However, the Gear4music extended warranty scheme provides an enhanced service, and is designed to offer a higher level of protection than many 'free' warranties offered by some retailers and manufacturers.

When asked about it, NI said that the newly introduced limiter type (known as “Transparent”) utilizes much of the previous “Classic” limiter while greatly reducing the amount of clipping. The Traktor Kontrol S4 features a compact design that makes it ideal for the travelling DJ. It is easily portable, and allows you to plug straight into the speakers at a club/venue and start DJing. The plug & play operation means you can get set up and practice DJing straight out of the box. Seriously, this motorized jog wheels felt more like a real and authentic turntable mode than any other I’ve ever used.

Tech spec

Only current generation class-compliant devices are supported in these macOS systems. These devices do not require a driver installation and work simply by connecting them to the computer. Well, at the end of the day that question will always depend on you and what you’re looking to get out of your controller. If you are a huge fan of the original Traktor design and aren’t willing to try a new setup out, you’re probably not going to like the S4 all that well.

The pad buttons are somewhat smaller though the spacing actually works better for your fingers when compared to the earlier versions. The knobs are all recessed, each with an orientation in both the EQ section as well as the gain, giving it a more classic mixer FX feel. PadsA small but important update, the controller now has several small RGB screens sitting between the different buttons. When I look at all the wonderful things that the Maschine side of Native Instruments puts out, I have to wonder why the Traktor side of N.I. doesn’t do its part to integrate the hardware. If I ran N.I., I’d demand that these products work together or the responsible parties would be looking for a new job.

Next are the buttons and knobs. While largely functioning as normal, they have also gotten a pretty noticeable update. The S4 Mk2 was a let down in a market which is a lot more dynamic than the people at Traktor seem to want it to be. The controller is… fine, but it’s no DDJ-SX. Had the Project Manager developed differently, the S2/S4 series might have retained relevance, but it seems they are going to be what they are until they get superseded by a newer, more modular line of controllers.The Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3, quite frankly, has a lot going for it. Native Instruments really went above and beyond when developing this controller and their hard work really shows. In addition to the sound card, the internal mixing software also got a much-needed update, creating incredible sound quality that was crystal clear. All products listed here require the latest update from Native Access, as well as the latest version of macOS 13 (Ventura).