What external hard drive to choose to store KOMPLETE Ultimate library ?

Hi,

I would like to get some hard drive references allowing good/best performances to store my Komplete 10 Ultimate library.
I'm working on two computers with some devices. Here is the configuration :

- Apple iMac 27" 2014 (256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, USB3/Thunderbolt 2)
- Apple MacBook Pro 15" 2010 (256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, USB2/Firewire 800)
- NI Komplete Audio 6 (USB)
- NI Maschine MK2 (USB)
- M-Audio Axiom 49 keybord (USB)
- USB hub (because my MBP only have 2 USB ports)

Today, Komplete Kontrol Library is installed on an old WD MyBook Studio 512GB hard drive.
I can use it in USB 2 as well as Firewire 800 but loading presets from Komplete instruments is too slow.

So what hard drive can you suggest me to get better loading performance.
Should I get a 512GB SSD ?, a SSHD can be ok ? Should I use a 3.5 hard drive due to power supply issue with USB hubs (2.5 are USB powered) ?

Feel free to advise me !

Thanks !

 

You will get most speed using a SSD. And it's the most expensive pr GB.

A hybrid drive only have a little flash memory. I think it's overall are faster than a pure mechanical harddrive, but if it's enough for you i can't tell.

 

The best solution is a 512 GB Thunderbolt SSD, but these are very pricey. Fact is, good performance can only be achieved with a SSD, because we are talking about huge samples, where a hybrid drive doesn't help, but USB doesn't support Trim, so I would choose Thunderbolt.

The problem is your Macbook ... USB 2 is much too slow and Thunderbolt not supported. Here a larger internal SSD is the way to go ... that's what I would choose for both Macs.

 

Its better to store your sample libraries on an external Hard drive as opposed to your internal drive as you will have better performance with the reading of the samples.

But you can also store them on your internal drive if that is your only option right now. But maybe aim to move them onto an external drive.

Firewire and Thunderbolt are excellent options, as they have better bandwidth throughput than USB3.0, but USB3.0 will still work well as storage area for your sample libraries. As options for external drives I would recommend LaCie drives.

 

Though this is a good advice, it's not always true. The speed of the internal SSD of my Macbook Pro for example is hard to beat.

 

The above statement may be true, but moving large sample libraries onto an external drive will improve your "realtime performance" - which is critical for your DAW to run optimally. I have a project at the moment that overloads my CPU, if you just look at the screen, but my CPU actually has 70% free to do work. I moved the project (with samples) onto an external, older, USB 2.0 drive to test it. The project plays back at 1/3 CPU on the meter in Maschine now, instead of maximum. My internal is also an SSD.

The fact remains, one drive to read, one drive to write, plugins on your main internal, samples on your external = best.

That said, stick to a 7,200 RPM (or SSD) external and aim for Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 connectivity.

In fact, I am online at this late hour researching external solutions for that exact reason.

 

As I said above ... that might be a general rule especially for Windows systems and cheap internal SSDs, but it's definitely untrue for a modern Macbook Pro ... the speed of these internal SSDs is unbeatable.

And keep in mind, that the older Macs we're talking about above have no thunderbolt and only USB 2.0, so a fast internal SSD is the only way to go there. USB 2 is too slow and USB doesn't support Trim!

 

I'm on a 2015 MacBook Pro with max specs and a TB SSD, and the above a scenario is still true. The drive is extremely fast, and I am not arguing that.

The fact remains, moving samples onto an external allows for more/faster realtime processing.

 

I'm no expert. That's just my experience.

 

And your external SSD is which one?

 

I'm thinking we have a small case of online disconnect No big deal. My internal is an SSD. The drive I ported my samples over to, externally, to boost my realtime performance - a slow USB 2.0, 5,400 RPM drive.

So my home test showed better playback of 67 channels of audio/midi with no glitching, and a lower read on my CPU meter (by far) than just storing my entire K10U library on the internal SSD and playing from there.

Does that make more sense? I am advocating the OP not install his/her entire K10U on his internal drive, even if it is a new SSD macbook Pro (like mine) because I think it's still better to have your plugin installed to your main drive and your libraries externally. I am looking at a 7,200 RPM thunderbolt external at the moment.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GDriveEV-ATCT

 

No absolutely not, because USB 2 is too slow for K10's sample libraries. I did that on my old Sony notebook and the overall performance was a pure nightmare, and I don't mean only initial loading times, but also recording performance. A good example are the Abbey Road drums. So I had to buy an eSATA drive to solve this bottelneck.

On my 2014 Macbook Pro Retina everything is on the internal SSD and the overall performance is fantastic, though the old Sony also had an i7 CPU.

 

I am messaging to this old thread. Will you guys recommend:

Samsung T3 Portable Solid State Drive, MU-PT250B/AM, External, USB 3.1 Host Interface, Black/Silver

http://www.staples.com/Samsung-T3-P...DXSWZ6TBQy5DS8wPsB3f-AbC1UX_498ZCPxoCFyfw_wcB

 

USB doesn't support Trim, so it's very likely, that such drives become much slower over time, except when they are used as a sample library only. The more writes, the slower over time without Trim.

PS: Regarding SSD quality. hexk reviews in online computer magazines ... some Samsung drives had firmware issues, especially the cheaper models. I bought a Evo 850 Pro and have no issues. But I use Thunderbolt with Trim!

 

T

Thank you for your reply. I did not know about trim.

It seems like for the newer models Trim feature is not important as it used to be. All the old articles emphasis on trim.

https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/990840-how-important-is-ssd-trim

 

hi guys i just made a new thread regarding some things in this post, then i ran across this post

So 8gb of ram is enough to run Ableton and Komplete ultimate? i've got 250 gb internal storage with about 90 gb left and was planning on a external usb 3.0 hd with a couple of tb(the thunderbolt too pricey) storing my library on there

it's a 2015 MacBook retina, somebody was telling me that i need at least 16gb ram, is that true?

 

Finally, I got fast USB 3.0 external hard drive for a good price at my Apple Store.
This is a G-Technology 4TB 3.5 USB3 external device (max speed 245 Mo/s and it works really with my iMac, lower with my MBP due to the USB2 interface but better than any WD or Lacie devices) (http://www.apple.com/fr/shop/go/pro...2021d2-e0a6-4730-bff0-d8dac43e0830&aosid=p238). Really awesome product !

@Artcutech In fact it works fine with only 8GB of RAM.
All my Ableton projects contain more than 10 Komplete instruments instances & effects.
I didn't figure out any issue. Keep in mind this is not true with Logic Pro X and that's why I switched to Ableton
One more thing, I moved all my libraries to the external hard drive: Komplete Ultimate & Ableton Suite.
I's really easy with Ableton but a pain in the ass with Native libraries (and I recommend you to uninstall everything and make a clean install)

 

I had a similar question since getting 11 Ultimate:
Is there a disadvantage to keeping the library on the hard drive it came with?

 

I use external RAID array running striped and mirrored. This gives hdd a near ssd speed for loading samples and realtime backup so safe way to keep multiple sample libs in one place safely.

 

I'm curious about this topic today, as my new Mac mini is on the way. They claim my new 2TB SSD will read at 2000 and write 3000, which makes me revisit the setup. I have enough internal space now to place my entire K12 sample library, all third-party NKS files, Ableton suite files, etc - internally.

I have only one external SSD (1tb G-technology), a 7,200 RPM tb external (also G-tech) and my time machine 8TB glyph black box pro. I wonder if (given the new technology) I'd even have a glitch if all source samples were installed internally on the main drive.

Would it still be advisable to load samples externally, even though my external SSD has slower speeds?

How about a "write" drive to store project files and record to (like cache folder, temp recording bin, etc) - is that still recommended? A friend says that now the drives are so fast, I should just plan on recording to project files on the internal SSD, housing all samples there, and just forgetting my externals. Is he getting a bit too ahead of himself there, or is he actually right?

The new Mini has the 6-core i7 (faster option CPU) with 32Gigs RAM and the 2TB SSD. It seems (on paper) to be 60% more CPU that my laptop, 2x the ram, and 2x the hard drive space (with faster speeds across all components) so maybe he's actually onto something. I just don't want to load my new machine up, fresh and shiny, and have Maschine glitch bc I put everything internally.

Alternately, if somehow using my G-Tech external SSD via a USB 3.0 connection will somehow be SLOWER than just loading K12/Maschine libraries on the internal, I'd hate to inadvertently slow down this new setup!

I looked at the numbers, and it's baffling. You can get TWO Glyph Black Box Pro drives (7,200 RPM with constant 220 speeds) in 2,3 or 4 TB sizes for 3-400 for the PAIR. It definitely seems worth investigating, for example: loading all samples to a glyph and then configuring all recording/projects/temp/cache setups to a different glyph, and only housing the applications on that new Mini SSD. Would that be slower/faster than just having everything inside on that one FAST drive? I'm not an expert here at all...

I appreciate the thoughts, as always!