I think I need a new audio interface. Here is my requirements

- cheap, max. 250eur
- at least 4 outputs and 1 input with phantom
- good quality drivers, no distortion issues BSOD, or other stability issues in Win7/win8 or in OS X. It must be a model that most likely will get USB3 compatible drivers (or is already USB3 compatible). Currently I am working in Win7 but might switch later to OS X or Win8
- good quality D/A converters
- portable is good (lightweight)

I am particularly interested in MOTU MIcrobook II, it weights 450g, half from most interfaces and seems to have enough inputs/outputs. Other models that I have noticed are Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, M-Audio Fasttrack C400, Focusrite Saffire 6 (a bit old?), NI Komplete Audio 6 and perhaps even EMU 0204.

Opinions..?

Someone here (forgot name) posts good opinions of Native Instruments,
KA6, signal quality, and build, and Guitar Rig 5 full version,
may be still bundled if you buy through their shop.
It's by no means just for guitars.
Cheers

About Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 I heard a lot of good. Bonus GuitarRig 5 for free.

Yeah, I use the KA6 as main audio interface for Windows 7, Ableton Live, etc... myself. Bought it about a year ago and I'm a happy user since.


The special offer KA6 + Guitar Rig Pro for free ends on December 31st 2012.
Don't know if the offer deadline will be expanded.

I too use a KA6 as my primary interface. The only thing I don't like about it is the speakers pop every time I turn on my computer.

I got around this by putting my powered monitors on a separate power strip with an on/off switch. I then turn on my speakers after the machine has powered up.

Once it's up the drivers are great and I've had no cracks/hiss/pops while using. For what it's worth I'm an ITB guy so I can't really talk about the pres and I haven't tried the SPDIF interface either. The large volume knob is great and feels good. The smaller knobs can be a bit stiff but loosen up a bit over time.

I used it with Win 7 for about 5 months and just switched to Win 8 (both 64-bit). The drivers have been great on both OSes.

When I first started to think about replacement KA6 was highest in the list as Traktor Audio 2 has worked very good for me.

But then I heard that friends friend got a lot of problems with it and finally got rid of it. And NI forum is full of complaints of KA6 although I am not sure what kind of problems it has. I suppose that the USB3 issue is not the only one, if somebody knows about KA6 issues I would be glad to hear.

If I remember correctly, the main issues were/are:

(1) USB 3.0 ports -> [edit] should be fixed in upcoming update -> see ew's post below [/edit]
(2) You cannot directly monitor inputs 3/4 on the KA6 itself which seems to be a hardware issue. You have to do this via a DAW/software.
(3) Some users posted that there might not be enough power, if you use 2 phantom powered condenser mics at the same time: http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146 380&highlight=phantom+condenser

In general, there are users that have no problems with the KA6 - including me on 2 computers (desktop + laptop with Windows 7 64 bit, USB 2.0 port).

And there are other users, who have issues or didn't get the KA6 to run in the first place. To my mind, it looks like most problems occur on newer computer systems which only have USB 3.0 ports.

Don't know, if issues are also only caused by a driver problem on NI's side, because there are also threads about some laptops and their WIFI-drivers interfering with the KA6 plugged in: http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=91170


So it can be a hit-or- miss, if the KA6 is running without problems on your system. But this could also apply to other audio interfaces.

Best bet would be to have a dealer with a good return policy, so you can test the KA6 with your system.



Some links, which might be interesting:

Windows 7 + USB 3.0 for NI-interfaces in general:
http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173 508
KA6 + Windows 8 (post #4):
http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184 172
KA6-subforum: http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=1 42

If you do a search in the KVR-forum, you can also find some KA6-threads.


Hope this long post brings some positive insights
Last edited by solger on Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:13 am; edited 4 times in total

The USB 3 issues are fixed in an upcoming firmware update. Watch this space...

ew

I currently use a Microbook II in Windows 7 64-bit

It isn't bad, but it isn't awesome either.. the drivers..

They are stable, no crackles when using ASIO in audio host. However, if you are like me and using your computer for more than just audio there are a few snags with which to deal. You have to define the sampling rate in the Windows Control Panel. Otherwise you will experience no sound when jumping from the browser to your audio host as it locks the sound to one app if there is a mismatch. (have to go into Task Manager and kill the plugin-container.exe to release the Microbook sound)

If there is a match you can play (for instance youtube) while your audio host is playing back too without this issue.

I keep having to define the driver settings in Winamp using the DirectSound output too. Sometimes it sees the microbook II and sometimes it doesn't. Yet I haven't changed anything.

The routing on the Microbook II is pretty extensive. Actually, for me, it is overly complicated. My original goal was to get hassle-free drivers, be able to connect my Bass to play through software, and remove the Mackie Mixer I have been using to control sound levels from the signal chain.

However, I still have the mixer in the chain (since I never could get the volume straight just with the Microbook II and of course the (now minor) issues with the drivers linger.. The Bass works fairly well with the MBII (minus the driver issues mentioned above).

This interface isn't bad and might be fantastic under Mac, but I'm not extremely pleased either. Probably 7.5 out of 10 in my book.

Do you have any experiences of the following problems mentioned in this article...?:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/reviews/789808-native-instrum ents-komplete-audio-6-a.html

Then another pretty interesting interface is Tascam US-200. Although it lacks one property (only RCA outs, will this degrade audio quality too much if you connect from RCA to studio monitors...?)

And I realized too that MOTU microbook is not an alternative as I might need MIDI in/out now and then...

went through this myself for OSX a few weeks ago. Ended up between a Roland Quad Capture and a NI Komplete Audio 6. I went with the Roland Quad capture, as it included a ground lift which I find incredibly useful when I'm DI'ing the telecaster, which is a fickle guitar.

The Roland was peanuts to install and has so far performed flawlessly on OSX at 64 samples. Solid drivers and really nice quality preamps.

it seems to have only 2 analog outputs so not really an alternative for me. I need 4 of them at least.

Ah yes, outputs 3/4 are coax dig. Apologies. In that case, the KA6 is a fine choice.

Well, the article in the link sums up the all problems which are currently known about the KA6 quite nicely. I now have the KA6 myself a little bit longer than a year and about some of the problems - mentioned from me or the post in the link - I can say this:

- USB port: No problems so far using the KA6 in an USB 2.0 port. My desktop and laptop don't have an USB 3.0 port, so I couldn't test the KA6 with USB 3.0 ports myself.

- drivers: in the last year never really had any problems with installing/upgrading to newer driver or firmware versions (on Windows 7 - 64 bit)

If I remember correctly, it only occasionally occured (maybe about 5 times in the last year) that there were playback problems while watching flash-videos in the web-browser (similar to what is mentioned in the article). But this never happened while using a DAW and in most cases simply plugin the KA6 out-and-in-again solved this problem. I would say this was more a Windows issue, which for me as a long-term Windows-user is negligible.

- monitoring input 3/4: didn't bother me so far -> I do this in the DAW.

- too little gain on the inputs: Yeah, if you directly plug a mic into the KA6, it could really be a little louder. But I guess this also might vary with using different mics or mic-types.

- the power problem with two condensers: Don't know. Only used one (large) condenser at a time so far.


I think it really depends on your workflow/setup and therefore also on the expectations about the audio-interface-features, if some of the current (and maybe later-fixed) 'problems' mentioned might be an issue and hence a deal-breaker for the KA6.

It's so difficult to predict in general, if you might encounter problems with any audio-interface on your system.
So best bet would be (like mentioned in my earlier post) if you have the ability to test an audio-interface with your system first (and return it,if you are not satisfied with its features or encounter major problems).