Native Instruments Vertikal: Kontakt instrument of Nils Frahm's 4.5-metre upright piano, with Pure and Felt voicings and Particles 2.0. $149 at Plugin Boutique.
Plugin comparison
Native Instruments Vertikal vs Modartt Pianoteq 9
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which sampler to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
9.0Essential
Modartt Pianoteq 9 is a physically modelled piano (~50MB) for Mac/Windows/Linux/iOS (Stage €139, Standard €269, PRO €399) with morphing, mics, and per-note PRO editing.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Native Instruments Vertikal | Modartt Pianoteq 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 | €139 to €399 |
| Dubspot Score | — | 9.0 |
| Formats | Kontakt Player, Kontakt 8, Standalone, VST3, AU, AAX | VST3, AU, AAX, NKS, Standalone |
| Type | Kontakt instrument: Upright Piano and Prepared Upright Piano | Physically modelled piano / keyboard instrument platform |
| Instruments | 2 NKIs: Vertikal Pure, Vertikal Felt | — |
| Presets | 150+ snapshots, 100+ Particles presets | — |
| Generative engine | Particles 2.0: Rhythm Mode, Play Mode, four effect slots, Motion modulation | — |
| Recorded | Saal 3, Funkhaus, Berlin, with vintage gear | — |
| Player | Free Kontakt Player or Kontakt 8.13.1 and higher | — |
| System | Windows 10 or 11; macOS 14 or later; Intel Core i5 or Apple Silicon; 4 GB RAM (6 GB recommended) | — |
| Download | 29 GB | — |
| Install size | — | ~50 MB class (instruments modelled, not multi-GB multisamples) |
| Editions | — | Stage (€139), Standard (€269), PRO (€399); Studio bundle (PRO + all packs, higher list) |
| Included packs | — | Stage: 2 packs; Standard: 3 packs; PRO: 4 packs (choose from catalog) |
| Stage features | — | Playable instruments, EQ, velocity curve, effects; limited deep model editing |
| Standard adds | — | Physical parameters (hammers, unisons, etc.), morphing/layering, microphone positioning |
| PRO adds | — | Per-note editing, higher sample-rate options, maximum model control |
| Formats | — | Standalone + VST3/AU/AAX/NKS |
| OS | — | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| Upgrade path | — | Stage→Standard→PRO upgrades available; version upgrades from older Pianoteq often inexpensive |
| Free content | — | Historical instruments and bells included in product messaging |
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