There's a three-band EQ and one-knob filter per channel, plus an endless Gain knob. We don't love the endless knobs in this case, as you need to reference the screen for your gain settings. Well, at the end of the day that question will always depend on you and what you’re looking to get out of your controller. If you are a huge fan of the original Traktor design and aren’t willing to try a new setup out, you’re probably not going to like the S4 all that well.

Personally, I’ll probably keep to the more classic filters but the fact that I can instantly enable a delay or pull down a fader is pretty cool. An Updated Mic One section that will be new to veterans is the Loop Recording section. It's straightforward with controls for Record, Undo, Size and Play. Record a four, eight, sixteen or thirty-two-bar loop from the master, cue or aux outputs - nice for returning to sections and as the recording replays after the set length, it's a one-button affair. Reinvent the wheel It’s worth pointing out that unlike the S4 Mk1/2, these don’t have mechanical tops – they detect whether you’re touching them via a touch sensitive electrical system, similar to most other jogwheels. The edges are in a tactile rubber finish, and are used for nudging rather than scratching. It’s a controller that’s not afraid to be just that. It isn’t trying to be club gear, and it’s not trying to be turntables – although you can plug all that stuff into it if you like. Other Native Instruments software and hardware products are not officially supported on macOS 13 Ventura. Important Notes:macOS 10.15 terminates the operability of some NI legacy hardware. This includes MASCHINE MK1, MASCHINE MIKRO MK1, AUDIO 2 / 4 / 8 DJ, TRAKTOR AUDIO 2 MK1, and TRAKTOR S2 / S4 / X1 MK1. The Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3, quite frankly, has a lot going for it. Native Instruments really went above and beyond when developing this controller and their hard work really shows. NI have shouted about the quality and sensitivity of the S4's jog wheels with 1,000 counts per revolution and a patent-pending braking system and after only a few minutes, it's clear why.

The knobs are all recessed, each with an orientation in both the EQ section as well as the gain, giving it a more classic mixer FX feel. Pads While TRAKTOR PRO 3 is made for our TRAKTOR KONTROL series, it also syncs seamlessly with other DJ equipment and software through MIDI and Ableton Link. Expand your setup with any controller, using TRAKTOR’s modular design, or link directly to Ableton Live to create unique workflows that push your creativity to new heights. All in all, the Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 has really grown and evolved past the previous visual look and constraints of the older versions. It is possible to monitor more than one source through your headphones at once as the headphone listen buttons are toggles, not either/ors. It gets better though: by holding an effect number and then pressing the effect’s on/off button, you can assign that Mixer effect to ONLY that channel. It’s perfectly possible to have a different effect on each of the four channels. Now THIS is the type of effects innovation we like – practical and usable. PadsThere may be Cutoff UI or UI glitches when the REAKTOR 6 AU plug-in window resizes on content load. This can be worked around by closing and reopening the plug-in window. If an item can not be repaired, a similar alternative product or cash discount (as defined in this policy) will be offered

Channels can be individually assigned left or right; out of the box it is set up logically, with those to the left of the crossfader assigned left and vice versa. Shift plus the FX assign buttons changes this (or switches a channel out of crossfader control entirely). From macOS 10.15 and higher, the operability of some NI legacy hardware is terminated. This includes MASCHINE MK1, MASCHINE MIKRO MK1, AUDIO 2 / 4 / 8 DJ, TRAKTOR AUDIO 2 MK1, and TRAKTOR S2 / S4 / X1 MK1. Again, while the design may take a bit to get fully adjusted to, once you do, you’re really going to love playing with this bad boy. Mobile DJs, on the other hand, will love the S4 as a one-off self-contained solution. This doesn't mean it's not completely suitable for any of the aforementioned scenarios, we just feel it will be an individual circumstantial decision rather than a mass adoption by any one group of Traktor users. Seriously, this motorized jog wheels felt more like a real and authentic turntable mode than any other I’ve ever used.

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macOS 10.15 (Catalina) terminated the operability of some legacy NI hardware. The same applies to macOS 11 (Big Sur), macOS 12 (Monterey), and macOS 13 (Ventura). This includes MASCHINE MK1, MASCHINE MIKRO MK1, AUDIO 2 / 4 / 8 DJ, TRAKTOR AUDIO 2 MK1, and TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 / S4 / X1 MK1. Next, you’ll plug the unit itself into mains power (it can work with bus power, but the lights are much dimmer). The plug comes with four regional adaptors, so you’ll fit the correct one first. Then it’s just a case of attaching the USB cable, and turning the Kontrol S4 on by pushing the on/off button on its rear.

Devices labeled MK2 (or MK3) are later-generation models that run on class-compliant driver technology. The earlier MK1 versions are therefore not officially supported on macOS 10.12 (or higher). This article provides a workaround to continue the use of MK1 devices on macOS 10.12 (through 10.14). It appears that Native Instruments is hanging on to supporting Stems, the open file format it pioneered that lets producers release their tunes in four constituent parts (drums, bass, melody, vocals) for DJs to have control over those parts in the mix, because the S4 does indeed have a Stems button.

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But for serious hobbyists, controllerists who DJ in clubs on their own gear, Traktor DJs wanting to dabble in live production, mashup DJs, digital scratch artists, web radio DJs, and anyone else who wants the most capable controller for Traktor that there is, the Kontrol S4 is not only perfect, it’s a joyous revelation. Traktor Pro 3 – the supplied software – is very good at lots of things (loops and effects to name two, plus the new Elastique timestretch engine sounds awesome). It has been proven at the highest level. If you’re one of the many people that have become a huge fan of the Traktor DJ product line, there’s probably a lot of different reasons why you have! If anyone remembers the S8 and S5, they’ll remember NI’s famous attempt to change the jog wheel mode up for more screens, space, and buttons.