The new RGB buttons for the transport and cue controls are a huge improvement on the Mk1, with a smooth rubberised “MPC” feel to the surface (and the elimination of the previous problem of the buttons getting stuck in the down position, getting caught on the edge of the button aperture when pressed hard). Choose from eight effects and three smooth filters – from a tripped-out time gate, to delays, huge reverbs, and more.

Traktor Kontrol S4 MK2 | DJ Controller | GAK

Push the loop encoder and your track starts looping at the indicated beat length, but when you push the move encoder, you enter the loop slice mode, and things get interesting.More tactile cue-juggling and sample-triggering, plus improved control over the Remix Decks via the new RGB buttons on the S4. However, the only way to control the level is to fish behind the unit where the volume knob is located, which is actually not that accessible and feels quite recessed; not very useful for the constant raising and lowering of the booth monitors as you check the main output level independently.

Compatibility of Native Instruments Products on Windows Compatibility of Native Instruments Products on Windows

On the controller the dry/wet and three FX encoders above the corresponding deck, control the FX for that deck.To see how the S4 performs when unleashing the impressive feature set of Traktor DJ, we started with the browser to get in the mix; by pushing down the encoder you enter browse mode and can scroll through tracks by turning. You still need an F1 (or another controller, as now you can map third party ones) to truly have a blast and get the most out of the Remix Decks. We used Traktor DJ on an iPad 2, running iOS 6 – at the time of writing there were still concerns over iOS 7’s stability with the software so we steered clear until after the test. With an improved audio engine, a brand new user interface that makes things easier to see in the club, one-touch Mixer FX, and loads more. For some, the booth output, Remix Deck control, iOS integration and much improved sample/cue buttons would make it worth the leap – but not for all, by any means.