Native Instruments reveals standalone mixer

[Era 7]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUwjiBFz7LuxYvmIRw5kChFA&v=Lh8ZvRzZcPg&feature=player_embedded

[DJNR]

I thought it was pretty cool. I won't get one myself. Interesting to see NI get into the hardware mixer market.

[Phil Noize]

It looks quite nice, but the video doesn't reveal much. The Funktion One rig looks dope though!

[djlotus]

I think they waited too long to release this. I k ow there may be some dedicated function, but with all the other top notch mixers and controllers on the market, what is it exactly that will make people want to ditch their current gear and go for this?

[alphi]

They are gonna have to try a bit harder than that to get me to ditch my A&H...

[st3rling]

Anyone wanna guess at the price? I'm hoping under $500 but I'm probably way off. An X1 itself is $200. This is like two of them, plus an audio interface, plus other stuff. Here's to hoping...

[DennisBdrmDJ 2.0]

It looks quite nice, but the video doesn't reveal much. The Funktion One rig looks dope though!this is the tease,not the release,that's yet to come.

[Andrew B]

Anyone wanna guess at the price? I'm hoping under $500 but I'm probably way off. An X1 itself is $200. This is like two of them, plus an audio interface, plus other stuff. Here's to hoping...

I would guess anywhere from $1500 to $2000. If it releases at $1000, they'll most likely have a hit.

[alazydj]

The $1500 range makes the most sense. They're going to want to steal DJs away from the Rane 61.

[JonAvalon]

I'll guess around the $500-799 range. If not then probably right at $1,000.

[Interracial Tea]

I'm gonna say $1200. I don't have a logical explanation so yeah.

[Blueprint]

yeh, something under $1200 for sure. How else are they going compete with the Pioneer DJM T1?

[DJ Boom Bap]

No built in F1? You got to be kidding me right?

[djlotus]

$800 is my guess.

[DJNR]

No built in F1? You got to be kidding me right?

If they had a built in F1, the mixer format would be really off.

[Interracial Tea]

http://i.imgur.com/41XfL.jpg

[Blueprint]

it looks kinda plain for something that's supposed to be very complex.

[ReelDiel]

^^^ thats the beauty!!!

[DJNR]

it looks kinda plain for something that's supposed to be very complex.

I don't remember anything about them marketing it as complex. However if they made it so the simple controls can obtain the complexities of Traktor, I will be impressed.

[Interracial Tea]

it'll be interesting. i was reading craze's comments about the mixer and he's saying the fader was really buttery. he also said that it's a little bigger than the rane.

also his thumb is weird

[DJNR]

This is supposed to be a full blown mixer right? Hardware and all?

[Sublim&All]

What I am wondering: does it have a steel casing or the same (to me, shitty) plastic casing as the S2 and S4?

[DJNR]

What I am wondering: does it have a steel casing or the same (to me, shitty) plastic casing as the S2 and S4?

That plastic isn't shitty, its actually quite advanced. The whole idea behind it is making it have a light case while still being durable.

However, on a mixer that will be likely $1,000+, I would want it to be metal of some sort.

[jazzyj]

Gonna be at least $1000+. To me it looks like a stand-alone version of S4 - which I would have purchased instead of the S4 for peace of mind - if PC goes down, I still have a stand-alone mixer. That was the only thing I didn't like about the S4 which almost made me go for the Denon mixer i looked at instead. But I opted for the S4.

[Jalapeno]

I'll guess around the $500-799 range. If not then probably right at $1,000.

Its gonna be $899 like the DJM-T1.

They are the same thing, probably same insides, just one is made by pioneer and one is made by NI.

[Blueprint]

They might be the same thing but Native Instruments is not nearly as proven as Pioneer when talking about gear outside of midi controllers. I'd rather get the T1 unless there's something that this thing can do better.

[alazydj]

They're not exactly the same....the Pioneer doesn't have independent filter control, and we don't know if the Z2 will have post fader effects yet.

[Jalapeno]

Im pretty sure one of the FX knobs is a pioneer style HP/LP on the DJMT1. Like the software it comes with has little presets set up for the FX knobs and one is a combination filter.

Thats what it says at least, i have yet to see one in person. Im currently saving to buy a T1 and Ive got to have a HP/LP so thatd be nice to know for sure.

And, if this mixer is built anything like the other NI stuff, it will be a total piece of shit with horrible faders.

[bobbyd]

From another thread on here - a pic of the mixer:

http://djworx.com/dj-craze-outs-traktor-kontrol-z2/

[Will MaXimal]

Hmm... I have been thinking about the DJM-T1 but i am not sure what one to go with argh...

Decisions Decisions

[login]

it doesnt have deck controls as the T1, and it seems build with the same materials as the s4, IMHO T1 is just much better.

http://www.sonomarket.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/KONTROL-Z2.jpg

[contra]

it doesnt have deck controls as the T1, and it seems build with the same materials as the s4, IMHO T1 is just much better.

http://www.sonomarket.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/KONTROL-Z2.jpg

Nice pic! Does the site have details on the mixer too?

[login]

Nice pic! Does the site have details on the mixer too?

Yes, it says it functions as stand alone mixer and it has a 4 audio interface, also can control 4 decks. http://www.sonomarket.com/es/tienda/details/3151/184/equipamiento-dj/mesas-de-mezcla-para-dj/mezcladores-de-2-canales/native-instruments-traktor-kontrol-z2.html

[Interracial Tea]

That mixer is pretty. Those A/B/C/D buttons look small though.

[contra]

Priced at 800euro, converted to US would be about a grand.....Personally I'd get a Scratch certified Denon Dn-x1600 instead.

[Estacy]

Or a Pioneer T1, if this one has the same faders as an S4... shrug..

[Manaaddi]

NI makes all their products look like toys

[JonAvalon]

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2012/10/traktor-kontrol-z2-traktor-dj-mixer/

The Traktor Kontrol Z2 is priced at US$899 / €799, and will go on sale on November 1.

Not bad, close enough to what i guessed.

[Interracial Tea]

Whoa. That's a fucking great price for that mixer.

[Windows 95]

http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2012/10/traktor-kontrol-z2-traktor-dj-mixer/

The Traktor Kontrol Z2 is priced at US$899The exact same price as the Pioneer DJM-T1.

[login]

This is for using it along a X1 and an F1, in a Mixer/dvs-Turntable set up the T1 wins hands down.

[Era 7]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbPIP3YEK_c&feature=g-u-u

[Andrew B]

Apparently it has Innofaders. Congrats, Elliot!

[Interracial Tea]

I sort of want it now.

[recess]

regret getting an S4 now.

[Sigma]

I was thinking "want!" up until the point he was talking about the faders and he showed the front panel. Reverse/curve on the crossfader only? I hope not, cos that would be a dumb move! The potential stability (or not!) of Traktor 2.6 aside, that would be the one thing that stop me from buying this mixer.

[DJNR]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbPIP3YEK_c&feature=g-u-u

I watched his demo. It was really REALLY stupid.

[contra]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbPIP3YEK_c&feature=g-u-u

I like the demo! I like the c/d deck controls along the side of the mixer. Pair this with timecode or a Denon sc2000 and there you go, easy setup.

edit:after some research, i found it comes with the newest version of Scratch and timecode :)

[Blueprint]

I like the Innofader part the most, then the flux mode - reminds me of slip mode only for cue points (Pioneer - get on this!).

Overall, it's cool but man, deciding on buying new equipment is nothing like it was back in the day, too many choices and too little time between major updates.

[contra]

I like the Innofader part the most, then the flux mode - reminds me of slip mode only for cue points (Pioneer - get on this!).

Overall, it's cool but man, deciding on buying new equipment is nothing like it was back in the day, too many choices and too little time between major updates.
Damn man, I've been thinking that same thing. Knowing my luck if I bought this a 4 channel version will come out a month later.

[CheekyDelinquent]

Meh.

More interested in them fancy USB cables, what brand are those?

[DennisBdrmDJ 2.0]

I watched his demo. It was really REALLY stupid.the demo was badly made.......Ian, is too cool,and can convince me to buy anything.:eek:

[JonAvalon]

AGI listing it for $799
http://www.agiprodj.com/native-instruments-traktor-kontrol-z2-2-channel-dj-mixer.html

[DJNR]

the demo was badly made.......Ian, is too cool,and can convince me to buy anything.:eek:

I think he is the most over rated person in the industry. Bull shit he "pioneered" controllerism.

[DJhalf]

looks nice. Sure it will be solid.

[DJ Highline]

AGI listing it for $799
http://www.agiprodj.com/native-instruments-traktor-kontrol-z2-2-channel-dj-mixer.html

Kinda figured that..everything is slightly marked up on the NI store. That way they don't undercut the retailers.

DJ Tech Tools has it for $799 as well and are throwing in a free set of Chroma Caps and a sound pack if you pre order from them. Not a bad deal.

[Sigma]

I'm gonna wait for reviews. It seems nuts to me to put 3 Innofaders in a mixer and then only put curve control/reverse on the crossfader, if that is indeed what they have done here.

[g-sep]

I'm gonna wait for reviews. It seems nuts to me to put 3 Innofaders in a mixer and then only put curve control/reverse on the crossfader, if that is indeed what they have done here.

Interesting thought I had right now: what about if the curve/reverse controls can be edited in the NI control manager, but would also be saved in the z1 for use without software?

[Interracial Tea]

Here are some higher quality renders (at least they look like renders) of the mixer:

http://i.imgur.com/5wcBc.png

http://i.imgur.com/5wcBc.png

http://i.imgur.com/LIysm.png

[Sigma]

Interesting thought I had right now: what about if the curve/reverse controls can be edited in the NI control manager, but would also be saved in the z1 for use without software?
Is that even possible though? My other concern is about using this mixer with regular vinyl, so how would your solution work there?

On another site, a French Innofader dealer said that the mini-Innofaders have things like tension and lag preset in the factory, so they can't be user adjusted at all. He also said that you will not be able to put regular Innofaders in this mixer as replacements for the mini ones. Obviously, that's yet to be confirmed, but it comes from a solid source and t's a bit disappointing if it's true.

NI have obviously tried to pack in a bunch of features and make a well built mixer with great faders for a reasonable price. This is £630 in the UK compared to a £1,800 for a Rane Sixty-Two. But I think NI might have cut one too many corners for a lot of DJs. This mixer could have been perfect for your mix/scratch type guy - people who the Sixty-Two is aimed at. I would pay more to have a 3 regular Innofader version with curve/reverse on all 3 channels because it would still come in at way less than £1,800. Even just adding full curve/reverse to all 3 faders with mini-Innofaders may have been fine.

Don't get me wrong - I still think that this looks great for the money. It's just that I initially saw it as a Rane Sixty-Two at a third of the price and now I'm thinking it may not even be suitable for my needs.

[g-sep]

Is that even possible though? My other concern is about using this mixer with regular vinyl, so how would your solution work there?


Well my thought was this. Since its an analog/digital mixer, all analog sound coming in would be converted to digital. There for all the controls to run digital. I'm probably wrong, but that's one way I can see it working. Meh, it's an interesting piece of gear, but like you said Sigma, it's probably going to lose the scratch dj market because of lack of adjustability.

[Sigma]

Well my thought was this. Since its an analog/digital mixer, all analog sound coming in would be converted to digital. There for all the controls to run digital. I'm probably wrong, but that's one way I can see it working.
If it works like that, it would be fine. I could adjust to ripping my vinyl and using timecodes instead of playing the real vinyl.

Who would you say that this mixer appeals to? EDM DJs don't seem to be all that hyped for it on the whole based on the comments I've read. Hip-hop/scratch DJs have the fader concerns. Are there even many "controllerists" out there?

[contra]

I'd rather have 4 channels than the Remix controls down the side. Everytime I use the Remix decks they're nothing but trouble.

I think I'll pick up a 4Trak or s4 tomorrow rather than wait for this.

[[O/][iii][O/]]

Good grief, it's almost 2013 and NI still doesn't have dual USB for switching between two DJs. You'd think that they'd at least include this feature on their first mixer if not on one of their interfaces. :facepalm:

You'd also think they would've learned their lesson using cheap, shiny, fingerprint/scratch magnet plastic after the whole S4 materials debacle.

[Era 7]

[iii][O/];156496']Good grief, it's almost 2013 and NI still doesn't have dual USB for switching between two DJs. You'd think that they'd at least include this feature on their first mixer if not on one of their interfaces. :facepalm:

that an issue with the way their soundcards work though isn't it? since they are registered to a coresponding copy of traktor and stuff...

[contra]

Damn, I'm just checking the vids on this.......and now I have to decide between the z2 w/ X1 OR an S4.......fucking tough decision.

[Sam Whitman]

The cooloest part about this mixer is the built in USB hub. For us guys using HID mode that is the best part. Rane better take note of that because if that is on their next mixer, I will be buying it.

[DJNR]

[iii][O/];156496']Good grief, it's almost 2013 and NI still doesn't have dual USB for switching between two DJs. You'd think that they'd at least include this feature on their first mixer if not on one of their interfaces. :facepalm:

You'd also think they would've learned their lesson using cheap, shiny, fingerprint/scratch magnet plastic after the whole S4 materials debacle.

Someone really doesn't like NI.

[contra]

So hold on a second, how's a guy supposed to EQ the decks 3+4? I don't see a deck switch button for the eq....

[lingk]

So hold on a second, how's a guy supposed to EQ the decks 3+4? I don't see a deck switch button for the eq....

I think the idea is that you will be using those decks for sample desks and acapellas so you don't need to eq, just use the filer.. or maybe use an x1 for eq?

[contra]

I think the idea is that you will be using those decks for sample desks and acapellas so you don't need to eq, just use the filer.. or maybe use an x1 for eq?

Yeah maybe. Just edit the settings so the shift button can turn the fx section to an eq. Maybe I'm picky, I still like the opportunity to EQ my samples but seeing as I just bought an X1 today, I'll be looking to November 1st for the Z2 to come out :)

[lingk]

Yeah maybe. Just edit the settings so the shift button can turn the fx section to an eq. Maybe I'm picky, I still like the opportunity to EQ my samples but seeing as I just bought an X1 today, I'll be looking to November 1st for the Z2 to come out :)

yeah I'm with you on the EQing. I like to have full control over all 4 decks.

[[O/][iii][O/]]

Someone really doesn't like NI.

Not true, I call them how I see them no matter who the manufacturer is. NI does a lot of stuff right IMO and a lot of stuff wrong too (just like all manufacturers).

[Sigma]

Some thoughts from a guy on my forum who's used one: -

The good: -


I'm shocked at how amazing the xfade feels, you seriously couldn't tell that it wasn't a full on innofade pro.

The work flow and traktor features are minimal but heavily performance orientated. I love the clutter free layout. IMO this is where NI shine on all there hardware, despite some heavy weight features the learning curve on NI hardware is pretty minimal compared to other similar gear.

The single super fx knob and new macro fx do plenty in terms of replacing the need for a dedicated fx controller like the X1. They've basically hijacked the midi fighter super knob theory.

Post fade fx option was a serious must, this isn't just a biggie for those who mix internally, it also means you can still have post fade fx while also being able to assign fx to individual sample slots rather than the whole remix deck.
The bad: -


PLASTIC POTS! What a huge let down but no real surprise, £700 ish quid for a mixer and in less than two years the heavily used pots, Bass, Filter and Fx will feel the same as the pots on my sold X1, shit! Personally I'd happily pay more for metal pots but NI know full well most of there customers would rather pay less because thats the nature of the 3 year shelf life time we currently live in.

Stoopid gloss fingerprint magnet finish, at the end of sunday the Z2 looked like someone had been eating fish & chips of it, but worse still was it took only two days of BPM usage for the white paint marking's around fade to rub off.

Impossible to sample ya self cutting, the Z2 controls tractor DVS only via (anti post fade sampling) internal mode, meaning my long wait for an improved loop recorder experience continues. Maybe there just waiting for cross product integration and Maschine will take charge of live sampling duties, I say this because the loop recorder has been well and truly left behind in terms of updates since early versions of T2.

Stiff line fades, seriously can some one tell me which main stream gear had stiff line fades 5 - 6 years back? Why in recent times do more and more manufacturers keep nursing mixing dj's in to thinking they can't control a free flowing line fader? As Chriss points out the Z2 line fades aren't the worst/stiffest but its a total waste of innofaders. Basically it's a two channel mixer you can scratch on rather than an actual scratch mixer.
"Intriguing": -


Having the Z2 operate Traktors internal mixer does seem like an odd/interesting/pointless move when you consider it is also is real mixer too. If compared with other DVS mixers It's a completely new way of thinking and there must be a proper reason why NI went down this road. Potential foundation for Maschine integration is my guess, despite the Z2 being an actual hardware mixer and the S4/S2 are just controllers, all products work the same with Traktor making it much easier to roll out the same features across the range.
And at the end of the discussion he was pretty much in agreement with me: -


Like you I wish NI just made a version that wasn't so compromised to keep costs down.

[[O/][iii][O/]]

Some thoughts from a guy on my forum who's used one: -



The bad: -
PLASTIC POTS! What a huge let down but no real surprise, £700 ish quid for a mixer and in less than two years the heavily used pots, Bass, Filter and Fx will feel the same as the pots on my sold X1, shit! Personally I'd happily pay more for metal pots but NI know full well most of there customers would rather pay less because thats the nature of the 3 year shelf life time we currently live in.

Stoopid gloss fingerprint magnet finish, at the end of sunday the Z2 looked like someone had been eating fish & chips of it, but worse still was it took only two days of BPM usage for the white paint marking's around fade to rub off.

Like you I wish NI just made a version that wasn't so compromised to keep costs down.
-

Glad to see I'm not alone on these opinions ;-)

Shortcuts like this reek of cheap, disposable toy when pros want professional tools (and are more than willing to pay for it).

[Sigma]

[iii][O/];158063']Shortcuts like this reek of cheap, disposable toy when pros want professional tools (and are more than willing to pay for it).
A bit harsh IMO, but that's essentially what I was trying to get across in this thread: -

http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?14924-Why-can-t-companies-build-the-mixer-I-want-for-less-than-%A31-800

When a DJ buys something that doesn't last, or where corners have been cut, they will usually be dissatisfied and that often leads to them slating the entire company. You see it with companies like Numark and Gemini who have made a few great products, but lots of shit ones, yet some people say "avoid ALL of their products" because of the shit ones. I think it's a bad business model. It would be possible to make this mixer well rounded while still undercutting Rane by enough to make it a compelling purchase for DJs, but as it is, the DJs I'm talking to are almost all saying "they've gone a couple of steps too far in trying to keep the price low".

[contra]

I'm just thinking here.....so let's say NI is selling this for $800. It includes TSP 2.6w/control vinyl/cd's (approx $200) and has a built in soundcard (let's say another $200).....really in the end this is just a $400 mixer if my logic isn't flawed. And if anything, a person could take off extra $$$ because of the inclusion of innofaders as an extra. So if anything, this is just a really cheap mixer that integrates well with Traktor. Maybe I should look back into getting an S4 instead....

[Interracial Tea]

http://djworx.com/bpm-2012-ni-kontrol-z2-demo/

Emphasis is mine.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqSJl-w24ZI

First things first – NI wish it to be known that despite appearances, the Kontrol Z2 is considerably more than a 2 channel battle mixer. Yes it can do that sort of thing, but this has a lot more going for it than simple turntablist manoeuvres. And for me, while this can be used as a standalone mixer, the Z2 is much more of a Traktor controller capable of handing analogue inputs and HID CDJs.

Of course, it comes with a handful of new features and innovations that put it some way above the rest of the 2 channel mixer market, and knocks on the door of the 4 channel crowd too. The 2+2 channel functionality really does mimic what a lot of 4 channel users already do on their club mixers.

So first impressions – pure NI look and feel. But there’s an elevated feel of quality here, one that pushes it some way above the feel of the S2 and S4. The expensive and highly polished aluminium faceplate is of course a finger print hazard, and in certain lighting conditions it’s going to dazzle. The rest however is very pleasing to the hand and eye. As Eric says in the video, they designed it to be thrown against a wall and still work. I’d better make sure that I’ve finished the review and completed photography before I attempt that particular test to destruction.

Fader update – all 3 are mini Innofaders, but the line faders have a decidedly stiffer feel. The cross fader however is nice and smooth and eminently scratchable. But it turns out that all 3 can be replaced by full long-bodied Innofaders. At your expense of course and under your own steam, but if you must have that level of fader performance, then that avenue is open to you.
While it’s pretty cool that it’s an analogue mixer, the Kontrol Z2 really comes into its own when hooked up to Traktor and all the goodness that the new v2.6 brings. I was especially taken with the macro FX. A team of 3 NI sound designers have worked on these effects, layering up to 5 different individual effects to create a sort of über effect with a controllable parameter. We didn’t go through each and every one, but the few we heard really were top notch. I was taken by how quickly you could make an average set sound so much better. And when you combine this with post fader effects, this feature alone makes the Kontrol Z2 a hugely attractive draw.

I’m also a big fan of the USB hub. I certainly struggle plugging multiple USB devices into my MacBook Air, so freeing up 50% of my ports is very handy indeed. But not only that – I get the feeling that some pretty cool functionality is coming, and possibly some new hardware in the future too. Why do I say that? You only have to look at NI’s growing Traktor hardware family. It started with audio interfaces, then came individual controllers, full-sized controllers and now a 2 channel mixer. I genuinely believe that NI are making a play for the whole DJ market, and want all of it to plug into Traktor. I’d put good money on a 4 channel mixer and some sort of table top player too.


It's not a proper review, but this is looking really promising. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out when it's released.

[emarx]

Is that even possible though? My other concern is about using this mixer with regular vinyl, so how would your solution work there?

On another site, a French Innofader dealer said that the mini-Innofaders have things like tension and lag preset in the factory, so they can't be user adjusted at all. He also said that you will not be able to put regular Innofaders in this mixer as replacements for the mini ones. Obviously, that's yet to be confirmed, but it comes from a solid source and t's a bit disappointing if it's true.

NI have obviously tried to pack in a bunch of features and make a well built mixer with great faders for a reasonable price. This is £630 in the UK compared to a £1,800 for a Rane Sixty-Two. But I think NI might have cut one too many corners for a lot of DJs. This mixer could have been perfect for your mix/scratch type guy - people who the Sixty-Two is aimed at. I would pay more to have a 3 regular Innofader version with curve/reverse on all 3 channels because it would still come in at way less than £1,800. Even just adding full curve/reverse to all 3 faders with mini-Innofaders may have been fine.

Don't get me wrong - I still think that this looks great for the money. It's just that I initially saw it as a Rane Sixty-Two at a third of the price and now I'm thinking it may not even be suitable for my needs.

Sorry my bad. This info came from me and I assumed because the slots seemed tight that full bodied Innofaders wouldn't fit, but the gracious people at DJTechtools checked this out for me and found out it works. You can read more here (http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/10/14/elliot-marx-answers-your-questions-on-the-2-innofaders/).

[punky]

BTW, if you wanna know how tight a lid they kept on this, I didn't know it was happening until I got the Z2 announcement e-mail.

[punky]

Overall, it's cool but man, deciding on buying new equipment is nothing like it was back in the day, too many choices and too little time between major updates.

It's even different from how it was when I started in 2006. Before, you could get Techs, CDJs, and a Pioneer or Rane mixer and you'd be set for life. Or at least you thought you were. It's weird to think how much things have changed in six years. But brokeness has kept me on the Xponent for years, so in a way... I am set. Unless the fucking thing breaks. Haha.... ha... please don't break baby, please baby please...

[JonAvalon]

Hmm didn't notice till now that Pio has lowered the DJM-T1 to $699 to counter the Z2, awesome price that is tempting!!
http://www.zzounds.com/item--PNRDJMT1

[Sigma]

I got one of these today. It's not perfect for my needs, but I'm not spending £1,800 on a Rane 62 so it's the best I'm going to get.

I haven't set it up yet and I won't be able to until tomorrow, but I did take it out of the box to have a look at it. The build quality seems very good. The crossfader feels light and smooth. The line faders though - way too stiff. Hopefully there's a way to DIY mod them to make them as light as the crossfader.

I'll post some proper impressions tomorrow once I've actually used it.

[contra]

:tup: can't wait!!

[ben mills]

Filter knob under the EQs knobs is retarded.

[DJNR]

Filter knob under the EQs knobs is retarded.

Why??

[bmorr]

Filter knob under the EQs knobs is retarded.

The DJM 800 had the same thing.

[bmorr]

I got one of these today. It's not perfect for my needs, but I'm not spending £1,800 on a Rane 62 so it's the best I'm going to get.

I haven't set it up yet and I won't be able to until tomorrow, but I did take it out of the box to have a look at it. The build quality seems very good. The crossfader feels light and smooth. The line faders though - way too stiff. Hopefully there's a way to DIY mod them to make them as light as the crossfader.

I'll post some proper impressions tomorrow once I've actually used it.

Awesome man!! How do you find the weight of the unit? I've heard from some people that it's fairly heavy. I purchased one as well, although I have to wait till I head to the states this weekend to pick it up. Saved like over $400 purchasing it 2 hours away in Buffalo versus Canada. So ridiculous.

[ben mills]

I didn't like it on the 800, either.

When I'm jamming out on the mixer, I like my bottom knob to be my bass knob - I want to know that without even looking I can grab the bottom knob and be sure I know exactly what it is. I don't like having to find a knob in between two knobs, especially if you're mid mix and controlling loops, giving nudges, playing with faders, etc. There is a lot going on and it is, to me, an unnecessary distraction.

I never had problems on the 800 with the filters under the bass knob - it's just not a very intuitive layout in my opinion.

[DJNR]

Did/have you ever owned a Pioneer mixer? I have had mine for almost a year and I can say that the filter knob positioning doesn't affect my ability to EQ at all. I feel like it is a pretty intuitive place to put it actually.

[Blueprint]

Did/have you ever owned a Pioneer mixer? I have had mine for almost a year and I can say that the filter knob positioning doesn't affect my ability to EQ at all. I feel like it is a pretty intuitive place to put it actually.

yeah exactly my thoughts.. not only that but the knob is silver, not black rubber..

[Blueprint]

I'll post some proper impressions tomorrow once I've actually used it.

tick tock ;)

[ben mills]

I currently own (and have owned for about 8 years) the DJM 600.

I would rather have the filter knob above the high and below the gain.

That said, I'm not an effects guy - I just try to max out my mixing tricks without effects. Everyone has their own style though.

[Sigma]

tick tock ;)
I'm just writing up my impressions now man, so I'll post them up in the next hour or so.

Short review for now - I have no regrets about buying this thing. :D

EDIT - Done: -

http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?16519-My-Native-Instruments-Z2-mini-review-impressions