Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK2 DJ Controller

Before I start, a little background. I have been messing around with DJing for about 3-4 years now and haven't gotten serious until the past year. Some would say I'm not a 'true' DJ as for a while, beatmatching was a bit out of my reach, and scratching wasn't something I was big on. Before I got this, I had a Numark Mixtrack Pro. It served as a good beginner controller and suited my basic needs for what I was doing. However, my DJ program of choice became Traktor. I had tried Virtual DJ and Serato DJ, but didn't like the options I had with those programs and the cost of them was a bit too high for my situation back then. So I picked up Traktor after having a few friends that had used it. After working with Traktor for a few years, I decided I needed an upgrade from my Mixtrack Pro and ideally, something that would take advantage of more features Traktor had to offer. After doing extensive research on my options, I decided on this controller as my main one for my DJ rig. This is an amazing controller. It gives you full control of the 3 band EQ, Gain, filter, cue, volume, and what decks will be receiving effects for all 4 decks. Setup is quick and easy, just download the S4 drivers with the Traktor service center and you are good to go. You have a good range of inputs/outputs so you can use other accessories like vinyl turntables, CD turntables, or even an mp3 player if you want a backup in case of a computer crash. There are 2 outputs with independent volume controls, so you can have one as your master out and one for booth/monitor speakers. There are also MIDI ports if you need them. The jog wheels are nice and responsive. if you press down on the platter, you can scratch, and if you move the wheel from the sides, it functions as a nudge for beat matching. The only downside is you do not have any idea 'where' the wheel is like some other controllers(no display inside the wheel, led lights on the outside, etc) so you will have to keep your eye on your computer screen if you need visual cues for scratching. Each side of the controller has it's own loop control just below the jog wheel, and it is quick and easy to create a loop on the fly and exit out of them with just a few pushes of a button. It is also quick and easy to alter the size of a loop once it is created. Further more if you have remix decks available, you can record a loop and push it to a remix deck so you don't have to take up an entire deck for a simple loop. As far as the performance pads go, the top 4 buttons are play/stop buttons for remix decks and 'fast forward/backward'(will jump you ahead or back in a track quickly, nice for quickly finding a specific spot in a track) for regular tracks, that means for cue points/remix deck control, you will only have access to 4 slots... As you can see from my picture, I have other controllers to expand that for my sets, so it isn't a big deal for me. Each jog wheel and associated loop controls and performance pads can be switched to the other deck on its respective side with just the touch of a button, so you can easily control 4 decks and still have the same level of control deck to deck. There is also a loop recorder independent of the track level loop controls, so you can record a live loop and have it at your fingertips for future use, I have not tried using this yet however, so can't speak to how well it works. The entire unit is of sturdy construction and feels like it can take a beating. The nice thing for me is it is just a little bigger than my previous controller, so I didn't have to account for a significant change in size. All the knobs have a good smooth feel to them as you turn them and each has a center 'notch' so you can easily bring them back to center. They are all rubberized so there is little worry about your fingers slipping while using them. The sliders are all smooth and offer varying levels of resistance. The crossfader has next to no resistance and it is quick and easy to manipulate. The tempo/key sliders have a little more resistance, but move smoothly. The individual track sliders have the most resistance, but are still smooth and that extra resistance makes it really easy to dial in the perfect level for tracks. Overall it is a great controller and has exceeded my expectations. This is my first controller after my entry level one so take that into consideration when reading my review. It has already expanded my use of Traktor and given me plenty of ideas for future sets. If you are a more 'traditional' DJ this should suit your needs fine. If you are looking to use remix decks, you will only have basic functionality. If you do not have Traktor, this unit comes with a key for the FULL version of Traktor Pro 2(Download from Native Instruments website).

its perfect from the outside, the only thing is the exclamation mark is flashing and it's the first time i used it, but it worked good.

Full disclosure: on many of the dj forums, DJs like me are not considered "real" DJs. I'm not a club DJ. I don't scratch. My dance song transitions are not always beat-matched. I don't use a lot of fx/loops/samples, except for some modest filtering/looping when I do beat match and the occasional fx. I'm still learning the remix decks. Worst of all, I often commit the unforgivable "sin" of using Traktor's cruise control during cocktail hours, particularly when I've been invited to join the guests for dinner/drinks (I still keep close tabs on the music/equipment). Btw, programming your playlist with Traktor's load and fade-out hotcues ahead of time can make it sound like you're paying more attention than you are. Typically, I play in front of crowds mostly 40 years & older (private parties, weddings, corporate stuff, class reunions, homeowner's association parties, etc.). My strengths are an extensive, up-to-date, high quality music library (mostly iTunes 256kbps and 320kbps mp3s rips/conversions with Platinum Notes processing as needed), first-rate mobile equipment (QSC K12s & Subs, Mackie mixer (for mics and with iPods for smaller background-only applications and backup) and a love for many different genres of music. I play close attention to room acoustics and gain structure and only drive my PAs with balanced xlr signals (the S4 Mk2 requires a 1/4" TRS male to XLR male patch cable for XLR connections, not a big deal). I regularly get compliments on sound quality and music selection. I'm older (retired) and, luckily, don't rely on my DJ income to eat. I do it because I love music and I like to see people have a good time (the extra money doesn't hurt). Sorry about the windy intro, but I wanted readers to understand my perspective. My prior controller was a Denon MC6000 (which I'm keeping for backup) and an Allen & Heath K2 that I use for more casual gigs and midi-programming fun/experience. I like the Denon a lot (great build quality), but I always found the layout a bit cramped. I originally bought it for Virtual DJ, but not long after I switched to Traktor and never looked back. I narrowed my search for a new controller to the S4 Mk2, Pioneer DDJ-SX and Denon MC6000 Mk2 (all of which, were remarkably near each other in price, if you adjust the Denon's price upward to include the full version of Serato DJ). In the end, I went for the S4's tight integration with Traktor Pro, the possibility of exploring Traktor DJ/iPad integration, it's size/layout, and, to a lesser extent, it's remix capabilities and RGB hotcue buttons (nice touch, but not a deal maker/breaker). If the Pioneer DDJ-SX had been optimized for Traktor (as opposed to Serato DJ) and smaller (it's 6 inches wider than the S4 and 8 inches wider than my MC6000), it would have been a much tougher decision. I enjoy programming controllers/keyboards in Traktor - the performance pads on the DDJ-SX looked like fun + its build quality appears to be top-notch. As a Traktor user, the Denon (optimized for Serato DJ like the DDJ-SX) just didn't seem that much of an upgrade from my older MC6000. I know there are Traktor maps for the DDJ-SX and MC6000 Mk2 that I could have customized, but in the end I knew I wasn't going to switch to Serato (which, last I checked, was not yet optimized for Windows 8 + they seem slow rolling out updates/features,) and the S4 Mk2 just seemed like the best "fit" for me. More disclosure: I haven't used it in a gig yet (just got it and have been practising extensively). I'm VERY happy with it so far. Nice size and weight. The control surface layout just seems more intuitive/easy to me. It worked perfectly out of the box and setup was a breeze (I already had Traktor Pro 2.6.6 and the S4 Mk2 drivers installed on my HP i7 laptop). I like the feel of the sliders and knobs/pots as well or better than my MC6000 and K2. The build quality, while not as tank-like as my MC6000, seems very solid/refined and more than adequate for what I do. The sound quality is basically perfect (to my aging ears). I have no problem rating it 5 STARS. Observation: buying a DJ controller is not unlike buying a car or finding your so-called "soul mate" - figure out what's important to you, do your research/homework, road-test it if you can (particularly, the "soul mate") and then take that leap into the abyss and hope it works out like you thought it would (or better). Good luck.

Out of all of the software/hardware that NI makes, this is by far my favorite. I first got into DJing 20+ years ago and my goal was always that I wanted to be able to take parts of songs and create entirely new music all within the moment of a set. The S4 delivers this whole-heartedly and much more. Navigation around the console is fairly intuitive and not so complex that you need to dive into manuals. There are more advanced features that you will likely want to know so you can maximize what you can do with the S4. I really like that you can add a turntable or 2 to go all out. NI even allows you to upgrade this console and use this as Traktor Scratch with time coded vinyl. In my opinion this is the best of both the analog and digital DJ worlds and brought a lot of fun back to the art of DJing for me.

IT STOP WORKING!! I spent over $600 for it in Feb 2017 and it stop working in Feb 2019 (2 YEARS). And it was very difficult to navigate their website to get help. They direct you to frequently asked questions instead of having easy email contact. It was a nice piece of equipment but I wouldn't recommend it to ANYONE.

bought from warehouse.... came in excellent condition as described.... only thing is traktor pro software will not activate the controller maybe i am doing something wrong so i am giving a "A" for as described but without the software makes it a bit hard to use the item so only 3 stars for not clearing saying how to get all the software to work

Good choice! It's a monster of sound, I understand people who are upset whit certain details but if you want to create, mix music or just play for fun it's a great tool for it. Just let your imagination wide open. I know, it's a little bit of romantisism but if you really loves music, you can be agree like

A great bit of kit does everything my 1210's use to, what I learn't to mix on back in the 90. The kontrol s4 was very easy for me to get the hang of, I have found the jog wheel to be a bit temperamental at times, the software does not always copy what your exactly your doing on the s4 and can be a bit buggy, Am going to give this five stars, I bought this second hand from amazon warehouse, for the price and features this is a amazing bit of kit. Its a shame their is not a converter to convert your mp3 to stem, I think its going to take a while for this technology to take of so stems are widely available. I love the sync software. For the price you get what you pay for, the build quality is a bit poor but good for the price.I can beat mix, but that thought that the next generation of bedroom DJ's will never have to learn to beat mix. That is does not really matter. This is a great all rounder and far better fun than my 1210's and much cheaper.

Amazing console!

Love this product. Have just recently upgraded from this controller to a Pioneer XDJ-RX2 but the Traktor Kontrol S4 got me into DJing and helped me learn quickly about using FX effectively and mixing tracks in key. Would highly recommend for anyone thinking of getting into DJing. Only downside is that a computer is necessary and that is the only reason I've moved away from Traktor and into rekordbox/Pioneer

Für gewöhnlich schreibe ich keine Rezessionen, aber hier mache ich eine Ausnahme, weil das Produkt einfach der Hammer ist! Anfangs hatte ich große Entscheidungsschwierigkeiten zwischen den ganzen Produkten, die sich auf dem Digital DJ Hardware Markt befinden: Pioneers DDJ-SZ und das DDJ-SX, das Traktor Kontrol S2 MK2 und diverese weitere Hardware, meistens aber eher "billig" wirkend. Ich persönlich bezeichne mich als Anfänger, wenngleich auch nicht als totaler Newbie. Vor dem S4 habe ich schon ein Erfahrung mit einem DJM-500 sowie CDJ-350s mit dem Traktor Audio 2 Interface gesammelt, was mich aber mit der fehlenden Software Integration nicht zufrienden gestellt hat, da das Setup schon ein paar Jahre alt ist. Da ich nicht sonderlich viel von Virtual DJ halte, weil es im Gegensatz zu Serato und Traktor in meinen Augen einfach nicht den Umfang bietet, den man für volle Kreativität benötigt, wollte ich einen Controller kaufen, der mir dies zu einem fairen Preis ermöglicht. Zudem wäre es sinnfrei, ein Produkt wie das S4 mit einer andere Software als Traktor Pro zu nutzen, da die Flagschiff-Software mit dem Produkt mitgeliefert wird und wirklich mega viel Umfang hat. Mit YouTube und viel üben lernt man relativ schnell den Umgang. Allerdings geht es hier auch nicht um die Software, sondern um das S4, mit dem, wenn man es mit einem weiteren F1 und einem X1 ergänzt, alles machen kann, was mit einem normalen Setup locker das doppelte kostet. Lieferung: Innerhalb von 3 Tagen nach Bezahlung kam das Paket bei mir an, schneller als angegeben (77records) ***** Verarbeitung: Da man das S4 nirgends in "real" anschauen kann, außer man hat einen DJ Store direkt um die Ecke, war ich etwas skeptisch gegenüber der Größe und der Verarbeitung des Produktes. Unnötigerweise. Es ist wirklich solid verbaut, die Oberfläche fühlt sich edel an, die Fader und Knobs sind sehr griffig und gut kontrollierbar, funktionieren mit der Software ideal. Das Einzige, was Sauberkeitsfanatiker wie mich etwas stört, sind die fettigen Fingerabdrücke, welche auf der Lackoberfläche des 4-Channel Mischers hinterbleiben können. Da es aber meistens eh dunkel ist, wenn das S4 zum Einsatz kommt, ist das nur ein ganz kleiner Makel. Die Jogwheels fühlen sich sehr gut an, wenngleich sie vielleicht für den ein oder anderen, der mit CDJs aller Pioneer (2000 ect) gearbeitet hat, etwas klein erscheinen. Die Pads lassen sich gut bedienen und das Interface ist generell sehr einfach erschließbar, da man genau das an dem Platz erwartet, wo es sich auch befindet. ***** Funktionalität: Bis auf einen Aufhänger aufgrund meines MacBooks hatte ich in den 3 Wochen intensiver Nutzungsphase noch kein einziges Problem. Was eventuell etwas stört ist, dass man mit aktiviertem Sync während der Track läuft, die Cuepoints nicht gesynct werden, sondern der Track dann, wenn man den Moment des Paddrückes falsch timed, ungesynct weiterläuft. Gibt bestimmt eine Softwarelösung dafür, aber ich war bisher noch zu faul zu suchen. Das S4 macht aus Software Hardware und übernimmt das digitale Traktor Pro Layout auf Analog. Genau das, was man erwartet. ***** Top! Klare Kaufempfehlung! +X1 +F1!