Traktor Kontrol S3 (controller and ASIO etc)

Manu_1980 · 2023-09-28T18:43:47+00:00

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Manu_1980

Hi everyone,

To begin with, no one, absolutely no one can understand that Traktor sells us a DJ controller for €500 (€519.00) on its own website, without ASIO Drivers and with everything, absolutely everything being made of plastic, I think it is unforgivable. On this point, the faders are literally flimsy, tiny and made of cheap plastic, too close together and short with a hypersensitive range that is difficult to control, pitiful construction on all sense! I can't understand that the controller has balanced XLR and TRS outputs, if they are actually useless at all with the ridiculous WASAPI (Exclusive Mode), which is only for unbalanced RCA or TS outputs.

More than €500 and that we have to use 'ASIO4ALL' to be able to handle this with the decent monitors studio with balanced inputs/outputs from the controller to them. The drivers update is the worst, worse than any other controller many, many more years old.

You launch a product where you give absolutely no information that it does not come with ASIO drivers, which is essential nowadays, I am going to send back this product of regrettable construction and really poor sound quality and I will never buy another NI controller again.

I recommend anyone not to buy this product, as to me, I would call it something quite close to a rip-off for the price they are asking.

Greetings.

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Startiel

Hi,

I completely agree with you and I'm frustrated that the ASIO for the S3 isn't a thing. I already wrote some posts about this and the response was: "ASIO needs a lot of processing power so they rely on the power efficient Windows drivers". This has NO sense at all...

ASIO brings BIT PERFECT audio so why isn't this a thing?

This also applies to the S4MK3 and S2MK3: the ASIO driver isn't preinstalled with Traktor and you must dig into the driver page of NI or the installation folder just to find that installer.

I REALLY hope NI does something to fix the MK3 series (and S3), but my expectations are low.

Quade

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/17118/traktor-kontrol-s3-controller-and-asio-etc

No Comment.

Just Have A look At My Active Thread.

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/150/traktor-kontrol-s3-low-audio-output-problem#latest

Quade

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/97547#Comment_97547

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/150/traktor-kontrol-s3-low-audio-output-problem

An Active Thread Of Mine.

There is totally no hope of this issue ever being rectified nor will this unit & all of the users who are experiencing the poor audio output ( Both Headphones & Master Output ) get addressed.

The X1 MK3 is getting very well responses, feedback & wait for it........ IT'S OWN AUDIO DRIVER! How Amazing Is That!

It's just unfortunately had I dug deeper into this unit, I may have changed to use a different piece of hardware.

1st DJ controller

Pioneer DDJ-T1 (Well Balanced Audio) - Still My best Choice

2nd DJ Controller

Traktor Kontrol S4 MK1 ( Least got this 2nd hand & very poor Overall Performance )

3rd DJ Controller

Denon MC3000 ( Altho its 2nd hand & I had to replace some parts myself, This is a best regarding it's audio output KILLER Audio Both headphones & Master Output ) If I had the knowledge to code, i would inspect this particular unit's configuration & use it's configuration on ALL DJ Controllers - By Far the Very Very Very Best Choice for audio, Lack the performance tho on the cue/play/hot cues buttons, gets stick from time to time.

4th DJ Controller - Traktor Kontrol S3 MK3

I love this unit from the 1st time I saw it, had to make a few adjustable tweaks with the help of some of the users on this community forum to get the unit the way I want it to be, The only lack is the Audio output. Other than that is the jog wheel performance, I actually had my hands on the S2 MK3 over the weekend & I LOVE THE Jog Wheel & it's feedback performance. By Far WAAAAAAYYYYYYY better than that of the S3. The performance feedback felt similar to the Pioneer DDJ-T1 & I was VERY Impressed by the performance of the unit.

Most Recent - Roland DJ-505

HANDS DOWN..... This Unit Is A Beast!

That's as much info I can provide as I can & my honest opinion regarding various DJ controllers.

lord-carlos

The X1 MK3 is getting very well responses, feedback & wait for it........ IT'S OWN AUDIO DRIVER! How Amazing Is That!

Where is it getting that?

Quade

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/97595#Comment_97595

Need More Evidence?

lord-carlos

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/97597#Comment_97597

No I mean where is the X1 getting well responses/feedback for it's audio drivers? Did reviewer say that?

You are showing a screenshot for the device drivers?

Manu_1980

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/97593#Comment_97593

I have a Denon MC4000, I can say that this controller is the best that was on the market in its day and for me, it still is today (talking about 2-channel controllers).

Robust and professional steel construction, outputs of all types balanced or unbalanced. Drivers (ASIO64), exclusive audio control for the headphones, powerful and quality, a dynamic range and audio quality (112 dB) that, for my taste, It beats anyone in its price range. 100 mm tone faders and Knobs of very good quality, long and with a great feel.

The only thing that is not the best are the jog wheels that are quite imprecise and sometimes get a little stuck, a shame in that sense because for me, it is an excellent 2-channel controller in terms of quality and price.

1. Long throw 100 mm tone faders

2. Balanced cab outputs for local monitors, with independent level control

3. Spacious control layout for an effortless, streamlined workflow

4. Dedicated EQ and FX controls on each channel

5. Professional-grade steel construction ensures long-term durability.

6. Balanced main and cabin outputs.

In all this, the Denon MC4000 is much better than the same Traktor Kontrol S3 (+ expensive), and a thousand times better than the famous S2 MK3 (+/- same price).

Something that shows how over the years we lose quality in products, but everything is more and more expensive every day. This already seems to be a standard in any industry, unfortunately for everyone.

Speaking concretely of Traktor Kontrol S3. NI, has played with putting 4 channels and thought that with that and some decent jog wheels everything was done. Nothing could be further from the truth, the construction is literally completely made of plastic, giving the sensation of being flimsy, looking like a children's toy. The faders are horrible in general, the short and simple knobs, specifically the gain ones, are tiny and have quite poor control (they should have a point to better know when the gain is at 0)

It is not very spacious and for me, uncomfortable to try to mix at ease and without space problems, and it does not have dedicated FX, something quite unfortunate for its price.

I really don't know who designs and what type of engineers or developers NI has, but in my personal opinion, I am convinced that they do not take into account opinions of real DJ's or even the users of their own products. For me, their designs leave a lot to be desire in general, both in audio quality, performance, and construction speaking of quality/price.

Where I am going to congratulate NI is in Traktor software, since I have been using it for several decades and for me there is nothing better on the market in this type of software. Congrats on that.

PS: I have DJ controllers from pioneer, Denon, and I have had several from other brands in his day. I bought recently, Traktor Kontrol S3 (the first one I have from NI) and, unfortunately, I think it will be the last, it is by far one of the worst in general terms (audio-quality/price/construction) that I have used. All this speaking from my own taste and personal experience, ofc.

Quade

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/97604#Comment_97604

I hear you on this 1.

I am not optimistic about the S3 getting any further attention than what it already has been getting in a very very negative manner.

I have encountered a few problems with the software but cant complain about that. It is 1 absolutely brilliant piece of software in its own.

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