![]() ![]() The endless encoders are all click encoders and, while I understand why manufacturers use these, I always wish the gain and filter knobs were smooth it feels so much more natural. The knobs all feel consistent, none of them are too loose or tight. There is still a pressing mechanism and, while it doesn’t require a lot of pressure, I always prefer the feel of capacitive sensors over mechanical ones. ![]() They feel a lighter than the original S2 jogs but I was disappointed they weren’t capacitive, like my old VCI-100. One of the big changes Native Instruments boasts with this line of updated controllers is the metal plates on the jog wheels. The transport and mixer buttons are the same style as the Maschine and Kontrol X1 MK2 buttons, and the effects and pitch buttons are almost identical to the buttons on the original S2. The controller feels exactly as I expected, what with being surrounded by various Native Instruments gear. Unfortunately, I had to purchase a 30-pin to Lightning connector, since it would not work with the USB to Lightning plug I already owned. The box includes a license for Traktor Pro 2 and hardware registration, a wall wart with various international adapters, a USB 2.0 cable and a USB to 30-pin iPad connector. The Kontrol S2 MK2 is exactly what you would expect from a Native Instruments controller. We are still going to put these controllers through their paces and cover more than just the additions. Should they upgrade their already solid controller to the new version or, if they don’t own it already, should they even spend their money on the new version when they can now get the original for less.Ī note about the S2 and S4 reviews - these are going to be more than update announcements. ![]() This direction, embraced by many hardware manufacturers lately, puts consumers in a very difficult position. While the S2 MK2 is just an update of their solid Kontrol S2, it does provide a few extra tweaks to the design and featureset. Their controllers, all-in-one solutions like the Kontrol S2 MK2 and modular products like the Kontrol Z1, always boast extremely tight integration and super high quality hardware. Native Instruments has an inherent advantage in their hardware design: they also design the software. In a world of me-too controllers, a world where almost every controller on the market looks identical, manufacturers need to dig deep to set themselves apart. I think it is an excellent value for the money for professional use.Link: NI | Price: $499/€449/£379 (offer price) | Manual: PDF Introduction It has the option of being able to interface directly with your amplifier or powered speakers and you will get good clean sound that you can control with the on board EQ and gain settings. The quality of the unit itself thus far has operated without problems and seems to be sturdy. Updates for the software could be a little simpler by allowing it to download without having to insert user name and password on every download. The only feature I would like to see added would be an override button that resets the decks to a default setting for sync, pitch and filters to a preset norm on the controller surface and a lock out for the auto sync function. Now that I am running from a Mac Book Pro it runs without audio and/or, software issues. The Traktor member forum was helpful because I learned that this is an ongoing problem with Windows users and the solution was to use it with a Mac OS. Traktor support offered no solution and brushed me off with the hope of a future update that would address the problem. I purchased a new Samsung loaded with a high end processor and 8 GB of memory to be in a similar position. On that note, I had some stalling and freezing issues with Traktor software when running it on an older HP laptop. This unit comes with Traktor Pro2 full version with support. You will find many other brands with similar features around the same price or even less but most other come with an introductory version of a compatible DJ software that requires $100 plus to upgrade to a full version. I have had my S2 MK2 for about a year now and for mobile use it's on the mark.
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