Just received the MK3 keyboard - Feedback

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  • nightjar
    nightjar Member Posts: 1,322 Guru
    edited October 2023

    Day 3 Update on using S61MK3....

    HUGE improvement by reverting Kontakt 7 from 7.6.1 to 7.6

    Logic DAW control and plugin behavior now is working 100% as expected...

    Behavior using Kontakt 7.6.1 with Logic was actually pretty bad.

    But now, smooth and lots of fun.

  • Oscar Morante
    Oscar Morante Member Posts: 71 Helper

    I just got mine this morning. I've only played with it a little bit to make sure everything was working.

    First impressions: It's beautiful! The keybed is different and it will take some adjusting but it's very nice too :D Also no connectivity issues on usb-c apple silicon so far.

  • Tim_NI
    Tim_NI Product Team Posts: 52 mod

    So glad that you are enjoying your Kontrol Mk3s!

    The Kontakt team are aware of the 7.6.1 issue (which isn't specific to Kontrol Mk3) and working on a fix so watch out for that soon.

  • superwotan
    superwotan Member Posts: 24 Member
    edited October 2023

    I received my s88 MK3 and I am already on the edge of throwing it out of the window.

    The firmware update is not going well at all and I have tried different USB-C ports, extra usb c power cable, but nothing worked. The thing is that from what I understand you can,t use this piece of whatsoever without updating the firmware. Well thanks for that NI. Here comes the error message:

    Your KONTROL S MK3 failed to boot into firmware update mode and could not be properly updated. To boot your KONTROL S MK3 into firmware update mode, please power-cycle it and click RETRY

    Of course I tried over and over again, but I am close to sending it back. I need this to work tomorrow. I have submitted a ticket, so lets wait and see if they can fix it.

  • nightjar
    nightjar Member Posts: 1,322 Guru

    You might try doing 5 on/off power button cycles in a row… wait 3 seconds between each cycle

    this 5 times cycle puts it in a reset mode

  • superwotan
    superwotan Member Posts: 24 Member
    edited October 2023

    Yes I have tried that one as well.

    And you know what: I did spent another hour on a second computer and got the exact same issue.

    I am so disappointed. I mean the delivered firmware is 0.29 and it should be update to 1.5.3... in my world that tells you a lot.

    Anyways, I have decided to cancel my purchase and reclaim a refund as I do not have the time and nerves to spent another day or 2 on this.


    Just for info: I am running on Win 11.

  • Chris_NI
    Chris_NI Product Team Posts: 53 mod

    Hi @superwotan ,

    I'm really sorry to hear you had such a bad experience.

    Out of curiosity what is the specs of your PC? is it a custom built computer? which processor do you have?

    Just for completion there are a number of things you could try next time:

    • Plugging the HOST USB-C cable into different ports on the computer (especially for Windows)
    • Use a USB-C hub for HOST USB-C cable (Between the keyboard and your computer)
    • Using the USB-C PSU plugged into the power only port (while the other HOST is connected to your computer)

    IF those do not work, you can put the keyboard into recovery mode.

    Recovery mode; this is taken from our Knowledge base page which is updated daily with any new troubleshooting tips we identify https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/14229160390045

    Power cycle the keyboard 5 times. At the 5th time, the recovery screen should appear and you can re-update the controller. In order to power cycle, turn on the device, wait 2-3 seconds and then turn it off again. Please repeat this 5 times. If you receive a prompt during this process to allow the connection, please allow

  • superwotan
    superwotan Member Posts: 24 Member
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/101640#Comment_101640

    Hi Chris,

    I tried all the steps from your "trouble with firmware update side", at least 5 times. Although I have to confess that I don not own a USB-Hub and when I order the S88 MK3 for 1299 EUR it does not say that I would need to purchase that extra device. So if NI is willing to send me such a device I will happily test it. Although I tried all the other steps on 2 different computers I doubt that this will help but I'll try if you send me the correct device.

    I have 12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-12900K  3.20 GHz; 64 GB RAM, Win 11 Pro and it was build by MIFCOM GmbH. I have 3 USB C inputs on the one computer (all tested with the same result), and for on my laptop (all tested with same result). I tested as well to use extra power USB-C in the other USB-C output only for power => same result.

    Now I have to connect an old device of mine to be able to work on it and I don't have the time to go through these things. I am super disapointed that you delivered such a bad firmware and instead of updating it first before delivering out to the customers for me is once again a strategy that more and more companies use:

    "out to customer with the device, it doesn't matter if it works, let the customer find out what problems there are and then we can fix it".

  • superwotan
    superwotan Member Posts: 24 Member

    Hi again Chirs,

    I mentioned in the submitted ticket, that I would like to cancel my order. Is this the right way to go? Or is there a specific email adress I have to use? I assume that UPS or other forwarder will collect the package and I will get a full refund correct?

  • Babrekulf
    Babrekulf Member Posts: 18 Member

    The Stop-button behavior is not working as expected in Ableton Live, same for me.

  • Torsten 2023
    Torsten 2023 Member Posts: 10 Member
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/101608#Comment_101608

    Hey Superwotan,

    I have to smile a bit because I have exactly the same problem. But even with all my lack of understanding towards Native Instruments, how they let such a high priced device go half-finished on the customers, I have now ordered a USB -C Hub and will try it out tomorrow. If the firmware update works then, I'll let you know. Maybe you wait a while with your return, because with all the annoyance and frustration, the device and the functions are really promising.

  • superwotan
    superwotan Member Posts: 24 Member
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/101724#Comment_101724

    Great thank you for your effort. I am courious how this will turn out. I actually found one USB-C hub and it didn't work for me. But I am not sure if the one I had meets all the necessary critiria. So I keep my fingers crossed that yours will work. Do you think you will get your money back from NI for the USB hub? Either if it works or not, it is YOUR money that you have to spent to make NI device work. I thin the least NI could do is paying for this USB hub. Anyways it might be a good idea to include an functional USB hub in the whole MK3 package.

    To be honest I do not think that it will work. All the steps discribed by NI sound to me more like "Have you tried turn off your computer and turn it on again?" The shipping of the S MK3 Series has just begone and I am quite sure that there will be many more frustrated users during the next weeks/months.

    But please keep me posted on this.

  • superwotan
    superwotan Member Posts: 24 Member


    have you read this post: S61 MK3 bricked by firmware update (unfortunately I am not allowed to post links but you should find it by searching the community.

    But the response from another user was that:

    Problem most likely is that you have been sent a demo version of the keyboard that, judging from a recent post by another user, is not compatible with the firmware update. In fact anybody receiving the keyboard before october 17 has been sent the keyboard by a mistake or by negligence!


    Both you and I could have received the same kind of keyboard which will never work...

    But it is not easy to get in touch with the support. But this is hillarious. Really if it wasn't about 1299 EUR I would laugh, but still I have tears in my eyes and want to get this fixed.

  • nightjar
    nightjar Member Posts: 1,322 Guru

    superwotan... If you know someone with a Mac computer, trying an update on it might be a way to get over this initial firmware hump. Reports are that this particular firmware fail is more of a Windows issue.

    With my S61MK3, I did have an error message at the end of updating the initial firmware (I'm on macOS), but the firmware actually DID get updated to 1.5.3 on first try.

    Hope you have an option to try this, the MK3 has LOTS of road ahead for good things to evolve.

  • superwotan
    superwotan Member Posts: 24 Member
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/101762#Comment_101762


    Sorry me and my friends are all on Win 11. And now I am trying to get in touch with the support directly (phone, email) but I can#t find any contact details, besides "submit a ticket"... what a disaster

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