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I think it's great. First off, it looks reminiscent of their Maschine controller (which I have). If so, it should be really built well... but where things really get interesting is that if they tightly integrated this controller to Traktor as well as they did Maschine to it's software, then we are in for a treat. Having full feedback with LED's and having everything tightly mapped, labeled, and plug and play is really quite a nice thing. Maschine's integration is very impressive.
This isn't meant for mixing, it's meant for controlling loops, cue points, effects and filters (we presume). For anyone using Traktor Scratch Pro as their DVS, or uses other controllers and an external mixer, this looks awesome.
The Xone 1D he previously was using isn't really cracked up to what it's made out to be, I had one and liked it a lot at first but sold it:
1. Layout is terrible for basically anything. If you want to mix with it (internal), there's only 2 knobs above the faders (not including the endless rotary, which stinks for EQ'ing), and the faders are too short. If you aren't using it to mix (using an external mixer or other controller), then the faders aren't useful for much. The rest of the controller is just and array of small cramped buttons.
2. The jog wheel is pretty useless. It's far too lose to be used for anything for track selection and scrubbing, forget trying to simulate a CDJ's jog wheel. The 4-way compass point clicks are hard to use.
3. The 1D doesn't work well (if at all) on USB hubs. To use two you have to chain one into the other using a MIDI cable, then power the second with USB. This is ridiculous.
4. There is no LED feedback. Just looking at the controller it's impossible to see what is going on in the software. The 4 lit buttons are supposed to be able to receive MIDI feedback, but I could never get it to work.
5. It looks nice next to a mixer, but it's really big to put in a DJ bag. It's shape is a giant brick.
This is why I switched to the Stanton SCS.3D's. With the Traktor Tro preset Stanton provides, the controller shows me everything that's going on in the software via it's array of many LED's. They are also much smaller and easier to bring to a gig than the 1D was.
Also, the modes on the SCS.3D give you many layers of control. With my 2 controllers I can control playback on all 4 traktor decks, looping, eq's, filters, both effects units, cue points, gain and master volume control, etc.
Now if this N.I. controller lets me do what I can do with the Stanton's (I'm mostly interested in looping, filters, effects)... AND it's labeled to match the software, AND provides LED feedback, AND has real knobs (the one thing about the Stanton that takes getting used to is that it's touch sensive), then I'm impressed!
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