Xone K2 issue

[Siasia]

Hi everyone
Below is the content of the email I sent to A&H support. Maybe someone is experiencing similar issues?

‘I have been a user of Xone K2 controllers since 2015 and, since 2017, also of the Px5 mixer. The equipment is constantly with me on the road, and I practically use it every weekend for my performances. Over several years of use, I struggled with many hardware problems, but over a year ago, after switching to a USB-only setup, my gear started working without any issues.

At the end of July this year, I bought a new MacBook Air M3 with macOS 14.5 (previously, I used an Air with an i3 processor). I also upgraded to the new Traktor Pro 4 (previously Pro 3). The equipment is connected similarly to my previous setup, meaning: the mixer is plugged directly into the USB-C port of the laptop, and the other USB port on the laptop is connected to a hub with 3 USB-A 3.0 ports, to which I have connected: one K2 controller, the second K2 controller (both with firmware v2.5.0), and the Maschine MK3.

During my first performance using the new computer and software, I encountered a problem with one of the controllers three times over the course of six hours of playing. It would randomly shut off and stop responding to any commands. Only after unplugging it and reconnecting did it start working again. For several more gigs, everything worked flawlessly until last weekend, when after about two hours of playing, one of the controllers again stopped working. Despite disconnecting and reconnecting it, the problem kept recurring every few minutes, which was extremely frustrating.

In my old setup, such things were common when I used the X-link connection between the controllers and the mixer. However, when I switched to a USB-only connection, the problem completely disappeared. That’s why I’m worried that the issue has returned now, even with the USB connection.

I should add that the problem always occurs with just one of the controllers, always the one that has the MIDI channel set to 1. I noticed that the hub I am using only has 3.0 ports. In my old setup, I used 2.0 ports. Could this be causing the problem? I’m frustrated with the situation and hoping to find a solution’.

At the beginning of my experience with this setup, I used an x-link connection between the mixer and the controllers. However, over time, a clear issue with powering the second controller started to appear. The solution at the time was to connect additional USB cables to the controllers, powered by a power strip. Now I’m considering returning to that solution.

Any ideas?

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