Upgrade my gear VS new traktor coming

[CionniAsDj]

Launchpad was my first option, But it doesn't have knob and fader, for filter and volume on sample deck.
I don't know, because i really like that pièce of gear

[WISEGUY]

As for the S4, you cannot go wrong with it. As a S4 user, and new DJ, I love it. I have been interested in all the new equipment coming out like the Pioneers, but the more I look at it, the more I love my S4.

I truly believe you can't go wrong with the S4. If I had to do it all over again, i'd still pick the S4. And it's cheaper too .

Hey Coldfuzion how ar u? question for u.. I see that u have the macbook pro 13" and the s4..is the same set up I'm going to get this coming week, hopefully.. Do you think I wont have to upgrade or need something else in near future, meaning that this set up is everything i can be confortable for many years to come.. give me ur opinion.. thanks

[isobarxx]

I have a launchpad, midi fighter, an X1, a Remote Zero SL, and a Maschine (among others). I picked the Zero SL over the SL2 because it has the two screens.

You can't beat the midi fighter for feel. It just feels *good*. I really like the X1's buttons; it's just a little soft, but still has a positive click. But mentally, I'm more reserved hitting the X1 buttons, because I don't want to have to buy another one. You can beat the hell out of a midi fighter and not care. It's made for you to bang the hell out of it. I just got a silicone case for it, and the dampening of the case makes it feel a little more solid too.

With the launchpad deckalized mapping, physically, you can hit the launchpad buttons just as quickly as a midi fighter. Speed-wise they are the same. You do have to get used to hitting the buttons on the corners, as it will sometimes double-fire if you press straight down in the middle of a pad.

The X1 has the browse knobs, which is awesome, and the fact that you can switch midi mode on and off, plus the shift button, multiplies the number of assignable controls in traktor by 4. The knobs and buttons all feel good, although I fully expect the rubberized knobs to disintegrate in a year. The rubber knobs require scrubbing every once in a while with alcohol (just like me!).

The remote SL in an awesome midi device, especially with the double displays telling you what every button does. It's a big pain to set up initially. As a multifunction device it's the shizit. FYI automap 3.7 doesn't work for me with the SL, but who really wants to have that stupid overlay in the way? The pads are actual drum pads, just 1 inch square. So there's no click when you hit them, and you have to hit them fricking hard to get to 127. The Remote's tempo button flashes ALL THE TIME, which is can be a boon or just straight annoying.

To me the most interesting thing working in ableton is, you get totally different sounds out of drum kids and synths depending on whether you're hitting the midi fighter, launchpad, remote, or maschine. Thanks to the maschine I'm slowly wearing the flesh off the ends of my fingers. So depending on how hard you want to hit your controller, button resistance makes a huge difference in feel. Here again the midi fighter wins for me, because there's almost zero resistance. The Remote has the hardest pads, but if you break out some chopsticks and use them like mini sticks, it's kinda fun =) Going back and forth especially between maschine and the midi fighter, maschine causes finger fatigue in a way that the midi fighter doesn't. The launchpad has the same problem, but to a lesser degree. The different button configuration between the X1's 2x8 and the other 4x4 layouts makes a difference in the way you put together patterns. Too, the midi fighter makes a lot of noise when you hit the buttons, which makes it easier to tap rhythms on top of samples.

So, yeah. It's not all about having x number of buttons. They all feel really different, and even make wildly different sounds when you hit them. With infinite money I'd buy 4 custom midi fighters with knobs and buttons, and be done. So... $1600.

Nothing beats arcade buttons for feel, but with a limited budget and having already bought traktor pro, I'd probably go X1 + launchpad, for the 4 deck control. $400, and you never have to touch the mouse. I'll still probably buy a second midi fighter tho

[DJZILCH]

the S4 is pretty good - i have one myself and been pretty happy with it

although i wish the jogwheels are SLIIIIGHTLY larger, and also the pitch sliders are longer, as sometimes i do beatmatch manually for the songs that im too lazy to beatgrid (those with fluctuating bpm and my own rips of my vinyl collection) and the S4's short pitch slider and the jogwheel sensitivity isnt to my liking (i was mixing on cdjs before switching to traktor so yea)

one more thing i wanna comment on the S4 - it could be just my unit, but the cuepoint buttons are really stiff and not so responsive, they are kinda hard to press, i find it a lot easier to smash my akai lpd8 pads or even the smaller kontrol X1 hotcue buttons than the S4 - it could be just my unit but im not very happy with this, and i dont think theres anything i can do about it , since the buttons do work, and it will be too troublesome for me to send it back to germany (im in singapore) for service

[CionniAsDj]

I have a launchpad, midi fighter, an X1, a Remote Zero SL, and a Maschine (among others). I picked the Zero SL over the SL2 because it has the two screens.

You can't beat the midi fighter for feel. It just feels *good*. I really like the X1's buttons; it's just a little soft, but still has a positive click. But mentally, I'm more reserved hitting the X1 buttons, because I don't want to have to buy another one. You can beat the hell out of a midi fighter and not care. It's made for you to bang the hell out of it. I just got a silicone case for it, and the dampening of the case makes it feel a little more solid too.

With the launchpad deckalized mapping, physically, you can hit the launchpad buttons just as quickly as a midi fighter. Speed-wise they are the same. You do have to get used to hitting the buttons on the corners, as it will sometimes double-fire if you press straight down in the middle of a pad.

The X1 has the browse knobs, which is awesome, and the fact that you can switch midi mode on and off, plus the shift button, multiplies the number of assignable controls in traktor by 4. The knobs and buttons all feel good, although I fully expect the rubberized knobs to disintegrate in a year. The rubber knobs require scrubbing every once in a while with alcohol (just like me!).

The remote SL in an awesome midi device, especially with the double displays telling you what every button does. It's a big pain to set up initially. As a multifunction device it's the shizit. FYI automap 3.7 doesn't work for me with the SL, but who really wants to have that stupid overlay in the way? The pads are actual drum pads, just 1 inch square. So there's no click when you hit them, and you have to hit them fricking hard to get to 127. The Remote's tempo button flashes ALL THE TIME, which is can be a boon or just straight annoying.

To me the most interesting thing working in ableton is, you get totally different sounds out of drum kids and synths depending on whether you're hitting the midi fighter, launchpad, remote, or maschine. Thanks to the maschine I'm slowly wearing the flesh off the ends of my fingers. So depending on how hard you want to hit your controller, button resistance makes a huge difference in feel. Here again the midi fighter wins for me, because there's almost zero resistance. The Remote has the hardest pads, but if you break out some chopsticks and use them like mini sticks, it's kinda fun =) Going back and forth especially between maschine and the midi fighter, maschine causes finger fatigue in a way that the midi fighter doesn't. The launchpad has the same problem, but to a lesser degree. The different button configuration between the X1's 2x8 and the other 4x4 layouts makes a difference in the way you put together patterns. Too, the midi fighter makes a lot of noise when you hit the buttons, which makes it easier to tap rhythms on top of samples.

So, yeah. It's not all about having x number of buttons. They all feel really different, and even make wildly different sounds when you hit them. With infinite money I'd buy 4 custom midi fighters with knobs and buttons, and be done. So... $1600.

Nothing beats arcade buttons for feel, but with a limited budget and having already bought traktor pro, I'd probably go X1 + launchpad, for the 4 deck control. $400, and you never have to touch the mouse. I'll still probably buy a second midi fighter tho

Wow
Thank you for your feedback mate!

[V-Hoff]

Really good feedback isobarxx

Thanks for that