Focusrite VS Komplete (Sound Card)

  • Hey, I want to switch my discontinued piece of trash lexicon IO22 with a new soundcard that has 4 inputs (for mic, kemper, and DI) and some spdif, and some extra line outs for reamping.

    I was looking around and found two that i liked, The Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, and the Native Instruments Komplete 6 mkii.

    I would basically like to get the Komplete 6 for the slick design, but I wanna make sure im not compramising on lower quality pre-amps.

    What do you guys think, you have any suggestions?

    I want to get the one with best preamps I can find.

    *also theres the new SSL2+, which should be marvolous, but it doesnt have spdif, and the only extra outs it has is RCA, which from what i know is shit, and I cant reamp with it in quality.

  • Native Instruments interfaces should be the winners of "crappiest interfaces ever" ... especially for one reason:

    Direct Monitoring is laughable. You can only monitor either inputs 1/2 or inputs 3/4, not even all of them at the same time ... and there's no direct monitoring for the S/PDIF inputs (5/6)! Stay away from this crap. ;)

  • My thoughts are that in this price range, they all have flaws unfortunately: bad sounds through headphones/not stable/etc. I also think no SPDIF shouldn't be a deal breaker - using the main inputs is just fine really. Also it's anecdotal but I've had a Komplete that was quite surprisingly the most stable interface I ever used.

  • i have the 6i6 and works perfect with my Axefx 3 and the Kemper Stage,zero issues.

    Guitar: Fender Strat HSS<3 Schecter Custom Solo II

    Signal Chain: Kemper->AxeFX 3>Neural QC>Apollo Twin->M-Audio Monitors

    Computer:Mac Studio

  • I have Komplete Audio 6, and I don't think I have ever had stability issues with it. Can't say anything good or bad about sound quality, as I don't have a trained ear :)

    The only annoying thing, that happened to me very often, is it will not establish connection with my macbook when hot plugging it, so I had to reconnect cable several times. But this could be due to crappy Belkin cables.


    Native Instruments interfaces should be the winners of "crappiest interfaces ever" ... especially for one reason:

    Direct Monitoring is laughable. You can only monitor either inputs 1/2 or inputs 3/4, not even all of them at the same time ... and there's no direct monitoring for the S/PDIF inputs (5/6)! Stay away from this crap. ;)

    With Komplete Audio 6 you can only monitor inputs 1/2, through either outputs 1/2, 3/4 or both (at least mk1), so it's kinda worse :)

    I wonder if 6i6 has more direct monitoring versatility?

  • I like NI Komplete software but, interface wise, I had one from them a few years back. On my system at the time, I couldn’t get it useable.


    I’ve had a couple of Focusrite interfaces over the years (including my current Clarett) and they’ve been great. I have had issues but here’s where the difference really stood out. Focusrite tech support were available over the phone, NI were tickets that took a while and told me to read the manual.


    That experience is from a few years back so they may have improved and lots of positive stories out there with the interfaces. With any interface, if it works with your system, it works. That’s the most important thing followed by ‘who helps when it doesn’t work’. IMO of course.

  • Native Instruments interfaces should be the winners of "crappiest interfaces ever" ... especially for one reason:

    Direct Monitoring is laughable. You can only monitor either inputs 1/2 or inputs 3/4, not even all of them at the same time ... and there's no direct monitoring for the S/PDIF inputs (5/6)! Stay away from this crap. ;)

    I dont mind the direct monitoring acctualy, I monitor everything from my Daw. Wouldnt be the problem for me here.