Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6

The Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 is a USB audio interface which has a total of 6 inputs and 6 outputs. The front panel has 2 XLR/instrument inputs each with a gain control, a headphone jack, a monitoring control which has the option to switch between stereo and mono and mute button for toggling the monitor or off. The rear has a MIDI in port, MIDI out, SPDIF, balanced 1/4 inch input and output, a balanced 1/4 inch output for studio monitors and a button for turning the phantom power on and off. Power and data uses a single USB cable.

You get more than what you pay for in this package because in addition to the unit itself you also get a disc with NI Komplete Elements, Cubase LE 6 and a demo of Traktor LE 2 to get you started recording and editing audio. The box is polished, beautifully constructed and every control is solid; none of the knobs are shaky or flimsy. The top of the unit has the LEDs for all the various inputs so you can monitor clipping from a central location and it has a massive volume button. It's a really great package. I got it as my first audio interface and it's what I use in my main setup at home.


UTILIZATION

I use it mostly with FL Studio and REAPER, neither program has any issues detecting the unit. Unlike my other audio interface (the Avid Mbox 3 Mini) I haven't had any issues using the ASIO driver with the Komplete 6 in REAPER. On my Windows 7, 4GB RAM, i5 machine I'm able to get the latency down to around 13ms with this unit which is excellent when recording. I haven't used it much with the Cubase that comes in the package because I'm more comfortable with other software packages but it runs great in the other DAWs I use so this should be no problem. The two XLR inputs means you can record in stereo using two condenser mics or you could record two sound sources simultaneously, for instance a guitar with one mic while singing into another mic. I've experimented with this here and there and it's really good.

It also has direct monitoring which means you can listen to your audio with zero latency as you record. If you want to add external effects such as reverb you'll have connect an external unit which is not so difficult. On top of that you can toggle your monitoring output from stereo to mono. You can also connect an extra set of headphones for monitoring at the back of the unit. The performance of the unit is brilliant, I use it with my Blue Spark, AKG C1000s and Audix mics and all them sound awesome. The preamps are loud and the self-noise is low. You can get professional sounding recordings from this unit with very little work if you have a good mic and your room is setup well.

I rarely experience any crackling or popping when using the unit. On occasion it produces pops and clicks when I use it for playing back media in VLC or Windows Media Player but never when recording in REAPER.


GETTING STARTED

The unit comes with a good instruction manual which explains clearly how to setup the unit. It's compatible with Windows and Mac. I use mine on a Windows 7 machine. Initial setup is very simple, just plug in the device and it installs the drivers automatically. In case of complications there's a driver CD included in the package and they're also available on the NI website for both Mac and Windows. It also its own custom software for configuring the device i.e. setting the latency, etc. You have to experiment with it a bit to find the right settings for your computer. I had no issues whatsoever getting the device to work as it should.


OVERALL OPINION

This unit is almost perfect for small studio owners. It has plenty of inputs and outputs and is very durable. If you buy it brand new with everything intact you get a great suite of software to get you started with recording if you don't have any other DAW or audio editor. it's very difficult to find any cons other than the fact that the TRS in/outputs don't have a dedicated gain control unlike the rest of the unit so you have to control it from whichever software you're using to record. But it is worth the money it costs. You will only get bad recordings from this device due to other factors such quality of your mics, cables, room noise/treatment, bad recording technique, etc. The device itself is almost faultless. It's one of the best in its price range and one of my favourite pieces of gear.

Pros:
- Solid, great build quality
- Comes with Cubase LE 6 & Komplete Elements
- Easy to setup
- Multiple headphone jacks

Cons:
- No gain control on the TRS inputs/outputs 3 and 4 so controlling the level has to be done in the software that you're using

Komplete Audio 6 has been my audio interface for several years now. I've used it to record dozens of songs, collaborations and a few soundtracks. It is a great piece of hardware, extremely affordable and perfect for DIY producers working on solo projects.

Not only that, but it came with Komplete Elements, a huge pack of instruments. I believe I even got Guitar Rig 4 included with my purchase! Not only is the audio interface great, but this bonus software is absolutely killer and a great bonus to sweeten the pot.

UTILIZATION

I have never had any issues with Komplete Audio 6. The product was easy to register, easy to install, and has worked flawlessly since purchasing. This is in stark contrast to my previous audio interface, the Fast Track Pro, which was comparatively flimsy and issue-prone.

GETTING STARTED

The installation was swift, and the process of registering with Native Instruments was equally simple. Driver installation was easy, and the soundcard installed sounds GREAT. Absolutely love the way this sounds through my KRK's.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall I'd highly recommend the Komplete Audio 6 interface. Not only is it affordable, but it works great and is very durable. I've played live shows using this thing to access VSTs through my DAW, and it integrates with PA systems flawlessly. Have yet to have any issues with this product over the years I've used it, and I use it daily as my soundcard.

I purchased the NI Komplete 6 when I built a new computer system for recording on Sonar X2. I am the only one who will be ever recording so I did not need a load of input options. After careful review against other models in its price point the Komplete Audio 6 proved to have the best compliment of features to suit my needs. The unit offers 6 ins; 2 xlr-1/4" line mic jacks on the front, 2 1/4" line inputs on the back, and a stereo spdif input on the back. There are also 2 main outs for the monitors, 2 outs for either a second set of monitors or to route for other purposes, a stereo headphone out on the front, and of course a stereo spdif out on the rear.
This layout was important for me because it allows me to use 2 microphones at a time, which is the most I need at any time, and the extra 2 outputs allow me to keep my reamping devices easily accessible at all times. The spdif was also an important selling point because I plan on utilizing a Kemper profiling amp in the near future which will integrate with those jacks exactly as I desire. There is also direct hardware monitoring available and a huge volume knob for the mains on the top, it may seem silly but I have found that giant knob to be a really cool feature I did not realize until I started using the device. There are also MIDI in and out jacks which I like for the simplicity of connecting my older keyboard that has a great tactile feel but lacks usb connectivity.
While this was not the only piece that offered the connectivity I required I found that the specifications on the preamps, data transfer rates, ADA converters, S/N ratio etc. all were in a desirable range. While the other products I was comparing it to each had a forte in one area there were serious concerns in others. The NI piece was above average in every aspect with no soft spot in its design. It also is built solid and has a solid, heavy fell to it.

UTILIZATION

The unit is a USB connected device originally designed for 2.0 or 3.0 connections. It however now has current patches available to support the 3.0 platform that it was originally advertised to utilize. Of course mileage will vary with each computer and DAW used but I am getting about 13ms latency round trip from input to output. The input buffer is at about 5-7ms according to my DAW. If I am using an enormous amount of plugins or virtual instruments I will adjust the buffer which will bring my round trip up to about 17. On a current project I have 49 active tracks in playback, using 6 virtual instruments and 34 instances of amp simulators until I reamp them. There is no problem with playback or adding additional material at this point and frankly at 17ms with that load I am surprised at how stable the system remains. The drivers are rock solid in that respect and they are constantly adding updates to address issues that may be present in the user forums.
There is one issue I can say the devise has running under windows 8. There is a minimal amount of crackling when using applications like flash player, WMP, Quick time and other normal audio applications. It is annoying but minimal and only in non ASIO audio applications. There is a fix in the works but not available as of yet.

GETTING STARTED

This devise is a snap to get started with. Although I wish there was more documentation available with it the company's web site has answers for any issue that you may encounter. The customer service is also top notch and responsive as well if there is an issue. I had no compatibility issues on my AMD based system running Sonar X2. Everything works as advertised out of the box and there are no complicated software issues to deal with whatsoever. As close to plug and play as one could hope for. Even the registration and updates are simplistic to implement.

OVERALL OPINION

The thing I like most about the Komplete Audio 6 is how well balanced all the features are. I do not worry about any part of the signal chain being weak in any way. My only gripe is the occasional crackling in non ASIO situations but then again I did not buy it for those and can always click on the internal sound solution if it really bothered me that bad. For the price you can not find a better built unit with such good all around functionality. If you needs require more ins there are better options but if you are a solo recording artist under a real world budget there is no choice I could find that was better suited to what I wanted. The sound is very true and I would buy it again after my experience with the unit. I previewed solutions from Focusrite, Stienberg, Roland, and Presonus in the under $300 range and this unit simply had a more balanced offering. Don't forget you get the Komplete plugin package also with the purchase which was a more useable freebie to me. All in all this was money well spent.

It has 6 channels in this USB Audio and MIDI interface by Native Instruments. It is the Komplete Audio 6, I know first hand that Native Instruments makes some quality gear and mainly software that’s why I knew that I had to get my hands on this interface. This interface has very low latency and high quality preamps. I used this on my PC that has Windows 7 installed on it and it didn’t cause any problems. It was rather easy to install and get up and running.


UTILIZATION

The interface has a mono input switch on it that can be used for vocals, and any mono sound you want to record. There are also LED’s on the interface that will show you if you are clipping. This is a good feature as well because some interfaces don’t show that you will have to rely on the DAW to let you know if you are clipping. When you purchase the Komplete Audio 6 it will come with Komplete Elements, Elements has over 3GB of sounds. Also if you don’t have a DAW it will come with Cubase LE which is awesome for your production because you can do basically everything with this award winning software. The drivers with Komplete Audio 6 are very stable and I have never updated them since I started using this interface.


GETTING STARTED

The Komplete Audio 6 did come with a manual but I don’t think I have ever even opened it. The set up of Audio 6 was super easy and all of the bonuses you get with this interface make it worth the money spent.


OVERALL OPINION

After you purchase this interface you will also get Traktor LE 2 and a 30 gift card to purchase anything you want from Native Instruments online store. All of that for just 230.00 dollars is crazy and makes it impossible to pass up. You are getting over 500.00 dollars worth of gear from 230! Native Instruments will always be one of my go to companies when I am looking to buy new gear.