Table of Contents▼
In This Article
- Specs at a Glance
- Things We Liked
- Things We Didn't Like
- First Impressions
- Design
- I/O Ports
- Back Connections
- Front Controls
- Mixer Section
- Line Faders
- Touch-Capacitive Knobs
- Navigation
- Effects Section
- Master Volume
- Jog Wheels
- Center Display Information
- Pitch Sliders
- Performance Pads
- Extra Features
- Pros and Cons
- Conclusion
- What It Does Well
- What Could Be Better
The Numark NS6II is almost the perfect Serato DJ controller with professional features, solid construction, and an excellent follow-up to the original NS6. This review covers:
- Build Quality: Metal construction, solid design, great for mobile DJs
- Jog Wheels: 2-inch color LCD displays integrated into each wheel
- Touch-Capacitive Knobs: Same innovative feature from the NS7
- Dual USB Ports: Easy DJ handoffs and back-to-back sets
- I/O: 2 mic inputs, phono/line inputs, booth and master outputs
- Downsides: Jog wheel screens take up scratch space, plasticky faders
Numark NS6II is almost the perfect controller with Serato DJ Pro and professional features a must-have in a DJ setup, nice construction, and solid design all around. Numark NS6II is an excellent successor — an excellent follow-up to the original NS6.
Specs at a Glance
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | Mid-level / Professional |
| Power | Power supply (not USB powered) |
| Inputs | 2x MIC, 2x RCA (Line/Phono), 2x MIC |
| Outputs | 1x RCA Master, 1x XLR Master, 1x RCA Booth, 2x Headphone |
| Software | Serato DJ Pro (full version included) |
| Jog wheels | 6-inch with 2-inch color LCD display |
| Pads | Mini Akai MPC performance pads |
| USB ports | Dual USB for DJ handoffs |
Things We Liked
| Feature | Why It's Great |
|---|---|
| Dual USB ports | DJ handoffs and back-to-back sets |
| 2-inch color LCD displays | Integrated into each jog wheel |
| Digital mixer | 2 phono/line inputs |
| Serato DJ Pro | Full version included in the box |
| Touch-capacitive knobs | EQ kills, effects, and filter rolls |
| 6-inch multifunction jog wheel | High resolution, loose feel, great for scratching |
Things We Didn't Like
| Issue | Why It's a Problem |
|---|---|
| Jog wheel center display | Takes up scratch space on the wheel surface |
| Plasticky faders | Crossfader and line faders feel cheap |
First Impressions
Right off the bat, you have a really nice construction, solid design all around. You have metal almost everywhere — a little bit of plastic in the design but you have metal underneath all of your knobs. You have a nice silver finish on the sides. On the bottom, front, and back panels, there is a plastic-like material for all of your inputs, outputs, and controls.
Really cool design that looks just like the NS7 series with that silver and black finish. It feels really solid, really heavyweight, and great for traveling and mobile DJs.
Design
The NS6II has the same silver and black finish as the NS7, NS7II, NS7III, and all the other Numark DJ gear. I really like the finish — it still feels really solid, really heavyweight, and great for traveling and mobile DJs.
It works with Serato DJ Pro. You get the full license inside of the box. All you have to do is plug it in and you're ready to go. You also have drivers to download from the Numark website.
I/O Ports
Back Connections
| Port | Details |
|---|---|
| Channel 3 & 4 inputs | RCA (Line/Phono switchable) |
| Channel 1 & 2 inputs | Not available — only channels 3 & 4 have standalone inputs |
| Grounding post | For turntables |
| USB ports | Dual USB for DJ switchovers |
| Power | Power cable with on/off switch |
| Master output | XLR balanced |
| Master RCA | Unbalanced |
| Booth output | RCA |
| Mic 1 input | XLR/TRS combo |
| Mic 2 input | XLR/TRS combo |
One minor gripe: the NS6II doesn't have four standalone inputs. Only channels 3 and 4 work as external inputs. You can switch them between line and phono for turntables, but channels 1 and 2 are software-only.
Front Controls
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Mic controls | Volume knobs, Low and High EQ |
| Crossfader contour | Adjustable curve |
| Headphone volume | Level control |
| Headphone blend | Cue vs Master blend |
| Split cue | On/Off button |
| Headphone jacks | 1/4" and 1/8" (mini) |
Mixer Section
All the way to the bottom, you have the crossfader — really smooth. It does feel rather plasticky, but it has screws on the faceplate so you can remove it and install an Innofader or mini-fader.
Line Faders
The line faders are also really loose and feel plasticky as well. I wish at this professional level, manufacturers would start putting Innofaders in for line and crossfader. They definitely get the job done and don't feel like they're going to break anytime soon.
Right above the line faders, you have A-B / OFF switches to change the side of the channel or make the crossfader irrelevant. You also have headphone CUE buttons right next to them.
Touch-Capacitive Knobs
Moving right along, you'll notice a lot of silver and black buttons. These are touch-capacitive knobs. When you touch them, they send a MIDI signal, meaning you can do different things:
| Feature | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Touch EQ | Touch all three EQ knobs (low, mid, high) to kill EQ |
| Touch FX on/off | Touch once to turn on, release to turn off |
| Touch all on | Press the touch button a second time — all EQ becomes touch-to-kill |
| Filter button | Touch to do a roll + filter at the same time |
| Filter FX | Press again to filter with whatever FX you have set up |
At the top of each channel, you have your Gain knob, and at the bottom, oversized filter knobs. Next to the knobs, you have LED strip indicators so you can see where you are with line levels in the mix.
These touch-capacitive controls are the same innovative feature found on the NS7 and Numark NV. They're really fun to use and add a whole new dimension to your mixing.
Navigation
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Browse knob | Big, oversized, at the top |
| Load buttons | 1, 2, 3, 4 — load tracks easily |
| View / Back | Navigate through your library |
| Prepare | Sort tracks and prep for your set |
Effects Section
Below the navigation, you have FX A and FX B buttons to enact effects on any channel. Above those, you have the traditional effects section with touch-capacitive knobs:
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| FX 1 | Effect parameter control |
| FX 2 | Effect parameter control |
| FX 3 | Effect parameter control |
| Beat / Tap encoder | Set beat timing for effects |
Note: You can't use Serato internal effects on the microphone because the microphone is on a separate line. It's a standalone mixer setup for microphones.
Master Volume
You have nice highlighted red knobs for booth and master volume control. It's cool that they color-coded them so you don't mistake them for EQ or effects knobs.
Jog Wheels
Next up are the all-new jog wheels. These jog wheels are really high resolution. They scratch really nicely and have a nice loose feel to them.
| Jog Wheel Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Feel | Nice and loose, great for scratching |
| Resolution | High resolution |
| Center display | 2-inch color LCD |
Center Display Information
The center display shows you:
- Overall track position
- Needle position (for juggling and tricks)
- Time remaining / time elapsed
- Pitch control percentage
This means you can look at the jog wheel screen instead of your laptop — really helpful for staying focused on the performance.
One minor gripe: the size of the jog wheel center display eliminates a lot of good scratch space. Sometimes when doing juggles, I'd touch the top of the screen instead of the touch-sensitive scratch surface. It takes some getting used to. The controller isn't really a turntablist-style machine, so it will serve its purpose.
Pitch Sliders
The pitch sliders are on the outside of the controller. They work very nicely — nice long throw, really deep, with a nice center light. No center click, just a smooth feel all around.
Performance Pads
At the bottom, you have all of your Serato DJ Pro performance features on the pads. These are mini Akai MPC pads — the same as on the Numark NV and Akai mixers/controllers.
| Pad Mode | Function |
|---|---|
| Cue | Hot cues |
| Cue Loops | Auto-loop from cue points |
| Rolls | Loop rolls |
| Manual Sampler | Trigger samples manually |
| Velocity Sampler | Velocity-sensitive sample trigger |
| Slicer | Slice through the track |
With Shift, you can access additional functions like Serato Flip, Tone Play, and more. All represented well here.
The pads feel really nice — the same quality as on any other Numark or Akai device. Responsive and fun to drum with.
Extra Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Strip search | Scroll through tracks forward/backward |
| Slip mode | Slip mode button |
| Bleep / Censor | Edit out curse words — holds the edit while pressed, releases cleanly |
| Standalone mixer mode | Works without a computer |
| Serato DVS ready | Add turntables with timecode (paid upgrade) |
| Dual USB | Easy DJ changeovers and back-to-back sets |
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Solid metal build quality | Jog wheel screen takes up scratch space |
| Full Serato DJ Pro included | Plasticky faders (crossfader and line faders) |
| Dual USB ports for handoffs | Only channels 3 & 4 have external inputs |
| 2-inch color LCD in jog wheels | |
| Touch-capacitive knobs (EQ, FX, filters) | |
| Two microphone inputs | |
| Standalone mixer mode | |
| DVS upgrade ready | |
| Great jog wheel feel |
Conclusion
The Numark NS6II is an excellent successor — an excellent follow-up to the original NS6. It really is a flagship-level DJ controller because it has excellent solid build quality perfect for the mobile DJ, perfect for travel, or anyone who wants solid equipment that won't break anytime soon.
What It Does Well
- Build quality — Metal construction, solid design
- Jog wheel displays — Cool center screens show track info
- Touch-capacitive knobs — Innovative and fun to use
- Mini MPC Akai pads — Responsive and feature-rich
- Dual USB — Great for back-to-back sets
What Could Be Better
- Jog wheel screens — Take up scratch surface area
- Faders — Plasticky feel, wish they used Innofaders
All in all, it's an excellent DJ controller. Perfect for Serato DJs, perfect for mobile DJs who need two microphone inputs and rock-solid build quality.