Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6

[Sternenlicht]

Hi,

could anyone recommend this Audio Interface for Live ? I read in the Native Instruments Support Forum that the Device (Komplete Audio 6) crashes with actual Live Version, and the Drivers shall be somewhat buggy ?

The device actually from the Performance Perspective looks very promising, but i had a previous bad Experience with a Terratec Producer Card , which did not get a actual Driver release for Vista or Windows 7. (Card worked perfectly with WinXP)

When i pay 250 - 500 € for an Interface i want to have a Device which just works, and gets a driver Support also over diffrent OS versions.

If you're a user of Komplete Audio 6 could you post your max interface delay you could achieve with it ?

regards

Sternenlicht

[icedsushi]

I have one, I had intended to use it as my only audio interface but I ran into a few issues concerning the digital inputs.

1.) Direct (latency free) monitoring is not supported with the digital inputs. You are only able to directly monitor the analog inputs via the knobs on the hardware. There is no software "control panel mixer". This is just the way it is, but was not obvious to me before purchasing. I shouldn't have assumed just because it says direct monitoring that it's for all the inputs.

2.) The clock of the digital input is unreliable syncing external to the incoming device. I was able to get signal directly from a Lavry converter SPIDF output, but the Audio 6 will not lock to a TC Electronic rack FX via SPIDF. I spent several hours on it & contacted support. The conclusion was that I tried everything & maybe the driver can be updated to improve external sync.

I had to buy an RME Babyface because I absolutely needed the 2 things above. And I needed something that worked with my existing gear now, rather than waiting for a driver fix that may or may not come. I've tested the Babyface digital input as well as my previous interface (Motu 828mkII). Both of those receive the TOSlink signal coming from my TC Electronic. And they have direct monitoring of the digital inputs via software mixer. The Babyface was the only thing I could find that met all my requirements for portability, direct monitoring, signal routing flexibility, amount/type of I/O, USB, and works with all my existing gear. The FX & carry case are a nice touch.

The digital outputs of the Audio 6 work great. If you have no plans on using the digital inputs you should be fine. To be fair, very few interfaces in this price range (or this diminuitive size & form factor) offer any digital I/O at all in the first place.

I don't remember the exact buffer size but I was able to get it quite low. Good performance in that area.

[JayNiko]

I got it as well. I don't use digital inputs, actually record my bass guitar only, the rest is software. So far (almost one year) so good. Regarding buffer size - I didn't change anything in Ableton preferences so it's something by default ) There is one trick about this device (at least with my MacBook Pro) - it's better to turn laptop off before plugging USB cable in, otherwise I used to get some crackles sometimes. I know it sounds pretty strange, just my experience.

[Anubis]

I got it. Works well with LIve. You can only direct monitor analog input 1/2 not 3/4.

[h3rtz]

i also got one and i don't think i would get it again. my buffer size is set on 196 and i still experience cracks and dropouts though my set is 8 tracks max and my laptop really should be able to handle it (cpu load seldomly displays more than 30 percent). i don't get how the rest of the guys in this thread got it to work well. are you using the original drivers or asio4all?

had the kontrol 1 before and didnt really like it either. NI just always gets me with those special deals...

[JayNiko]

i don't get how the rest of the guys in this thread got it to work well. are you using the original drivers or asio4all?

Like I said, 1) I use MacBook Pro 13" Intel Core i5 2.3 GHz, 4GB memory, OSX 10.6.8 and Suite 8.2.6 2) I plug USB cable in before I turn computer on 3) I use original drivers 4) usually I run up to 4-5 instances of Razor + Skanner (AU) + few Ableton drum racks and synths + effects. No cracks and dropouts at all, no CPU overload.

[Fleshbits]

I haven't used Komplete Audio 6, but I do use Kontrol 1 and Native Instruments has really got some issues with their drivers for Windows 7 over the last 3 version numbers I've tried. Everything is fine while you're working, but the driver turns my sound off to where I have to disable the device and re-enable it, or crashes with a fault. They don't have a good standing in the driver department anymore. I love their other products though.

[jackduk]

I have a Komplete Audio 6, which is fast turning out to be a complete waste of time. I want to use an Ultranova, and can get audio when I use 1/2 but its in Mono vice the ultranova stereo output. I'm not even sure what inputs 3/4 are actually for. Tried the SPDIF out of the Ultranova to the KA6 also, nothing. Maybe I just don't understand enough about audio. Is it that difficult. Stereo keyboard, left and right speakers, left and right on the DAW, what's the issue with the soundcard?

[Tarekith]

Might be worth asking on the NI forums, since it's the soundcard you're having issues with:

https://www.native-instruments.com/foru ... faces.142/