Advise on Audio Interface - Focusrite 6i6 or Komplete Audio 6

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Shireesh

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Dear All,

I am new to working with audio interfaces.Based on the reviews I have narrowed my choice between Foucsrite Scarlett 6i6 and NI Komplete Audio 6.

The available specifications for both these products are confusing,I could not find feature by feature comparison.
Focusrite provides tabulated specs in easy to understand manner on their website whereas Native Instruments specification is very basic and I am not able to decide which one to go for.

There are many old threads which compare Audio 6 with Scarlett 2i2 but none I see talking about
Scarlett 6i6 vs Audio 6

Please share your valuable suggestions to help me go ahead with my setup.
 
Komplete : Audio Interfaces : Komplete Audio 6 : Specifications | Products

I know the KA6 inside out. Bear with whilst I seek the 6i6 but I think it lacks some connectivity?

Apologies to F'rite! It has exactly the same connectivity as my KA6! The 6i6 does have two, independently controlled headphone out but since there is only one of me, no matter!

The KA6 is (and can only be) bus powered, the 6i6 can only be rat powered. This might impinge on location work perhaps but not a lot? STILL have to charge a laptop!

The crunch issue could be latency. If you want an interface that has the very lowest, go NI.



Dave.
 
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Thanks for the comparison chart Tadpui, Thanks Dave for your response.

I have a question here. Isn't rat powered device better than bus power in terms of power as I have experienced USB glitches sometimes when the power draw is high. I have also read that the rat powered 6i6 makes it suitable for use of an iPad with Apple Camera connection kit.

I wish to have some more views on 6i6 as this is a newer audio interface providing equivalent features as NI in terms of I/O and what else ?
Going by several reviews I get an impression that to get optimum results from NI, one may have to go through lot of troubleshooting so unless one is a determined user It could easily put one off..
 
Shireesh said:
Thanks for the comparison chart Tadpui, Thanks Dave for your response.

I have a question here. Isn't rat powered device better than bus power in terms of power as I have experienced USB glitches sometimes when the power draw is high. I have also read that the rat powered 6i6 makes it suitable for use of an iPad with Apple Camera connection kit.

I wish to have some more views on 6i6 as this is a newer audio interface providing equivalent features as NI in terms of I/O and what else ?
Going by several reviews I get an impression that to get optimum results from NI, one may have to go through lot of troubleshooting so unless one is a determined user It could easily put one off..
Click to expand...

The bus power aspect of the KA6 has never bothered me or been of any concern except on ONE 10yr old very cheap PC which would not power it from the front USB ports but to be fair to the KA6 I also had the PC tell me it could not power certain USB sticks from there either! If I used a MOBO connected port on the back, no problem.

As to driver/setup issues? Nary a one! That ^ PC was a 3G P4 running XP Home, no probbs.
I have used the KA6 on a W7 HP 2.7g 2core W7/64,
This Asus home build AMD 6 core 3.5G Black W7/64
HP laptop i3 W7/64
Toshiba laptop Vista(!) bizz. Can't recall the specc other than 3G ram and not as pokey as the HP i3.
And another XP pro machine I don't have the speccs handy for.

I loaned my KA6 to a guy for a month who tried it on Linux then bought one!

I have had reports from those strange mac peeps that the AI is fine there.

I can say, H on H, that I have never had such an "unfussy" AI or indeed any piece of USB hardware I can recall. I just plug it into whatever and Windows does not even "install" it. I just go to any of 1/2 doz' DAW softwares and there is the KA6 in the list. In other words it is as solid as my steam powered PCI 2496 cards!

Last Christmas I ran the AI using a crossed pair of AKG P150s on bands at a jam night at the local Labour club. Bus powered from the (mostly battery powered) HPi3 laptop I recorded some 3 hours of songs without any issues at all.

But the 6i6 is fine too I am sure!

Dave.
 
Shireesh said:
Thanks for your time and help Dave,

I have decided to go with 6i6 as that appears a better option for me.

I read a post that sorted my concern about power :

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/new...os-cons-usb-bus-powered-vs-power-adapter.html
Click to expand...

Ok, well I wish you well with it, I think you will find it an excellent device.

Re the guy on about AC powered AIs? Yes, rat powered AIs CAN give you all these advantages, greater headphone drive etc. Does not meant they DO!

Generally makers go over to rat power when the I/O count goes past about 4in 4 out.

Dave.
 
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