Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 DJ Controller

Lugging equipment to DJ gigs used to be a daunting task -- two turntables, a mixer, endless crates of records, and a pile of cables were the things a DJ needed to get the party started. The Traktor Kontrol S4 combines all of these necessary items into one powerful and portable unit. Building on the success of their Traktor software and DJ controller lines, Native Instruments introduces their latest offering to the DJ world: The Traktor Kontrol S4. The Traktor S4 Kontrol encompasses all of the features that even the most discerning DJ could want: four decks, two high-resolution jog wheels, a high-quality interface, intuitive effects, and a powerful mixer section. In addition, the Traktor S4 Kontrol features the ability to integrate analog turntables, CD players and microphones. It also features the loop recorder function, which acts as a fifth deck for re-sampling and looping over the main output. These additions, combined with professional grade features, offer DJs an intuitive and highly capable professional mixing experience.

Intuitive and Powerful Mixer Section

The Traktor Kontrol S4 features a world-class professional mixer section that acts as the central control hub of the Kontrol S4, boasting four stereo channels each with their own level fader, high-quality 3-band EQ, and sweepable filter controls. The crossfader is one of the most important parts of a quality DJ mixer. Native Instruments has ensured that only the finest and most professional grade components went into the S4's super-smooth crossfader. The controls of the S4's crossfader are so precise, movement as small as 1/4 the width of a human hair can be detected. Have a pair of analog turntables? -- No need to get rid of them, the Traktor S4 Kontrol features two analog stereo inputs with both phono and microphone preamps, allowing the connection of turntables, CD players, microphones or any other external audio gear. This means that the Kontrol S4 acts as the control hub to all of your audio resources. The S4 doesn't want to make any of your gear obsolete, it wants to incorporate it into your process, so you -- the music creator -- have the widest palette of sound tools to choose from.

Remix and Rearrange on the Fly

With the powerful loop recorder unit located right in the middle of your center control section, you can record loops in real-time from any channel, including the auxiliary inputs. This allows you to record from a variety of audio inputs, for remixing, rearranging, and revamping on the fly. It's kind of like having a 5th deck of operation -- you can immediately record, layer, and overdub sections of audio on top of one another. Triggering this process is easy as pushing a button -- a conveniently located button in the center of your console.

Seamless Software and Hardware Integration

The mark of success for any digital interface and controller is its ability to seamlessly integrate with your host computer. The S4 has true plug-and-play usability, so all you need to do is connect your computer to your S4 and plug it into a sound system. The same team that designed the Traktor software constructed the S4 controller. That means that the S4 is ready to rock right out of the box. It's also a quick process to change the MIDI function of any button, knob, or slider on the S4, making it easy to customize to suit your needs.

Traktor Pro 2.5 Software

Your Traktor Kontrol S4 controller comes with NI's professional-grade Traktor PRO 2.5 DJ software. Grab hold of your S4 controller to load your songs on up to four individual decks. 'TruWave' colored waveforms show you your music, so mixing in a loud environment is easier than ever. With Traktor Pro on your laptop and the TruWave display on your screen, you can differentiate between kicks, hi-hats, and snare hits. Feel like mixing things up a bit? Traktor 2.5 PRO's remix decks allow you to remix and rearrange your tracks with unprecedented power and flexibility. Route audio to the remix decks, load up pre-recorded samples, and create remix sets to save your performances for later use. Tired of your tracks not matching up perfectly? Traktor Pro 2.5 features its acclaimed sync concept and quantize feature. This ensures that your songs will always be on the same beat, so transitioning and mixing is easier than ever.

Features:

- Four stereo channels
- Loop recorder
- High quality 3-band EQ, filter, and level control per channel
- Dual high-resolution, touch sensitive jog wheels
- 96 kHz/24-bit low-latency audio interface with premium Cirrus Logic converters
- Full version of Traktor Pro S4 DJ software
- Two customizable effects sections including over 25 performance effects
- Slim and compact - for easy transport and setup
- The ability to connect turntables, CD players, and microphones
- Optional flight case available (NIN20901)

The Traktor S4 controller is a perfect choice for DJs ranging from beginner, to worldwide sensation. With four stereo decks, dual high-resolution jog wheels, and a 24-bit/96kHz low-latency audio interface, the S4 controller is a powerhouse of premium appointments that work together to create an exciting, fun, and powerful experience for DJs. In addition to the S4 controller, a full version of Traktor PRO 2.5 software is included. That's right, the software that won "Best DJ Software" three years in a row from the DJ Mag Tech Awards is included with no functionality held back. This means that you get a fully functional, professional grade DJ system, contained in one, compact, lightweight, and downright beautiful box. World famous producers and DJs such as Juan Atkins, Roger Taylor, MODESELEKTOR, DJ Fresh, and DJ Dan have all used the Traktor S4 as their primary weapon of choice. Native Instruments has been researching, developing, and innovating products for DJs for more than a decade. Their devotion to the art is evidenced by the quality of products they put out.

Watch the Traktor Kontrol S4 in action with this video from Native Instruments.
zZounds is an authorized dealer of Native Instruments products.

System Requirements

Windows(r) XP (latest Service Pack, 32 Bit), Vista(R)/Windows 7(r) (latest Service Pack, 32/64 Bit), Pentium(r)/Athlon(r) XP @ 1.8 GHz OR Core(tm)2/AMD Athlon(tm) X2, 2 GB RAM

Mac OS X(R) 10.5 or higher, Intel(r) Core Duo 1.66 GHz, 2 GB RAM

USB 2.0 port, DVD drive, 6 GB free disk space for complete installation

Dimensions/Weights

- Depth: 32.2cm / 12.7"
- Height: 5.2cm / 2"
- Width: 50cm / 19.7"
- Weight: 3.4kg / 7.5 lbs

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging

Base Item

Shipping Weight: 10 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 25 x 15 x 5 in

Product Description

Native Instruments revolutionized the DJ world nearly a decade ago with the introduction of Traktor, the world's first professional DJ software. Now they're set to do it all again with Traktor Kontrol S4, the only DJ performance system designed from the ground up from the team behind Traktor.

Features:

- Highly integrated 4-deck Traktor controller and flagship software, all built by the same team
- Plug & play - all you need to start mixing is your computer and MP3s
- Hardware: 4-channel mixer with ergonomic layout, 2 high-res touch-sensitive jog wheels
- Built-in high-end 24-bit/96kHz low-latency audio interface with Cirrus Logic(R) AD/DA converters and MIDI I/O
- 2 analog inputs with phono and mic preamps for hooking up turntables, CD players or external audio gear; RCA mic-in, balanced jack master out
- Software: Traktor PRO S4 - pro features, supreme usability; features 4-deck mixing and effects, plus Sample Decks and a powerful Loop Recorder
- Industry-leading Traktor engine ensures perfect sync and tight mixing - timecode control option coming soon!
- 2 customizable FX sections with over 25 performance effects for adding your own trademark sound
- Powerful MP3 management with iTunes(r) integration and iPod(r) compatibility Intuitive design, ready-made sample content and tutorial videos make it easy for beginning users to get started

Forget what you know about DJ controllers and DJ software. Traktor Kontrol S4 was designed from its conception as a fully integrated system where software and hardware are fused in perfect harmony. Once you experience it, you'll immediately feel how simple, yet powerful and fluid a professional DJ system can be. Traktor Kontrol S4 is the culmination of a 10-year vision and experience only Native Instruments can provide. So whether you're a seasoned Traktor user looking for the ultimate controller, or just entering the world of digital DJing, the S4 delivers like no other can.

Custom-tailored for Traktor, the S4 fuses a premium-quality 4 channel DJ mixer, a built-in 24 bit/96 kHz soundcard, an intuitive controller, and the flagship Traktor PRO S4 software into one fully professional solution - the ideal one-stop package for DJs who want pro features, instant usability and go-anywhere portability.

The sleek, stylish controller puts Traktor at your fingertips - fusing hardware and software into one harmonic unit. Innovative Sample Decks, high-quality electromagnetic jog wheels, two effect units and two clearly laid-out deck control sections can be assigned to any of the four software decks and deliver a high level in creative control over your one shots, tracks and loops.

The intuitive and ergonomic controller layout and its robust rotary knobs provide precise visual and tactile status feedback - perfect for any DJ situation. Highly responsive to the touch, Traktor Kontrol S4 is incredibly smooth to use, while its slim and compact profile makes it easy to transport from gig to gig.

Controller

It's super simple to get straight in the mix, thanks to the included Traktor Pro S4 software, adapted from the pioneering Traktor PRO. Developed in perfect synergy with the S4's controller, features have been added to the Traktor PRO S4 software to fully take advantage of this all-in-one solution, while premium ready-made and instantly combinable loops have been provided by the renowned Loopmasters sample house.

Software

Traktor Kontrol S4 boasts a full featured 4-channel mixer section with sturdy faders, cue buttons, illuminated level meters, high-quality 3-band EQs and a filter control knob on each channel. The filter is switchable between Traktor and Xone-style. The ergonomic layout has been created by DJs for DJs, with some of the world's biggest names having direct input in to the design. It's easy to integrate other DJ and performance gear like turntables, CD players or a microphone via the inputs.

The innovative Loop Recorder feature acts like a fifth deck, to add an exciting layer on top of your mix by recording and looping audio on-the-fly. An optional foot controller can be used to engage the Loop Recorder while both hands are busy - for instance while performing an advanced scratch routine!

Mixer

Traktor Kontrol S4 also includes a powerful and versatile audio interface. With the same build quality as all multi-award winning Native Instruments DJ sound cards, this unit lets you easily integrate external turntables and CD players, instruments, MIDI gear, effects and a microphone into your Traktor DJ sets.

Incorporating high-end AD/DA converters, hi-gain output levels and an ultra-wide frequency response, Traktor Kontrol S4's integrated audio interface provides all the power, clarity and dynamic range that modern DJs demand.

Audio Interface

Traktor Kontrol S4 is the ideal solution for mobile DJs as it provides everything you need to rock a party in one highly portable unit. It's a breeze to set up, simply plug and play, and you're done in seconds. And with its slim profile, it's incredibly easy to transport from gig to gig. The optional flight case with high quality industrial design carries your unit with 100% security, while the case also elevates the unit to standard turntable and CD player height and offers a stable stand for your laptop. It's doesn't get more mobile than this. The flexible ins and outs of the included soundcard mean it's easy to hook up other gear - including a microphone.

In the near future, S4 users will have the option to connect their preferred analog turntables or CDJs to control pitch, scratching, and transport functions for the S4 software. External timecode control via Traktor Scratch will open up even more opportunities for creative mixing, fusing the already advanced features of the S4 with the full expressiveness of the traditional turntable / CDJ approach.

zZounds Expert Review

When I first pulled the Traktor Kontrol S4 out of the box, I was a bit surprised at its size. It's larger than most of the other hardware control surfaces I've used; almost 20 inches wide and over a foot deep. I wouldn't say it's overly bulky, though, and I actually like the extra elbow room. But it's probably not going to fit into the average laptop bag. I highly recommend the optional flight case/performance stand to help protect it during transport and when in use.

The Kontrol S4's construction is similar to other Native Instruments hardware, with a plastic chassis and aluminum top plates for each of the decks. The mixer section in the center has an acrylic faceplate. The rubber feet on the bottom of the unit did a good job of keeping the control surface in place when I set it up in a DJ booth.

Jog Wheels and Faders and Knobs (Oh My)

The controls themselves feel very professional. All of the knobs on the top plate are rubberized for a sure grip, and their smooth rotary action is reassuring. Some of the knobs sit up fairly tall, which is great for getting a good hold on them but at the same time seem to be begging to get knocked off when traveling from gig to gig. Yet another good reason to get that flight case, in my opinion. I did like the fact that the front panel knobs for Cue Mix, Cue Volume, and Mic Volume all can be pressed in to lie flush after you've dialed in the levels.

All of the 60mm faders were very smooth, with just enough resistance to make tweaks without worrying about overdoing it. The crossfader had the same feel, which is good because it isn't set up to be removed like on some other professional DJ mixers.

For me, the jog wheels on these kinds of DJ controllers often set the tone for the whole experience, and the wheels on the S4 did not disappoint. The tops of the wheels are touch sensitive, accurately simulating the experience of grabbing and releasing vinyl. Within one trip around the circle, you've got 1000 steps, offering enough resolution to feel like the real deal. The outer edges of the jog wheels are rubberized for no-slip contact, and I was able to use them to quickly and easily match tempos.

One Stop Shop

As you would expect with a tightly integrated hardware/software solution, the Traktor Kontrol S4's hardware component includes a 2x2 audio interface onboard. What I wasn't expecting was the stellar sound quality. The USB 2.0 connection supports a 24-bit/96 kHz audio stream, and all the loops in my library sounded fantastic through the S4. I've demoed other DJ control systems in my home studio, but haven't always trusted the sound quality to extend my review to a live performance setting. I had no qualms about using the Kontrol S4 out at a club, though. One note about the USB connection; the Kontrol S4 can be bus-powered, but I wouldn't recommend it. I gave it a shot to keep the rig as streamlined as possible, but soon went back to the included power adapter. The LEDs don't glow nearly as brightly with bus power, and at first I thought maybe the controller was failing. Also, the headphone volume was reduced a bit, though not enough to have a major impact. Everything worked fine using wall power.

You get two pairs of stereo output options, including balanced 1/4-inch and unbalanced RCA. While you can simultaneously route these to separate monitor setups, I was disappointed to see you don't get separate control over their individual levels. It's not a huge deal, but I would have preferred to keep as much control as possible on the S4 itself instead of having to tweak levels at other points in the signal chain.

4 Track Attack

The Traktor Kontrol S4 lets you mix four virtual decks from your hard drive, or you can connect analog gear to the controller and assign your turntables, DJ CD players, or MP3 players to one or two of the tracks. To keep things simple, I mainly mixed straight from my laptop without any additional hardware. I did use the 1/4-inch microphone input with dedicated gain control, though. It's routed to Track C. As you may have guessed by the 1/4-inch connection, it's primarily set up for dynamic mics; no onboard phantom power. Track C can also be routed directly to the main outs with the Thru switch. This is a nice failsafe option if your laptop happens to crash. Just plug an iPod into the track and fire up your playlist while the laptop reboots.

I mainly used Track A and Track B as a standard two-deck setup, and would load some one-shots or other random loops into Tracks C and D for added flavor (more on this in a bit). This arrangement worked really well for me, and was a great way to simulate my standard workflow. I felt really comfortable mixing right out of the box while learning some of the more advanced features on the fly without getting overwhelmed.

Traktor Pro - S4 Edition

Those of you familiar with Traktor Pro software should have no problem getting around. The software bundled in this package is virtually the same, though the interface's color scheme is slightly different and it has some additional functionality to take advantage of all the S4 controller has to offer.

The four-deck design is the same as before, but decks C and D default to hold samples and loops. You can change them to behave like standard decks, but as I said earlier the 'two-decks-plus' setup is a great way to learn this system with a familiar starting point. When used as sample decks, C and D can each hold up to four one-shots or loops of up to 32 beats in length. This content can be loaded from your hard drive as you would with decks A and B, or you can use the S4's onboard loop recorder to capture the playback of other decks or the main output and load that into the sample deck's slots. Any looped samples loaded into the sample decks are automatically beat-synced to the master tempo, which saved me a bunch of time.

Both of the decks on the hardware controller have dedicated buttons to trigger and stop the loops and one-shots in the sample decks, providing fast access to those sounds when you're controlling decks A and B. If the hardware decks are set to control C and D, the buttons act as retriggers and the sounds can be scratched or tempo-bent with the jog wheels. More dedicated controls are available for adjusting the sample volume or applying filters and effects.

As with other Native Instruments software, the browsing features are here in full force. The hardware controller has a Browse button so you can access all of the sounds on your hard drive without reaching for a keyboard or a mouse. The process was pretty intuitive, though I would have liked to see some sort of fast-scroll feature because I have a ton of sounds to scrub through. You can auto-preview sounds to the headphone out, which is a great way to hear how a particular loop sits in with the current mix before actually loading it up.

All of the effects sound great, and there are plenty of options for customization. You can route the two multi-effects processors to any of your decks, effectively giving you up to six effects on a single source. If you can't come up with something original, you're just not trying.

Overall, I was really impressed by the Traktor Kontrol S4 system. The learning curve for beginners looks to be a bit steep, but I think it's well worth the effort. I haven't seen many computer-based DJ systems with hardware this tightly integrated, and the all-in-one design is super streamlined and powerful. The audio quality of the interface is fantastic, and the controls feel very nice. Live performance, on-the-fly-remixing, and home studio recording are all well within reach.