- Native Instruments has always made fantastic software. Then they did some branching out, creating a few "plus-hardware" hybrids such as Kore, Guitar Rig and Maschine. And now we come to them kicking another stone down the physical path by creating the Kontrol X1, a dedicated controller specifically engineered for use with their Traktor Scratch software. The size of a TV remote on heavy steroids, it connects umbilically to your computer system through a USB cable, and there you have it. A selection of back-lit buttons and knobs, that's all; a no frills approach to planting and watering your creative ability as a digital DJ.
In order to bring the full potential of their own Traktor system to the fore, then, rumor has it that NI exhaustively interviewed performers about what type of functionality they wanted in a hardware controller. The X1 is the brain/love-child of those sit-downs. Once you get the X1 plugged in, everything in the default mapping does what it's supposed to, so long as you have Traktor 1.2.3+. I even managed to erase the X1 mapping accidentally, but after I turned Traktor off and back on again, the software immediately recognized the X1 and asked me if I wanted the default mapping back. Operationally, the X1 is butter smooth. The backlighting is awesome. It looks professional, and you can easily see everything in both darkness and daylight. The loading, processing, looping, seeking, cueing and hotcueing are also absolutely seamless with proper prep work and understanding. You can even use the X1 as a general MIDI controller for any other software, and there are predefined maps available for use with Serato.
There are a few points of contention when you've been playing with it for a little while, however. The four endless rotary buttons are a little tough to push down (for loading tracks and for the auto loop function). If you do a lot of work with loops, it gets a little annoying having to push so strongly. I also found myself pushing the shift key with my thumb while I rotated my hand around to push other buttons. It might be a touch more comfortable if the shift key was bigger and round instead of rectangular. If you haven't done your beat-gridding (to a click track), you may find that it's a little difficult to fix on the X1, as you have to hold the shift key to perform tempo changes and pitch bends. Having to hit shift buttons at all is not my preference either in the dark or under pressure to do something quickly.
It also takes a while to get used to some of the features. You really have to play with your effects chains to get them right. Whether you turn the effects on or off in different parts of the chain or play with the dry/wet settings, you will either keep the tail of the effect or not, and it's not always clear without some experimentation. The single hit reset button is great with the advanced chaining, but then you have to make sure to physically reset the knobs before you turn the main effect button back on. Also, when you hit the hotcue button on the X1 it turns white. At that point you can either assign the 16 buttons below it as hotcues, or jump to those cues if they are already assigned. However, if you forget that this option is on and you try to hit play, stop, sync, or use any of those other buttons, you will randomly start assigning and skipping to cue points.
Minor operational issues aside, it's an affirming experience when a new piece of gear comes around that helps make you better at what you do. Sometimes, as is the case here, the difference is subtle: A better layout, a more efficient design, better ergonomics, a more tactile experience. The X1 aims to please. I imagine, eventually, that this controller, or something very much like it, will be used by every software-centric DJ. It keeps you away from messing with your computer, allowing you to memorize your effects and processing to keep you more engaged with your audience and less with your screen.
With a little bit of thought, the Kontrol X1 can make you a much tighter-sounding and expressive performer almost instantly. With proper beat-gridding, you may choose to not worry about your beat-matching. With thoughtful hotcue points, you can decide how and when to engage which parts of your tracks. With the quantized and snapped looping functions, you can really dig in to how you want the music to flow. With proper comprehension of wet/dry levels and effects chaining, you can get some truly intense yet controllable transitions and buildups, all within the framework of music you already know and love.
Ratings:
EASE OF USE: 4/5
COST: 4/5
BUILD: 4/5
VERSATILITY: 3/5 TracklistSYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows: Windows XP (SP2, 32 bit), Vista (SP1, 32 bit, 64 bit), Windows 7 (32 bit, 64 bit), Pentium IV or Athlon 1.4 GHz (SSE1), 1 GB RAM
Mac: Mac OS X 10.5, Mac OS X 10.6, Intel Core Duo 1.66 GHz, 1 GB RAM
General: Monitor with 1024 x 768 screen resolution, USB 2.0, DVD drive
DIMENSIONS
Dimensions: 4.7" (120 mm) x 2" (52 mm) x 11.5" (294 mm)
Weight: 1.5 lb (691 grams)