Is a usb-3.0 connection to komplete 15 libraries on an external HD gonna be too slow?

David Lanham · October 5

Hello community.

I have just purchased a Kontrol S88 and Komplete 15 Ultimate. I use Logic on an Apple M1 with a J5create dock to handle much of my cabling. I have the Control S88 going straight into the back of the M1 (thru usb c) and I want to put all the Komplete 15 Libraries onto an external hard drive. I am out of usb c ports on the M1 AND on the dock, but I have a usb 3.0 port on the dock I can use for the external drive. Will this be too slow to smoothly source the libraries? The J5create dock goes into the M1 through a usb c. Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you.

PoorFellow · October 7

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/182495#Comment_182495

My guess is that it will depend on both your own expectations and on the products involved. Also then things apparently can be a little more complicated with respect to trying to answer your question with any certainty that one might imagine. Try reading this comment om SuperUser. (Ref. Question : "Real life speed difference between USB 3 and USB-C?")

Also then in contradiction to what one might otherwise think then the expression USB-C apparently is more about a physical description of the port. The actual speed of the port depends on the USB electrical protocol specification of the hardware.

If you are not confused enough yet then try reading this : What is USB-C?
USB Type-C (or USB-C) is a physical USB connector format introduced alongside the USB 3.1 spec in late 2014. Though released in tandem, and complementary to each other in many ways, the two specs are separate, with USB 3.1 defining the software and electrical protocols and Type-C defining the physical characteristics of a new connector and cable.

Reference :

DataPro's USB-C Guide and FAQ
DataPro's USB 3 Guide and FAQ
DataPro's USB Guide and FAQ

USB Port Types and Speeds Compared - Eaton

USB Decoded: All the Specs and Version Numbers (Tom's Hardware)
USB - Wikipedia
USB-C - Wikipedia
USB 3.0 - Wikipedia
USB hardware - Wikipedia

P.S. : Also I am not entirely sure of all the specifics but I know that at least sometimes then if you connect more devices to the same port at one time then the maximum speed of the port could be defined by that of the devices connected which has the slowest speed.

BIF · October 6

I'm cautiously optimistic that you should be fine. Is the external hard drive SSD? Or a spinner HDD? Either way, it shouldn't matter, except to bear in mind that if that drive is an HDD, it will have a minimum of two physical motors (one for the platter and one for the heads), so then you may need to provide it with external power. If it's SSD, then you should be fine because it's going to get its power from the USB bus.

PoorFellow · October 6

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/36962/is-a-usb-3-0-connection-to-komplete-15-libraries-on-an-external-hd-gonna-be-too-slow

Mechanical drives are inherently slow for the use at very least you will need a SSD drive (Sata or NVME) as already suggested by BIF.

David Lanham · October 6

What I'm most concerned about is a data flow bottleneck at the usb 3.0 connection. Would the movement of data to/from the ssd external through the usb 3.0 be fast enough to allow smooth use with my S88? Or should I try to have all usb cabling be USB c?

PoorFellow · October 7