S4 MK2 - Only left output working (playing mono)

emezez

I bought a second-hand S4 MK2 with a transferred Traktor Pro 3 license.

Immediately, meaning from a fresh install, it only plays through the left output channel (both jack and RCA). It seems to be a mono signal coming through the left channel, while headphones channel is stereo.

I've tried everything on two working audio setups with different speakers, computers, and both windows 10 and 11. Settings are out of the box, so it can't be some manually set thing.

I can't count the number of times I've re-installed,

The first time I re-installed, I removed all leftover NI/Traktor files and folders and cleaned the windows registry, and miraculously it started playing out of the right speaker but at much lower volume. However, I made it work by turning down the volume on the left speaker. Alas next time I turned on the computer, the problem was back. I've tried the above procedure numerous times without any luck.

All of the above tells me I'm having either a hardware problem or a firmware problem. My idea is to roll back the firmware and drivers to initial versions, and then update everything in the correct sequence. I've suggested this to NI-support but they don't reply regarding rollback of firmware and drivers. They had me installl an earlier version of the controller editor - it didn't fix anything.

So my questions are the following:

1. Is there a way to rollback the firmware/drivers?
2. Could previous owners have played with mappings that affect the output - so that it is stuck in Mono through the left channel?
3. is it even possible to sutomise mapping of the output?
4. does anyone have any experience with this problem or proposed solutions

The controller works fine as a traktor controller with an external AI.

Any advice is appreciated, but please don't ask me to change cables and such. I've already been through all that.

Thanks in advance :)

Markovicz

Hi @emezez,

you have actually performed sufficient troubleshooting in order to nail this down to a hardware issue:

"I've tried everything on two working audio setups with different speakers, computers, and both windows 10 and 11. Settings are out of the box, so it can't be some manually set thing."

Testing hardware on a different computer is the best way to differentiate hardware- from software-related issues. When the problematic behavior persists on another system, it's in 99 out of 100 cases the unit that carries the flaw. If it doesn't, it's clear that settings on the primary computer cause the problem (incl. compatibility issues).

So I saw that a colleague from our Hardware Support team has contacted you already, so we can consider this thread closed.

PS On your questions:

1. Drivers can be downgraded, firmware cannot.
2. It's not possible to mess up routing via mapping at all.
3. Mapping adjustments do not 'jump' to another computer via the hardware - only if the settings file is being migrated.

VESICA

I have a similar issue with an S2 Mk2, where it was stopped working after a system update (OS Mojave to OS Monterey), and now is only coming out of the left channel. After reinstalling Traktor and trouble shooting with different computers and different hardware, the problem was isolated to the unit itself. Probably a hardware issue aka either the headphone jack itself or the soldering connection being loose.

I would like to replace the headphone audio jack. My question: Is that doable, and would you know of any technicians in the San Francisco Bayarea making such repairs? Thank You very much for your assistance in this matter.