Review: Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1

2 Reviews:

Review by	Engadget
Submitted on	2011-01-25 18:48:02
It's good, and we certainly found it helpful, but the X1's not perfect. The FX knobs are absolute, for instance, so you can't change effects in real time without running into some drama. We would've preferred that the text be painted on with luminescent ink (though it may glow with club blacklighting), and even though it's not designed to replace your mixer, we would've liked at least one assignable fader -- slapping even a single one on there would've made it way easier to DJ in a pinch with the X1 alone. Finally, the case -- which doubles as a stand to raise the X1 to the same height as standard mixers -- is a $40 accessory, and frankly, it's important enough so that it should've been included. That said, for the $200 NI's charging, this could very well be a must-have accessory for the average Traktor musician running live performances.

Review by	MusicRadar
Submitted on	2011-01-25 18:47:25
Pros Lots of visual feedback. No mapping required. Small footprint. Cons Some labelling confusing. Not suitable for all types of DJ. Verdict A highly impressive controller that makes up for its shortcomings by being highly intuitive.