Xone K2 Question
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16
  1. #1
    Tech Wizard
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    33

    Default Xone K2 Question

    Not sure if this is a dumb question, but...
    Why do some DJs use the K2 controller with a mixer? Doesnt the K2 do all the necessary volumes and EQ and effects?
    just seems a bit of a pointless thing having another mixer using a single channel on it.

  2. #2
    Tech Guru astromech's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,745

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Thunder View Post
    Not sure if this is a dumb question, but...
    Why do some DJs use the K2 controller with a mixer? Doesnt the K2 do all the necessary volumes and EQ and effects?
    just seems a bit of a pointless thing having another mixer using a single channel on it.
    Generally, the bigger names use the K2 for transport for four decks, and all the channels on the mixer. Fabio Florido comes to mind. I don't know Richie Hawtins exact mapping, but I suspect he has his four decks and effects mapped to both his K2s, along with some extra controls for Ableton. I personally use the K1 as an extra control surface for my Push, which goes out on a fifth channel on the mixer.
    A&H Xone:96 | Xone:K1 | 2 x 1210s | Traktor Pro 3 | Apple Macbook Pro (2015) 13" | Sennheiser HD7 DJ | Maschine Mikro Mk3
    read: http://djworx.com/author/dan-morse
    talk: http://facebook.com/bleeptechno
    listen: http://mixcloud.com/bleephudds

  3. #3
    Tech Wizard
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    33

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by happydan View Post
    Generally, the bigger names use the K2 for transport for four decks, and all the channels on the mixer. Fabio Florido comes to mind. I don't know Richie Hawtins exact mapping, but I suspect he has his four decks and effects mapped to both his K2s, along with some extra controls for Ableton. I personally use the K1 as an extra control surface for my Push, which goes out on a fifth channel on the mixer.
    Thank you for the reply, I think i need to take a deeper look how those controllers work with mixers before deciding if I want them. The K2 (or K1 for that matter) has everything there already, so having a mixer doesnt seem worth the expense (perhaps unless you're a big name DJ lol).
    I also need to look into what software I want to use, traktor and rekorbox are what i have used before and like them both, prefer rekordbox though for the sampler feature.

  4. #4
    Tech Guru astromech's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,745

    Default

    This is my setup, but you could replace the X1s with a couple of K1s/K2s or a even one at a push. It's running with an external audio interface and Traktor.

    FYI, I've never seen any of the big names using the K2 built in audio interface. They tend to choose it because it has a layer feature.
    A&H Xone:96 | Xone:K1 | 2 x 1210s | Traktor Pro 3 | Apple Macbook Pro (2015) 13" | Sennheiser HD7 DJ | Maschine Mikro Mk3
    read: http://djworx.com/author/dan-morse
    talk: http://facebook.com/bleeptechno
    listen: http://mixcloud.com/bleephudds

  5. #5
    Tech Guru mostapha's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    4,748

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by happydan View Post
    Generally, the bigger names use the K2 for transport for four decks, and all the channels on the mixer. Fabio Florido comes to mind. I don't know Richie Hawtins exact mapping, but I suspect he has his four decks and effects mapped to both his K2s, along with some extra controls for Ableton. I personally use the K1 as an extra control surface for my Push, which goes out on a fifth channel on the mixer.
    Hawtin actually talked about it in a promo video for the Model 1.

    He uses the knobs as effect and parameter controls for Live, the faders for level controls in Live, and the buttons for traktor transport, sync, and looping controls.

    All of the audio goes through an antelope Orion 32.

    IIRC, he's actually only using 3 decks in traktor, 2 from live for drums and stuff, one from some analog synths, and 2 effect returns.

    So, no...no audio through the K2s.

    As for a reason almost everyone uses a mixer, the K2 knobs are really tightly packed, and the whole thing is pretty small. It wouldn't be as good of an experience.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Tech Guru astromech's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,745

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mostapha View Post
    Hawtin actually talked about it in a promo video for the Model 1.

    He uses the knobs as effect and parameter controls for Live, the faders for level controls in Live, and the buttons for traktor transport, sync, and looping controls.

    All of the audio goes through an antelope Orion 32.

    IIRC, he's actually only using 3 decks in traktor, 2 from live for drums and stuff, one from some analog synths, and 2 effect returns.

    So, no...no audio through the K2s.

    As for a reason almost everyone uses a mixer, the K2 knobs are really tightly packed, and the whole thing is pretty small. It wouldn't be as good of an experience.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    K series also don't have centre indents on the knobs.

    Hawtin uses 4 decks, has Live on another and one S/R for his delay plugin.
    A&H Xone:96 | Xone:K1 | 2 x 1210s | Traktor Pro 3 | Apple Macbook Pro (2015) 13" | Sennheiser HD7 DJ | Maschine Mikro Mk3
    read: http://djworx.com/author/dan-morse
    talk: http://facebook.com/bleeptechno
    listen: http://mixcloud.com/bleephudds

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Thunder View Post
    Not sure if this is a dumb question, but...
    Why do some DJs use the K2 controller with a mixer? Doesnt the K2 do all the necessary volumes and EQ and effects?
    just seems a bit of a pointless thing having another mixer using a single channel on it.
    Because mixing on a hardware mixer is better than controlling a virtual mixer with a controller.

  8. #8
    Tech Guru astromech's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,745

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by electroshock View Post
    Because mixing on a hardware mixer is better than controlling a virtual mixer with a controller.
    Define "better"? Not disagreeing, but that's a rather loose claim.
    A&H Xone:96 | Xone:K1 | 2 x 1210s | Traktor Pro 3 | Apple Macbook Pro (2015) 13" | Sennheiser HD7 DJ | Maschine Mikro Mk3
    read: http://djworx.com/author/dan-morse
    talk: http://facebook.com/bleeptechno
    listen: http://mixcloud.com/bleephudds

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by happydan View Post
    Define "better"? Not disagreeing, but that's a rather loose claim.
    Like a "real deal", immune to a possible latency. Same as comparing the jog nudge with a 1200s platter nudge. Both can work equally well but there's the risk of "hangs".

  10. #10
    Tech Guru astromech's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,745

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by electroshock View Post
    Like a "real deal", immune to a possible latency. Same as comparing the jog nudge with a 1200s platter nudge. Both can work equally well but there's the risk of "hangs".
    I've had latency on the faders of professional-level digital mixers before. I've also had a catastrophic crash on a very recent flagship digital club mixer, requiring a complete unplug and restart. My point being that the idea hardware mixers are somehow more reliable is false. There are much better arguments for using a hardware mixer. Dedicated controls and audio routing, for one. Probably having separate booth and main out controls. Modular options. Arguably higher quality components. More input/output connections.

    Don't get me wrong, I would always prefer to use my Xone setup, but for regular old DJing (which is the vast bulk of what people do), you wouldn't notice any difference in the final recording on a controller vs a hardware mixer.
    A&H Xone:96 | Xone:K1 | 2 x 1210s | Traktor Pro 3 | Apple Macbook Pro (2015) 13" | Sennheiser HD7 DJ | Maschine Mikro Mk3
    read: http://djworx.com/author/dan-morse
    talk: http://facebook.com/bleeptechno
    listen: http://mixcloud.com/bleephudds

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •