Traktor Pro 2.6 hits the streets – what’s new?

Traktor Pro reaches v2.6, and brings a lot of mixer specific features, ready for next week's Kontrol Z2 arrival.

Traktor Pro 2.6 upgrade
Traktor Pro 2.6 upgrade
We all get rather giddy about new software. Some are rather more reserved and wait for us lemmings to install the latest and greatest to beta test the releases. But with this new v2.6 of Traktor Pro, there’s enough nextlevelness going on to induce trouser trauma in even the most reticent of updaters.
We’ve been over all the new stuff a couple of times before, so there’s no need to rake over old coals, but here’s the full list from Native about what v2.6 brings:
  • TRAKTOR KONTROL Z2 integration
  • 11 new “MacroFX” single-knob combination effects
  • “Flux Mode” retains song position during HotCues, Beatjumps, Loops etc.
  • Post-Fader mode for FX Units
  • Factory Map Override option for individual Controllers in Controller Manager
  • New gain system with independent Channel Gain knobs and Auto-Gain knobs
  • New “Z ISO” EQ and “Z” filter models as featured on Z2 mixer
  • Z ISO EQ is now full kill at the left end of knobs path
  • New “QuickSnap” behavior for the EQ and Filter controls
  • New Transport Preference prevents Remix Decks from becoming Tempo Masters
  • New Transport Preference limits Tempo Master to On-Air Decks to become Tempo Masters
  • HID support for Pioneer CDJ 2000nexus (SLIP button is mapped to FLUX mode)
  • Minor gain-staging adjustments for Live Input Deck
  • Various other fixes and improvements

It does seem that the Z2 is driving some of these new features. Post fader FX are an absolute necessity on mixers, which would explain why they’ve made an appearance now. And having full EQ kill via the new Z ISO EQ mode is a given too.

I’ve had a tinker with the MacroFX. They’re really nice and add an instant yet simple lift to any audio. But given the small selection, I fear that for a while, we may be in for a period of same-fx-just-a-different-dj style performances from those who have yet to learn that less is more. Think Photoshop page curl overuse. And it would appear that the beta version had a list longer than 11, but for some reason they were whittled down to a more manageable size. For this we should be thankful, and we can only hope that more will come, or as I’ve been praying for, a way for us to make our own will come along.

The Future

So here we are with Traktor Pro 2.6, and Maschine 1.8. Both bring some serious upgrades that were worthy of a full point release. But I think that has been reserved for the time when Traktor and Maschine fully interoperate with each other. I don’t think it’ll be long, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some new hardware came with it too.

Anyway, Kontrol Z2s are on their way to us, and we’ll have full reviews including covering the new v2.6 features in due course.

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Mark Settle
Mark Settle

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

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37 Comments

  1. I love the new MacroFX but some of them I won’t ever use for sure. in around 2 weeks I’ll have a new controller to map from scratch so now I’ll just play a little on my iMac to test everything out before going fullblown 2.6 on my DJ laptop

  3. Glad to see the 2.6 update, but I wonder if this update is compatible to Mac osx mountain lion? Not sure if this was done already due to the fact that I haven’t updated my macbook pro for this very reason.

  4. And still Numark NS7 and V7 users are left with no Native support for Traktor. Dear Native Instruments, do yourself a favor and support the best controllers in the market. That is all.

    • Ummm… NI doesn’t need the NS7 and V7 to be supported in TP/TSP. Numark should have worked with NI to make that happen AS NUMARK PROMISED TO DO PRIOR TO THE NS7 LAUNCH.

      • You are correct, Numark should have worked that out with Traktor and from what I’ve read on forum they tried. Traktor said no because they were releasing the S4 at the time and didn’t want the superior NS7 and V7 to compete. In the meantime, Denon found a work around for their motorized plastic platters called Hybrid mode for Traktor. So for two years, the best built Numark motorized controller gets no love from NAtive Instruments because they are scared the Numark Decks will become the industry standard for Turntabalist to replace the 1200’s. Regardless of the politics, users just want Traktor support for the NS7 and V7. Native Instruments could easily implement this and make folks who already own their software and have to use an audio card with the NS7 and V7 as a work around, very happy. They have thousands of users who have requested this support, yet they refuse.

        • I wouldn’t be so sure about the reasons you described why we didn’t support the NS7/V7. In development, nothing comes for free and to make this 2 guys work we would need serious development effort. If we could make them work without spending a reasonable amount of development effort we would. So no need for conspiration theories ;)

          • What Development effort? DJ quartz had most of both decks mapped using Midi but knew that without Native support for the decks, it just wouldn’t work. Numark develop something and demonstrated it to DJ Quartz that showed what the decks working Natively could do. It was NI that said no to native support. No conspiracy, an online search or asking DJ Quartz can easily prove this. Again, if Traktor is superior to Virtual DJ, why can’t they support the best built Midi Controller for Turntabalist if they want that market. I’m a Traktor user and it kills me to know that I can’t use my Numark decks with my software of choice. I’ve read all the forums, even contacted NI to ask that they support the decks only to be given some lame excuses. There are thousands of NS7 and V7 users who want Traktor to support these decks natively. These are the closest decks to replacing Technic 1200’s for Midi controllers. They are good enough for DMC champions to use on stage, why not support them? How difficult can it be for a Native Instruments programmer to do what DJ Quartz and Virtual DJ have done but allow the decks part to work Natively in Traktor? Giz posted a great article about the perfect midi controller and many of his points fit much of the check marks that the NS7 and V7 tick. We, DJ’s don’t want the excuses, we just want our software of choice to work with our equipment of choice. I believe that if Native Instruments offered native support for the Numark decks, not only would these decks become standard for Turntabalist but more DJ’s would switch over to Traktor. Folks have proven in the past that this can be done, Denon did it and their motorized decks work with Traktor. Native Instruments needs to do the logical thing and support these decks natively to show that their software is the superior choice for Turntabalist. Do this in the next month and this will take away some of the shine that Serato DJ is bringing. A happy customer is a loyal customer.

    • I think you are a little confused about the process. The controller manufacturer is responsible for mapping not the software company, however, they must work in conjunction to make something natively supported but why would NI waster their time when they already have so much going on and are busy with their own hardware. I’m sure the next generation of S4 type controller from NI will shit all over anything else out there and address the issues of the current S4.

      • No, I understand the process well and both companies where working together at some point to address the mapping issues. In this case, the Numarks would have to be natively supported in order for the decks to have the response time needed to emulate Turntables. It was Native Instruments who refused the support in order to push their inferior S4 plastic controller to the masses. Comparing an NS7 or a V7 to an S4 is like comparing a Yugo to a Maybach. You can’t do serious Scratching with an S4, not at the level of the Numark Decks. The new S4 will not S&%t on the Numarks, I gurantee you that because they will not be motorized decks and they will probably built out of cheap plastic once again. And let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with plastic build. However, If your choice is traveling around with decks that can crack or break with the slightest drop, then so be it. But for the rest of the turntabalist world, those who Traktor keep pushing in their video, there is nothing they have that is competing in terms of controllers with Numark NS7 or V7’s. Best built controllers on the market in terms of quality. Period. Native Instruments needs to stop their games and just give their users, many who already own their software, native Traktor support for the Numark decks. If VDJ can give support for the Numarks, then so can Traktor. Anything else is just folks making excuses for Native Instruments lazyness to support their users who want to use Traktor with their Numark decks.

    • why would you switch back to them? you can achieve the exact same behaviour with the remix decks and even safe those sets. on top you get a lot of new functionality.

      • It isn’t quite the same. The grab/mute/loop functionality is way different. The Remix decks are good for live production, the sample decks are better for spontaneous remixing or deck offloading. The Remix Decks are awesome, but they are not the same.

  6. “I don’t think it’ll be long, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some new hardware came with it too.”

    Same advice, are you thinking of a pioneer DDJ-TX (a traktor version of the DDJ-SX)? ;-)

    • If I may state this plain and clear for those who keep asking – I’m 99% certain that a Traktor version of Pioneer’s DDJ-SX will not appear. The best you can expect is a mapping, and with the way that jogwheels are handled by Traktor and Serato, I expect that this will be the stumbling block to solid performance.

      I do think that NI will bring out an updated S4, although the name may change to perhaps a different letter. I think that a Z4 will appear if the Z2 is successful. And I also think that a tabletop media player is likely to compliment the mixers. To me, NI are making a play for a slice of the entire DJ scene – I don’t think anything is out of bounds to them.

      And that’s my opinion, based on no information from NI. They are always reluctant to comment. And if they had, I wouldn’t be sharing with you now.

  8. I share equal frustration with my Denon x600 mixer as V7 owners. I bought this mixer thinking it was Traktor certified and waiting on NI to do so. It’s probably one of the best mixers with a built-in sound card at a reasonable price point and would be even better with Traktor.

  10. EL Tiburon has swept this thread with truths. the ones questioning him are wrong. I have a V7 and have had to use hacks use Traktor, this is tantamount to two neighbours turning back to each other at the border of their property neither willing to budge over who owns the apple tree.

    This is corporate BUTTHURT

    • Pisses me off that nobody at N.I. will actively -do something- about supporting the NS7… Quartz put his efforts into making hacks, got it partway working, even tried to show N.I. but they never even offered to take what he did and make something of it. We need to keep bitching about this junk on N.I.’s forums til they give in.

  11. I just ordered the DDJ-SX and I’m thinking I may have made the wrong decision. I’m a TP2 user and have been getting mixed reviews on using the DDJ-SX with TP2. I’m worried that it will only be compatible with ver 2.6 and nothing above it. Maybe the better choice would have been a 4trak or T1. I would like to keep the DDJ SX if I can. Any suggestions?

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