Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6: Worth it?

[itsNano]

thanks bud

[JakobTK]

I've used the komplete audio 6 every day for 1½ years. I've been carrying it in my backpack between home and the music academy almost every day, I've plugged and unplugged it countless times, played a lot of concerts with it. This is what I've found:

Best performance in it's price class - lower latency without clicks and pops - handles >95% cpu load @ 64 samples without glitches (ime far better performance than Presonus Audiobox 44vsl) - great drivers, never had any problems

No software control of routing/levels - I think it's great for a simple interface like this to be able to control everything with physical buttons and knobs, as it's a lot faster and simpler to use (I was used to e-mu PatchMix DSP which was great, but I don't miss it at all)

Solid build - except for the usb socket which broke 2 months ago because of bad design. The four metal connectors are usually placed on a plastic stick, but on the KA6 they are just hanging in the air, so I accidentally twisted a connector just by plugging in the usb cable. Luckily, I was able to pull the connector back into place with a tweezer...

Inputs, outputs and preamps are clean sounding and powerful, and there are comparatively more of them than on similarly priced items. Two problems:
The headphone output is a tiny bit underpowered. Plenty of power for most situations except when used for direct monitoring of a vocal recording and for click track for a drummer wearing earplugs
KA6 is usb powered, so it can only supply phantom power for one condenser mic at a time. E.g. using two SE Electronics SE1A simultaneously will greatly reduce the output of the mics, and when using two AKG C414, only one of them will output anything at all. Remember to check the current draw of a condenser mic before assuming it will work with a usb powered interface... (they ought to tell ýou that before you buy!)

Overall I'm actually very satisfied with this interface. I think it's the best in it's price class and a great choice for portability and live performance. It has a few shortcomings, but so has all the other interfaces, except maybe RME

[Vectorman]

I've been using one for almost a year now and it's worked out pretty well. The crackling audio thing mostly seems to happen when some other application besides my DAW is open that also wants to use its resources, like Windows Media Player. Close the other app and it usually sorts out. If not, a restart does it.

The most peculiar thing I noticed recently though is that the phantom power never seems to shut off. I push the button on the back and the 48V LED goes dark, but ten or fifteen minutes later, the condenser mic is still pumping audio into the interface at the same level. I've taken to shutting down the computer when plugging or unplugging my condenser to be sure there's no phantom power coming down the line at the time.

[arrowhen]

I've been using one for almost a year now and it's worked out pretty well. The crackling audio thing mostly seems to happen when some other application besides my DAW is open that also wants to use its resources, like Windows Media Player. Close the other app and it usually sorts out. If not, a restart does it.

The most peculiar thing I noticed recently though is that the phantom power never seems to shut off. I push the button on the back and the 48V LED goes dark, but ten or fifteen minutes later, the condenser mic is still pumping audio into the interface at the same level. I've taken to shutting down the computer when plugging or unplugging my condenser to be sure there's no phantom power coming down the line at the time.

I haven't had either of those issues with mine, though I do second the earlier poster's assertion that the headphone output is a little underpowered.

The only problem I've ever had with mine is that once in a while when I start up my computer my KA6 won't turn on all the way: the USB light just blinks on and off. If I unplug the USB cable and plug it in again (since the device doesn't have a power switch) it works just fine. I'm pretty sure that's a problem with my computer though, rather than the KA6 itself; it started a few months back when I replaced my motherboard, and at the same time a couple of my USB ports stopped working. I've probably just got a loose wire somewhere but thus far I've been too lazy to open up the case and try to fix it.

[Aiynzahev]

I've been using one for almost a year now and it's worked out pretty well. The crackling audio thing mostly seems to happen when some other application besides my DAW is open that also wants to use its resources, like Windows Media Player. Close the other app and it usually sorts out. If not, a restart does it.

The most peculiar thing I noticed recently though is that the phantom power never seems to shut off. I push the button on the back and the 48V LED goes dark, but ten or fifteen minutes later, the condenser mic is still pumping audio into the interface at the same level. I've taken to shutting down the computer when plugging or unplugging my condenser to be sure there's no phantom power coming down the line at the time.

I haven't had either of those issues with mine, though I do second the earlier poster's assertion that the headphone output is a little underpowered.

The only problem I've ever had with mine is that once in a while when I start up my computer my KA6 won't turn on all the way: the USB light just blinks on and off. If I unplug the USB cable and plug it in again (since the device doesn't have a power switch) it works just fine. I'm pretty sure that's a problem with my computer though, rather than the KA6 itself; it started a few months back when I replaced my motherboard, and at the same time a couple of my USB ports stopped working. I've probably just got a loose wire somewhere but thus far I've been too lazy to open up the case and try to fix it.

Actually I've had a bit of trouble lately and it reminded me, actually I have had issues with this from time to time. This one and the one in the quoted post too.

But neither are serious as they are very easily sorted. In-fact I've also always blamed my Motherboard since I seem to have problems on some USB ports and not others.

[psychoxkps]

best ever....

[pflux]

I am getting sick and tired of audio and midi issues with the KA6.
It is a good beginner's choice but that is it.

Time for me to move on to something better...

[foosnark]

I've never had any audio or MIDI problems with my KA6.

[Vectorman]

The only problem I've ever had with mine is that once in a while when I start up my computer my KA6 won't turn on all the way: the USB light just blinks on and off. If I unplug the USB cable and plug it in again (since the device doesn't have a power switch) it works just fine. I'm pretty sure that's a problem with my computer though, rather than the KA6 itself; it started a few months back when I replaced my motherboard, and at the same time a couple of my USB ports stopped working. I've probably just got a loose wire somewhere but thus far I've been too lazy to open up the case and try to fix it.

I actually have this issue intermittently with the KA6 on my new-ish DAW PC. Sometimes just blinks on startup and has to be unplugged and replugged. One other weird thing was that, with the newer Win8.1 PC, the newest NI drivers from the website wouldn't work. I had to resort to the older drivers that came on the install disc and then it was fine.

I do see an RME interface in my future later this year, if only to achieve somewhat lower latency.