Who has one? And has gigged regularly with it? What are your thoughts? Big improvement from the MK1?
I had the MK1 S4 and gigged with it for awhile back in the day. Had the flight case and all which was nice. However not having a dedicated booth out, no XLR support, low headphone cue volume (compared to Pioneer and other club mixers), and an overall lack luster soundcard (to me CDJs just sounded better) I opted to switch.
Currently I use two X1s (MK1s) with a DJM 900 as my soundcard (I also have an Audio 6 for playing out if the club doesn’t have a DJM 900). It’s a great setup, but I find myself “on the laptop” more than ever. I know I could opt for the MK2s, and have a dedicated browse/load function (I currently have a custom mapping that emulates the CDJ2000 on my X1s) or just re-map my second X1 to load/browse tracks. However in the club I usually just take one X1 with me (I’m a house DJ), usually 2 decks is plenty. Plus I don’t want to lug around a USB hub (only 2 ports on the MacBook).
I miss the jog wheel functionality, and having dedicated pitch faders. Right now CDJs are not an option for my budget. I’m a broke starving college student who barely gets by DJ’in.
I am seriously toying with the idea of getting another S4. Perhaps the MK2.
Sound off below. Any insight is greatly appreciated.
Definitely stick to the s4 mk1 the mk2 is so buggy it isnt funny. Not sure if all the issues are hardware or software related but it is in no way stable enough to use at gigs. Go to native instruments forum and just check out the hundreds of posts where people talk about both the s4 and s2 mk2 versions freezing and constant crashing at random.
I am actually glad it is working out for you but for quite a lot of people the s4 mk2 is not working properly at all. Here is just one of the few posts where people have been complaining about the s4mk2 for 6 months with no reply from native instruments at all..
S4 mk1 has been super solid, gig with it about 30 times a year for the past 3 years now or so. i keep looking at other options myself (as i still have SL1 and turntables for home use) but you can’t beat the functionality of the s4, does everything, traktor is sick software, and the s4 compliments it. almost too many functions. when i first bought it, i tried to use everything, then i dialed in my work flow and use what i use.
house/tech house music
and wedding/corporate shit. works great
wish the pitch faders were longer though, so short to beat match, but i guess that’s what sync is for
my mk2 had some bugs.. but i just run it like crazy trying to overload it… like 2 days in a row before a gig.. just to make sure i’m good… other than that, i love it. may try to send it back to NI for a new one bc the bugs are a little buggy… but restarting it a few times will work themselves out!
My thing is i dont ever want to rely on restarting a controller several times in hope it may be gig ready. It only takes 1 time for the freeze/crash to cause you to lose that gig forever. I suppose if you are a bedroom dj it may not be that big of a deal. (Not saying you just bedroom dj of course.) But i just want something more reliable, and dependable.
That just is not the reliable source you would need if depending on this for income. It’s like playing roulette with the s4 and now that they raised the price back up u really see this as no more then a fast way for native instruments to make money off a faulty device
