The much-needed booth output features as 1/4″ TRS outputs on the rear of the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk2 alongside the volume control. Push the loop encoder and your track starts looping at the indicated beat length, but when you push the move encoder, you enter the loop slice mode, and things get interesting. The best feature the S4 (and the S2) bring to the party here is that with sync and keylock disengaged, you can manually beatmatch using the tempo faders and jogwheels for nudge, unlocking control not allowed when using Traktor DJ alone on the device. See which jog wheel mode you’re using, and get real-time feedback on how much you’re nudging or stalling the deck.

Comparing the TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 / S4 with the new TRAKTOR Comparing the TRAKTOR KONTROL S2 / S4 with the new TRAKTOR

It’s an evolution, not a revolution, but with the improved control over the Remix Decks and the iOS integration working like a dream, it is a worthy flagship for the platform, at least while we wait for a more ground-breaking model to appear. The button that was previously mapped to toggle in and out of browser mode is now mapped to play the highlighted track in the preview player, and by holding down the preview button you can use the browse knob to scroll through the track and audition for energy levels and breakdowns, etc. For this we’re focussing on the most exciting new capability of the S4 Mk2, control over the Traktor DJ iOS software. Something you’ll want to touch: Meet the patented Haptic Drive™ – new, motorized, touch-sensitive jog wheels that give you haptic feedback. TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 lets you connect with your tracks in entirely new ways: Not only do its motorized jog wheels spin and react to nudging, scratching, pitch-fading, and backspins, they transmit cue points, loop markers, and more direct to your fingertips.If you plan to DJ solely from Traktor DJ on iOS, then go for the S2 Mk2 instead (or the Z1 for entry-level control), because on the S4 you have two surplus channels that you can do nothing with, as Traktor DJ is only (currently) a two-channel application. These eight slices are created no matter what the loop length, so if you take the loop length down really low, each cue button now controls a tiny slice of the audio and you can almost play them like a keyboard. The S4 Mk2 comes with a full version of Traktor Pro 2 (as before) and although it’s now mapped to work out of the box with Traktor DJ, the fact that the S4 retains the identical casing assembly as its predecessor means that there’s no iPad or iPhone stand, slot or docking station, leaving you to figure that one out for yourself (or wait for the inevitable Traktor-branded iOS stand as an accessory).

Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk2 DJ Midi Software Controller - djkit

There’s a USB to 30-pin cable supplied in the box and once the firmware on the S4 was updated (Note: this can only be done via a laptop or desktop computer) you just plug in and get cracking.

I don’t mind though, in most DJing situations the ability to grab and trigger eight samples from the controller without having to switch decks is plenty enough. The booth is adjusted a lot more often than the master in DJ-booth situations; the master tending to be more “set and forget” while levels are maintained with gain staging or occasional rises of the master, so although the 1/4″ outs are labelled “booth”, you could actually connect them to your main speakers, controlled via the knob at the back (and this would be a balanced output).

Kontrol S4 MK2 Custom Mapping DJ TechTools - DJTT Kontrol S4 MK2 Custom Mapping

Get your essential transport, deck, and tempo visualization at a glance, with adaptive RGB light rings on each deck. And with RGB LED rings and high-res color displays keeping all the info you need front and center in the booth, everything you need is right where you need it – so you’re free to focus on your mix. Mix across four decks with full effects and custom-EQ control using TRAKTOR PRO 3, or mix four channels of external audio in the alternative standalone capability.Alternatively, mix external audio without a laptop connected – whether it’s drum machines, synths, or you fancy an old-school analog session. You can instantly see which deck you’re on when playing across four channels, with color-coded light rings and deck buttons. There is no other part of the jogwheel construction that differs from the Mk1, except a different circuit board for the mechanical scratch contact underneath (we know this because there’s a video on YouTube of a guy actually pulling apart the Mk1 and Mk2 demonstrating the difference, or lack of it). Open up a big filter and cut the bass, before switching decks and dropping a new kick without looking anywhere else.

Compatibility of Native Instruments Products on Windows Compatibility of Native Instruments Products on Windows

So if you’re considering this as your first Traktor controller, or perhaps stepping up to it from from an S2, then go for it. With an overhauled look, improved functionality and tight integration with iOS, the upgraded Traktor Kontrol S4 looks set to retain its dominance in the four-channel controller market for Traktor. The loop is split into eight equal slices, assigned to the eight cue buttons (well, the four cue buttons as 1-4 and the four remix / sample trigger buttons as 5-8) so you can slice and play around to your heart’s content. Adjust the crossfader curve and choose from different mixer EQ models to tailor everything to your own DJ style.The only downside is the vastly smaller screen size (especially in an iPhone 4S) meaning that features accessed through the touchscreen are more fiddly and squint-inducing.