Donovan Vega

I didn't have space on my desk for a dual monitor setup (one day though) so I decided to go for one, really big monitor so that I could still have a large amount of screen real estate available when working with plug-ins and multiple windows. I didn't need a 4K resolution monitor, as I don't do any graphic work or gaming, so this thing was perfect. Everything looks better on it, even crappy quality YouTube videos. Fits perfectly on a single desk with two studio monitors, a MIDI controller, audio interface, and peripherals. Note: Waaaaay cheaper than Apple's displays. 5 stars.

Anything you could ever think of utilizing from a software synth. There's not even enough space to talk about all of the expansions. This is a must-have.

As the title suggests, these things are a vast improvement over the stock knobs/faders that come with even today's expensive DJ gear. I purchased them primarily to color organize areas of my gear setup and to get a little more "grippiness" from my knobs/faders but quickly realized how invaluable they would be in low light scenarios as well. If you always perform when the sun is out or the lights are on, I guess you don't have to worry about it. Some colors are awesome in low light/black light (Magenta, Pink, Glow, Neon Green, etc.) and some don't (Grey, Blue, Purple). You decide what is best for your workflow. Check out my Instagram for photos of my S8 and Chroma Caps.

I didn't learn how to DJ starting on turntables or CDJ's, I started with controllers because that is what was accessible to me at the time. After gaining a foundation on the basic techniques I wanted to expand creatively and musically. Only then did I realize that the hardware (or instrumentation) I used, regardless of brand or whatever, would always be my direct connection to the music and crowd and that I would be freed or restrained only by it's limitations and my ability to control it. Fast forward a bit, after really diving deep into what DJ software can allow you to do, and I have found myself fully engulfed in the world of NI Traktor, especially the concept of Remix Decks. With the Kontrol S8, I finally had a way to monitor and control every minute detail and aspect of my performance, without multiple pieces of equipment, cluttered cabling, and issues regarding digital devices playing nice with each other. It really did open up a lot more possibilities of performance for me and I'm glad I took the risk of trying it out. I can't wait to see the next generation of these types of controllers. Note: For some reason, it's not letting me rate this item, but I give it 5 stars.

I have a Mid-2009 model that was giving me some problems a couple years back, so I decided to give it a huge makeover and now it is a beast. Changes I made: - Maxed out RAM to 8GB - Swapped out stock HDD for an SSD (dedicated to running applications) - Removed the Optical Drive and installed another SSD (dedicated to files/library) - Installed a new battery It's a bummer you can't modify the new Retina models. I use it primarily to run Traktor but also Logic 9. I hope to get a dedicated studio machine soon.