Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 DJ Controller

Product Information

Starting off with the faders, the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 uses the same technology found with the S5 and S8 controllers. The Mixer FX allows immediate and simplistic effects with a turn of the knob. By turning to the left or the right, you can immediately get a nice sounding effect. However, unlike Denon and Numark who opted for a system with a moving platter and slip mat, NI chose a high torque motor to move their capacitive wheels. You can choose between a spinning turntable mode or a more traditional static nudge wheel with adjustable tension. The tension control is directly adjusted on the unit by holding the TT button and rotating the jogs. This is a great feature and this genuinely creates jog wheel tension that feels far superior to mechanical offerings found on units such as the DDJ 1000. The headphone outputs sounded louder to me, which was welcome as even the S5 and S8 controllers (the loudest of the bunch) still occasionally ended up maxed out in loud clubs. The motorized jog wheels spin are easily adjustable while offering a very familiar movement and feel to them. This ease of use, along with its comfortable size, makes it very easy to start scratching with, giving it that true vinyl sensation.

Now, they have a more professional look. Buttons like the next cue point or the play buttons are a fair bit larger and more apparent. The haptic system delivers remarkable turntable performance that blows other spinning wheels out of the water and feels like a real turntable. The anticipate cue point “feel” was less exciting.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. Extremely satisfying experience with great resolution on both fast and slow scratches”– read more about the Kontrol S4 in our review: https://djtech.tools/s4mk3review When opening up your Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3, the first thing you’re going to notice is its jog wheels spin. 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

At the heart of the Kontrol S4 is a four channel mixer complete with 3 band total kill EQ. All the faders on the unit are ‘Carbon Protect’ units, which feature an upside down design providing greater durability and resistance to dust or liquids. These fader feel great and the crossfader is tight and smooth, great for scratch DJ’s.

Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3

Overall, the new S4 feels like a very mature offering from Native Instruments. It has has taken all the learning from their last five large controllers and condensed it into one go-to flagship operation. The S4 honors the turntable legacy with high performance spinning platters that work surprisingly well with limited weight and size – most spinning platter controllers are much larger and heavier.

The individual channel meters are much more clear and visible, they also happen to look better as well. There was a light turning noise in TT mode on my test unit – apparently torque noise and not a sign of mechanical problems. Only noticeable with no music playingThe mixer section is clean and logical, and there is no longer the gap between the two left and the two right channels. There’s now a fifth “strip” to the right of the main four channels handling output volumes – again it feels more “standard” than before, and we like it. In addition to much of its hardware setup, the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 also has a number of different mic input options available. You could increase or decrease the tension of the wheel by holding down the TT buttons, completely personalizing the scratching sensation.

Of course, this is traditionally used for a “one-knob filter”, having practically replaced more advanced filtering options on mixers and in DJ software, due to how easy it is to use in the mix, especially in the heat of the moment. The filter is here, present and correct – but also there are four other buttons for four other effects that you can choose instead, giving a total of five choices for these knobs.

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Overall, the updates to mixer layout/spacing, components, and styling make the center of this controller look and feel a lot more like Pioneer DJ gear, like the ubiquitous DJM-900NXS/2 mixer. At first I was a bit annoyed at this new “Pioneer” look, but it’s growing on me and certainly feels more professional than the classic Traktor controllers. One section in particular is a welcome nod in that direction… The Mixer FX (Instant Gratification) In February 2019, Native Instruments released the version 3.1.1 update for Traktor Pro 3. Version 3.1.1 brings some new features, improvements, and fixes that make for a smoother workflow.Here's some of the features and improvements: A huge improvement over the previous S4s here is simple switching of external channels at the top of each channel. Channels C and D let you switch external line/mic (there are two mic inputs on the S4 Mk3) into those channels, instead of the internal Traktor channel, and channels A and B let you switch in a line/phono input per channel. S4 MK3 headphone volume: With firmware version 0.5.8, the headphone volume is increased by +6dB in HP-MIX centre position. Finally - the unit is really well built, it just has a premium feel. The lighting is well balanced and the controls and commands are more intuitive as you continue to use it.