Hardware/controllers used: Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S2 MK3
Summary of the issue:
When playing audio through the external controller’s audio interface, the sound occasionally skips or stutters. This glitch is audible on both the master output and the headphones output. At the same time, the following error message appears in the console, related to djay Pro:
HALC_ProxyIOContext::IOWorkLoop: skipping cycle due to overload
This problem disrupts playback and makes live performance unreliable.
How to reproduce the issue:
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to identify a specific sequence of steps that consistently reproduces the issue, as it appears intermittently.
Hi @kebou, sorry for the delayed reply. Are you still experiencing this issue? We were unable to replicate this issue on our devices. However, here are some suggestions to try:
Check your USB connection:
a. Try a different USB cable (ideally a high quality one with dual ferrites on either end).
b. Try a different USB socket on your MacBook.
c. If you are using a USB hub or adapter, try connecting directly between your controller and Mac instead to eliminate additional connection and failure points.
Check for Background CPU Load Spikes:
a. The HAL error (skipping cycle due to overload) indicates the audio processing couldn’t complete in time, often due to: High CPU load or Thermal throttling.
b. Open Activity Monitor during a session and watch for CPU spikes.
c. Disable background apps (iCloud or TimeMachine backups, Dropbox, Spotlight indexing, etc.).
d. Ensure no energy-saving settings (like “App Nap”) are affecting djay or the NI audio driver.
Increase Audio Buffer Size:
a. A low buffer size can cause dropouts.
b. Check the NI Control Panel driver settings for your Traktor Kontrol S2 MK3 where buffer size (latency) can be adjusted. Increase the buffer size and retest.
Thank you very much for your detailed response – I really appreciate it.
In the meantime, I’ve done quite a bit of investigation myself, digging through logs and testing different configurations. It turns out that the issue was caused by the USB-B to USB-C cable I was using (specifically, an UDG USB-B to USB-C cable). It seems that the connection between the controller and the Mac drops momentarily, which causes the Mac to reinitialize the device. The error shown in djay Pro appears to be just a symptom of this disconnection, not a bug in the software itself.
This was quite surprising to me, as the UDG cable is not a cheap one and is marketed specifically for professional audio use.
When I switched back to the original NI USB-A to USB-B cable (using it through a USB-A to USB-C adapter), the problem disappeared entirely — everything works reliably.
I was hoping to eliminate the dongle and connect the controller directly to the Mac via USB-C. Do you happen to have any recommendations or experience with USB-C cables that are known to work reliably with Traktor controllers?
You’re welcome @kebou. I’ve personally been using the Chroma Cables by DJ TechTools for well over a decade. I highly recommend them. Even though your USB-A to C adapter is working for you right now, I’d recommend trying to eliminate it if possible to remove additional connections and failure points. I hope that helps!
