Native Instruments cable goes bad?

Question

Lately my Kontrol S61 will often be shown as "unknown device," and just not work. I'm using the USB C cable it came with, which has never been messed with. It's been sitting in my home studio, hooked up to the same computer since I got it. I tried another USB C cable and it was the same thing. Different ports did nothing. Finally, I tried a Thunderbolt cable after nothing else I tried would fix it, and that did the trick. Why is this happening?

PoorFellow · Answer

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/50998/native-instruments-cable-goes-bad

In addition to what LostInFoundation wrote then I can supply this quote :

Quote  Matthew_NI , December 10 , 2024 :

I suspect it has nothing to do with cables.

I can see in @adambrower 's forum profile (M1 Mac mini)  he has a particular chipset that may be problematic per what I'll paste below. The symptom he describes is exactly this (MIDI is sending properly (to the DAW) but the USB protocol for K and KK integration are not).

USB-C Connectivity Issue:

Problem:
Some computer chipsets made between 2020 and 2023 have a known USB-C error that can't be fixed. This can cause sporadic problems with USB-C peripherals like the Kontrol S MK3, including connection

failures, freezing, or issues with firmware updates. It may appear that certain cables work and others do not, but this is a red herring.

Solution:
If you experience these issues, try using a USB-C hub between your Kontrol S MK3 and your computer. This can help avoid the problem and ensure a stable connection. This is critically important during firmware updates, as data loss could cause broken firmware. Make sure the hub supports both power and data transfer.

.

I myself agree though that using the passive Thunderbolt 3/4 cable of good quality has showed to be the solution for a number of people.  However then as per what Matthew_NI writes then the cable issue probably mostly serve to highlight some hidden USB issues not see though for users.

.

LostInFoundation · Answer

In the early days of Kontrol keyboards many were reporting connection issues. NI answered that the problem was with  the ports on the computers and a typical suggestion was to use an usb hub in between (or try with another port on the computer).

I don’t know where we are at today, but if you have an usb hub laying around you could give it a try.

Or simply stick with the Thunderbolt cable solution you already found