User Manual
TROUBLESHOOTING
142
7.1 – AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT USB CABLES
We always recommend using the USB cables that shipped with your K-Mix. These cables were created to
ensure they meet the specs required for proper K-Mix operation. Sadly, not all USB cables are created equal.
If you are having troubles powering your K-Mix or connecting to a computer, please make sure you are using
the USB cables that came with your K-Mix.
We fully understand that it seems like using different USB cables shouldn’t matter, but it really can have a
drastic effect on operation, not just with K-Mix, but with all USB devices. We often encounter devices that
appear to not be functioning properly; very often the only thing needed is to swap out the USB cable for
another one.
7.2 – USB HUBS
It seems that available USB ports are a precious commodity these days. If you are affected by this USB port
scarcity issue, USB hubs are a great solution. There is just one important thing to remember when purchasing
and using a USB hub — there are unpowered hubs and powered hubs.
If you’re going to be plugging your K-Mix into a USB hub, it should always be a powered hub.
What’s the difference, you ask? The amount of power that will be available to your USB devices that are
connected to the hub.
A USB port is able to provide a specic amount of power on its own. USB 2.0 ports can typically provide up to
500mA of current (according to USB specications; many can actually provide more than this); USB 3.0 ports
can provide up to 900mA (though, again, many can provide more than this).
An unpowered hub can only draw power from the USB port it is plugged into. Plugging multiple devices into
the hub will split up the available power between each device. While this may be ne for devices that don’t
require much power (mice, most keyboards, etc.), it can cause problems for devices that require more power
(K-Mix, external hard drives, etc.). It’s quite likely that an unpowered hub will lead to connectivity issues with
your K-Mix, or cause your K-Mix to not even fully power up.
A powered hub uses an external power supply to provide each USB port on the hub with the same amount of
power as a port on your computer; power is not divided amongst the connected devices. Yes, you will have to
plug in another power supply to the wall, but you will ensure proper power to your connected devices. This will
make your K-Mix (and other devices) very happy.
7.3 – MAC MINI PHANTOM POWER & CONNECTIVITY ISSUES
During our testing of K-Mix we have occasionally encountered some minor connectivity issues involving
phantom power when connected to late-2014 Mac Mini computers.
THE ISSUE
When connected to a machine that exhibits this issue, enabling +48V phantom power on your K-Mix will
cause K-Mix’s audio/MIDI ports to briey disconnect. It does quickly reconnect, but that disconnect can lead
to some issues.
If you’re using the K-Mix Editor when this happens it will quickly return to the “Connect A K-Mix To
Edit” splash screen; you will be returned to the main editing window once the connection has been
reestablished.