Announcing: Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3

All the info: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/traktor/dj-controllers/traktor-kontrol-s4/

 

I can't find the size of the jog wheel anywhere. Do you happen to know the size of it?

 

Looks good. Probably going to upgrade to the S4 mk3 from my S5.

Mods be damned.

 

Traktor DJ (TDJ) compatibility ??

 

This would be great. I fantasize about a 4 deck version of Traktor DJ and an iPad Pro should have plenty of CPU power to handle it. However, I don't think there are any frameworks in iOS to generate the virtual screens which are pushed out to the new S4 (and D2/S5/S8s).

 

5.5"

 

Is the mixer standalone? Do the color FX/filter knobs work with external sources?

Thanks.

 

Positives are what appear to be nice long tempo faders with buttons to instantly assign to master clock. Yay!

Unknown is whether you can easily transpose up and down in 1/2 steps like on the S5 and S8. With more and more of us club DJs mixing in key, I just wish NI would go ahead and put dedicated transpose up and down buttons on their controllers. At least I can do it on my S5 from the upper displays.

The jog wheels on my S4 were worse than totally useless - they were actually downright hazardous to my mix when they'd seize up. I'll reserve judgement on these new ones until I try 'em out.

 

1- Will it work as a standalone mixer? I want to know if my computer crashes if I can plug in an external device as backup!

2- also what are the dimension VS S4 MK1/2 . Can we use the same case?

 

I would be interested to know thisnalso....

 

Very disappointing to find out there's no USB-C thunderbolt 3 port in addition to the standard USB type B. NI could be the first in market with native USB-C thunderbolt 3 port. This port exists more than a year and could probably take this controller couple of steps ahead comparing to the competitors. Already more than a year new MACs comes with thunderbolt 3 ports ONLY. Unfortunately MAC users like me will still need to use adapters and strange cables. Very, but very disappointing

 

Just chatted with NI support (Mike) and he stated that the S4 MK3 will require a connection back to TP3 to operate, and won't function as a stand alone mixer

 

Standalone mixer is not necessary in controllers. It will only increase the price and I promise you won't use it ever. You don't buy a controller to use it with your CDJ's. You buy it to use it with your computer so IMO NI made the right thing not to include a standalone mixer in the S4 MK3. Need a standalone mixer? Buy a dedicated one.

 

That's awfully presumptuous of you to promise I won't use it ever, or that I want to use it with CDJ's.

Thank you for your opinion on what works for you and your own workflow.

I like to have piece of mind when I play. If my computer crashes, I want to be able to plug in a device and be ready with music as a backup. I do this every event.

 

Am I right in thinking the S4 MK3 is longer than previous models, by about 40mm? If so, this sucks for the bags and cases we all own to house our precious toys

 

MK1/2: 19.7 x 13.3 x 2.8"
MK3: 21.34 x 13.35 x 2.38"

 

So those dimensions above hardly make a difference.?..
Plus I’ve just read the USB port at the rear is to hook up another controller or ,add music ,
How will you be able to search tracks

 

A DJ that respects himself should have a backup computer in case that the main crashes and not an iPod, iPad etc... And that's what I said that it's very disappointing that we're reaching 2019 and a brand new controller still has only 1 old USB port instead of 2 and one of the 2 should be a modern port such as USB-C thunderbolt 3

 

Again, thank you for your opinion.

This may come as a shock to you, so I hope you're sitting down:

There are hundreds of thousands of DJs out there, each with their own way of performing their craft. There is no right or wrong way to accomplish what they want to do...digital, analog, whatever. I would imagine that each person respects themselves as well.

Enter companies like Native Instruments, Pioneer, Rane, etc...they find they have the ability to make products for this market. So they do...they make software and hardware with the thought to be able to help as large of a percentage of consumers as they can reach while still keeping everything as stable and reliable as possible.

Now, back to you. I can already tell you are the type of DJ that walks in to an event and will immediately criticize and tear apart every little item you can, just because it doesn't conform to what you believe it needs to be, instead of being positive and learning from a different viewpoint or experience. This type of attitude is cancerous not only to our profession, but to life in general.

I hope you will start having an open mind when it comes to how companies and consumers develop and use technology. I would begin with this article on USB-C (please don't add thunderbolt 3 after that) and why it's such a mess right now and why there are no true standards around it: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/usb-c-implementation-messy-and-unclear/

 

Hopefully...but you never know. I have a case and my current S4 MK2 sits in it really tight.

PURE SPECULATION:
If it functions as a passthrough to your computer, then you'd search tracks as you would today...they would be added to your collection (because the usb drive would be added as a device to your system).