Hey guys, I'm thinking of buying the native instruments komplete audio 6 interface. I'm not planning to use more than 2 microphones, but i'm rather more interested in how good the soundcard is. Any personal experiences with this intereface? pro's con's?
Thanks in advance!
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6: Worth it?
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- KVRAF
- 4090 posts since 29 Jun, 2011 from USA
I've found it to be brilliant, though I've yet to use the mic-pres.
I don't know what else to say, it's never given me any trouble, besides the usual USB woes, make sure it's in the right port and it will be fine.
The driver they make for it is very good, and NI seem to have given it a good few updates, I think it's on 3.0 or so.
I would recommend it as one of the better cards, maybe the best, for that price range.
It's very solid in build and sound quality is as good as I know to judge. It's never felt cheap or second grade in anyway to me, but I've never had an expensive interface so I couldn't comment on the A/D & D/A quality.
As far as I understand, sound quality has a lot to do with the surrounding circuitry and these days good A/D D/A components are actually very common even in cheap sound cards.
I don't know what else to say, it's never given me any trouble, besides the usual USB woes, make sure it's in the right port and it will be fine.
The driver they make for it is very good, and NI seem to have given it a good few updates, I think it's on 3.0 or so.
I would recommend it as one of the better cards, maybe the best, for that price range.
It's very solid in build and sound quality is as good as I know to judge. It's never felt cheap or second grade in anyway to me, but I've never had an expensive interface so I couldn't comment on the A/D & D/A quality.
As far as I understand, sound quality has a lot to do with the surrounding circuitry and these days good A/D D/A components are actually very common even in cheap sound cards.
Aiynzahev-sounds
Sound Designer - Soundsets for Pigments, Repro, Diva, Virus TI, Nord Lead 4, Serum, DUNE2, Spire, and others
Sound Designer - Soundsets for Pigments, Repro, Diva, Virus TI, Nord Lead 4, Serum, DUNE2, Spire, and others
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- KVRAF
- 14497 posts since 16 Feb, 2005 from Planet Earth, Somewhere
I have one.. doesn't sound bad at all, but it doesn't come with a control panel like the rme stuff so you can't really do much software patching in it.
btw, I wouldn't have my email in my profile if I were you... spambots are going to love sending you junk mail.
rsp
btw, I wouldn't have my email in my profile if I were you... spambots are going to love sending you junk mail.
rsp
sound sculptist
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- KVRist
- 436 posts since 7 Apr, 2010
I have one and I had a few issues with it when I first got it. After a few hours of using it the audio would deteriorate to the point that it sounded like I was listening to a robot fart through a toilet tube. Some days it would happen after less than an hour. A restart would clear the issue, but then it would come back. I searched the NI forums and found a group of people who were unlucky enough to have the same issues. There is a long thread about that here. It mainly effects those running Windows 64bit systems.
I recently reinstalled windows 64 bit and the latest driver from NI (released late May 13) and for now the issue seems resolved. So fingers crossed they have this sorted.
Besides the noise issue above the interface sounds good when it isn't misbehaving. I've played guitar through it and recorded it into S1 pro. I have a crappy mic so I don't think my recordings through the preamp sounded amazing, but I should also add that I can't sing very well which obviously didn't really aid the process. As mentioned the control panel is pretty basic and you can't do any virtual routing on it. That hasn't been an issue for me.
It also ships with a copy of NI elements which has a some abbey road drums, a cut down version of guitar rig, reaktor player and some other sampled bits. It's a nice addition. There was also a promo some months ago where they gave away a free copy of the full guitar rig so I'm sure there will be more bundled deals in the future too.
Overall, it seems good value if it all works as expected. I think i'm in the minority with my issue. I guess no interface works 100% perfectly for everyone and there will always be a small group who are effected by some small glitch in the matrix.
I recently reinstalled windows 64 bit and the latest driver from NI (released late May 13) and for now the issue seems resolved. So fingers crossed they have this sorted.
Besides the noise issue above the interface sounds good when it isn't misbehaving. I've played guitar through it and recorded it into S1 pro. I have a crappy mic so I don't think my recordings through the preamp sounded amazing, but I should also add that I can't sing very well which obviously didn't really aid the process. As mentioned the control panel is pretty basic and you can't do any virtual routing on it. That hasn't been an issue for me.
It also ships with a copy of NI elements which has a some abbey road drums, a cut down version of guitar rig, reaktor player and some other sampled bits. It's a nice addition. There was also a promo some months ago where they gave away a free copy of the full guitar rig so I'm sure there will be more bundled deals in the future too.
Overall, it seems good value if it all works as expected. I think i'm in the minority with my issue. I guess no interface works 100% perfectly for everyone and there will always be a small group who are effected by some small glitch in the matrix.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 257 posts since 9 May, 2012 from USA
By the way, I'm using ableton live. I've heard that some interfaces don't work too well with certain DAW's, does this interface work well with ableton live from any of your personal experiences?
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- KVRAF
- 6272 posts since 25 Mar, 2004
I bought it when it first came out to replace my Tascam US-122.
Love it. Solid build, easy plug 'n play setup, runs all my MIDI, Guitars (both Electric and Acoustic/electric) and phantom powered mic.
I've only used it with Win7 running Cubase (now 7) x64. Got a good price too when it was first out. Probably even lower now.
I wasn't aware of driver updates until this thread, but since it ain't broke, I won't be upgrading.
Cheers
-B
Love it. Solid build, easy plug 'n play setup, runs all my MIDI, Guitars (both Electric and Acoustic/electric) and phantom powered mic.
I've only used it with Win7 running Cubase (now 7) x64. Got a good price too when it was first out. Probably even lower now.
I wasn't aware of driver updates until this thread, but since it ain't broke, I won't be upgrading.
Cheers
-B
Berfab
So many plugins, so little time...
So many plugins, so little time...
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- KVRist
- 150 posts since 3 Nov, 2008 from Ozarks
I use it with Ableton. Works like a charm. Had a few issues when I got my new setup going, but I updated the driver and everything flowed from there as smooth as silk.
I used Audio Kontrol One for like 7 years and never had a single issue besides a static electricity situation. Maybe all interfaces may have this problem, but sometimes if a guitarist was up moving around on carpet and then reached over to cut their level up on the Audio Kontrol it would create a massive ocean of distortion that was as unpleasing as any sound Ive ever heard. But, we solved that issue by putting a metal plate beside the soundcard that they could discharge into before touching the interface.
Sorry, Im rambling.
I used Audio Kontrol One for like 7 years and never had a single issue besides a static electricity situation. Maybe all interfaces may have this problem, but sometimes if a guitarist was up moving around on carpet and then reached over to cut their level up on the Audio Kontrol it would create a massive ocean of distortion that was as unpleasing as any sound Ive ever heard. But, we solved that issue by putting a metal plate beside the soundcard that they could discharge into before touching the interface.
Sorry, Im rambling.
Who is "I"? What is "I"? This has yet to be explained.
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- KVRist
- 39 posts since 4 Nov, 2012 from Germany
Please check that you have USB2.0 available at your computer then installation is straightforward.itsNano wrote:well, you've convinced me to get it
Cheers
I managed to run it with my Asus which only has USB 3.0, but first had to deactivate 3.0 behaviour in the BIOS.
Since then it is running smoothly even in Windows 8. And be sure to use the same USB slot all the time. The driver is somehow fixed to only one slot.
Hope this helps.
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- KVRist
- 150 posts since 3 Nov, 2008 from Ozarks
nimets wrote:Please check that you have USB2.0 available at your computer then installation is straightforward.itsNano wrote:well, you've convinced me to get it
Cheers
I managed to run it with my Asus which only has USB 3.0, but first had to deactivate 3.0 behaviour in the BIOS.
Since then it is running smoothly even in Windows 8. And be sure to use the same USB slot all the time. The driver is somehow fixed to only one slot.
Hope this helps.
I think the USB 3.0 Driver is now on their website if you need it.
Who is "I"? What is "I"? This has yet to be explained.
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- KVRian
- 996 posts since 14 Jun, 2012 from Toronto, Canada
I am not so happy with the mic pres, but it is a solid unit.
It's all about the wavelets. I dream of the perfect additive synthesis.
You can hire me if you are in Toronto! Contact for details.
You can hire me if you are in Toronto! Contact for details.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 257 posts since 9 May, 2012 from USA
Oh and btw, i'm doing a remix competition and voting started today, would be awesome if you guys could vote for my mix. let me know your thougts on it as well!
http://play.beatport.com/contests/fedde ... 1e6e4699ee
http://play.beatport.com/contests/fedde ... 1e6e4699ee
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UltimateOutsider UltimateOutsider https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=216800 - KVRian
- 824 posts since 5 Oct, 2009 from Portland, OR
I sold my Komplete Audio 6 last week because of all the pops and clicks when plugged into my laptop's USB 3.0 ports, and when it was plugged into my only USB 2.0 port, the interface wouldn't turn on when my computer resumed from sleep. I'd have to unplug/replug it every time. Replaced it with a Roland Duo Capture Ex (which lacks digital I/O and only has 2 analog ins/outs), and that thing has been flawless.
Assuming you don't have any USB problems, the KA6 is just fine. But the problems are well known, and the USB 3.0 drivers haven't fixed the issues for everyone. This thread on the official NI forums has been going for a year and a half and people are still experiencing it.
I wish you luck, itsNano! Hopefully it works fine for you.
Assuming you don't have any USB problems, the KA6 is just fine. But the problems are well known, and the USB 3.0 drivers haven't fixed the issues for everyone. This thread on the official NI forums has been going for a year and a half and people are still experiencing it.
I wish you luck, itsNano! Hopefully it works fine for you.