Traktor Kontrol D2 — all the official info

First there was the not-so-vague tease from WMC, and now the full detail of the new Traktor Kontrol D2 is here, along with some more Stems detail too.

Having play’s NI’s game of prattling on at length about their new hardware based on little more than supplied bullet points and some over the shoulder pics from WMC, we managed to nail just about every aspect of their new Traktor Kontrol D2 controller. But they still feel the need to clarify it for everyone else, so today they have released all the official info.

The press release resplendent with prices and whatnot:

Native Instruments announces TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 advanced DJ performance deck

Portable new TRAKTOR performance deck uses innovative touch-and-see technology to enhance creative possibilities for professional DJs on the road

Berlin, April 7 2015 – Native Instruments today officially announced TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 – the next-generation pro deck controller for TRAKTOR PRO 2. Designed for creative DJ performance that takes the DJ’s focus away from the laptop, TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 offers groundbreaking touch-and-see workflow in a compact format optimized for easy set-up with club equipment. TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 will join TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 as one of the first DJ hardware controllers to support Stems* – an upcoming, open audio format that allows multi-channel mixing with individual musical parts. Robust, lightweight, and compact, the D2 is the ideal performance deck for the touring DJ.

TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 creates a multisensory DJ experience thanks to its touch-and-see technology. Tracks appear on a full-color display as vector waveforms while several key views and pop-up panels are revealed when a corresponding control is touched. The Browse Knob for example, triggers the Browse View for track selection directly from the controller. Performance Panels appear over track waveforms to view and modify BPM, key, filter, or effect values when activated by touch-sensitve knobs. And an LED-guided touch strip provides motion-sensitive pitch bending, track seeking, vinyl scratch emulation, and keeps track of phase in dark environments.

TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 naturally delivers enhanced TRAKTOR deck functions that empower pro DJs to develop their own trademark sound. Samples and loops are easily accessible for mixing with the four dedicated Deck faders when using a Remix Deck. Eight color-coded pads can trigger sounds, juggle cue points while in Hotcue Mode, or rearrange a playing track on the fly in Freeze Mode. Similar to Remix Deck usage, the D2’s touch- sensitive performance knobs and faders will instantly correspond to a loaded Stem file’s different ‘stem’ parts.

Designed to minimize bulk and setup time, TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 is highly transportable for DJs on the go. The lightweight, yet robust build features four foldable rubber-padded feet that extend to raise the unit to industry- standard height, or incline it for contoured comfort. Though one D2 alone can navigate through two TRAKTOR decks, two USB ports found on the rear panel allow a second D2 to be daisy-chained to one computer USB port for a two-unit setup. Connections are further simplified with an included power supply splitter cable that allows two units to be powered using one power supply unit.

Fueling the technology behind TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 is the included TRAKTOR PRO 2 software. An innovation in and of itself, TRAKTOR PRO is the award winning DJ software used by countless professionals. Four software decks, over 30 studio-grade effects, and powerful advanced features for creative looping and cueing have provided DJs all over the world with inspiring and customizable DJ possibilities.

TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 will be available online and at retailers worldwide on May 4, 2015.

The D2 will be fully compatible with Stems on public release of the format in summer 2015.

Pricing and availability

TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 will be available for $499 / 499 € at the NI Online Shop and at local retailers on May 4, 2015. Preorder is also available.

UPDATE: And for we UK bods, it’s £369. So one third of an S8 doesn’t equate to one third of the price, but having a brick and USB cables in the pack as well as a full copy of Traktor does make up the difference.

There’s also a new Stems release that I’ve included for completeness:

Stems – introducing a new, open multi-track audio format

New audio file format provides DJs, producers, and live performers the ability to mix with a track’s different musical elements individually

Berlin, April 7, 2015 – Stems – a new, multi-channel audio format was recently unveiled at WMC (Winter Music Conference) in Miami. A Stem file allows DJs and live performers to interact with different musical elements of a track independently by accessing four different ‘stem’ parts such as the bass, drums, melody, or vocals. This type of mixing introduces new performance possibilities and enriches the listening experience for music lovers. As a premium file format, Stems can also create new revenue streams for music labels and online retailers to grow their business. Developed by Native Instruments, Stems is an open file format designed to benefit the entire music industry.

Stems was recently introduced at a WMC discussion panel moderated by KCRW Los Angeles Music Director Jason Bentley. Online music retailers Juno and Traxsource joined five-time DMC World Champion DJ Craze and DJ- producer virtuoso Luciano in an engaging discussion – sharing their early impressions about the forthcoming technology. The format was highly regarded as inspiring, easy-to-use technology for DJs and live performers to interact differently with a track’s musical elements. Stem parts can be modified independently to create spontaneous instrumentals while effects can be applied to specific parts of the track. Transitions between tracks can be mixed part-by-part rather than using global volume and EQ control for the entire track.

As an open format, anyone will be able to create, perform with, and distribute Stems in any way possible. Producers, DJs, and labels will be able to author their own Stem files using a free standalone application called the Stem Creator Tool. Developers will have full access to format specifications and code examples for them to integrate Stem support into future music performance and production tools.

Stem files use the mp4 container format to store the four individual stems of a track plus the original master version of the track within a single file. This single file can be managed as easily as an mp3 file, which can even be played as a normal stereo audio track with any mp4-compatible audio player such as iTunes. To play with Stems’ individual parts, Stem-supported software and hardware will be required. Native Instruments’ TRAKTOR software will be the first to offer Stem support this summer – opening the gates for further integration.

As an open format, anyone will be able to create, perform with, and distribute Stems in any way possible. Producers, DJs, and labels will be able to author their own Stem files using a free standalone application called the Stem Creator Tool. Developers will have full access to format specifications and code examples for them to integrate Stem support into future music performance and production tools.

NI Traktor Kontrol D2 DJ controller (4)

KONTROL D2 — ANYTHING NEW?

Looking at the PR, there doesn’t appear to be anything of note that we missed first time round. We pretty much nailed everything except the price, which has been clarified here.

What this does tell me is how NI’s new Stems format probably drove the design of the S8 and the D2, and was almost certainly the inspiration for the #futureofdjing hashtag. I could get annoyed if this was another attempt for a manufacturer to serve up their own proprietary vision, but the fact that Stems is open makes me think that NI is opening up more than ever before.

With Pioneer DJ players rumoured to be getting the Traktor treatment, it would appear that NI wants to be friends with people again. We’ll just have to see how that pans out for others in the industry. Given that VirtualDJ seems to be making itself plug and play with everything (previously Traktor’s calling card), perhaps NI is going to try to capture the hearts and wallets of DJs all over again. We’re still in the dark about what is coming with Traktor Pro 3 (we think it’ll drop the version number and just be Traktor Pro), so we can only hope that the momentum being regained by Traktor hardware and Stems releases is leading up to something pretty special.

I note that the D2 is being released on May 4th, the unofficial Star Wars Day. Does this mean that we can expect an R2 unit too?

GALLERY

OVER TO YOU

Given that the Kontrol D2 is almost half the price of an S8, would you be inclined to get a pair to wrap around your mixer or would you just go the whole hog and get an S8 anyway? Or would you consider just getting one to have something that focusses your attention on your gear instead of your laptop?

Mark Settle
Mark Settle

The old Editor of DJWORX - you can now find Mark at WORXLAB

Articles: 1228

61 Comments

  1. £429, loooolz! I can’t imagine that price will be met with much positivity, shame the pending net chatter is goner revolve around price rather than the D2. The software included argument price justification is such a slap in the face for existing users in the same way Machine users have no discounted route to Machine Studio hardware only.

    Most sane people will jus wait until the next version of Traktor lands as you’d at least get TP3 included, plus by then you’d imagine the price might be more reasonable or with any luck they’d deploy one of the NI shelf clearing offers

      • £369 seems a lot more like it for a initial release price as you can imagine that creeping down towards a very reasonable £329 over the next 18 months. Once they drop the £429 price tag from the NI site I’ll climb down from my hi horse :)

        Mark – I totally agree with the big things are coming with the next version of Traktor, I jus can’t imagine it will be a software only release

  2. I really don’t know what to think about this. At first, I was shocked because it’s just not the direction that DJs want to go. Most want a single-deck version of an S2/S4. After thinking for a bit, I might just get a D2 to add to my S4 and F1. The D2 is really a mashup of (half of) an X1, an F1, and a phone screen. It’s not ideal, but maybe (just maybe) NI is onto something. Maybe. As for pricing, I wonder if the touchscreen were dropped the price would be $199 (like the X1 and F1).

  3. Hmmmmm… $499 USD will probably make it $550 CAD or slightly higher, but with what it brings to the table I might seriously consider picking up a pair to go with my Z2 and STR8-150’s simply in order to be able to easily use more of Traktor’s extra stuff.

    I’ll take built in (but still fairly usable) screens over having to buy another monitor and a decent monitor arm pretty much any day (not to mention my setup would look cleaner with the D2’s – joys of one’s gear being in the living room!)

  4. Looked great, until I saw the price. £429 should be for a pair – (thats £429 listed on the NI website, not the £369 mentioned above) ?????? Either way it needed to be under £300, a pair of these plus a mixer and a pair of decks = a lot of folding.

    No wonder stems is an open format – nobody will be affording the gear to run them……

      • Still seems quite salty though. I do believe NI have come up with another great product but they are going to have a job convincing people including me thats its worth the price tag.

        I use my F1 almost always for running background effects with Tekken’s mapping and hardly ever for remix deck sets. You could view that as my fault for not getting the best out of my kit or I could claim I’m getting better use than the original intention.

        Either way the fact remains that NI came up with a great idea that hasn’t been adopted they way it was intended.

        Looking at the price point chosen the D2 could go the same way which would be a great shame. But I’m here to be convinced – we all like shiny new kit. :)

        • In theory, this single unit could replace an X1 and both F1’s. It has the potential to control all 4 decks using this one unit. Although I could see myself buying 2 of them for my daughter to use as drop ins for her Z2. I’d feel a bit better about that scenario, than letting her run out the door to do a show with my pair of 900’s. $1000 total for both is a lot more control for her than the single XDJ-1000 that I could pick up for the same price.

    • 499 for a CDJ replacement is decent ..not great but about what I thought the price would be..two D2s are less than one CDJ 900 and a pair of PLXs

      • Fair point, but I’d be adding them on top of a pair of 1210’s and DVS as Im guessing a lot of the target market would be. So they don’t become a cheaper replacement, the D2’s are an add on.

        I suppose my point is NI need to make people believe in changing their work flow and thats where the value would come from.

        • I’m in the same boat as far as workflow..but I only want one to finally close my laptop and put it to the side..so 499 is worth it too me compared to the s8 which is too big and too much..

  5. Bad day for Magda to announce Traktor Versus player for 3x as much, more complicated workflow and less features..timing is everything I guess

        • So don’t use sync.. Or here’s another idea.. use whatever else you have around for pitch..

          I use a fucking Griffin powermate for pitch on both of my track decks and the master tempo..

          Every time something like this comes out somebody has to say “Oh, but I like beatmatching!” Great.. Use one of those decky thingies on either side of your mixer.. Nobody is forcing you not to..

          • Or use the pitch control provided on the controller under the Pitch layer. And use the endless encoder. To control pitch. And manually beatmatch.

  6. The price is a lil salty but oh boy does that last pic with two D2s and the Z2 look hot! Waiting for the eventual price slash before considering these tho..

    Perhaps NI could add support for switching between all 4 decks in a future update?

    • I had originally skipped over those pictures… Oh my, you weren’t kidding that two D2’s straddling a Z2 is rather sexy! Am I ever glad to see that it lifts on the front and back to be level with the Z2.

      • A little while back I mentioned the tone of staff comments on DJWorx being narky. This is a classic example. Whether you’re right or wrong doesn’t matter, it’s the way you say it. You’re belittling your clientele, making them feel bad. Just think.

        • You can’t really blame Mark on being a bit sarcastic when people keep asking the same questions which they could have answered themselves.

          Other than that I think that the D2 is a great tool for turntablists. Fit it in between your decks and a battle mixer make it a visualization for your scratch deck, add some colour coded cuepoints.

          • And a unnecessarily HUGE footprint. No thanks. You’d be better off with 100% non NI equipment. You’d have a smaller footprint and wouldn’t have to worry about configs and compatibility. Not to mention you’d lose the tons of cables and jacks. But that involves getting all non NI equipment and no one here will ever recommend that.

        • Interesting take on my comment. I’ve asked the team who are usually brutally honest with me, and they sensed no “Narky Mark”. I feel that generally I’m the very model of diplomacy, and my response to a regular community member was to point out all the things that NI does do for turntablists, and try to get a feel for what else they expected to see. I commented and countered. Narky Mark was very much in his cage, fast asleep.

          If I or any of the team do get vocal, it’s because we care, and are deeply passionate about what we do. Our highly valued community members realise this, which is why they keep coming back for more. Wouldn’t it be ultra-dull if there were no banter or exchanges of opposing views? I love that fact that we’ve created a place where people can call us out constructively. I’d rather have people getting entertained, educated, and engaged in discussions, than have them read platitudes and pointless comments.

          Things are aren’t going to change around here. If anything, expect more diverse and challenging topics and resulting community conversations.

          • Narky Mark (:/) – I should have been a little more specific in my comment above. We have seen Rane seemingly corner the scratch/turntablist market with their sixty-one/two/three/four and soon, the TTM57 Mk2 whilst NI have seemed to stop at the Z2. I moved from Serato to NI after selling my NS7 as I couldn’t justify the £1500 for a Sixty-Two (still think that this is steep). The Z2 is a fantastic mixer for the money but it’s not in the same league (in my opinion) as the Rane kit. If you look at the DJs Serato/Rane have as declared users (Jazzy Jeff, Scratch Bastid, D Styles etc) and the fact that almost all of the online DMC competitors are now using Rane mixers, it shows Serato’s interest in those of us into the scratchier side of things. My question may have been a little provocative but that was probably the intention! I am seriously considering switching back to Serato (after building 2 years worth of cue points, loops etc!!!!!) unless NI bring out a decent replacement for the Z2.. There is much talk of NI having decided to stick with EDM and production and ‘letting’ Serato take the ‘tablist market. I think that would be a shame as Traktor scratch pro is great software.

    • Well… consider what you can do with one or two D2s next to a Z2, especially using the Stems format. Think about multi-track scratching (cutting chords, switching break patterns – on ONE DECK) while firing off samples from Remix Decks… not to mention the plethora of (post-fader) effects. This is very much a product creative turntablists can take advantage of – future routines can be VERY complex with the technology NI has provided, you just have to spend some time exploring it :)

      • Exactly! Remix decks are amazing for everything you jus mentioned with the added bonus of not having to pre edit everything in ableton first as the the F1 and rmx deck pairing does all the editing you’ll need. A deck controlling what is essentially a four track mixer with 16 samples per a track is endlessly awesome for turntablism usage.

    • You’d need to add non NI equipment along with the NI equipment to satisfy that need. Or just get non NI equipment if you want a smaller footprint.

  7. This looks pretty sweet, the $500 price tag is probably all the R&D – people like to complain about price, but don’t look at the real cost to developing something this complex (while simple).

    The only gripe, it comes with Traktor Pro – I don’t need 2 copies of it, they should sell a version without it.

    Or give you LE with a $50 voucher to upgrade – then lower the price buy $50.

    Only thing missing now is a Z2 update and NI will have updated their entire lineup.

    But it’s only April…

  8. They have confirmed on the Native Instruments forum that One D2 will be able to control all 4 decks using the “Deck” and FX select buttons!….

  9. I’m thinking of playing with 1 of these to add onto my vinyl/serato setup. can you manually beatmatch with the buttons on this? Could I use serato and traktor at the same time and use this as an extra stems/samples/loops deck? for that to work manual beat-matching to an external source is a must.

  10. Leaving personal consideration on corner about Hardware, I can say just as objective fact that if NI will not release a (real) new version of Traktor (I mean 3, not a 2.7.ecc) basically with some “flexible beatgrid”, and improved interface, All these hardware are (seem) Just “forced” to use with an old software.
    I love traktor so far,they have a “ecosystem” that sound brilliant..but seem that they are forgetting that they are a software House.
    As point of view of user (both SD & TR), I am irritated about habit of NI that from “TOP of their Sophisticated Brand”. Seem they never listen User advice and voice from real DJ. Just have a look inside their forum to understand.
    Is a Pity as NI could really beat easily Serato and give a lot of possibility more! if Just follow little bit the “real” Dj. I think this is why SD seem more “welcome” and less “Cold” than all NI ecosystem. When I open Traktor I feel like when I enter in a cool Nyc Club where everything is cool but… to the opposite when I open Serato i feel like enter in a friend’s House or in a firendly Pub :) :) I hope to pass my message LOL!

    just my 2 cent

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