S3 MK3 output volume master low, and low headphone volume

EXACT same issue here with a brand new Kontrol S4 mk3, only 2 months old. Used to sound very clean, crisp and loud, started clipping already at less than 50% main volume. Now i have to crank the master to 100% and it still doesn't clip, the bass is almost gone and it sounds noticeably more shallow and thin. I made a support ticket for a repair but I don't know if it's a HW or SW issue…this thing cost me 850 euros and have only used it on and off for two months. Haven't even used it more than ten fifteen times. I mean ******???

Hi mate, thanks for your response. But with respect to any kind of outside or inside knowledge you may have, it worked for weeks without any further updates, then suddenly it doesn't. In my case also the sound quality has gone to ****, sounds like a cheap cassette player with too much treble, no lows and harsh mids. That's not normal mate and sounds rather like a soundcard or amplifier issue. I've heard that kind of power-stage failures before and it sounds eerily like that. Which is weird because to my knowledge, the device has never once been overloaded at all. I'll check updates and drivers again but tmk they are up to date and have been for some time.

They will have to look into my case because i filed for a repair or exchange, otherwise i want my money back. You mention a firmware change? My firmware has been up to date since the date of purchase and until yesterday the unit played fine, then suddenly the sound has gone to *** while i haven't even used it more than ten or fifteen times in two months. There has been NO change to this unit, not software nor hardware-wise so it can hardly be a coding error, then i would have had the issue from day one, not two months later. Everything is up to date, there has been no driver update, no software update and no firmware update since i purchased it, and everything worked when it got installed. Must be hardware, at least in my case. So perhaps it isn't the same issue as you are having.

I do hope this information is useful

Quote regarding the Firmware update

"Hey @Quade ! Hope you've been well. Thanks for getting back, and thanks for your patience - we've been waiting on some updates.

it sounds like the firmware update should be released soon, but I know we've already said this a few times.. also, just to set some expectations on what would *most likely* be expected in this next update release, would be the following:

Finally, after 4.5 months, we have new firmware that will hopefully soon be released to the public:

• S2 MK3 old MCU version
• S3 old MCU version

In addition, the new MCU firmware will be available for newly made controllers:

• S2 MK3 new MCU version
• S3 new MCU version

All firmware will have the new main and headphone volume profile and the correct headphone signal polarity.

This doesn't mean, necessarily, that there will be a louder output volume. And this is something that I might have misinterpreted, and I apologize for that. It's my understanding the firmware update will address some issues with how linear the volume curve is for the Main Out. Here is some more of what I've heard:

• There is nothing we can do to increase the volume of class 2 devices beyond their specification (ie. S2 MK3 / S3)
• another aspect of this is that the S2/S3 can be used with TRAKTOR or with other SW.
• With TRAKTOR the output volume is fully controlled via the Volume knob on the S2/S3.
• With other SW using the class-compliant drivers, the maximum volume is also controlled via the computer's volume setting. So if there are complaints, some may be related to users ignoring that the computer's volume setting is limiting the max volume output in their specific constellation.

I really appreciate your patience through this, and I hope this brings a little bit of clarity. Let me know if you have any questions."

Mac OS

https://www.native-instruments.com/fileadmin/drivers/audiohardware/TKS3_FWUpdater_120_Mac.zip

Windows

https://www.native-instruments.com/fileadmin/drivers/audiohardware/TKS3_FWUpdater_120_Win.zip

Firmware Update Info

https://www.native-instruments.com/?eID=extbase&extensionName=NiServiceCenter&pluginName=niservicecenter&controllerName=Download&actionName=readme&entry=4627