MIDI control keeps dropping w/ Cubase 8.5 & M-Audio Code 49

Ok - this is happening consistently now. After about 15-20 minutes of browsing through midi instrument patches (or anything midi) - I completely lose my midi control using my M-Audio Code 49. The only way to get it to work again is to restart Cubase. I’ve tried to reset midi under the MIDI menu in Cubase - no luck. Unplug/Replug in the controller - no luck

I’ve updated the firmware on the M-Audio to the latest - issue still occurs in Cubase.

Any solution on how to get this to work consistently without having to restart Cubase?

My Specs

Windows 10 64-bit updated to latest patches
M-Audio Code 49 (Plugged into USB 2.0 on motherboard)
Asus X99 Pro Motherboard (to latest firmware)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 (latest Firmware
Cubase 8.5 Pro (8.5.15 Build 126 (64-Bit) Feb 17 2016)

Any help would be much appreciated


RME Fireface 400

You can actually hear the MIDI drop - it has a crackle like sound and then it no longer functions. Prior to it going out you can see the midi signals within Cubase being triggered, as well as in the Groove Agent instrument/etc. But as soon as it drops, the signal is gone and your get no response at all.

The only way to get it working again is to close Cubase and re-open it. Very annoying as this is consistently happening.

Any ideas?