Numark Mixtrack USB Midi Controller Product Review

The Numark Mixtrack USB midi controller that mimics a traditional turn table and mixer configuration.  It comes with Traktor LE or Virtual DJ LE, depending on where you purchased the device.  This device is completely made of plastic, and comes with an attached USB cable.  Most of the buttons come with backlit LEDs that respond to the status of the associated control.  The price point for the mixtrack is in the much lower end of these controllers, and can be found as cheap as $130.  The only other controller within the same price range is the Hercules.

I originally purchased this device as a basic controller for Virtual DJ.  I decided to chose the standard mixtrack, and not the pro, because I have my own external sound card with outputs to my monitors and my headphones.  I've owned this device for a few months.  Usage has been consistent (mixing mostly on weekends for hours on end).

This device is very cheap, within the lowest price points for USB mixers. As expected it is a completely plastic device, but it is still pretty solidly constructed. The LED lit buttons are great for use in darker areas, and VDJ picked up the midi mapping automatically with no manual mapping required. The jog wheels are VERY accurate, which is definitely a plus.  They are also relatively large, and touch sensitive, which is great, even though they are not motorized. In VDJ the EQ kills at the top of the mixtrack are re-mapped to cue points 1, 2 and 3, which is a plus in my book.

The numark mixtrack itself does not come with additional outputs for headphones. I've listed this under "other features" because this can be easily remedied by purchasing the Mixtrack Pro.  The device itself is not too bulky, but not very very small.  Its install was very simple, and did not require driver installation.

The pitch sliders are not very accurate, which is a limitation of midi (there's only 127 possible settings). The controller itself is plastic, and while the jogwheels are accurate there is sometimes some friction that prevents the jogwheel from spinning smoothly. I returned my original mixtrack because I though this was a manufacturing defect with the specific device I obtained, but I had the same problem with the replacement.

For less than $150, this controller is a great starting point for anybody with an external sound card.  It should be noted that VDJ home does not let you use external soundcards for more than 10 minutes, which affects both the mixtrack with an external sound card, and the mixtrack pro which acts as the external sound card.  If you own VDJ pro, or another program that will allow you to utilize an external sound card, then this device will be perfect for you.

If you have any questions about this product, let me know by posting a comment below, or by e-mailing me directly.