Experts recommend Traktor Kontrol S2 more than Native Instruments S4 MK2
As of 15 Jan 2025, experts prefer Traktor Kontrol S2 over Native Instruments S4 MK2, but both DJ Controllers have solid expert endorsements.
As per this month's meta ranking, Traktor Kontrol S2 received 3 recommendations: from MSpot (23 Jul 2022), Home DJ Studio (26 Feb 2024) and Passionate DJ (31 Mar 2022). By contrast, Native Instruments S4 MK2 received only 2 recommendations from Equipboard (1 Jul 2024) and Music Critic (16 Feb 2024).
| Rank | Change | Price | DJ Controller | gear4music.com  | Guitar Center  | Equipboard  | Music Radar  | Prime Sound  | LandR  | MSpot  | Home DJ Studio  | Music Critic
 | Passionate DJ  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | - | $339 |  Traktor Kontrol S2 The Traktor Kontrol S2 DJ Controller is a well-designed and feature-rich two-channel controller suitable for beginner and professional DJs, with a club-standard layout, smooth and accurate physical controls, and compatibility with both Mac and Windows operating systems. | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 5 | - | 12 |
| 21 | - | Check price |  Native Instruments S4 MK2 The Native Instruments S4 MK2 DJ controller is a versatile and powerful 4-channel controller that is ideal for DJs who want to mix and transition between multiple audio sources in real-time, with an intuitive and comprehensive design, high-quality effects, and durable build quality. | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | - |
Curious to see this month's entire DJ Controllers ranking? It's here
Endorsement summary:
- On 1 Jul 2024 Equipboard ranked Native Instruments S4 MK2 as #2
Rank DJ Controller ... ... #2 out of 5 Native Instruments S4 MK2 ... ... Source: equipboard.com - On 16 Feb 2024 Music Critic ranked Native Instruments S4 MK2 as #7
Rank DJ Controller ... ... #7 out of 9 Native Instruments S4 MK2 ... ... Source: musiccritic.com - On 23 Jul 2022 MSpot ranked Traktor Kontrol S2 as #7
Rank DJ Controller ... ... #7 out of 10 Traktor Kontrol S2 ... ... Source: www.mspot.com - On 26 Feb 2024 Home DJ Studio ranked Traktor Kontrol S2 as #5
Rank DJ Controller Comment ... ... ... #5 out of 5 Traktor Kontrol S2 Best For TraktorSource: homedjstudio.com - On 31 Mar 2022 Passionate DJ ranked Traktor Kontrol S2 as #12
Rank DJ Controller Comment ... ... ... #12 out of 13 Traktor Kontrol S2 Best DJ Controllers Under $500... ... ... Source: passionatedj.com
After counting and adding up the 91 expert endorsements of the January rankings, Traktor Kontrol S2 outranks Native Instruments S4 MK2. This is not to say that Native Instruments S4 MK2 is a bad option. Like Traktor Kontrol S2, it is recommended by experts, but less.
As can be seen below, Traktor Kontrol S2 outranks Native Instruments S4 MK2 by 7 positions. This indicates that, as of 15 Jan 2025, Traktor Kontrol S2 is more critically acclaimed than Native Instruments S4 MK2.
| Rank | Change | Price | DJ Controller | gear4music.com | Guitar Center | Equipboard | Music Radar | Prime Sound | LandR | MSpot | Home DJ Studio | Music Critic | Passionate DJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | $1499 |  Rane Four | 12 | 3 | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | $299 |  Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 The Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 DJ Controller is a versatile and user-friendly option suitable for both beginner and intermediate DJs, offering a wide range of effects and compatibility with various devices and software options. | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 9 |
| 3 | - | $275 |  Pioneer DDJ REV1 The Pioneer DDJ REV1 DJ Controller is a versatile and reliable controller suitable for both beginner and advanced DJs, with a battle-style layout, powerful effects section, and compatibility with Serato DJ software. | 4 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | 10 |
| 4 | - | $300 |  Hercules DJControl Inpulse 500 The Hercules DJControl Inpulse 500 is a durable and versatile DJ controller with a user-friendly interface, a variety of effects, and compatibility with Serato DJ Pro and DJUCED software. | 6 | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - |
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Expert reviews [5]
Total expert reviews: 5
- with a score: 2
- without a score: 3
| Highest score by 123 DJ | 100 |
| Average score based on 5 reviews | 90 |
| Lowest score by Digital DJ Tips | 80 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
Expert reviews [9]
Total expert reviews: 9
- with a score: 2
- without a score: 7
| Highest score by Home DJ Studio | 94 |
| Average score based on 9 reviews | 87 |
| Lowest score by Music Radar |
80 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
From Seller:
- Industry-standard 4-deck controller, soundcard, flagship TRAKTOR software
- Improved look, feel, and visual feedback
- Plug and play with TRAKTOR DJ for iPad and iPhone
- Read more
From Seller:
- Jog mode: Classic spin-to-nudge function, as well as scratch capability
- Beat grid adjust mode: Use the jog wheel to manually adjust beat grid in TRAKTOR
- Club-standard layout with identical deck design, 2-channel mixer, and fast control of key TRAKTOR features
- Read more
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