Native Instruments have announced details of their first Traktor specific performance controller, Kontrol X1.
There has been a bit of a buzz surrounding the specifics of the Kontrol X1 ever since the
video surfaced in late September of
Richie Hawtin road-testing the unit at Berlin's Saturday Adventure Club. The controller is designed with Traktor's many looping, cue, effect, track selection and transport functions in mind, providing users with a simple integrated solution for manipulating their performance.
NI haven't limited themselves to an entirely Traktor-focused design, however, as the Kontrol X1 is also compatible with any MIDI-based DJ software, (a Serato Scratch overlay for the X1 will be available) doubling as a standard MIDI controller via a dedicated button.
One of the key boasts of the new unit is a level of responsiveness beyond the realms of a standard MIDI controller, thanks to its high-resolution protocol. The plug-and-play nature of the unit (no setup or specific configuration required) is also likely to be a big draw. And as those who watched the Hawtin clip may have noted, the X1 can be doubled-up for control over a four-deck setup. The X1 bundle also includes the entry level Traktor LE software, which can be upgraded to the fully fledged Traktor Pro system at any time.
Native Instruments will release Traktor Kontrol X1
in February 2010 at a suggested retail price of $229/199 Euro.
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