ReviewFinder DJ Controllers

Native Traktor Kontrol S8

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10 Verified Hands-On Reviews

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Expert reviews [10]

95
Total expert reviews: 10
  • with a score: 3
  • without a score: 7
Highest score by MusicTech
100
Average score based on 10 reviews
95
Lowest score by Music Radar
90

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
ReviewFinder: authentic product reviews summarized by a powerful AI engine.

Expert consensus

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 DJ Controller is a versatile and powerful tool for professional DJs who prioritize hands-on control and versatility over extreme portability, offering a wide range of high-quality effects, numerous inputs and outputs, high-resolution screens, touch-sensitive controls, high-quality user-replaceable faders, and built-in DVS support.

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 DJ Controller is a versatile and powerful tool for professional DJs who want to create complex mixes with multiple tracks. It offers a wide range of high-quality effects, including filters, delays, and reverb, which can be customized and mapped to create unique sounds and textures.

The controller has numerous inputs and outputs, allowing DJs to connect a variety of devices, including turntables, CDJs, microphones, and other MIDI controllers. The S8's standout features include high-resolution screens, touch-sensitive controls, high-quality user-replaceable faders, a standard four-channel mixer section complete with 3-band EQ, gain knobs, and hardware filters, built-in DVS support, and the ability to work as a completely stand-alone 4-channel mixer without a computer.

The build quality of the Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is highly praised by experts, making it a durable option for professional DJs who need a reliable and sturdy controller for their performances. The Traktor Kontrol S8 is a good choice for DJs who prioritize hands-on control and versatility over extreme portability.

It is specifically designed to work with Traktor Pro 2 software, making it a highly compatible DJ controller that is perfect for DJs who use Traktor Pro 2 and want complete control over the software. Overall, the Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is a highly recommended DJ controller for professional DJs who want to take their performances to the next level.

Features

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 DJ Controller is a versatile and powerful tool for DJs who want to create complex mixes with multiple tracks, offering a wide range of high-quality effects and numerous inputs and outputs.

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 DJ Controller is a versatile and powerful tool for DJs who want to create complex mixes with multiple tracks. With its four-channel mixer section, DJs can mix up to four tracks simultaneously and seamlessly transition between sources. The S8 also offers a wide range of high-quality effects, including filters, delays, and reverb, which can be customized and mapped to create unique sounds and textures.

The controller has numerous inputs and outputs, allowing DJs to connect a variety of devices, including turntables, CDJs, microphones, and other MIDI controllers. While the basic functionalities are easy to use, the advanced features may require some learning, but the use of color screens provides visual feedback to navigate tracks, assign and tweak effects, beat slice, and perform remix sets.

Overall, the Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is a great choice for DJs who want to take their performances to the next level.

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User interface

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is a powerful and customizable DJ controller with high-resolution screens, touch-sensitive controls, and the ability to work as a stand-alone mixer, making it a great choice for advanced DJs who prefer DVS control.

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 has a unique and intuitive layout that may take some time for a beginner DJ to get used to, but it is designed to give complete control over Traktor's features, making it a great choice for more advanced DJs. The controller has a wide range of buttons and knobs available for customization, including a grid of 8 backlit performance pads, a touch strip, transport buttons, touch-sensitive knobs, and various controller buttons and knobs on both decks.

The S8's standout features include high-resolution screens, touch-sensitive controls, high-quality user-replaceable faders, a standard four-channel mixer section complete with 3-band EQ, gain knobs, and hardware filters, built-in DVS support, and the ability to work as a completely stand-alone 4-channel mixer without a computer.

These features make the S8 a streamlined and efficient workflow for professional DJs who prefer DVS control of Traktor's decks using timecode vinyl/CD and need the flexibility to use it in a variety of settings.

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Build quality

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 DJ Controller is praised for its high-quality and durable build, making it a reliable option for professional DJs.

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 DJ Controller is built with high-quality materials, including a brushed metal top face-plate and a mostly plastic body with rubber feet. The controller has a solid weight to it and a durable design, with a replaceable fader section that uses a special inverted design for maximum durability.

The knobs, faders, and pads are all solid and easy to use. Overall, the build quality of the Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is highly praised by experts, making it a durable option for professional DJs who need a reliable and sturdy controller for their performances.

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Size and portability

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is a relatively bulky and heavy controller that provides hands-on control and versatility for DJs during performances.

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 has dimensions of 58. 5 x 38. 7 x 6. 6 cm and weighs 5. 3 kg, making it relatively bulky and heavy compared to other controllers. However, it is still considered portable and can fit in most backpacks or DJ bags. While it does not come with a carrying case or bag, third-party options are available for purchase.

The size and weight of the Traktor Kontrol S8 enhance its usability during a performance or gig, as the solid build quality and weight make it feel like a professional piece of equipment, and the size provides plenty of space for hands-on control of all of its features. Additionally, the Traktor Kontrol S8 can work as a standalone mixer without a computer, making it a versatile option for different types of gigs.

Overall, the Traktor Kontrol S8 is a good choice for DJs who prioritize hands-on control and versatility over extreme portability.

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Compatibility

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is a DJ controller designed for use with Traktor Pro 2 software, offering comprehensive control over the software settings.

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is a DJ controller that is specifically designed to work with Traktor Pro 2 software. It offers comprehensive control over the software, including software settings, making it the first all-in-one unit to provide such control since Traktor 2.

x arrived with its remix decks. The controller is compatible with Mac OS X 10. 8 Intel® Core™ i5, 4 GB RAM and Windows 7 or 8 (latest Service Pack, 32/64 Bit). This makes it a great choice for DJs who use Traktor Pro 2 software and want a controller that offers complete control over the software.

The Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is not compatible with other DJ software, so it may not be the best choice for DJs who use different software. Overall, the Native Traktor Kontrol S8 is a highly compatible DJ controller that is perfect for DJs who use Traktor Pro 2 software.

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Position in ranking

We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all DJ controllers.

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Pioneer DDJ-FLX4
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Pioneer DDJ REV1
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Hercules DJControl Inpulse 500
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Native Traktor Kontrol S8 did not receive any endorsements this month.