Winter NAMM 2026 predictions

[Sascha Franck]

The upgrade prices always seemed insanely high for what you’re getting and there was vocal complaints about it.

Nah. NI used to have at least 1-2 big sales a year when you could get their packages for peanuts.
For instance, I updated my Komplete 5 package to Komplete Ultimate 12 for just €199 some years back - which was a steal. And I could've updated to Komplete Ultimate 15 last summer for 150.

Edit: Oh, you're just talking about the iZotope part it seems. No horse in that race.

 

[Orvillain]

The fact remains they've got a good stable of products, at least two of which provide a reliable stream of upgrade revenue (and have done so even after much of the staff left). Somebody will get left holding the bag here, but doesn't it seem likely the products will endure?

I know of several producers using Kontakt right now, who are panicing. Least of all the platforms that have moved from Kontakt to their own engine over the years. Not the money-printing machine it used to be tbh.

 

[Orvillain]

Whenever izotope joined NI you could see the release cadence for more and more plugins (that nobody asked for) happening. More iterative upgrades to the music prod bundle and if you missed one then you fell into the upgrade bracket of someone who bought it 5 years ago.

The upgrade prices always seemed insanely high for what you’re getting and there was vocal complaints about it.

I’m sure there was pressure to get dollars over the line but I’m guessing plenty of people just tuned out due to pricing. Always felt like if they charged decent prices more people would just auto upgrade.

Doesnt help that they don’t use ilok and the stuff gets hacked the same day and filthy hobbitses get their mitts on so easily

Oh man, it is brutal.

Upgrading my RX7 license to RX11 would cost me £1049 for advanced. That is just unrealistic for me. I bought Spectralayers instead, and also wrote my own spectral denoiser for some stuff too.

 

[LP59]

I know of several producers using Kontakt right now, who are panicing. Least of all the platforms that have moved from Kontakt to their own engine over the years. Not the money-printing machine it used to be tbh.

I think you're right, but I'm surprised the boost in revenues from Absynth haven't been enough to ward off problems for a while at least. Worst case, if their financing efforts fall through, I'm sure a competitor would pick up Kontakt. The Player ecosystem alone is enough that somebody would want those license fees.

 

[ian_dissonance]

and also wrote my own spectral denoiser for some stuff too.

That’s awesome.

 

[Orvillain]

I think you're right, but I'm surprised the boost in revenues from Absynth haven't been enough to ward off problems for a while at least. Worst case, if their financing efforts fall through, I'm sure a competitor would pick up Kontakt. The Player ecosystem alone is enough that somebody would want those license fees.

I'd be surprised if they'd sold over 5000 Absynth upgrades since launch to be honest.

 

[Orvillain]

That’s awesome.

STFT and Weiner mask techniques. Same stuff used to perform source separation (separating kick from snare, or drums from guitars, for example)

I've not got it working in "real time" yet though.

 

[ian_dissonance]

STFT and Weiner mask techniques. Same stuff used to perform source separation (separating kick from snare, or drums from guitars, for example)

I've not got it working in "real time" yet though.

I understand most of those words.

 

[Orvillain]

 

[JiveTurkey]

Weiner mask techniques

 

[Dez]

#wearprotection

#unlessyouremethenrawdogit

 

[[Nathan]]

Oh man, it is brutal.

Upgrading my RX7 license to RX11 would cost me £1049 for advanced. That is just unrealistic for me. I bought Spectralayers instead, and also wrote my own spectral denoiser for some stuff too.

I can’t imagine why existing users aren’t upgrading, legit insanity

 

[[Nathan]]

Nah. NI used to have at least 1-2 big sales a year when you could get their packages for peanuts.
For instance, I updated my Komplete 5 package to Komplete Ultimate 12 for just €199 some years back - which was a steal. And I could've updated to Komplete Ultimate 15 last summer for 150.

Edit: Oh, you're just talking about the iZotope part it seems. No horse in that race.

Yeah ontop of unprecedented high prices for upgrades and punishing users if you missed one upgrade step. They also released these pretty frequently back to back (and of course not included in bundles, new cash grabs). They have a ton of overlap with ozone, nectar, neutron and neoverb:

FXEQ
Velvet
Equinox
Plasma
Cascadia
Aurora