NI Kontrol x1 Vs Xone 1D

Nerd.

 

Sometimes a nerd, but always on the search for the truth.

 

mhmm "ok" but then the Kontrol X1 has 30 buttons (26 + 4xEncoder)!

- trying to be the bigger nerd -

At all i just wanted to write down that the Xone 1D has not really MUCH more controls than the KX1. "Just" the faders and the jog wheel. BTW i would never call this thing jog wheel.

 

I think the best thing about the 1D is that it can be connected through midi and it's not necessary to have 3 USB ports* while connecting 2 1Ds and an Audio8dj.
(* you could use 2 USB ports, connect 1 1D to the audio8 and get power from an external usb charger)

That isn't possible when you want to use 2 X1s and 1 Audio8dj on one macbook for instance, it will be necessary that you have 3 USB ports (or you'll need an external usb hub, which sucks).

 

Just had my Xone 1D from Santa ^^

I realy love it !

 

hi guys

been using traktor for over a year now, with the bcd3000 controller.enjoyed it though would like to try "progress" and the kontrol x1 looks brilliant from the vids i've seen (though i may be getting slightly over-enthused!)

my first concern though, like others, is the fader situation.now without sounding stupid, how will you be able to fade tracks without touching the laptop?

are you able to set an external mixer to control the "fader" in traktor?

any help would be appreciated!

 

Traktor 1.2.3 just came out even though I'm sure hawtinand co are beta testers of products, they need reliablity. The software probably is up to his performance standards just yet. I'm sure he'll move over to it full time next year, when the bugs have been ironed out. I'm guessing native instruments will have some dope things to drop around the time of NAMM even though they're not exhibiting there , they're going to have some competition coming soon.

Btw I read chris liebing twitter and he likes the 4d and 1ds better than the ni controller

 

Erm... ok , anyway.

@ paulmcq.... yes the X1 is primarily a contoller for use with an external mixer or another Midi controller that has a mixer section (such as the VCI 100).

The X1 has no faders although you could assign 2 knobs to the channel fader that isnt what its intended purpose is.

If you have an external mixer you can control the channel faders and x-fader in external mixing mode on the mixer and use the X1 for all transport/FX/loops/browser controls.

Karlos

 

thanks karlos..i thought there would be a way

i currently use an external mixer along side my bcd300 anyway...

so im assuming instead of going into one channel as i do on the mixer now...i would use 2 channels on the mixer for deck A and B?

ive never really delved into midi mapping so this way would seem best for me!

sorry if these are daft questions also!

 

No these arent daft questions at all mate.


Yeah youve got it correct. You would use 2 channels on the Mixer to control Decks A & B in External Mixer Mode.

The X1 comes with a mapping that you can use right out of the box to control the other functions of Traktor. There is also a Midi editor which you will already have if you have updated to 1.2.3 which makes the X1 really easy to map.

Karlos

 

i think this setup will definetly improve my live set..tho still have some queries

as right now going through one channel on mixer for 2 decks i can only really monitor the levels of the song playing..and not the song im bringing in.

some people seem to like the idea of having a mixer and a controller with a "mixer" also - but using just one main mixer would be so much easier!

currently i just use output 1/2 from my audio kontrol 1 - then output 3/4 for my headphones to cue track

though im assuming now i would use output 1/2 for deck a and output 3/4 for deck b - then i could cue the tracks directly through the mixer?

if this is correct then i think its finally starting to make sense - though still keen to read more reviews on the KX1!

 

Thats exactly right. You would use the headphone output on the Mixer.

Karlos

 

Is the X1 made to easily manipulate cue and loop points, or help browse/load tracks in Traktor?

thanks!

 

Both.
;-)

Karlos

 

You haven't used one and thus don't know... You might be best to save your comments till you know what the unit is capable of.... I'm just sayin'...


Phil

 

X1 has two switchable modes too Native Mode and Midi Mode you can switch between modes and that creates the potential for some awesome controller maps. Does the 1D support mode or bank switching?

The push button + encoder will allow you to do some seriously cool shift functions as well.

Phil

 

Yeah right on the money. The X1 has no actual audio functionality at all. The X1 is not intended to provide Mixer functionality, its intent is to provide transport controls and to improve the capabilities in Traktor in terms of Cues Loops Jumps and FX management. It assumes you either use a seperate mixer controller or a real mixer its this mode where the X1 will shine. All of that does not preclude you programming the controllers to provide Mixer Functions but you'll find it does better in its intended role.

The comments raised earlier about the current design leaving open the possiblilty of a separate Mixer controller are definitely valid. It is a possiblity but there have been no rumblings to the mere mortals that such a beast is under consideration or development.

Phil

 

Just read that it is going to be really easy to connect two X1's together. How will this work then?

 

Sorry - off main topic but I can't PM until my post count is higher!

@SimplySounds - quick message mate - I like you've overlay and thinking of getting a Korg Nano - it looks like you've got 3 things mapped to the two white buttons? (i.e. kill, 1/16, and FX1 On - all on the first fader) How do you set this up?

 

You won't connect them together in the sense you plug one into the other. but you can plug 2 of them in to your computer and you can have traktor identify them as separate devices. Controller mangler has the notion of device targets per controller map so you could make maps that only control one deck and load that or you can configure controller 1 to support decks A and B and controller 2 to support deck C and D

You'll notice in the X1 section in prefs there is support for two controllers built in.

Your best option plug-wise is to get a decent USB2.0 powered hub and plug the controllers into that.