kontrol S4 users: where will you potentially put your S4 “in the club”?
so ever since the S4 came out, ive been getting more and more excited that clubs may actually cater to djs using controllers by giving them a little bit of space in their booths. as of right now, sometimes you will get lucky and have a little table space for your controller(s), but for the most part, booths are crammed and taken up by TTs/cdjs and a mixer. so my question to all that are anxiously awaiting the S4, is how do you plan on playing out in clubs and bars with no room for a controller? will you scrap the S4 for that particular gig and use a timecode setup? will you attempt to move one of the turntables to make room? will you put it on top of a turntable? use a huge laptop stand? maybe 2?
the reason i ask this is because i am very curious how it will play out in a club situation. i dont plan on getting an S4 (just yet), but have a controller setup that is very similar in size, and im hoping to get some more club gigs comin up. ive been pondering this for a while now, and the best solution i have come up with is to 1)know what kinda booth space you have to work with prior to the gig and 2) potentially have a TT decksaver on hand, and in the worst case scenario (no booth space whatsoever) throw the decksaver on the TT and set your controller on top, and plug into the house mixer as usual. the new decksavers, although pricey, look to be very sturdy, capable of holding the weight of at least a controller. does anyone have any other ideas for this? let me know, very curious as to what your guys’ plans are for this…
Just call the club in advance and they’ll be sure to have the red carpet rolled out for it. Maybe even a backdrop with some smexy babes to take photos with the ‘unit’.
I’ve been in this kind of situation before. It was a simple solution. I unplugged on of the CDJ’s shifted the mixer over a little and fit my controller right in there. It fitted fine. I’ve noticed that DJ booths used to be pretty squashed with CDJ’s, mixer and TT’s, but now most of the clubs have just CDJ’s and mixer setup with a space for your laptop if you use timecode.
I think now days most of the clubs (in my experience) have started to embrace the digital Dj, and have an allocated space in the booth for controller setup or at the very least space for laptops. Since I’ve been using my setup in clubs I havent had any issues or maybe I’m just lucky. The S4 is larger than standard controllers, true.. but a liitle bit of organizing around the booth before hand, and it will fit perfrctly I’m sure. If I managed to fit my RMX into the booth with 4 CDJ’s and mixer I’m sure the S4 will soon find a space in most Dj booths.
Really? I’ve never had issues with not finding space, sure sometimes the booth is cramped but at the very least theres some space for an X1 or a controller.
Sometimes when I arrived, and saw theres not much space I just removed one of the CDJ’s as I wrote before. The S4 is large but a Dj always makes a plan!
Ive seen guys get like wire frame things.. that fit over a standard rig (1/2000’s + 800M) or just over a cdj/TT and sit their controllers/laptop on top of that. Really depends on the booth layout though, some booths will have extra shelves, some will have decks already elevated, so yeah lol
I use one of these for my vci/x1 that I bolted together and plan to use it when my s4 arrives.
It’s sturdy enough to feel secure, I installed some stick on rubber
Bumpers on the bottom of my vci that fit perfectly around
The laptop stands frame to help keep it in place and not
Sliding around. I actually started using it to keep my platters from moving in booths with lots of vibration as the frame is c shaped when seen from the side, it’s got just enough spring to it to soak up the vibrations. It’s the perfect width, pull a cdj out of the booth and the stand fits right in there without shifting anything else. The height is also good as it’s just high enough for my vci to hover above the mixer but not high enough to feel wobbly.
I like the idea of having two stands, I think this is the most feasible, is there’s no room in the booth and there’s no place to move the decks installed.
I use mine in the club ALL the time, 3 days a week. I have a magma bag, so i fit everything i need on my back.
But sometimes i find it REALLY hard to fit in a booth .. I think i’ll buy 2 crane stands or something to use .. anyone tried that?
The S4 is larger than standard controllers, true.. but a liitle bit of organizing around the booth before hand, and it will fit perfrctly I’m sure. If I managed to fit my RMX into the booth with 4 CDJ’s and mixer I’m sure the S4 will soon find a space in most Dj booths. 
