I know the whole point of these videos is focused on the tech and not the art of DJing itself, but it's worth mentioning for beginner DJs out there. You can absolutely create amazing mixes with just two tracks, a basic mixer and a filter, as this provides. It's always going to be the track selection, the ability to read the room and (depending on the genre) you're ability to mix in the way that the music calls for that makes the difference. Whether it's thinking about how to layer the rhythms, the moment to bring in the next track, knowing the tracks well enough that you understand the frequencies that need to be highlighted or removed. It has absoultely nothing to do with how many effects a controller has. I come from mixing with vinyl and using xone 92 mixer, simple setup only really using the filters and occasionally a delay pedal as any type of effect. But I can pretty much kick out the same standard using this type of controller if I want to record a mix at home, it makes no difference to how I mix or the quality of the music. That is all.
Yep, as you mention though this is a review of a controller so what is has (and doesn't) is paramount. It's a great unit either way - we gave it 5 stars :)
Got to say, this is actually a very smart, well-thought-out controller. They really managed to keep all the essential stuff in that makes Traktor great, with the advantage of superior portability and an affordable price. When performing in a bar, lounge room or private party, I wouldn't feel ashamed at all bringing this on with me. It really does all the stuff you need from a controller.
I've got this mixer in the garage hooked up to a PA system with DMX controlled lasers and lights. So far everyone who's seen the setup have been nothing short of mind blown.
i got a S2 mk2 also, it's a little beast, the S2 and the new S4 are no joke, i should of bought the S4 mk3 but i already got a S5, also the Traktor S5 is 20db, ^ ^, So before you go sell your s5 or s8, consider that, the pioneer DJM nexus is 19db, but of course has a better sample rate at 96kHz , but at the moment the only other mixer that's 20db still is the Allen & Heath Xone 92, if you like wasting your money on DJ mixer's like i do, just to try them out, pioneer and Traktor made a DJ mixer back in the day DJM-T1 its 24db, super loud haha, probably to loud i guess
Bought one last week. Only problem so far with it, is the low output volume. Reading some reports on the forums, this is an issue NI is working on, so hope that gets fixed soon. Other than that, great review :)
Im thinking of getting a portable mix controller and this I think fits the bill, especially as the T3 upgrade is included, I'll pair it with my X1 and then that will solve the lack of FX knobs.
This plus an old X1 seems like all I'm gonna need. I'm a bit worried about the future of NI's involvement in DJ'ing, but this is a reasonable enough price point to combine with my current X1 and I should be good for a couple years till DJing hits the next gen and I'm able to afford a higher bracket of gear anyway.
The S2 Mk2 v The S2 Mk3... how do they compare? I hear the Mk2 has more fx and they are all on the controller where the Mk3 has less? And to access some of the fx you have to go on the traktor software? What else does one have that the other doesnt? I hear the jog wheels on the Mk2 are really tight? I wouldnt scratch as play house/techno but i hear even for beatmaching its not great. Is the Mk3 jog wheels more loose and better for beatmatching? And to plug in headphones to the Mk2 you need an adaptor?
i am having a problem with lower volume on deck b on my kontrol s2 mk3. tried the same music/file on both decks (same gain on decks)... on traktor pro 3 and traktor dj. have an idea on what is happening? (i could equalize with the gain button, but deck b is 100% gain and deck a should be around 50-60% gain)
I bought this controller, partly due to your excellent review. However, it is very annoying that it doesn't work with the Traktor DJ app - so I can't use it!
I can't make my mind up between this and the Pioneer DDJ 400. Any thoughts? One thing that looks interesting on the Pioneer is the keyboard mode on the pads. I suppose the other consideration is Traktor vs Rekordbox. Library preparation is of importance to me too, and Rekordbox has a mobile app for this but is it any good?
The biggest thing you'll want to consider is the software. If you want to develop into using club gear and join the Pioneer ecosystem seamlessly, go for the 400/Rekordbox DJ. If you're playing strictly electronic music and like remixing/producing, go for Traktor :)
@Audioedge i use Ableton for music production, i’m not pro yet but... I didn’t know about that ableton thing for traktor. I wondered.... could be nice to play life using the Traktor + my Komplete Kontrol Mk2 keyboard! 😁
My friend bought this controller and says the output is incredibly low, he is using a pioneer djm 800 and he has to max it out to get a decent output. Have you guys encountered this issue when you tested it or was the output loud?
@@digitaldjtips Interesting that you didn't experience this issue. Should it be ok as long as you go through a beast of an amp? Thanks for the review btw :)
Ahhhh the joys of getting older, thanks for clarifying. Think I’ll grab one soon as I see the S2 Line is iOS compatible. May need to wait for firmware update like I did with Maschine Mikro MK3 for use in other DAW’s
Software can be installl in tablet android ? Other question can i install in pc and tablet same time. For i choose the place where i want use ? . This is better tham pionner DDJ-400 ? Thanks for attention
Phil - thanks for this. One question I have: Is there a way to use two different speakers (e.g two jambox jawbone speakers) as the main output without compromising the sound quality? I saw that there are two Main Out's, RCA and AUX? Is that how you would approach it? Or would you recommend I purchase a splitter? Although I hope it doesn't compromise sound quality. Thank you
I’ve just received one of these, and have noticed the output level into a mixer is extremely low, far lower than the MK1 or MK2, in fact, it’s almost unusable. Certainly not suitable for use outside of the bedroom. Has anyone else had any issues with this? I’m wondering if my unit might be faulty...
This doesn't appear to work with an iPad yet...when it's plugged in it says to download the Traktor S2 mk3 app but there's nothing in the App Store. Why wouldn't you get the app ready in time for the release?!
Neil Preedy actually there is an official support article from NI about future iOS support: support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000505798-TRAKTOR-KONTROL-S2-MK3-iOS-Compatibility
What's about knobs at the front for controlling the volume of the headphone? I use it a lot. Evenso the knob for pre listening between the cue and master. Is it somewhere in the software ?
What's the hole next to the master output next to the R .. is that a 3.5 jack?? Could you plug in say a small speaker and have that as the booth out ??
They're both great for starting on and most of the controllers at that end of the scale have very similar feature sets so I wouldn't sweat the decision too much :)
can you elaborate on how the microphone would work? on the s4 it uses one of the channels but that wouldn't be a good idea on this model as it only has 2 channels to begin with.
Hi please can someone help me. I'm really struggling with knowing how to listen to one song in my earphones and the other in through the speakers using my Traktor S2 Controller.
Turn your headphone mix knob all the way to the left, volume at 12 o'clock and press the cue button on whichever track you want to hear in your headphones :)
@@digitaldjtips thank you 😊 Through reading the traktor manual, and watching audio output preference videos, I worked out that I needed to change my audio output preferences. Still not 100% sure if these settings are spot on. But I can now listen to seperate songs on speakers and headphones and am now moving onto to learn how to mix! Thank you for your video's!
Hi nice review ! Question how do we resolve the low headphone issue of the mk3 version ? I read somewhere that by using the charger volume is increased significantly ... is that correct ? Thanks ! Philippe
Yes volume is often better (and lights brighter etc) when using a power supply vs USB power, this is a somewhat of a known issue with these controllers though
How do i turn off the motion sensor on the jogwheels? It's ruining everything. It stops and scratches a song when my hand is about 3cm from touching the jogwheel. Its a terrible and pointless feauture and I cant find any help on how to disable it. Does anyone know how to fix it?
Hi DigitalDJTips, Just got the Kontrol S2 MK3 and the jog wheels don't seem to be working properly. When I try scratching, the track stops playing even though the jog wheel is not being held down and the PLAY button is lit. If I stop it and try to play it again, it doesn't work. The way to continue playing it is using the mouse to click on the waveform and drag forward into the track. Any idea what to do? Thanks!
Not sure I understand, but if you don't want the track to "stop playing" when you touch the jogwheels, use the plastic edge rather than the metal top of the job.
Completely new to DJ'ing...although I know quite a bit about production. Can I buy this and use it standard as decks with any DJ Software or do I need to buy and own Native Instruments?? (Sorry if this is a stupid question)
If you buy it you'll get a free copy of Traktor so you can use it right away out of the box, some people like to map DJ controllers to other software but in general it's better to use it with the software it was designed for :)
To answer your two questions: 1 The Grid button is for manually shifting the beatgrids if you find they're a bit out of time when DJing. 2. It is possible to scratch on this.
I get that, but activating any of those 4 effects makes it available on either knob. Say both faders are up and I want to adjust filter on one deck and delay on another simultaeneously, what then happens
Can someone tell me anything about the headphone jack output next to the RCA out put? Is this also an output via AUX? I am wanting to look at doing facebook live streams with this controller and needed an extra output. I was hoping to use this output to go into a sc4 and then straight into my ipad. Thoughts and recommendations welcome :)
I'm personally really disappointed that you don't have access to all Traktor effects from the controller itself. Pretty much every other controller out there has access to at least 3 effects. This is a big negative for me.
I previously add the S2 MK2 for four years but he stop working on one time in a middle of a set no more control he was lighted but any button wre working done everything to arrange that with NI service but they said that was dead. That controller was perfect in everyway great reponses and awesome finish, worked fine on a osx 10.9 with TP2. So i add to change on the paper the S2 MK3 looked fine but a big deception when i receive it . no more electricity plug a very cheap plastic finish as the S2 MK2 was with metal. And it don't work on TP2 i can't even charge the new drivers and i can't instal TP3 on my 10.9 and i don't want to upgrade, Native Intrument didn't talk about that to much. I a bit disapointed when i saw some comments here...S2 end of an era ?
The new S2 is definitely a "step down" from the old one, being a more focuses entry level controller (it is also cheaper). I think you'd like the new S4 though.
This video as usual is very good but this controller is not it's a huge disappointment after 5 years waiting for an improvement on the Kontrol S2 mark2.
Thanks Ben, we do like it but we can understand why you'd feel that way. It just works (and works well), it's not ground breaking but at that price point maybe it's hard to complain
Press the buttons near the jogwheels to choose the deck you want - when you do, the deck colour changes between blue and yellow to show you you're on the "other" deck each aside.
I think with all these video reviews for this unit, nobody dare mention how pathetic the sound card output level is for fear of not being sent things to reveiw in the future if they slate it too much. Definitely not usable playing out unless it's running through an external mixer or separate sound card. I suppose this is why the price is so surprisingly low. Any videos showing this playing independently shows the volume on max.
"Nobody dare mention how pathetic the sound card output level is for fear of not being sent things to review in the future if they slate it too much. " LOL trust me, we tell it like it is. Anyway, all controllers that rely on USB power have lower output than those powered from mains electricity, it's the nature of the beast. This isn't designed for pro use - and as you say, anyone using it in a DJ booth will plug it into a mixer anyway, and adjusting the gain on a mixer channel takes a second. No big deal.
no phil , it wasnt phil on the rmx deck , it was "feel " by subb an feat beckford ....im beckford and didnt even get credited on that rmx pack ....dj's eh 🤬
Warning this controller is not suitable for live gigs! The Traktor S2 Mk3 has a very low output line level. This makes unsuitable for playing at live gigs. Why have you not mentioned this in your review?! I purchased and now have to return the product. Warning to anyone wanting to play this device live, don’t! The output level terrible, about 50% of would you need to connect to a club system. NI should hang their heads in shame releasing a product with such a massive flaw. It should come with the warning - "This is a toy, suitable for children only." Check the forums: support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360005380057-TRAKTOR-KONTROL-S2-MK3-VERY-LOW-OUTPUT-any-update-en-us-
Yep made my mind up!!! Its crap!! Looks crap,, and most people agree its nothing on the mk2!!! Gone to far with the cheap approach!! Utter shit ni,,, hope it bites in the ass
Almost everything this guy says makes me so angry. Demonstrates such a lack of understanding about the way Traktor works. "we havent found red yet" "Remix Decks are frightfully complicated"
I know the whole point of these videos is focused on the tech and not the art of DJing itself, but it's worth mentioning for beginner DJs out there. You can absolutely create amazing mixes with just two tracks, a basic mixer and a filter, as this provides. It's always going to be the track selection, the ability to read the room and (depending on the genre) you're ability to mix in the way that the music calls for that makes the difference. Whether it's thinking about how to layer the rhythms, the moment to bring in the next track, knowing the tracks well enough that you understand the frequencies that need to be highlighted or removed. It has absoultely nothing to do with how many effects a controller has. I come from mixing with vinyl and using xone 92 mixer, simple setup only really using the filters and occasionally a delay pedal as any type of effect. But I can pretty much kick out the same standard using this type of controller if I want to record a mix at home, it makes no difference to how I mix or the quality of the music. That is all.
Yep, as you mention though this is a review of a controller so what is has (and doesn't) is paramount. It's a great unit either way - we gave it 5 stars :)
Got to say, this is actually a very smart, well-thought-out controller. They really managed to keep all the essential stuff in that makes Traktor great, with the advantage of superior portability and an affordable price. When performing in a bar, lounge room or private party, I wouldn't feel ashamed at all bringing this on with me. It really does all the stuff you need from a controller.
That was our overall impression, Rolf Ski. We were impressed.
But it has no booth outputs, it might be a problem is clubs or lounges
I live your channel, it is really educational and you are a very nice person, listening to you is very pleasant. Big respect from Lithuania! ❤️
Thanks very much!
I've got this mixer in the garage hooked up to a PA system with DMX controlled lasers and lights. So far everyone who's seen the setup have been nothing short of mind blown.
Very cool! Bet you have a lot of fun in there 👍
The best overview for this device I have found so far. Thank you!
Thanks!
I have a S2MK2 and very satisfied with this controller. Run very well TP2 and(!) TP3. For me as a 4wall DJ the S2MK2 is the right choice.
Awesome Thorsten, good to hear you're happy with the set-up!
i got a S2 mk2 also, it's a little beast, the S2 and the new S4 are no joke, i should of bought the S4 mk3 but i already got a S5, also the Traktor S5 is 20db, ^ ^, So before you go sell your s5 or s8, consider that, the pioneer DJM nexus is 19db, but of course has a better sample rate at 96kHz , but at the moment the only other mixer that's 20db still is the Allen & Heath Xone 92, if you like wasting your money on DJ mixer's like i do, just to try them out, pioneer and Traktor made a DJ mixer back in the day DJM-T1 its 24db, super loud haha, probably to loud i guess
Bought one last week. Only problem so far with it, is the low output volume. Reading some reports on the forums, this is an issue NI is working on, so hope that gets fixed soon. Other than that, great review :)
Thanks for watching :)
Is the low volume issue fixed now?
Great Reviews as always. Nice job
Thanks Leon!
Thk.for review .Its a nice little thing .
Glad you enjoyed it Erik!
Im thinking of getting a portable mix controller and this I think fits the bill, especially as the T3 upgrade is included, I'll pair it with my X1 and then that will solve the lack of FX knobs.
Nice one Mark :)
This plus an old X1 seems like all I'm gonna need. I'm a bit worried about the future of NI's involvement in DJ'ing, but this is a reasonable enough price point to combine with my current X1 and I should be good for a couple years till DJing hits the next gen and I'm able to afford a higher bracket of gear anyway.
We hear you, just buy it for what it can do now with no expectations for the future and you won't be disappointed
hahaha the "PHIL" sample is gold !
Yeah! did make us all laugh in the NI Suite, too!
i would love it somebody explains it in a more detailed way like how to use the deck 3 and 4 please?:)
We've got training like that in our Lab training: djtips.co/lab-freetrial :)
sound card improved?
Nice little controller
It is :)
I'm getting one of these!
Cool!
Thanks, good review.
Thanks!
My Master volume from controller doesn't synchronizing wit the master volume from pro 3 .strange
That's actually how it's always been, although right now for the life of me I can't remember the technical reason why.
The S2 Mk2 v The S2 Mk3... how do they compare? I hear the Mk2 has more fx and they are all on the controller where the Mk3 has less? And to access some of the fx you have to go on the traktor software?
What else does one have that the other doesnt? I hear the jog wheels on the Mk2 are really tight? I wouldnt scratch as play house/techno but i hear even for beatmaching its not great. Is the Mk3 jog wheels more loose and better for beatmatching? And to plug in headphones to the Mk2 you need an adaptor?
We have full reviews on both on Digital DJ Tips - best thing to do is read/watch those.
If you need FX get the MK2. Want mine? MK2 jog wheels are totally fine for beat-matching btw.
What about the sound card? Is it good enough?
Yes.
i am having a problem with lower volume on deck b on my kontrol s2 mk3. tried the same music/file on both decks (same gain on decks)... on traktor pro 3 and traktor dj. have an idea on what is happening? (i could equalize with the gain button, but deck b is 100% gain and deck a should be around 50-60% gain)
Hi, does the s2 mk3 still comes bundled with traktor pro 3 software license in 2023? Thank you.
they should have made the standard fx knobs... would be my go to controller...saad
We like it, solid little controller :)
Can u add slicer and other effects in the software and map it on to this controller?
Hey Phil! I've just bought one :) Do you know any case/bag for this baby? Cheers
Hey Oliver, awesome enjoy :) UDG makes some nice ones: www.udggear.com/by-device/native-instruments/traktor-s2-mk3
I bought this controller, partly due to your excellent review. However, it is very annoying that it doesn't work with the Traktor DJ app - so I can't use it!
They're working on a new version that you'll be able to use with it :)
I think my favourite thing about this compared to controllers of the same price is the coloured hot cues.
Good point, Tom. What else stands out for you about it?
Digital DJ Tips Everything to be honest! I was wondering if you knew if this works with Djay Pro for Windows?
There won't be a mapping, but Djay Pro is easy enough to map yourself... so officially, no, but possible.
Well just bought mine and everything works fine but the worst thing they remove effect control and browser searching folders!
I can't make my mind up between this and the Pioneer DDJ 400. Any thoughts? One thing that looks interesting on the Pioneer is the keyboard mode on the pads. I suppose the other consideration is Traktor vs Rekordbox. Library preparation is of importance to me too, and Rekordbox has a mobile app for this but is it any good?
The biggest thing you'll want to consider is the software. If you want to develop into using club gear and join the Pioneer ecosystem seamlessly, go for the 400/Rekordbox DJ. If you're playing strictly electronic music and like remixing/producing, go for Traktor :)
@Audioedge i use Ableton for music production, i’m not pro yet but... I didn’t know about that ableton thing for traktor.
I wondered.... could be nice to play life using the Traktor + my Komplete Kontrol Mk2 keyboard! 😁
Yeah, could work well for you!
My friend bought this controller and says the output is incredibly low, he is using a pioneer djm 800 and he has to max it out to get a decent output. Have you guys encountered this issue when you tested it or was the output loud?
Can't say we had that problem but another user in the comments section had the same issue...
@@digitaldjtips Interesting that you didn't experience this issue. Should it be ok as long as you go through a beast of an amp?
Thanks for the review btw :)
You should be fine :)
Did you make an oopsie on Price? I swear I heard you say $229 in video.... I’m seeing it at $319 . Looks good, at $229 even better :)
It's possible 😊should go for US$299
Yes, 299 :)
Ahhhh the joys of getting older, thanks for clarifying. Think I’ll grab one soon as I see the S2 Line is iOS compatible. May need to wait for firmware update like I did with Maschine Mikro MK3 for use in other DAW’s
Just bought one for £229 👍🏻
I need to re-map the browser section because its so clumsy the way i browse my folders... anyone have the same experience?
Just wondering how it’ll handle stem tracks!
i can loop roll on the S5 to
Software can be installl in tablet android ? Other question can i install in pc and tablet same time. For i choose the place where i want use ? . This is better tham pionner DDJ-400 ? Thanks for attention
The new Traktor DJ 2 app is coming to Android soon and will work with this unit.
Phil - thanks for this. One question I have: Is there a way to use two different speakers (e.g two jambox jawbone speakers) as the main output without compromising the sound quality? I saw that there are two Main Out's, RCA and AUX? Is that how you would approach it? Or would you recommend I purchase a splitter? Although I hope it doesn't compromise sound quality. Thank you
You could just plus one Jawbone into the 1/8" output and one into the RCAs, that'd work fine.
I’ve just received one of these, and have noticed the output level into a mixer is extremely low, far lower than the MK1 or MK2, in fact, it’s almost unusable. Certainly not suitable for use outside of the bedroom. Has anyone else had any issues with this? I’m wondering if my unit might be faulty...
Not something we've noticed but another user has mentioned that...
i noticed the same thing
This conttoller has a Very low volume comparing to my mp3 player ,both conected to yamaha annalog mixer.But overall its a nice small toy for dj's .
Wonder how these will fair out about on the road??
Wonder if the willstand up to a beating? They dont look very durable??
The new S2 feels to me more like a home controller, for the road, it's the S4. That said the build is fine.
Ddj 400 vs s2 mk3, who should buy what? 🙂
That choice will depend on whether you want to DJ with Rekordbox or Traktor.
This doesn't appear to work with an iPad yet...when it's plugged in it says to download the Traktor S2 mk3 app but there's nothing in the App Store. Why wouldn't you get the app ready in time for the release?!
No official word from Native Instruments about this, although common sense says there is some iOS software coming...
@@digitaldjtips "No official word from Native Instruments" !!!! But what about any rumours ???????
Neil Preedy actually there is an official support article from NI about future iOS support: support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000505798-TRAKTOR-KONTROL-S2-MK3-iOS-Compatibility
What's about knobs at the front for controlling the volume of the headphone? I use it a lot. Evenso the knob for pre listening between the cue and master. Is it somewhere in the software ?
yeah it's in tp3
What's the hole next to the master output next to the R .. is that a 3.5 jack?? Could you plug in say a small speaker and have that as the booth out ??
It is a minijack output so yes you could plug a powered speaker into it
also supported plug & play by Virtualdj 2018
Thanks for the confirmation Massimo Mora
Is this controller worth the money for someone wanting to get into Djing?
Definitely, it's a great little controller :)
I like the mic engage button (missing from a lot of controllers).
Can the Mic be EQ'ed in the software?
No, it's "straight through".
would you consider this over Numark Mixtrack Platinum ? it is to get my son started in the world of DJing
They're both great for starting on and most of the controllers at that end of the scale have very similar feature sets so I wouldn't sweat the decision too much :)
can you elaborate on how the microphone would work? on the s4 it uses one of the channels but that wouldn't be a good idea on this model as it only has 2 channels to begin with.
It's super simple, connect mic adjust gain and then click the Mic button to add the signal to the master channel
thank you. that sounds easier than setting up the mic on the S4.
Can i know if the mic can be used as a Aux or live input in traktor software wheni plug mic to S2?
Still a valid choice in January 2024?
Thanks for the review. Have you tried changing the default mapping? Are all buttons/knobs/faders/pads fully midi-mappable?
We haven't, but sure they will be.
Thanks for the update!
Hi please can someone help me. I'm really struggling with knowing how to listen to one song in my earphones and the other in through the speakers using my Traktor S2 Controller.
Turn your headphone mix knob all the way to the left, volume at 12 o'clock and press the cue button on whichever track you want to hear in your headphones :)
@@digitaldjtips thank you 😊 Through reading the traktor manual, and watching audio output preference videos, I worked out that I needed to change my audio output preferences. Still not 100% sure if these settings are spot on. But I can now listen to seperate songs on speakers and headphones and am now moving onto to learn how to mix! Thank you for your video's!
Awesome, glad you worked it out :)
Do you need an external music software like spotify or external speakers
Yeah you'll need a music collection and speakers to get started :)
@@digitaldjtips thx
Nice, but i still waiting for the S4 Review & Demo :)
We have an S4... just got to get it back to the studio to put it through its paces...
Cool, greetings to all the team!
I need to get a cdj I've been making music. I just need to get a cdj . Maybe a numark for starter?
Yeah Numark are good starter gear.
go ahead and get the sc5000, two decks in one.
What speakers are those in the background?
Looks like the Adam Audio A7x
Hi nice review ! Question how do we resolve the low headphone issue of the mk3 version ? I read somewhere that by using the charger volume is increased significantly ... is that correct ? Thanks ! Philippe
Yes volume is often better (and lights brighter etc) when using a power supply vs USB power, this is a somewhat of a known issue with these controllers though
@@digitaldjtips Ok thank you very much for confirming ! Philippe
what are the differences between s2 mk2 and s2 mk3? thanks
Quite a lot - we've reviewed both on the website, so you can look them up in the reviews section at Digital DJ Tips.
How do i turn off the motion sensor on the jogwheels? It's ruining everything. It stops and scratches a song when my hand is about 3cm from touching the jogwheel. Its a terrible and pointless feauture and I cant find any help on how to disable it. Does anyone know how to fix it?
Head to preferences in Traktor, select the controller on the left hand side then choose "pitch bend" under the jogwheel option rather than scratch
Hi DigitalDJTips,
Just got the Kontrol S2 MK3 and the jog wheels don't seem to be working properly. When I try scratching, the track stops playing even though the jog wheel is not being held down and the PLAY button is lit. If I stop it and try to play it again, it doesn't work. The way to continue playing it is using the mouse to click on the waveform and drag forward into the track.
Any idea what to do?
Thanks!
Not sure I understand, but if you don't want the track to "stop playing" when you touch the jogwheels, use the plastic edge rather than the metal top of the job.
Completely new to DJ'ing...although I know quite a bit about production. Can I buy this and use it standard as decks with any DJ Software or do I need to buy and own Native Instruments?? (Sorry if this is a stupid question)
If you buy it you'll get a free copy of Traktor so you can use it right away out of the box, some people like to map DJ controllers to other software but in general it's better to use it with the software it was designed for :)
@@digitaldjtips Absolute Gent. Thanks so much for the quick response :)
Hello Phil, how do I connect this controller to my traktor scratch pro software?
Traktor Scratch is pretty outdated now so no idea if it'll work with this, it might be time to upgrade
@@digitaldjtips Ok Phil. Thank u :)
I don't understand what is/function have the button "Grid"? Is very bad to scratch with this controller ?
To answer your two questions: 1 The Grid button is for manually shifting the beatgrids if you find they're a bit out of time when DJing. 2. It is possible to scratch on this.
thank you very much!!
Traktor S2 MK4 or Hercules Inpulse 300?
Depends on what software you prefer.
@@digitaldjtips I prefeer RB haha but the new controllers are very interesting
what happens regarding the efx, say track are playing on both decks, and you activate the efx on say channel one, does channel 2 get affected also???
There is an effects knob for each channel, so no, channel 2 doesn't get affected when you switch on effects in channel 1. Any other questions Rodney?
I get that, but activating any of those 4 effects makes it available on either knob. Say both faders are up and I want to adjust filter on one deck and delay on another simultaeneously, what then happens
Better yet, can one within the software isolate say efx C and D to be assigned to only deck 2 and efx A and B to deck 1??
Just bought this today. Got evrything you need to record a set at home etc. Used to have high end Pioneer kit and for at home its just overkill.
Yes, and saves you some space too!
Can someone tell me anything about the headphone jack output next to the RCA out put? Is this also an output via AUX? I am wanting to look at doing facebook live streams with this controller and needed an extra output. I was hoping to use this output to go into a sc4 and then straight into my ipad. Thoughts and recommendations welcome :)
Ive read on another comment that this is an AUX. would it still work for what I have planned?
Haven't tried it but it should do, worst case scenario you'll need method 2 outlined here: th-cam.com/video/MhCt9REKuEw/w-d-xo.html&t
How do i turn on / open my remix decks ?
Go to the Decks part of the configuration panel.
Full Tutorial
I'm personally really disappointed that you don't have access to all Traktor effects from the controller itself. Pretty much every other controller out there has access to at least 3 effects. This is a big negative for me.
Fair enough, it's not pleasing everyone that's for sure!
No FX :(
you get mixer effects though
I previously add the S2 MK2 for four years but he stop working on one time in a middle of a set no more control he was lighted but any button wre working done everything to arrange that with NI service but they said that was dead. That controller was perfect in everyway great reponses and awesome finish, worked fine on a osx 10.9 with TP2. So i add to change on the paper the S2 MK3 looked fine but a big deception when i receive it . no more electricity plug a very cheap plastic finish as the S2 MK2 was with metal. And it don't work on TP2 i can't even charge the new drivers and i can't instal TP3 on my 10.9 and i don't want to upgrade, Native Intrument didn't talk about that to much. I a bit disapointed when i saw some comments here...S2 end of an era ?
The new S2 is definitely a "step down" from the old one, being a more focuses entry level controller (it is also cheaper). I think you'd like the new S4 though.
This video as usual is very good but this controller is not it's a huge disappointment after 5 years waiting for an improvement on the Kontrol S2 mark2.
Thanks Ben, we do like it but we can understand why you'd feel that way. It just works (and works well), it's not ground breaking but at that price point maybe it's hard to complain
How can I change deck A or B to C or D with the controller? Thank you
Press the buttons near the jogwheels to choose the deck you want - when you do, the deck colour changes between blue and yellow to show you you're on the "other" deck each aside.
Which button should I press exactly? I use Traktor S2 mk3
Be aware that the Kontrol S2 MK3 does not have a Windows 7 driver. If you want to use the MK3 with Windows 7 it will not work correctly.
Thanks for the tip Bill :)
So what to do
I think with all these video reviews for this unit, nobody dare mention how pathetic the sound card output level is for fear of not being sent things to reveiw in the future if they slate it too much. Definitely not usable playing out unless it's running through an external mixer or separate sound card. I suppose this is why the price is so surprisingly low.
Any videos showing this playing independently shows the volume on max.
"Nobody dare mention how pathetic the sound card output level is for fear of not being sent things to review in the future if they slate it too much. " LOL trust me, we tell it like it is.
Anyway, all controllers that rely on USB power have lower output than those powered from mains electricity, it's the nature of the beast. This isn't designed for pro use - and as you say, anyone using it in a DJ booth will plug it into a mixer anyway, and adjusting the gain on a mixer channel takes a second. No big deal.
no phil , it wasnt phil on the rmx deck , it was "feel " by subb an feat beckford ....im beckford and didnt even get credited on that rmx pack ....dj's eh 🤬
It may be the video's audio but those filters sound like garbage
Check out some Traktor Pro 3 reviews. They're actually quite good. The sound in this review is just horrible for showing these.
They sounded good - just we didn't manage to record the audio properly from the computer - our bad :)
@@digitaldjtips is the soundcard better? That's the only thing that'd make me upgrade from my Mk2.
Warning this controller is not suitable for live gigs!
The Traktor S2 Mk3 has a very low output line level. This makes unsuitable for playing at live gigs. Why have you not mentioned this in your review?! I purchased and now have to return the product. Warning to anyone wanting to play this device live, don’t! The output level terrible, about 50% of would you need to connect to a club system. NI should hang their heads in shame releasing a product with such a massive flaw. It should come with the warning - "This is a toy, suitable for children only."
Check the forums:
support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360005380057-TRAKTOR-KONTROL-S2-MK3-VERY-LOW-OUTPUT-any-update-en-us-
The S2 Mk2 is built and designed much better. This is extremely stripped down.
That is true, there's a much bigger difference between the s2/s3 in the mk3 than previous iterations
Yep made my mind up!!! Its crap!! Looks crap,, and most people agree its nothing on the mk2!!!
Gone to far with the cheap approach!! Utter shit ni,,, hope it bites in the ass
I think they wanted to make the S2 more of a beginner controller, the S4 more of the "pro" one... in other words, make more clear water between them.
is it posible to use the x1 with the s2 so we can control wet and dry of the other effects ?
Can't say we've tried it Cesar, I'd ask on the NI forums :)
true thanks dude
Almost everything this guy says makes me so angry. Demonstrates such a lack of understanding about the way Traktor works.
"we havent found red yet"
"Remix Decks are frightfully complicated"
😲tough crowd. Sorry to disappoint!
Can one use the "capture" feature with the S2?
Sorry not sure on that one