TC Electronic Desktop Konnekt 6

Firewire audio interface with minimalist design but putting an emphasis on quality.

UTILIZATION

I use it at home with Windows 7 and cubase 5
No audible latency with VSTis and audio.

GETTING STARTED

Extremely easy installation, drivers can be downloaded from the TC site in a wink of an eye.
Connect it and it works.

The TC Near application is very intuitive and nice-looking.

OVERALL OPINION

I was looking for a firewire interface to replace my alesis io|14 that started to show signs of fatigue...and I found it!
Bye-bye to untimely dropouts and crackling pots and connections...

This TC is clean, solid and WHAT A SOUND it has!!! It's faithful to the brand's image, this interface is a model of transparency, especially in this price range.
The flip side is that now I can hear all the defects...

Go get yours without thinking it twice.

I have a high-end hi-fi system and several hundred vinyls. I was looking for something to digitize some of them with the maximum possible quality.
Having a BMC-2 of the same brand, I decided to get the Konnekt 6 after reading opinions about it.
As an aspiring musician, I intend to also use it to record piano, guitar, vocals, but that wasn't what motivated my purchase in the first place.

It is connected to my preamp (a tube Conrad Johnson) and a Lenovo ThinkPad R500 running Windows XP. I had to buy a firewire s400 for my PC's minidv adapter cable.
The vinyl source is a TD Ariston RD11S with SME arm and a new Audiotechnica AT-F7 cartridge.

UTILIZATION

I downloaded the latest drivers from TC-Electronic's website and I also updated the firmware.
I did some recording tests without modifying the factory settings using the stereo line inputs: At 16 bits / 44 khz, 24bits / 96 khz, and 24 bits / 192 khz. No particular issues.
My only problem is that the recording output level of my preamp is too high, even with the gain control to the minimum! The signal clips at 0dB with peaks.

GETTING STARTED

I had no problems during installation. The interface with the reverb works fine.
Since I don't have any music-dedicated software, I started recording with Audacity (which is free). I systematically got blue screens as soon as I pressed <Ok> after modifying the playback/recording devices. I think it's because ASIO isn't supported by Audacity. I then switched to Diamond Cut, a software designed for audio restoration. And I was able to record without blue screens.
The manual I downloaded from the website is pretty comprehensive (there is only one installation procedure reduced to the minimum).
I compared the reproduction (using it as DAC) with my BMC-2 and an M2Tech Hiface adapter. It's all right but the BMC-2 / Hiface combination is better (and the price is also higher!).
To get a vinyl-like quality, I record at 24 bits / 96 khz. In that case it gets very hard to tell any difference with the source.

OVERALL OPINION

I'm pretty satisfied with it overall:
- Reproduction of the recordings. - Its design. - Price.
It would've been nice to have a recording software (even a basic one) bundled with it.

Which technical specifications motivated your choice?
It had what I needed in terms of inputs and outputs.
What do you use this product for?
I use it for everything, actually (to record vocals and my mixes, as output for my DAW, etc.).

UTILIZATION

Are the drivers stable?
They are very stable on MAC, but I haven't tested them on WINDOWS.
Are they up to date?
They are updated regularly.
What's the latency of your system?
None, or so low that I can't perceive it.

GETTING STARTED

Did you have any problems during the installation?
None, you only need to follow the instructions.
How complicated is the overall configuration?
Very easy and intuitive.
Did you have any incompatibility problems?
None.
Is the user's manual clear and comprehensive? ...
I don't know, I haven't opened it.

OVERALL OPINION

How long have you been using the product?
4 years.
Did you try any other models before buying this one?
I started with an M-Audio firewire 410, then I switched to an Mbox2 and then konnekt 6.
Which feature do you like the most / the least?
What I like best:
- Very good mic preamp.
- Very pleasant to use thanks to its control panel.
What I like least:
- I haven't found any defect, for the time being.
How would you rate its value for money?
Even today I consider it first-class, because at this price point it doesn't have any real competitors.
Based on your experience, would you buy this product again? ...
I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.