Moreover, I believe that many people still have much love for Traktor. However, because of that, I think it is an underrated piece of software. There have been arguments that it has not been as innovative as they were during the long years since when it started in 2000. Over the course of the last few years, Traktor has gone through a bit of a rough patch. It was the first DJ program that I used, and I still do to this day whenever I play on a controller. Today, we’re talking about Traktor – more specifically, about gear made for Traktor, or ones that get the best out of it. So rather than picking and choosing some of my favourites this time around, we’ll focus on a few pieces of equipment that share one particular theme. I’ve explored my extensive collection of DJ gear throughout this series thus far, I’m finding similarities that run through some of the gear. To check out more tech reviews, click here.ĭJ Times Magazine is copyright © 2020 by DJ Publishing, Inc. You still get one stereo line input should you wish to incorporate external sources into your set. Again, if you’re a laptop-centric DJ with your music collection on the computer, those standalone mixing abilities just aren’t going to be something you use. took the standalone mixer capability of the S4 off the table for the S3, and this is probably the single most relevant factor in allowing the reduced price point. The S3 still offers access to Traktor’s mixer effects, which are interesting, but not as sophisticated.įinally, N.I. The utility of the deck effects depends entirely on your DJ style. also chose to strip out the deck-effects controls for the S3. But are they strictly necessary? Not really. Again, these are nice to have they look nice, and they do enhance the experience of using the S4. Also missing are the onboard color displays. I actually really liked these controls on the S4, but I think they actually were a smart candidate to remove in the name of a more affordable controller. change to get the price point down? For a start, the company removed the “Haptic Drive” motorized jog wheels. The 4-channel support immediately, in my view, makes it a much more serious controller than the S2 (which has only two channels surfaced directly in the hardware). Obviously with two deck sections, transport controls are shared, with clear selector buttons to the lower left of the platters to swap out the decks when needed. What’s Different? Like the S4, the Traktor Kontrol S3 is a proper 4-channel controller, with faders and controls for all four provided in hardware (with no shifting of shared controls). And, at a suggested $649, it’s almost exactly halfway (pricewise) between the S2 and S4. The gap filler? The Traktor Kontrol S3, the subject of this review. decided to expand that family to fill a perceived gap between the very capable 4-channel S4 (at a suggested $999), and the much more strip-downed, entry-level-focused S2 (at a suggested $339). has had three primary Traktor controllers on the market for some time now: The Traktor Kontrol S2, S4 and the cooly received (and unusual) S8. has put out over the years to support it. Let’s just say I have a soft spot for this software - and the terrific hardware that N.I. But clear back in 2006 when I first started DJing, I went down the digital path, and the software I chose when I first started was Traktor from Germany’s Native Instruments.Īnd when the gig calls for me to use a laptop and take advantage of my full digital collection and years of accumulated songs and their metadata (song tags, ratings, styles, BPMs, keys, cue points, etc.), I still primarily use Traktor. ![]() And these days, the choices are wider and better than they ever have been. Over the 11-plus years that I’ve been writing for DJ Times, I’ve seen a lot of hardware and a lot of software for performing DJ sets.
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