflective of NI’s catalogue.
Outside the Solid Effects Series, Transient Master, and the Softube-modelled Vintage Compressors, the partner products supplied by iZotope (Ozone Standard and Trash) and Plugin Alliance (Console N and Limiter True Peak—see image above) are the best tools to fulfil these roles.
All these products undoubtedly add value to Komplete Ultimate, but it’s evident that the bundle prioritises sound-design, synthesis, and music creation over the more technical aspects of Mixing and Mastering. Fortunately, Plugin Alliance and iZotope specialise in these fields, so Komplete Ultimate provides an avenue for users to pivot to the more advanced processors offered by both of the partner brands.
It should also be noted that many of the creative effects (discussed above) can also perform mixing tasks, so users should definitely get acquainted with those tools and maximise their potential before exploring other alternatives.
In Use
The process of music creation tends to attract two types of users that represent polar opposites of the music production spectrum:
- Those who prioritise immediacy want to execute their ideas as quickly as possible, therefore opting for preset-driven tools that are frictionless and streamlined to implement.
- Those who prefer to tinker, experiment, and painstakingly labour over every aspect of their sound tend towards tools that offer deep control, versatility, and customisation.
In reality, the vast majority of users sit somewhere between these extremes, often aiming to sketch out their rough ideas as quickly as possible before carefully sculpting them into immersive songs once the initial idea has taken shape.
As an all-encompassing suite, Komplete Ultimate caters to both approaches, striking an excellent balance between accessibility and depth. No matter the complexity of the tools, each one has been designed so that users can create exceptional music without needing to demystify their inner workings. This is particularly true of Kontakt.
NI’s most recent releases have mostly been sampled instruments that prioritise immediacy, therefore ensuring that users have everything they need to create without hindrance. Lurking just beneath the surface is a world of deep complexity and endless customisation. This may appeal to the tweak-minded user, but Komplete never demands that anyone engage with their products in this manner. The same approach applies to Reaktor and Massive X, so NI deserves credit for creating a richly diverse ecosystem that adapts to the user’s preferred workflow.
Conclusion
From its humble origins of just nine products, Komplete Ultimate has grown into a creative juggernaut that seamlessly blends between different genres and audio disciplines. It functions as a transformative tool for sound-design and synthesis, thereby elevating the compositional process and inspiring creativity throughout its eclectic range of products.
As a veteran bundle that pioneered the current software marketplace, some of Komplete’s older products are overdue sonic, functional, and visual upgrades that could serve to reinvigorate the bundle and improve the user experience. NI are famously tentative in developing and upgrading their popular tools, but they tend to support and maintain them for long periods of time, which is arguably more important.
NI’s most recent releases hint at a future that prioritises the creation of sampled instruments that build onto Kontakt’s ecosystem. This matches beat-making and content-creation trends popularised by the likes of Splice and Output, so it’s unsurprising that NI have sought to capture this aspect of the market—especially given their recent acquisition of Plugin Alliance and iZotope—both of which focus on other areas of the music production process.
Given the pedigree of NI’s other flagship products (e.g. FM8, Massive X, Reaktor etc.), one hopes that NI has plans to revitalise, modernise, and expand these tools for a new generation of users. As iconic tools that greatly contributed towards the soft-synth explosion, it would be disheartening to see them slip further behind the excellent alternatives that have entered the market.
Nevertheless, Komplete Ultimate remains a bastion of sonic creativity. There likely isn’t a producer/musician working today that’s unable to extract immense value from this enigmatic bundle, which is a glowing testament to its scope, quality, and enduring relevance in the audio zeitgeist.
Technical Info
- Users can easily manage, download, and authenticate their products via Native Access. A user account is required.
- Mac & PC are both supported with options for: Standalone, VST, VST3, AU, and AAX.
- Native Instruments provides comprehensive documentation for all of its products. The manuals are available online and as downloadable PDFs.
- CPU usage is well optimised, but it varies from product to product depending on usage. Massive X, Kontakt and Reaktor can all be extremely resource-heavy when pushed to the limit.
Disclaimer: This review was conducted on a MacBook Pro M4 Pro with 48 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD (macOS Sequoia 15.5). User experience with the reviewed software may vary with different technical specifications.
Alternatives
- Sonic Bundle (UVI)
- All Access (Minimal Audio)
- Arcade (Output)
- Roland Cloud (Roland)
- Total Studio 5 MAX (IK Multimedia)
- V Collection 11 Pro and FX Collection 5 (Arturia)
- Volume 6 (Softube)
- Collection 5 (Korg)
- Ultimate Bundle V1 (GForce Software)
Komplete 11 Ultimate is regularly priced 1,199 USD/EUR, with upgrade options available from 399 USD/EUR. Visit Native Instruments for more information on this bundle and other editions of the Komplete 15 family.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Josh Turvey is a musician, producer and an avid plugin enthusiast. He provides online, 1-2-1 tuition for guitar and music production for NoiseQuest.
