Komplete 14 Standard vs. Ultimate vs. Collector’s Edition: Differences Explained

If you only ever made one purchase in your entire musical career, Komplete 14 should be it. But there are multiple versions. So which one should you get?

This post will go over the key differences between Komplete 14 Standard, Komplete 14 Ultimate, and Komplete 14 Collector’s Edition. We’ll also tackle the impossible question: which version is right for you?

We won’t cover the other versions of Komplete like Select, Start, or Now.

Overview — Komplete 14 Standard vs. Ultimate vs. Collector’s Edition

All three premium versions of Komplete 14 come with the full versions of Kontakt 7, Reaktor 6, and Komplete Kontrol. So the differences boil down to how many instruments, effects, and expansions you get.

We’ll go over all these in more detail. But first, here’s an overview of what you’ll find in each version of Komplete 14:

Included Instruments, Effects, and Expansions

Komplete 14 Standard, Ultimate, and Collector’s Edition all include most of the same synthesizers and electronic instruments. Standard also has a healthy selection of sampled instruments like keyboards, guitars, and drums. 

Ultimate adds an extensive suite of orchestral and cinematic instruments, plus more guitars, drums, and expansions.

The Collector’s Edition has more of everything, including premium versions of some instruments. On top of that, it has over 100 Expansions, extending the capabilities of your Native Instruments products even further.

Synthesizers, Samplers, and Electronic Instruments

As far as electronic instruments go, all three versions are mostly the same. Each includes the Kontakt 7 and Reaktor 6 platforms, plus Native Instruments’ core synths like Massive and Massive X. On top of that, they all have every instrument in the Play Series.

Here’s what you get:

Keyboards, Guitars, and Drums

All three packages have a healthy selection of contemporary instruments like pianos, keyboards, and guitars. That said, Komplete 14 Standard lacks the sheer number of acoustic drum kits compared to the other two bundles.

Orchestral, Cinematic, and World Instruments

These categories are where the Ultimate and Collector’s editions really shine. They come with a massive suite of orchestral and cinematic instruments. By comparison, the Standard bundle’s cinematic offerings are minuscule.

It’s worth noting that the Collector’s Edition comes with full versions of the Symphony Series instruments. These libraries have more sounds and articulations than the Essentials. 

On top of that, the Collector’s Edition comes with more solo string libraries.

And finally, all three bundles have a decent selection of ethnic instruments from around the world.

Expansions

Expansions are packs with loops, samples, and presets themed around a specific genre or artist. They work in any DAW and expand the capabilities of the software included with Komplete 14.

The number of included expansions increases as you go up each version. As you’d expect, Standard has the fewest at 39, while the Collector’s Edition has a whopping 103.

Mastering & Effects Plugins

On top of the instruments and sounds, each version of Komplete 14 comes with a robust set of mixing, mastering, and effects plugins. Standard has the least amount of plugins. Ultimate and Collector’s Edition have almost the exact same offerings.

And as of 2022, all three bundles come with iZotope Ozone 10 — arguably the greatest set of mastering plugins ever made.

Which Version of Komplete 14 Should You Get?

Deciding which version to get isn’t as straightforward as you’d think. The Standard bundle won’t be enough for some musicians. Likewise, the Ultimate and Collector’s editions might be too much for others.

Here are some general thoughts to help with your decision:

• Komplete 14 Standard — The Standard bundle is an incredible deal if you mainly produce electronic music or beats. It has a robust collection of synths, plus other samples and plugins to get you going.
• Komplete 14 Ultimate — If you self-identify as a composer for film, TV, and video games, then Ultimate is for you. With a vast range of orchestral and cinematic sample libraries, you can score for almost any genre and style of music.
• Komplete 14 Collector’s Edition — Ultimate probably has everything you’ll ever need. But if you’re the kind of person who “has to have it all,” then the Collector’s Edition will scratch that itch quite nicely. It’s also great for composers who want the premium orchestral libraries.

Realistically, you could get the Collector’s Edition and never have to buy a digital music product again.

That said, I’d never recommend straight-up buying the Collector’s Edition, especially if you’ve never used any NI products before. It’s the thing you upgrade to after you’ve used Standard or Ultimate first.

Our Overall Recommendation: Komplete 14 Ultimate

Each package caters to a different type of musician. But if you’ve never bought a Komplete bundle before, we’d recommend Komplete 14 Ultimate.

For electronic musicians, it has all the synths and expansions you’ll ever need. Plus, you’ll have access to the acoustic instruments you probably haven’t considered before.

As for film and game composers, Ultimate has more than enough scoring tools for almost any project. And if you feel the orchestral instruments are lacking, try some of these sample libraries before upgrading to the Collector’s Edition.

The Collector’s Edition is fantastic, but not as a first-time purchase. We’d say get Komplete 14 Ultimate now, then upgrade to the Collector’s Edition after Komplete 15 inevitably launches.

Sources:

• Komplete 14 Comparisons
• Komplete 14 Standard
• Komplete 14 Ultimate Edition
• Komplete 14 Collector’s Edition