New and improved features:

Significant Time Machine Pro improvements- wider ranges for speed and tune; new 'keep formants' mode when 'HQ' is activated
Improved file import
Easier and faster activation for KONTAKT Instruments
Dynamically resizable 'post-amp' section in Group Effect Chain
Invert and Channel Swap functionality in Group amplifier section
Other small fixes and improvements

New and improved features:
Mac OS X Lion compatibility

Fixes:
Various crashes fixed
Activation problems with certain Kontakt libraries fixed
Audio issues at zero volume setting in Instrument Bus system fixed
Modulation behaviour of Solid G-EQ fixed
Pitch knob scaling for Time Machine Pro fixed
Library sorting issues fixed
Tempo issues with certain REX2 files fixed
Audio issues when setting send levels via KSP fixed
Delay output issues with instrument loaded into bank fixed
Other minor fixes

__________________

NEW PRO EFFECTS

SOLID G-EQ*
An authentic re-interpretation of a classic studio effect— a uniquely clean and musical 4-band EQ switchable to shelf on the low and high bands, plus two full parametric mid-bands.

SOLID BUS COMP*
Also available as a fully-fledged product in its own right, this virtual reproduction of a legendary compressor adds presence and drive without blurring the detail. Though traditionally used to "glue a mix together", it's not just for bus compression!

TRANSIENT MASTER*
Another premium-grade effect, also available separately — TRANSIENT MASTER is an incredibly musical and versatile tool for re-shaping any kind of percussive sound. Make a sound hit harder, or shorten the resonance tail of a sound that rings too long. Bring instruments to the front of the mix or smooth out spikiness.

TAPE SATURATOR
By simulating the natural, harmonic compression of analog tape, the TAPE SATURATOR adds a pleasing warmth to your sound. And pushed a little harder, it delivers a smooth, organic overdrive.

* These pro-league effects are also available as fully fledged individual products - but you have them already included here in KONTAKT 5.


37 NEW FILTERS

KONTAKT 5 enhances your creative sound design palette with 37 new, high-quality filters, developed by the creative mastermind behind MASSIVE. The range covers the whole spectrum from classic state variable low-pass filters to avant-garde formant filters, and nine of the new additions employ groundbreaking adaptive resonance technology. These 'AR' filters manage resonance peaks automatically — like an intelligent limiter inside the instrument — to avoid sudden harshness, unpleasant volume bursts, and unwanted distortion.

VINTAGE SAMPLING MODES

KONTAKT 5 offers vintage sample modes, straight from the MPC school of beatmaking. These re-create the unique sound and feel of the MPC60 and the SP1200, and are authentic enough to bring a nostalgic tear to the eyes of veteran beatheads everywhere. The algorithms used come from MASCHINE.

ADVANCED TIME-STRETCHING

An important addition in KONTAKT 5 is the new Time Machine Pro algorithm, providing super-high-quality time-stretching — particularly suited to melodic and tonal material. Use Time Machine Pro for complete audio fidelity and imperceptible tempo-changes with all harmonic content intact.

FEATURES FOR BUILDERS

16 CHANNEL BUS SYSTEM
The new 16- bus system introduces comprehensive routing options with integrated insert and send effects. This is a powerful tool for creating detailed effects chains within an instrument. For example, when building a drum kit, you might want to use completely different effects on the kick, toms and snare, while still sending the whole kit to a stereo master channel. Now you can.

MIDI FILE SUPPORT
KONTAKT 5 provides a new feature in the Kontakt Script Processor: the MIDI file player. Useful for creating instruments that can play patterns, loops and grooves as opposed to single notes. As used in STUDIO DRUMMER's groove library, which provides over 3,500 exclusive beats and fills as production-ready MIDI patterns.


RETRO MACHINES MK2 INCLUDED

Customers who buy KONTAKT 5, or update / cross-grade to KONTAKT 5, are eligible for a free copy of RETRO MACHINES MK 2. You'll receive this collection of 16 definitive analog synthesizers and keyboards once you have registered KONTAKT 5 - we'll send you a download link for your free copy.

New and improved features:
* Vintage Organs compatibility restored
* Freeze with group imports fixed
* Looping issues with groups and Time Machine 2 fixed
* Latency compensation issues fixed
* Batch resave issues fixed
* Crash with accumulating voices in Tonehammer Emotional Piano fixed
* Other minor fixes

New and improved features:
* New binary file format for increased saving/loading performance
* New zero-latency convolution engine with optimized performance
* Revised master output section with presets and advanced macro functions
* Additional import formats
(Akai MPC 5000, Alesis Fusion, Drumagog, Korg Triton, Roland Fantom, Yamaha Motif)
* Numerical parameter value input via keyboard
* VST plugin operation under Mac OS X 64bit
* Rex import under Mac OS X 64bit
* Startup and shutdown time in plugin mode improved


Fixes:
* Performance issues with mono samples in HQI interpolation mode fixed

* KSP Fade Out timing issue fixed
* MIDI-Export-to-Host issues fixed
* Crash when using Kontakt Memory Server in Manual Mode in Logic 9.1.2 fixed

* Note-on click during filter cutoff modulation fixed
* Automation ID issue with instrument prev/next button fixed
* 'Restore loops from samples' functionality fixed

New and improved features:
- Intelligent background sample loading
- Extended sample search and replacement functions
- Improved database browser performance
- New "Lock" function for QuickLoad browser
- New "Mirror Folder Structure" mode for batch compression
- Mac OS X 64bit AudioUnit version
- New Help menu in all plugin versions


Fixes:
- Playback issues in Sonar and other hosts with 48 kHz or higher samplerate fixed
- Crackles when playing libraries in .ncw format on CPUs without SSE2 fixed
- Crash when importing EXS files saved with Logic 9.x fixed
- Occasional MemoryServer freezes on Mac OS X fixed
- Various other fixes

- Beatmachine now follows master tempo without having to retrigger loop; speed knob works correctly
- Fixed incorrect displayed values of performance view GUI elements after recall in some cases
- Fixed some rare crashes

Fixes:
* Crashes on session recall with multiple instances on Mac fixed
* Activation issues with Kontakt libraries on Windows Vista fixed
* Improved key focus as plugin

- New Authentic Expression Technology (AET)
The new Authentic Expression Technology sees KONTAKT 4 radically redefining the authentic reproduction of acoustic instruments with all their dynamics and articulations, while adding completely new options for creative sound design. In addition to the traditional way of sampling different volume levels of an instrument statically, AET is able to capture specific spectral characteristics of samples and gradually apply them to another samples in real-time, allowing you to seamlessly "morph" between different instruments' characteristics. This breakthrough allows for a new level in expression and realism when playing a sampled instrument.
AET is especially powerful applied to solo instruments with sustained sounds - such as strings, brass, woodwinds, and choir: You can hold down a key and then seamlessly fade with the Mod Wheel between different articulations (e.g. trumpet playing with and without mute) or volume/dynamic levels with different harmonics.
It's often possible to merge the acoustic characteristics of different instrument such as the piano and celesta in real time, opening new horizons for creative sampling and new kinds of hybrid instruments.


- Expanded sound library: + 10 GB
In addition to the six collections available in the previous version, KONTAKT 4 now includes a comprehensive Choir Collection, recorded exclusively for Native Instruments, providing a complete set of soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices in different setups.

Several instruments of the Choir Collection makes use of the new Authentic Expression Technology giving you a new level of control: the choir voices can seamlessly morph the vowels ("A-E-I-O-U") while holding a key/note, which is nearly impossible with other samplers.

In addition, the Orchestral Collection has been updated with a new Solo Strings section, taken form the legendary Vienna Symphonic Library, and a concert hall organ, while the Vintage collection gets the famed Mellotron keyboard. Plus, all the e-pianos from ELEKTRIK PIANO are included.

All in all, an extra 10 Gigabytes of new material enrich the KONTAKT library.


- Expanded Convolution Effect Library
KONTAKT 4 comes with more than 300 new and professionally recorded impulse responses from a wide rang of rooms, concert halls, churches, speakers etc, to add super-realistic reverbs to your instruments or the sonic characteristics of high-quality hardware equipment (amps, speakers, hardware reverbs etc.).

The new impluse response samples are provided by Echochamber, Studiodevices and Acousticas.


- Improved Performance Views per instrument
PERFORMANCE VIEWS provide custom control panels, that make Instrument-specific settings available without having to switch to Edit mode. In KONTAKT 4, a much larger control panel is available so each instrument has more important parameters accessible, as well as giving each instrument a distinctive feel through the easy-on-the-eye graphics.


- Advanced Script Processor
The enhanced KONTAKT Script Processor gives many more options for designing custom Performance Views and for controlling other KONTAKT areas such as the master section (when writing 'multi scripts').


- New attribute-based browser and pre-tagged library
It's never been easier to find the right sound or instrument. With the attribute-based browser you can search via keywords or browse by instrument type (bass, piano, strings).

The complete KONTAKT 4 library has been pre-tagged for your convenience. You can also create custom attributes to tag your instruments according to your own criteria.

Attribute-based browsing works for Instruments, Multis, Banks, Groups, Presets, and Samples.


- Lossless Sample Compression
New Lossless Sample Compression format 'NCW' with real-time encoding – reducing the size of samples by up to 50%. Instruments with high disk streaming load, such as Grand Pianos, benefit from the fact that less data has to be read from hard disk. Note that the complete KONTAKT library is delivered in uncompressed WAV format - the Lossless Sample Compression is just an option for your choice when you save instruments.


- Various Improvements
Last but not least, KONTAKT 4 includes all the powerful improvements from the comprehensive KONTAKT 3.5 update

- Extended Memory Addressing
KONTAKT 3.5 features full support for 64-bit memory addressing in both Windows and Mac OS X. This means you can load more than 4 GB samples into RAM in both stand-alone and plug-in mode. In Windows, 64-bit operating systems and sequencers with special stand-alone and VST versions are now supported. On Mac, the newly-created Memory Server feature bypasses the OS X's 4 GB limit and can address as much RAM as you have installed - even in 32-bit hosts such as Logic or ProTools.

- Enhanced Sampling Engine
KONTAKT 3.5 features a completely re-designed sample playback engine. The Direct From Disk mode has been reworked to act dynamically, allowing the operating system to allocate memory in real time as you play and release voices. The result is a significantly smaller memory footprint which leaves more RAM for loading samples. This is especially useful with 32-bit systems where you can now load significantly more samples than was previously possible.

- Multi-processor support
KONTAKT 3.5 now provides true multi-processor / multi-core support. You can now switch multi-processor support on and off and set the number of processors / cores you want to use for KONTAKT. Up to 16 cores are now supported.

- Direct MIDI Learn
KONTAKT 3.5 now features MIDI Learn function for all sliders and knobs including Performance Views. Assigning MIDI controllers to KONTAKT sliders and knobs is quick and convenient with multiple assignments also possible.

- Enhanced Library Management
KONTAKT 3.5 integrates a visually enhanced library tab that now makes browsing and loading samples and libraries quicker and easier.

- Various Improvements
Further improvements in KONTAKT 3.5 include a bypass button for effect slots, localized info pane in six languages, improved automapping, Pro Tools compatibility under Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, aftertouch interpretation added to KSP, a Play cursor for Beat Machine mode in Wave Editor and enhanced REX file support.

New and improved features:
Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" compatibility

Fixes:
RTAS multi outputs fixed
"Crash on startup" issues fixed

Improvements:
New CPU Profiling mode for analyzing CPU usage of an instrument
Performance improvements for Edit mode
Performance improvements for distortion, saturation and synth filters
Faster database search
Additional patches
New Kontakt 3 Library Manual
Kontakt Script Language Manual now includes 2.1 appendix
Localized versions of Kontakt 3 Manual and Setup Guide

Fixes:
Various cosmetic improvements
Crash with Cubase 4 and Spectrasonics fixed
Various library fixes
Various bug fixes

New Library with 33 GB and 1000 instrument presets
Interface improvements and simplifications
Expanded Multi Function Browser and KONTAKT navigator
New Effects: skreamer, rotator, twang amplifier emulation, eleven cabinet emulations
New Wave Editor with sample editor and zone envelopes
Expanded Mapping editor
Expanded modulation systems
Other extras (new keyboard shortcuts...)

Format Change: Instruments, Multis, Banks saved in this version are not compatible to previous versions of Kontakt.
License Server compatibility.
Script knob automation: you can now automate script knobs just like any other knobs in Kontakt. Just drag and drop an automation ID from the browser's Automation tab onto a knob in your script. You can use a maximum of 16 automation IDs per script.
You can now send data from MIDI input and scripts to the MIDI output. Please check out the extended settings under "Send MIDI to outside world" in the Options dialog, Audio Engine tab.
New option on Load/Import tab: "Always re-write samples as WAV when Saving". This option allows to save every sample in WAV format e.g. when a patch was created from a REX file. When you save as a monolith, samples will always be converted to WAV. Please ignore the older option below: "Destination Sample Format".
New import formats: ASR-X and Emax II.
Several important bugs have been fixed.

Format Change: Instruments, Multis, Banks saved in this version are not compatible to previous versions of Kontakt.
License Server compatibility.
Script knob automation: you can now automate script knobs just like any other knobs in Kontakt. Just drag and drop an automation ID from the browser's Automation tab onto a knob in your script. You can use a maximum of 16 automation IDs per script.
You can now send data from MIDI input and scripts to the MIDI output. Please check out the extended settings under "Send MIDI to outside world" in the Options dialog, Audio Engine tab.
New option on Load/Import tab: "Always re-write samples as WAV when Saving". This option allows to save every sample in WAV format e.g. when a patch was created from a REX file. When you save as a monolith, samples will always be converted to WAV. Please ignore the older option below: "Destination Sample Format".
New import formats: ASR-X and Emax II.
Several important bugs have been fixed.

- Universal Binary
- Enhanced sliced loop handling with drag-and-drop, in-sync preview and more
- Import function now also reads Battery 3 kits/cells as well as DR-008, Pulsar STS and RGC SFZ
- Improved group management with load/save function, 128-voice groups, and new group presets
- New modulation, tuning and envelope functions
- Extended KSP engine with five new commands
...

* Instruments reordering in rack

* Multisample import into one instrument

* New Send MIDI to Outside World option

* New piano banks

* KSP: Change_vol function support for while loops

* KSP: Display engine values and units in GUI

* 41 Bug fixes, the most important being

- Memory corruption crash
- Mono output in some VST hosts
- Mac: Eject button not working
- Mac: Monolith saving crash
- PC: Tone machine not analyzing new samples
- Bank quickload not working
- Bank max voices crash
- Delete instruments crash
- Browser hangs with certain samples
- Many more import bug fixes