Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1 MK3

Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1 MK3

The Traktor X1 Mk3 introduces an intuitive light guide to aid your performances, freeing up bandwidth to lock into the moment with far less need to watch the screen of your laptop. Five vivid OLED screens display essential information across multiple groups of parameters, including track titles, track duration, progress bar, deck assignment, effects, and more. Onboard backlighting isn’t just for show, either. Lighting modes are customizable, allowing you to select colors to coordinate with performance features, decks, FX, and toolsets for uninhibited use and straightforward identification. What’s more, a dedicated light-based highlighting system provides instant indication that a track is either reaching its end or in a loop, giving you ample bandwidth to manage transitions or performance flourishes without taking your eyes off your X1.

Nearly every facet of the X1’s interface has been ergonomically designed to bolster performance while expanding creative customization. Accessibility considerations include newly dotted buttons for instant tactile orientation, while the slick black interface and matted surface create a deliberately dark canvas to quickly follow and respond to color-coded light-based information. All 20 transport control buttons were overhauled to increase uniformity and surface area. With the X1’s deep customization options, virtually anything Traktor can do can be mapped for total control from the controller module. Of course, you’re not limited to just one: a suite of three USB-A ports, alongside a USB-B port, are top-mounted to daisy-chain multiple X1s together, integrate one or more with turntable DJ controllers, or assimilate into any number of custom arrangements. No matter how you play, the X1 Mk3 is equally functional as a supplementary performance tool and as the central nervous system for your set.