Hard to tell if he’s sleeping or in the throws of gear pr0n induced pleasure, but bazillion times world champion DJ Craze just couldn’t contain himself when Native Instruments dropped off their recently teased new thing. Twitter lit up after he posted this on Instagram, and with good reason.
So as you can see, it’s a mixer called the Traktor Kontrol Z2. There’s a whole story about the teaser and trying to keep the name under wraps, but that’s of little interest to anyone outside of the trade and media. But I hereby add a second golden rule for marketeers. The first is not to leave anything on a web server that you don’t want people to find – because they will. The new rule not to put something in a teaser video that you don’t want them to know.
As far as the Kontrol Z2 goes – unmistakably NI. But seeing the whole faceplate laid out like that, does underline to me how Native have gone more for simplicity. This is about offering the basics in a very logical and well spaced manner, and leaving the extras i.e. the things people may or may not want in additional units. It would be easy to cram more buttons in there, but NI already have boxes that do all those extras.
And what of the name? Looking at the industry’s naming convention for products, and NI’s own track record, the logical extension of this is a 4 channel variant. But if or when that will happen is anyone’s guess. I was certainly met with a few grins and evasive subject-changing parries from NI when I asked a couple of weeks ago.
There are still some things that have yet to make it out into the public sphere, but I guess that will appear in a matter of days now. I’m still undecided if this is Craze shooting his load early or if it’s a planned “leak”. Either way, you know a little more than you did before. I’m very much looking forward to handling one for myself. Yes, that’s a hint.
It’s a ton bigger than I imagined, to say the least.
awesome. Been waiting for NI to drop this since they started making hardware.
His left hand looks like it’s giving someone (NI?) a message. O_O
Craze isn’t a big guy, but this does look large on him. I just dropped the image into Illustrator, and factoring up the size of the crossfader, this looks to be around 275mm wide.
I like it!
Big, clean, simple and hopefully well built.
An Ecler Nuo 2.0 and an NI X1 had a baby
Remind me of less going on Pioneer DJM T1
bye bye Pioneer HIGH PRICE mixers….
Can’t imagine it to be that cheap. an A6 is 299 plus other in/outs, case, rest of the pots, knobs, plus other stuff. probably bundled with Traktor Scratch 2.5 or 3 or whatever. Probably upwards of 1000.
But with the Z2 you won’t need a soundcard, its just plug and play. I think the z2 will be bundled with scratch 2.5.x.x.x something or other. To be competetive with the djm t1, anything from around 800-1000 MSRP. With you buying it online probably towards the cheaper end. However, if it turns out to be fully standalone, as in no computer even required, cdjs and turntables just work with it, it may justify the higher price to edge out pioneer.
Well that’s what i mean. I mean that it is essentially an A6 plus those things in one. I agree with your pricing though. figure it’ll hit the 1000 price point and end up online in the 900 range.
I really really really hope this has some solid construction to it. If it’s built like a tank i’ll forgive them for using the NI exclusive fingerprint magnet.
10 inch wide?
The knob over the loops has something strange under it. At first glance looks like a possible label, like a ghetto black stuck on, or is it something else? if its a label it doesnt match the rest of the writing on the mixer.
i bet it illuminates. possibly different colors
Where’s the cue switches? Or is that tape over the faders, not LCDs?
over the meters id say.
Full circle like a mug. Nothing wrong with that, but damn, lots of meat and not enough potatoes if ya ask me. Well Mark, it looks like the industry really does listen to you. 2 and a half channels in a pro package. Still, I’m not sure I’m satisfied. But idk, spose I’ll just have to get me mits on it and find out.
Hard to see that clearly in the pic, but I don’t think I see any fader controls on the front of the mixer… Does it have any? Are they controlled by software possibly?
My washing machine has more knobs on it
IMHO, this mixer is NOT a big deal by itself; it’s simply a battle mixer that (hopefully) has integration with Traktor Scratch Pro. Think NI’s version of the TTM57SL. Hopefully the Z2 will be cheaper than that though.
The magic would occur with the missing ingredient: the yet-unannounced single deck S1. With the S1 and Z2, there will be a portable and customizable (with the X1, F1) setups built around Traktor – think Stanton’s SC System, but affordable.
Of course, we’ll all be excited for a Z4, but the real magic happens with the (hopeful) S1.
-KLH
I think you are 100% correct. My guess is it’s going to be a virtual motorized medialess platter, possibly USB powered (through the hub on the Z2),which outputs either HID or timecode. And once Traktor and Maschine are fully integrated, you could have a deck one one side, and a Maschine on the other.
Pioneer got it right with the Aero, look mom no laptop, and with two in’s for old fashioned vynil mixing.
Hopefully NI made the fader replaceable… Without having to void the warranty…
xfader looks short…like s2/s4 short. Not a huge deal I figure, but still looks like a short throw. Also, those cue switches are probably backlit which is why it’s so dark. I am VERY curious about the price…I wish Traktor would at the very least play video files (I don’t care if no video output). I would probably switch from Serato full time.
There’s no denying that NI’s hardware works great with Traktor, I just hope this thing is constructed better than NI’s plastic controllers.
I think the black “labels” ever the channel faders are the “On Air” indicators similar to that of the S4… I thought I read a rumor somewhere that this mixer may have the ability to control all four decks…
They’re just like the S4.
lol @ him flipping offf the camera.
he grabs it like it would be 1 inch high ..
like an s4 ?
I like it. But if you compare it to the DJM-T1 it looks like the Pioneer covers more functions directly (FX), except the filters
Some Hi-Res Images of the Z2
http://www.musicmatter.co.uk/blog/traktor-kontrol-z2/