4 Channel mixer Concept

Toltemic
Toltemic Member Posts: 38 Helper
in Traktor Software & Hardware

As always- firstly, I'm not affiliated with Native instruments in any way and this a concept idea to promote discussion- This is not a Leak.

If your saw my battle mixer concept, this is his brother.

My concept is a 4+2 channel mixer in club style, with Xone/v10 influences, its double the width of an X1 MK3/Z1 MK2 but same height and depth. I would say this a midi device with an audio interface than a true standalone mixer.

Z4.png

Z4 top.png
Z4 front.png

You can probably see there's some personal liberties with the features on this, specifically the alt Knobs, xyz buttons, ISO control, further FX control as well as E/F crossfader

  • Alt knob and XYZ buttons

The idea behind this is allow you to have varying control with mixer such as: 4 EQ, Stem control, compression (maybe with the help of Ozone?), tone flavour (radio sim, telephone sim, lo-fi etc), return FX send, stereo separation etc. The XYZ buttons select your option with shift being 3 more options.

  • ISO control

This is a master ISO out, I imagine for utility you can change it to a master EQ

  • FX control + E/F channel

I've added a data knob to have the ability to scroll and select your FX. Shift will scroll through FX types like group, single, pattern player. However, there's also now line in, mic in, send & return. When set to these options the FX module becomes a mixer channel with basic EQ and volume control- which is where E/F crossfader control comes into play as well as the +2 channel Idea.

ABCD buttons are your FX send buttons

Z4 back.png

I unfortunately couldn't include XLR master outs due to the size, I also couldn't figure out how to include phono ground 😔

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Comments

  • ilove1981
    ilove1981 Member Posts: 150 Advisor

    As beautiful as this is, I'm not really a fan of the connectivity and functionality. If I was forced, I'd have to go for your Battle Mixer concept but I would actually much prefer a club mixer style along these lines but with the connectivity of your Battle Mixer, thus also maintaining the best of the features of the current Z2. We can all dream I guess.

  • Darren of London
    Darren of London Member Posts: 13 Member

    This thing looks beautiful and realistic to produce/manufacture, you seem to have all traktors features covered, very efficient use of space too and perfectly matches NI's new style, native should offer you a job imo. If NI ever make something as good as this but full thickness so it could also include those missing XLRs and a ground terminal, I'd buy it without hesitation.

    It would be perfect if they would also release some discreet deck units based on whatever the s4mk4 turns out to be. I'd take 2 of those decks, this mixer concept, 2 vinyl decks an f1 and a maschine plus, dream setup complete 👌

    Basically native just need to stop playing around and make some proper balls to the wall modular gear, they could attract a lot of new customers with such a versatile line up.

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,067 Expert

    XLR would not fit, but TRS socket would. It would deliver the same quality and it is used on pro interfaces, if space is of concern. Much better solution to using cinch.

  • Toltemic
    Toltemic Member Posts: 38 Helper
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/191828#Comment_191828

    I agree- I'm not particularly happy with I/O, but that was the design challenge to be inline with ni modular offerings. However to enter the pro club style mixer market is a dangerous game especially ni not really having a history of standalone gear besides basic features in external mode. Where my thoughts differ is to bring that standard (pioneer)/ contemporary (xone) club workflow to a cheaper price point by tilting on the side of it being a controller because I'm hoping, as the Z1 MK2 is £249 and this is just double the size, you could get it to a price point of ~£500, minor note: the z2 mrsp was £629 but adjusted for inflation it would be ~£900 today to give a comparison

    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/192957#Comment_192957

    Maybe I could just change booth/master I/O to out 1 & 2 and you could choose your preferred routings in software options? conceptually 😉

    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/192901#Comment_192901

    To give a lot of credit where credit is due, it wouldn't look as nice without the designers at NI as this is majorly inspired by their design language I've just repackaged what they've already created- However I really think it would be a missed opportunity to not have the fx module on the side of decks for any future mixers (s4 mk4) like on my concept, as this has Traktor workflow whilst also working as pioneers beat fx layout

  • Toltemic
    Toltemic Member Posts: 38 Helper

    Here's a plus/pro version of my z4 concept as I had time to quickly mock up a render

    I added a couple more buttons to allow for an alternative z2 mapping: deck select - it's next to the cue buttons as the z2 mapping changes the fx select to loop, the ABCD buttons to hotcues etc but can only control either/or channel between C&A and B&D

    I've also added an 'on/off' button below, originally, the ISO controls. However I decided that you can do quite a bit more with that section so its no longer a dedicated ISO section but instead can now be chosen as any dedicated control, like microphone control

    Mic C and D on the external settings have been replaced with IN 1 and IN 2 as now you can choose between mic ins or return ins in settings. I did this because I added 2 send and return to the I/O specifically so you can also use the returns as instrument ins for connecting drum machines, synths and samplers- like maschine plus (with the extra functionality of sends for quick sampling)

    z4 plus top.png
    z4 plus back 2.png
    z4 plus front.png

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