Traktor Kontrol Z2 DJ-Mixer/Controller

Product Information

Nowadays the safest bet is Pioneer or Numark but at the same time AS transition is showing how wrong was x86 dependency on djing field with apps like Djay Pro getting all the features at the palm of your hand meanwhile desktop can follow the development of drivers and only Vdj catching the wave… Built-in powered USB hub* for 2 add-on DJ controllers such as TRAKTOR KONTROL F1 or TRAKTOR KONTROL X1 Deliveries will be made subject to the terms and conditions of the courier company. djkit.com will not be held responsible for late deliveries. By replacing your mixer with a Traktor Kontrol Z2, you can continue to DJ exactly as before, but now the whole world of Traktor is only a USB cable into your laptop away. You can mix and match seamlessly from one to the other, and due to the fact that you’ve only changed your mixer, get into DJing with Traktor in a very natural way. Look at Rane and legacy drivers drama (part blame on inMusic adcquisition part on AS transition and no money for old hardware updates…)

The Traktor Kontrol Z2 is an awesome bit of kit and a stunning entry into the DJ mixer market for NI" Ergonomically, the Z2 is a tremendous success. Native Instruments should be really proud of what they’ve achieved when it comes to integrating the Z2’s brawn with the Traktor brain, because it looks like the Z2 should do a lot less than it actually does. It’s not the first DVS ‘hub’ mixer, of course, not even close – but to my grubby hands it feels the most streamlined and logical, and when comparing it to other mixers it seems somehow more elegant.The Z2 hardware functions as a Traktor-centric MIDI controller, audio interface, scratch decoder and conventional analogue DJ mixer"

In this case you’d be looking at a Rane mixer, of which the Sixty-One is the closest to this. Without even comparing features sets, bear in mind that the Rane Sixty-One costs pretty much double what this does.The faders are made by Innofader, and feel great, the crossfader being loose without being in any way rattly, and the upfaders slightly less loose. All faders stop at their furthest reach without any kind of metal-on-metal noise, rather hitting home in a pleasingly dampened way, a bit like an Audi door thudding shut. I liked them. Setting up While TRAKTOR PRO 3 is made for our TRAKTOR KONTROL series, it also syncs seamlessly with other DJ equipment and software through MIDI and Ableton Link. Expand your setup with any controller, using TRAKTOR’s modular design, or link directly to Ableton Live to create unique workflows that push your creativity to new heights. Integrate multiple TRAKTOR KONTROL F1 and X1 controllers with plug-and-play simplicity thanks to the Z2’s USB hub, freeing up additional ports on your laptop. Built tough for pro use, TRAKTOR KONTROL Z2 features all the power and connectivity needed for even the biggest clubs. The integrated audio interface delivers 24-bits of high-output audio so your sets hit with maximum impact.

TRAKTOR KONTROL Z2 puts our most advanced DJ controller in the body of a professional 2+2 channel mixer – TRAKTOR SCRATCH included. Like all good scratch mixers, the Z2 hardware keeps things simple. It offers two channels, fed by either line or phono inputs, both with built in Traktor Scratch decoders (Traktor Scratch Mk2 vinyl and CDs are included), so whether you use CDJs or turntables, you can simply plug them in alongside your laptop (connected via the USB port), and even hook up external drives via the dual-port USB hub. I really liked the Traktor Kontrol Z2. It looked on unboxing like it could have been a complex beast, and while it is indeed an advanced piece of kit, everything has been designed for performance in mind. It’s not trying to control every function of Traktor – just the stuff that you’re likely to use most of the time to put killer DJ sets together. Basically, having cues, loops and filters right there at your fingertips is very, very handy, never mind anything else.

Hardware mixer and software controller in one

It’s important not to get swept away by the design aesthetic of the Z2, of course; there’s no point fawning over a mixer’s looks and allowing yourself (perhaps more aptly, myself) to get hypnotised without really looking at the nitty gritty. For instance, compared to the Pioneer DJM-T1 the Z2 is strikingly similar in many aspects. The basic layout is more or less the same, but on the T1 there’s a sense of things being squeezed in that just isn’t there with the Z2. To achieve the svelte feel of the Z2 Native Instruments have done a few things; the slimline tapering of the knobs creates the illusion of more space on the mixer, small but not cramped buttons for cue source and the like give an impression of spaciousness, and the tighter-than-tight integration with Traktor 2.6 has allowed NI to make better use of shift layers, colours, and their new built in macro effects to save on physical controls. Build: Great. Some might be wary of the plastic pots, but there’s an undeniably professional quality to the Kontrol Z2… except the issue with the paint coming off the glossy section of the mixer, which doesn’t really affect anything other than aesthetics, but it’s still a bit naff.