8/5/2023 0 Comments Traktor kontrol s8 reviewsLet’s start at the screens and the functions that make more use of them, as they’re the first thing that gives this unit a “wow” factor. In Use Screen functions The Traktor Kontrol S8 has dual high resolution displays that save you from having to look at your laptop’s screen for most DJ functions. Bit more work needed here, though, Native. But notwithstanding, I was all up and running in less than 10 minutes. Having said all of that, the configuration wizard got me to a working set of decks fast enough with no extra audio configuration necessary, although it did seem to have decided that I was using DVS and plonked a pair of decks right there on the screen. Now, I’ve seen all of this stuff before (actually, not the “OOPS” page) so I wasn’t worried, but this stuff is going to scare beginners. I can’t remember that not happening on a fresh install! This time, next I was told the unit needed a firmware update (told, not asked), and then taken to a page that said “OOPS! We are experiencing unusually high traffic” before suggesting I refresh.įinally it all worked. The issue I have with it (apart from the fact that it appears entirely unnecessary) is that the first thing it always tells you is that it has failed to update itself. So on a brand-new MacBook Pro, I followed the installation instructions to the letter… I don’t want to go on about it but I get this error every time I install this… does anyone else? Or am I just monolithically unlucky?įor the uninitiated, Native Instruments has a “Service Center” that it forces you to install alongside the Traktor software. I usually install on a test machine that’s been used for all types of things and that has all kinds of software on it, including myriad “beta” and so on versions of Traktor old and new, so I decided to “be a beginner” this time. Native Instruments’ Traktor gear is getting easier to set up, but it’s still never as plain sailing as it should be. A notable thing here is that Midi in and out have been retained Native Instruments clearly wants you to think of this unit as part of a wider ecosystem of its products, current and future. XLR and RCA main outs, TRS booth outs, four full line / phono switchable input channels with ground pole, two mics (XLR/TRS combo and TRS), plus Kensington lock, USB and power input/switch. Round the back is actually pretty standard, and comprehensive. A central “channel” contains cue mix and volume, main and booth volumes, mic assigns, Snap and Quantise buttons for accurate cueing and looping, and a Master Tempo knob. There are per-channel filters, with on/off buttons (great for cancelling a filter on a downbeat crisply), the usual three-band EQ, FX assign and cue buttons, and – hurray! – normal gain controls (not like the bizarre rotary encoders found on the S2 and S4). The front of the mixer section has crossfader assign and curve controls (flush with the surface), as well as 1/4″ and 1/8″ headphone sockets. The whole panel underneath the faders comes off for easy servicing. There’s a decent short-throw crossfader with plenty of room around it for scratch DJs to not feel cramped. The four-channel mixer again oozes quality. Nobody’s going to ask for a go on your “toy” it doesn’t look like a toy, and most people wouldn’t know what the hell to do with it! This, I think, is a good thing.ĭJ like a pro using ANY gear: The Complete DJ Course A more standard set of four encoders and buttons at the top of each channel for FX give a note of normality, but overall, it all looks very futuristic. The touchstrips right above the transport controls at the front of each deck are, of course, exactly where you find them on the Novation Twitch, the only other major jogwheel-less all-in-one DJ controller out there. Of course there’s another area where the “deck” parts of the unit differ from CDJs as well as practically all DJ controllers: There are no jogwheels, the space where they used to sit being replaced by four mini faders, extra encoders and buttons, and those aforementioned screens. Somehow the addition of screens makes one think of Pioneer’s CDJs these “decks” are slimmer and less chunky but also at least as well built as CDJs, if not better. Better built than the Kontrol S4, the Kontrol S8 immediately stands out through having two 4.7″ screens (they’re not touchscreen, by the way), one for each deck. First Impressions / Setting up Massive and seriously well-built, one thing’s for sure: No one’s going to be asking you to have a go at your “DJ toy” when you’re rocking one of these…
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |