[NEWS] Hercules - DJ Control Steel

09/12/2008 - Hercules extends Pro Digital DJing range with
DJ Control Steel (Mac* & PC)

London, 12 September 2008 - Hot on the heels of DJ Console Rmx Hercules is releasing the DJ Console Steel for Mac* and PC before Christmas. The new controller has been specifically adapted for professional DJs who already have an audio interface, but need a reliable, advanced digital mixer.

Key Features

- New controller surface design: black and silver with a removable, customisable steel center plate.

- Solid casing with steel upper and base plates. Perfect for intensive use.

- Compact size, just 35cm x 25cm, ideal for mobile DJs. Comes with its own carrying case.

- Broad surface with well-designed and accessible controls. DJs can mix with unrivalled ease and precision.

- Solid sensitive controls: Two decks, equalizer and volume controls, 2 ultra-precise jog wheels with adjustable resistance, 13 rotary switches, 46 push buttons (including 5 effects buttons and 6 kill buttons), 6 faders (including 1 general volume fader).

- Powered by the computer’s USB port

- Supplied with VirtualDJ* 5 DJC Edition for PC and Mac*, a specially tailored version of the software designed by Atomix Productions.

- Compatible with all software programs using MIDI instructions,

- Runs on PC (under Windows* XP and Vista in 32 and 64-bit versions) and on Mac* (Mac OS 10.4 and 10.5).

- For use with all digital music formats: MP3, AIFF, WAV, WMA, OGG and Audio CD formats, as well as sounds from their iTunes** library. iTunes playlists are now directly accessible in VDJ 5 DJC Edition. *DRM-free files


The Hercules DJ Control Steel will be available from end-October 2008, with a competitive SRP of £219.99 incl. VAT

Discover the complete Hercules DJing range on www.hercules.com

Digital core. Analog roots.TM

Description:

Dual mixing decks on a steel surface

Dual-deck DJ controller with equaliser and volume controls

* Track reading controls (jog wheels, effects, pitch etc.)
* Track mixing controls (cross-fader, volume faders, kill etc.)

A wide mixing deck designed for mixing without compromise

* Size: 350 x 252 x 68 mm (13" x 9.7" x 2.6")
* Ample space under the DJ’s fingers allows precise mixing.

Portable controller

* Ideal for mobile DJing, the device connects to and is supplied through the computer’s USB port (whether PC or Mac, laptop or desktop)
* Supplied with a carry bag, the controller can be carried over the shoulder.

Controls suited to every kind of mix

* 2 decks, 6 sliders, 13 rotary knobs and 46 push-buttons
* Controls allow for easy mixing and offer access to advanced features

Dedicated software included

* VirtualDJ DJC 5 version for PC & Mac, featuring a dedicated skin

Technical specifications

Mixing controller for PC & Mac

* Dual mixing decks
* Connects to the USB port
* Supplied with a carry bag and dedicated mixing software

Powered via the USB port
MIDI controls

Made for Mixing

* 35 x 25cm / 13" x 9.7"
* Mix without feeling cramped.

Metal Mixing Deck

* Steel plate on top and base.
* Offer the same "feel" as traditional mixing decks.

2 Jog Wheels

* Enhanced precision (over 3 times DJ Console Mk1 & Mk2’s jog wheels precision).
* Adjustable resistance.

6 Faders

* 3 volume faders
* 2 pitch faders
* 1 cross fader

13 Rotary Knobs

* 6 equaliser knobs
* 2 gain knobs
* 2 effects knobs
* 2 preview knobs
* 1 balance knob

46 Push-Buttons

* 15 effects buttons
* 6 kill (EQ) buttons
* 6 read/cue buttons
* 4 pitch bend buttons
* 4 menu buttons
* 4 fast forward/fast rewind buttons
* 2 track loading buttons
* 2 preview buttons
* 2 synch buttons
* 1 scratch mode button


More info: http://www.hercules.com/uk/DJ-Music/bdd/p/82/dj-control-steel/

 

Sadly Hercules screwed up big time with the first version of this mixer as having purchased one today the sound cards are complete rubbish and distortion is evident within 5 minutes of operation, The limited software from Virtual Dj makes it impossible to configure an external sound card yet retain the hercules inbuilt PFL headphone monitoring.At least I can return this and get my money back. Hercules should help all existing owners with a modified software programme to allow external sound card operation, if you are thinking of using this mixer in a professional application forget it.

 

You can use any other sound card you like, just select and activate the Hercules Midi Controller in the Midi section of Traktor and then select your other sound card in the Audio section of Traktor.

 

Difficult to Justify

Appreciate the info but we do not use Traktor, although it's a great programme.

Its difficult to justify buying a product that contains a poor soundcard, it's like buying a car that has a bad gearbox. We use mostly either Virtual DJ or Cue (which is basically the same product) we do not use Traktor. Why spend over $340 and then have to use an alternative sound car. The whole
unit is unstable because of not using a dedicated power supply
relying on USB power is crazy as most laptops struggle theselves with power supplies.

 

Sorry, in this forum I always asume people are using Traktor.

I thought something similar when the RMX came out...
why spend $500 on a Vestax VCI with NO sound card at all?

I have yet to try these units on many machines but both units work perfect on my G4 Powerbook and C2D MacBook Pro, no problems with power consumption (even with battery power).

 

DJ Console Rmx described as rubbish by ukdj7

ukdj7,

1) A professional deejay has a professional deejay software.
The software bundled in an affordable DJ Controller is always a limited software, whether it is Traktor 3 LE, Cue LE, MixVibes LE or VirtualDJ DJC, and a professional user either replaces it by his/her own professional DJ Mix software, or upgrades to the pro version of the limited DJ Mix software.

2) The "distortion" you describe as evident have not been heard by most other users of DJ Console Rmx: please describe clearly in which conditions, which software (software name and version), which operating system (name and version), with which kind of audio file, on which output (headphones or home speakers or PA speakers or mixer or which other output), with which kind of operation you get this distortion.

 

I have an M-audio FireWire 410 audio interface which I like. I'm gonna get a DJ control interface. Would you guys recommend buying a Midi control interface with an embedded audio card or just use the M-audio FW410 for the audio and the device for control? I'd like, ultimately to have as clean a setup as possible, but sound quality is a premium. Oh yeah, I'm a mac guy.

 

Hello DJ Zigzag,

The audio quality of your M-Audio FW 410 is very good, and its latency is excellent, so it depends on what you want to do in mixing.

1) To mix audio files stored in your computer with a MIDI control surface, your M-Audio FW 410 audio interface is perfect: you should
- set a pair of outputs (stereo output, for example channel 3-4) of FW-410 output as mix output
- dedicate the headphones output of FW-410 headphones for the monitoring,
and you can keep FW-410 as audio interface.

2) To mix also 2 stereo analog audio inputs in the computer mix (to connect 2 turntables or 2 CD players to your computer, to mix your computer audio files together with these analog audio sources in Traktor), then the FW-410 lacks 1 analog stereo input (the 4-channel input of FW-410 is a 2-channel analog input (stereo) + a 2-channel digital input (stereo on the SPDIF input)), and then you need another audio interface, either embedded in the control surface or separate.

3) To import music from a turntable with a phono output level (as Technics SL-1200/SL-1210 series) in your computer (either to mix and equalize in your DJ software the music played by the turntable, or to digitize vinyl discs on your computer), then you need a phono input on your audio interface, or an external phono pre-amplifier (RIAA phono preamp), so as FW-410 has no phono input, then you need either an audio interface with phono inputs, or to connect between your FW-410 and your turntable a phono preamp (as Nad Phono Preamp http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-amplifiers/PP-2-Phono-Preamplifier).

4) If you want to mix with time code CDs or Vinyl discs in Traktor, then you will need Traktor Scratch http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=traktorscratch and as only Audio 8 DJ (sold in Traktor Scratch) is compatible with Traktor Scratch, so you cannot use your FW-410 or the embedded audio of any DJ controller in Traktor Scratch, you must use Native's Audio 8 DJ audio interface.

 

Hercules

Hi

First of all I do not remember calling the Hercules "Rubbish"
but that's maybe how you wish to interpret my comments.

As a former DJ and club designer/constructor with over 112 clubs built worldwide in the past 30 years. I really think I know a little about equipment and distortion.

Regardless of whether it's a limited version of software or the full version then the sound output should not have distortion that can be heard be the General Public. If we are talking about distortion measured in white noise, pink noise or anything else then that's a different story. The distortion we encountered was in both Vista and XP and was evident in the output from the Hercules master out. The distortion was evident on all forms of sound systems both small monitors and large pro systems that we hooked up. When we hooked up the sound system through a Numark djio, and using the Hercules just a controllers then the distortion wasn't evident.


I have read numerous reports of distortion on the Hercules soundcards on this forum and others.

I certainly not a spokesperson for Numark as I feel their Total control system has many design flaws, but we have had no significant distortion problems whilst using Cue/Virtual J 5.2
or any of the limited software programmes provided, the unit has performed well on many large functions, with the exception of the easy to knock jog wheels and the cramped
knobs which would be ok for the hands of a 5 year old but beyond that difficult to use.

The Hercules is a great piece of construction and the physical parts function well, Internally it doesn't look so hot and very plastic-ky, I think I ave to agre with another member that the chunk of steel placed over the mainfame board is there simply to create weight and to give the feeling of a solid unit more than for any circuit shielding purposes.

I would like to see the machines built with a slanted and stepped panel rather than just flat, Hoping to see Denon enter this market with a full blown controller that will run all the forms of software.

To conclude : the release of the new Hercules without the soundcards says a lot about the problem to my mind, I now others will just think it's about price, but at first reports it's more expensive than the first?


1) A professional deejay has a professional deejay software.
The software bundled in an affordable DJ Controller is always a limited software, whether it is Traktor 3 LE, Cue LE, MixVibes LE or VirtualDJ DJC, and a professional user either replaces it by his/her own professional DJ Mix software, or upgrades to the pro version of the limited DJ Mix software.

2) The "distortion" you describe as evident have not been heard by most other users of DJ Console Rmx: please describe clearly in which conditions, which software (software name and version), which operating system (name and version), with which kind of audio file, on which output (headphones or home speakers or PA speakers or mixer or which other output), with which kind of operation you get this distortion.[/QUOTE]

 

thanks for the great reply. I plan on mixing digital audio stored on the computer. I've joined the DJ thing too late to go buy loads of vinyl at this point. I just want an interface to "put my hands on" as I'm not very happy with the "mac and mouse" setup I have now with just Traktor and an audio interface.

 

Best Options

Have found the Cue/Virtual DJ software to be very user friendly in a live show. Also looks like it's got lots of bells and whistles to impress the public (lol)

The Hercules is a great looking unit but really designed for Traktor in the main, where Numark is suited it seems equally to both.

I know Numark is about to release the toal control system with
the djio (soundcard and headphone unit) included and some headphones, it will be around $320 possibly less at discount. Hercules looks much better and solid but for me and many of our pro performing jocks like he Numark for what seems superior operation on the Cue/Virtual Dj sofware.

Hope this helps

 

Hi ukdj7,

Please refer to your message of 24-09-2008, 04:03

My question on distorsion is only: which operations do you process to have distortion, I don't deny you have distortion, I just want to get a way of the process to get such this distortion I have not heard, the only situation where I have heard a distortion in VirtualDJ DJC 5.0.7 is with change of the gain setting on the audio inputs, and this bug was solved in VDJ DJC 5.1.

I ask you whether you tested in Traktor to know whether it is a VirtualDJ setting.

If you cannot give any information to duplicate your distortion problem on another unit, it is not possible to solve this problem since up to now, I have never heard a real distortion issue on DJ Console Rmx.
I have not, as you, read numerous reports of distortion on the Hercules soundcards on this forum and others.

Hercules has a DJ control only version of its DJ Console Mk2, it is called DJ Control MP3, and you can find it in computer stores since 2 or 3 years. Now Hercules released the control only version of its DJ Console Rmx, it is DJ Control Steel, it is released around euros 249, and it is just Hercules strategy to have the DJ control surface + audio interface and the DJ control surface without audio interface as cheaper version.

 

OLD thread I know but I'm thinking of getting one!

As much as I'd love to test it out in person the nearest shop that MIGHT stock it is over 100 miles away...

Already have an audio interface so fancy this version, I know hercs have a bad rep as being toy-like, unprofessional, etc, but does anyone have the herc steel or has anyone used it?

Any recommendations/problems/issues/tips etc?

 

I'm using one quite extensively at the moment...

I really like it, especially because of the 3 faders (which I'm using for decks, and not like in the presets with the central fader used for master volume).

The jog wheels go fairly well for tempo correction.

the only issues I have are:

On macbook pro, I'm can't get the lights to work properly with the output midi signals (in TP)

The pitch fader are a bit wobbly around the center and on both ends.. (a bit like good old SL1200s )

In order to activate "scratch mode" in TP, and be able to do a backspin for example, you need to assign another control to trigger.

 

Thanks for the heads up goonzy!

I've got a pretty good idea how I'd have it set up.

I can only use 3 decks in external mixer mode so I'll probably set up the middle faders as pitch controls.
I'll probably set the stop button to toggle DVS mode, assuming I never accidentally hit it.
I'll set the jog wheels to control track search and a modifier/midi page preset to search the browser.
The 6 FX buttons per deck will be ideal for traktors beatjump and loop controls with a midi page change using the shift key.
The deck pitch faders will become the master out volume control and the record in volume control.
The EQs will be for controlling T3's master FX parameters and the respective kills for the FX buttons.
The directional keys in the middle can control the deck focus and/or browser tree functions.

Much of the controls will be set up exactly the same as my current controller the first hercules MP3, so I can use the same app (with a little tweaking) to light up the LEDs on the steel.

So do the pitch faders have annoying indents at the 0% point?

Too late!

Found em on djkit.com for £180 so bought one...

Will post a small review later.

 

MBP lights issue has been fixed with teh latest drivers