Traktor Kontrol S8: Feature Overview + First Look

[jeffaguilar]

2024 and mine is still rockin'! Got a Rane 12 on each side of it, running VDJ to map those middle faders to individual stems. Guess everyone complaining about no jog wheels never thought to just add two turntables? 😂 This thing is a beast!

[QuantikMusic]

Reading this comments tells you a great deal about the way DJ'ing is progressing. I keep hearing the same complaints over and over from people who are unwilling to move on from previous methods of DJ'ing. I can understand that people feel a need to preserve skills such as beat matching etc. Personally I really feel that controllers have the possibility to be way more musical than other forms of DJ gear. In the right hands controllers can let you manipulate tracks on a deeper level, they allow for the art of improvisation and they allow the user to explore more sonic territory than previously possible. For me I don't want to be known for my impressive ability to perfectly align two records manually, I want to be known for creating a unique live experience where I can creatively control what is happening and how the music is conveyed to the audience. I want to be free to focus on giving the audience something they can't experience at home. This is only my opinion though so if you think otherwise that's cool too.  

[eduardoromerod]

I've been using tracktor for 5 years at least, and in all that time I haven't felt the need of use a jogwheel... NEVER. In fact, I feel very comfortable mixin' without it. Is that really bad you can't scratch in a party? Of course not. You can say what ever you want, but tracktor is far better dj software than any other, in many ways... and this controller it's a perfect complement for it. This will be my next purchase for shure. :)
Great overview, thanks dude! :)

[LJMstepspain]

Had mine for well over a year now and I'm still in love with it. Use it nearly every single day.

[garretttrott]

The most fun part about watching reviews on new innovative DJ gear is the comments where DJs reply stupidly about how its not the right tool because it makes mixing too easy or has too many options. Its like listening to a guy with a screwdriver praise how awesome it is to a guy with a power drill. Mind-numbing.... The internet gives everyone a voice and boy do DJs want to be heard :)

[TOXiCDUBofficial]

As a producer I find this setup really intuitive, when I want to play a live show now I can export some loops from my song and load them into my remix deck, this is going to bring a whole new dynamic to live electronic performances.

[LagomorphaMusic]

Looks awesome! Maybe I should start djing now... ;-) This tool looks like it could be a lot of fun playing around with it.

[Unders]

No audio out on the mixer? or is that just for your demo set up

[bboymac]

Music is now being remixed this just enhances the possibilities. Respect!! When design a concept see if people will support it, till then respect!!!

[cwahkwong]

Thanks Ian... so good to hear someone supporting the no cogwheels phase for digi djing...

[NEDinACTION]

I love the design! I feel like jog wheels are honestly a thing of the past at this point. They just take up space and if you really wanna do some scratching you'd be much better off with timecode vinyl than using a little toy wheel on your controller. I also absolutely LOVE the screens on the controller. That's gonna let us really get into the mix and hopefully make everyone stop thinking that you're on fucking Facebook the whole time! Build quality looks fantastic as well and I would love to pick one of these up when I get the cash!

[drumpounder]

From The Oxford English Dictionary:

 A Disc Jockey or "DJ" is a person who introduces and plays recorded music, especially on radio or at a disco. 

This definition does not change whether you use a controller or cdjs, or vinyl to play live. Therefore, the argument for or against anyone using one or the other is invalid as long as they are performing the same basic function, none of this "real DJing" malarky. 
Carl Cox uses an s8 and two cdjs, would you say he isn't a real dj? He himself states that he "know(s) how to mix two songs together very well" but he wants to further his horizons. 

I suggest you use whatever works for you, and don't criticise other people's choices if they work for them, that will make us all better DJs in the long run.

Thank you.

[FhernandoMusic]

I'm moving to France and now i've seen this, i do not know if i'll take with me the DDJ-SR from Pioneer or buy this one. Can anyone give me an advice? I've learned how to djing live with a CDJ2000 players and then i'd got my DDJ-SR so this one it will be new for me. Pros and cons?

[ReverendMav]

The feature I miss the most on the S8 which my old S4 had was the ability to use a rotary knob in the middle of the S4 which allowed you to quickly scroll through a playlist and if you pressed it in allowed you to hear the track in headphones as well as quickly scroll through it, also I seem to remember somebody saying something about the ability to alter the loop start on the fly, I do love the remix feature though and the ability to manually beat grid much more easily. Thanks for the vid :)

[andrewgarcia]

This looks like such a cool musical interface! I've been dj'ing on and off since 2004 both casually and professionally and the last setup I had was hybrid (2x techs and cdj800, xone 4D traktor and ableton)...it was kind of overkill and I wasn't maximizing it and most importantly I couldn't settle on a fun/intuitive way to get beyond running samples on top of beatmatching. Ultimately I moved on to other things.

Several years later now it looks like the technology has moved along and the S8 looks like exactly the tool that could be both fun and useful in creating music! Hope to pick one of these up soon :), thanks for the great review, well articulated Ean

[dawpawnshop]

I've enjoyed watching this overview, Traktor Kontrol is a neat set.

[tarekith]

Excellent review and overview Ean, you did a great job on this one.

[ShowinUp]

I'm looking for a first mixer, something I can contantly learn, and grow into. Whilst many people might think to start with something entry level, why keep upgrading, and having to get used to new mixers, when you can set a foundation to become more and more familiar with. I have children also, and I hope at least one of them will take interest in DJing, so they can DJ their s hool events, and one day be pro club DJs, or even well paid sound engineers. The S8 is our future, and doesn't suck as much as the S5.

[D-SturbedSoundProduction]

Great Explaination and Demo. I'm An Old School Dee Jay ( Mixing And Remixing With Vynils & Turntables) And I Can Tell That Now We Are Not Anymore Afraid To Get Into The Digital World. Thanks To Show Us The Emprovement. Ilike The FAct You Can Add Turntables Cause In Case Crash Out Of The Divices 

[ericlloyd]

A few weeks ago I picked up a Denon DJ Prime Go because I still couldn't afford a second hand S8, don't get me wrong I will still get one some day and I know I will enjoy the music from it all the same.