Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 DJ Controller

Product Information

All in all, the Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 has really grown and evolved past the previous visual look and constraints of the older versions.

The Torq Xponent DJ controller does the same thing with Torq software, although that software has recently been opened for control by other devices. And Mixvibes has the same thing with its U-Mix Control DJ controller and Cross DJ software, although again the architecture is open. As a result, the new Mixer FX is separate from its 4 FX banks. This allows for simpler effects while still allowing the more nuanced options in the 4 FX banks. Your choices are the main output, the cue channels (i.e. any channel whose cue light is on), the input FX send or the aux channel – typically the microphone. Now, this may have changed a bit within the arrival of the Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3, and if you give me a bit of time to tell you about it… that may not entirely be a bad thing. Is the Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 any good? 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).

Without question, at least just from a visual design and layout standpoint, the Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 is easily the most impressive of the Traktor controllers and brings them screaming into the current century of industry standards. Next are the buttons and knobs. While largely functioning as normal, they have also gotten a pretty noticeable update. This allows for the sample to be effected, filtered and EQ'd independently of its source, but you do have to sacrifice a mixer channel. One thing Traktor has always been known for was its FX sections. These controls were generally very detailed and allowed for complete control in sound expression.

Native Instruments has recently announced a trolley bag for the unit made in collaboration with pro bag maker UDG (although it is too big for hand luggage on some budget airlines); there is already a traditional-style hard case available (definitely don’t try that one in hand luggage!); and various third-party manufacturers including Mono, Magma, DJ Tech Tools and Novation have bags that are either specifically designed for it or that it will happily fit into.And while you are going to have to get readjusted with the new setup, that isn’t by itself an innately bad thing, especially when the controller works as well as the S4 MK3 does. They work exactly as they always have done – but we suspect they are going to get less use than previously due to those Mixer FX… Library controls

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. The positioning of the tempo sliders (bottom left and right) is an anomaly; as most people use Traktor with the full gamut of sync, quantise and snap-to-grid all in place – basically because unless you’re a purist, why not get the extra help while DJing? – I can’t actually see most users ever using these controls. They’re ripe for a remapping to something more interesting! The mixer section has four full channels, as opposed to some ‘four channel’ DJ controllers that only have two lines and the ability to switch between them.

The TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 is equipped with an integrated, club-grade 24-bit / 96-kHz audio interface, with external input options on every channel. Connect turntables for crate-diggers, drum machines and synths for hybrid wizards, or anything else you can think of to push the boundaries of your mix. When connected to TRAKTOR PRO 3, the software adds headroom to the signal, before TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 gives it an analogue boost - meaning better sound at club levels. The latter point isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it is clearly well made, and is rigid enough, which indicates a quality chassis, especially tasking into account its size; everything on the first touch feels high quality and turns, moves and spins well. It is simply made with lightweight materials – mainly plastic with rubber feet and some brushed metal on the fascia. Plugging in As stated earlier, touching a pad while the pads are in hotcue mode will save an active loop to that pad. Screens I don’t claim to know what’s going on at N.I., but from what I’ve seen, it appears that the Traktor division seems to operate on its own without much care regarding the rest of the company, even though the rest of the company has much to offer that would boost sales in all departments. The loop in/out buttons will half/double sample length respectively; you can alter the filter and volume setting of all the samples together or individually using the loop move/size knobs with combinations of shift and individual hot cue buttons; and you can even load samples from elsewhere on your S4, for example the library.