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If anyone has either of these things please feel free to chime in. I'm kind of leaning towards the duet 2 but I feel bad for these pirated NI products that I've currently got (massive, fm8 n absynth). For the record I pirate anything before I actually buy it. I did it with reason and ableton. Can't pirate hardware though .

For the record my set up is
suite8, reason4
13" MPB
Behringer truths on auralex
launchpad
MPD18
Audio technica AT2020 usb mic
numark mixer w/usb I/O
numark cdj and turntable
maudio 49key

So what do you think would help my tracks more, a good DAC interface or more virtual stuff...???

Well do you see yourself using most of the stuff in komplete? It has a metric shit ton of stuff in it

Sine69 wrote:Well do you see yourself using most of the stuff in komplete? It has a metric shit ton of stuff in it

I like that way of explaining it

Get a rack and some hardware for it. Just for fun!

Check the update schedule of Komplete. Those bastards will obsolete your ass at the drop of a hat.

Super tough choice, but I'd go for the Duet if you're serious about your music. Even if you're mixing a jazz band, the Duet's high-quality DAC will still be useful. It'll make you a better producer/engineer in general. You can get free software that more or less rivals aspects of Komplete, but you can't fake good converters.

this topic makes no sense. the two products are completely different.

I would also be interested to hear about the free software that more or less rivals aspects of Komplete...

I don't really know what that duet 2 does exactly, but the 2 don't really seem alike....elaborate ?

You learn about something new everyday, I wouldn't mind one of those Duet2's for when I'm on road I run a Symphony setup at my home studio.

As someone commented earlier, it is a bit strange to try and compare the two...

However, I would go for the Duet as well. Komplete as a whole seems a bit OTT for my liking.

It's like setting off a nuke in your studio. If you can take the heat, it is awesome.

For that sort of cash, you could buy a Korg Radias even.

You're joking though, right? In terms of what you can do with a radius versus komplete?

No idea really, just saying.

EDIT-2:

I understand the situation better now, and I say go with the Duet 2!

/EDIT-2

Recording music - Apogee.

Making electronic music - Komplete.

I have a Samson G-Track (mic) that acts as an audio interface and it works perfect for electronic music, and even for recording some guitar and vocals. It's 100$. Use the effects and processors that come in Komplete to make what you record with your 100$ usb miracle mic and become Charlie Sheen!

Winning!

HTH, but it's just my opinion.

EDIT:

Apogee - Pros and Cons

Pros
Audio Interface with a configurable touch screen and a physical knob
Great sound quality.
It will probably speed up your mixing time.

Cons
Doesn't do much for your synthesis and beat making techniques.
Cannot be used to warp samples or tracks, and I don't think you can use the knob for automation effectively, I had to keep switching inputs and routing things. Ugh.(I could be wrong, I haven't seen an Apogee Duet since they came out).
Takes up extra space on your studio set-up. You have to find a place to put it, and make sure it doesn't slide off your desk and hit the floor/trash/cup of water on the ground. If you have the space, go for it, but make sure it doesn't have a direct path to the floor, as one day you'll end up dropping it while moving wires. The think about getting a big rack setup to use in recording is, it's a rack set-up and needs a special desk with rackmounts and such. I'll post an example when I get some pictures of Villan Records or Detox records recording studios up. They have a pretty neat way of keeping it in place.
Hardware breaks permanently, Software corrupts and can be fixed at no extra charge
Hardware cannot be updated, only firmware. Even if you want to get the newest piece of hardware, you have to pay full price and buy a new one.
This last one depends on the kind of person it is, but, usually when I get a new piece of hardware, I generally don't use it for like a year. I know. It's really bad of me. How do I avoid this? I only buy hardware when it's necessary.

NI - Pros and Cons

Pros
Updatable VST/AUs.
24 instruments - Each one of these worth it's own reason TBH.

ABSYNTH 5
BATTERY 3
FM8
GUITAR RIG 4 PRO
KONTAKT 4
MASSIVE
REAKTOR 5.5
ABBEY ROAD 60s DRUMS
ACOUSTIC REFRACTIONS
BERLIN CONCERT GRAND
NEW YORK CONCERT GRAND
RAMMFIRE
REAKTOR PRISM
REAKTOR SPARK
REFLEKTOR
SCARBEE A-200
SCARBEE CLAVINET/PIANET
SCARBEE MARK I
SCARBEE MM-BASS
THE FINGER
TRAKTOR'S 12
UPRIGHT PIANO
VIENNA CONCERT GRAND
VINTAGE ORGANS

90 GB of samples
Everything in the package comes with a license for you to use.
You end up saving a couple grand rather than using all of them in the long run.

Cons

Can end up having to pay the next week just to upgrade.
Cannot record external audio with Komplete, as it doesn't come with a microphone.
I really can't think about anything bad to say about Komplete, I guess that's a con since it makes arguing about it seem very one side-ish. - HAHA

So....
It's really up to what you want to do and what you are trying to do right now? One of them might keep your attention till your next birthday! Who knows!

-T

Shum wrote:No idea really, just saying.

Biggest problem with komplete is it is TOO POWERFUL. It can take a couple of years to get to grips with everything in there. And stuff like reaktor, well people are on their second decade on that one...

nowaysj wrote:

Shum wrote:No idea really, just saying.

Biggest problem with komplete is it is TOO POWERFUL. It can take a couple of years to get to grips with everything in there. And stuff like reaktor, well people are on their second decade on that one...

That's really not a problem, considering it comes with 3k USD or EUR (it's about the same, give or take 200 bucks) for about 500. It's a HUGH savings and well worth the investment. Even if you have to pay 200 bucks to upgrade in four or five years when you've finally exhausted everything you can do with it!

But I totally get what you're saying about Reaktor. Fucking thing!

-T

EDIT:

If you're just looking to sample things, get something like this.

http://www.samsontech.com/products/prod ... rodid=1917

That is the mic/interface I use and it's about $99-150. I don't know what firmware it runs, but I know it's a condenser mic and that it sounds absolutely perfect for sampling.

Another option you have is:

http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/mic.php

It's probably going to be about $100 when it comes out, and It comes with a stand. The PureDIGITAL firmware is pretty good, but I can't say anything about the Microphone itself as I haven't used it. But it is made by Apogee.

Another option you might want to look into is a portable recorder with good firmware. I actually like my iPhones recording capability for sampling, it's quite nice for a phone recorder!

I disagree completely with the notion that a Duet 2 is 'as good' as a $100 built-into-a-mic Samson interface. And not just for recording. Having good DACs is crucial for accurate monitoring. Apogee makes some of the best. Having an interface that good will improve the OP's synthesis and mixing, but will also allow him to get more sensitive monitors to further improve things.

Massive, Absynth, and FM8 are just synths. Crystal is probably as good. Kontakt and Battery are just samplers, which are a dime a dozen. Guitar amp/effect sims are also very common - SimulAnalog is hardly exhaustive but it is as good. To be fair, I don't think Reaktor has a free equivalent. And sampled instruments are available everywhere.

henrebotha wrote:I disagree completely with the notion that a Duet 2 is 'as good' as a $100 built-into-a-mic Samson interface. And not just for recording. Having good DACs is crucial for accurate monitoring. Apogee makes some of the best. Having an interface that good will improve the OP's synthesis and mixing, but will also allow him to get more sensitive monitors to further improve things.

Massive, Absynth, and FM8 are just synths. Crystal is probably as good. Kontakt and Battery are just samplers, which are a dime a dozen. Guitar amp/effect sims are also very common - SimulAnalog is hardly exhaustive but it is as good. To be fair, I don't think Reaktor has a free equivalent. And sampled instruments are available everywhere.

I neglected to read that OP had already pirated the software, and was under the impression that he didn't have the synths yet and wanted to get them and had the choice between the synths and no audio interface or an audio interface and no synths. So it's my bad.

Henrebotha is 100% correct. Get the Duet 2!

(I don't promote pirating other peoples stuff, because it's not mine, so I hope you can see my logic!)

-T

henrebotha wrote:Massive, Absynth, and FM8 are just synths. Crystal is probably as good. Kontakt and Battery are just samplers, which are a dime a dozen. Guitar amp/effect sims are also very common - SimulAnalog is hardly exhaustive but it is as good. To be fair, I don't think Reaktor has a free equivalent. And sampled instruments are available everywhere.

you must be smoking crack up your arse. I love crystal but to say that it is probably as good as massive, absynth and fm8 is insanity. and to merely dismiss kontakt as a run of the mill sampler leads me to believe that you don't know what you're talking about here.

like I said originally both products are so different that comparing them is ridiculous. nobody knows what you will benefit from more except you. and just because it's your birthday that doesn't mean you have to go spending a lot of money on something you're not even sure you want...

Neither, go to a brothel and get some skag to piss on you.

^ I'll do it for half price.