DJControl LearningKit Review: A Surprisingly Solid Beginner DJ Controller

In this day and age, everyone seems to want to be a DJ. DJs are the new rockstars, and even kids, more often than not, would rather be a producer and DJ than a guitar player (as long as they’re not dreaming of being an influencer, then I won’t complain).

And there has been a crazy amount of DJ controllers being brought to market these days that cater to this booming demand. We can’t all have our first set of decks be the latest industry-standard Pioneer or Denon decks, now can we?

Hercules has long been entrenched in this market; some would even go as far as to say they’ve been making entry-level DJ equipment since before it was cool (and I mean that in a good way). And their latest offering is a one-stop-shop for everything you need to start mixing tracks and seeing if this whole “DJ thing” is right for you (or a loved one).

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What Is The DJControl LearningKit?

The Hercules DJ DJLearning Kit is a small setup with everything you need to start beatmatching, mixing, and DJing for your first gig or practicing in your bedroom for the next opportunity. It aims to be the perfect all-in-one starter kit for would-be DJs, and I will admit that it delivers that goal in spades.

Included in the kit is a small-yet-feature-packed 2-channel DJ controller that has just as many bells and whistles that you need to familiarize yourself with the craft, no more and no less.

Alongside the controller, you will also get the DJMonitor 32 speakers, which can help amplify your mix to a small crowd and even comes packed with HDP DJ45 headphones so you can queue up your tunes and get them all locked in before bringing them into the mix.

Overall, Hercules has managed to pack a ton of stuff into a small portable box, and while unboxing everything that was delivered to me, I was impressed by just how extensive this DJ kit was.

My Favorite Features Of The DJControl LearningKit

After messing around with this entry-level DJ kit for a weekend and helping my young nephew learn the ropes, I quickly discovered a few things worth highlighting about this device.

So let’s dive into my favorite things about the DJControl LearningKit.

It’s Got All You Need

The DJControl LearningKit bills itself as the singular kit you need to start DJing, and it lives up to its promise. Apart from the actual controller itself, this kit comes with some other unique features and software that I haven’t ever seen included in any of Hercules’ competitors.

There are some top-shelf training features to help you get acclimated to what it’s like behind the decks, a host of loops and hot cues to start getting creative ASAP, and headphones and cables that are much higher quality than you’d expect for the price point and much more.

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It even has a minor feature that allows you to record your mixes and upload them online quickly and easily. And while they advertise and push you to share with the world, I would suggest against that (you’re starting, and the mixes probably suck). Instead, upload them privately and critically listen to them while running errands or walking. This allows you to hone in on your problem areas of the mix so you can double down on practicing them when you’re back behind the decks.

Too few beginner DJs take the extra time to relisten to the mixes they make, but it seriously shaves a ton of time off your learning curve.

It Won’t Overwhelm You

I learned how to DJ on a complete set of Pioneer turntables, and I remember my younger self being somewhat overwhelmed by all the bells, whistles, and lights that were active across the decks and mixer. I remember feeling lost and drowning in different ways to blend and play the records I brought to the club.

But this little controller avoids that by only including the features you need to achieve a professional-sounding mix. And while their feature set may feel slim to a professional, they are just what a beginner needs.

Plus, some of the training features included in the kit help explain the WHATs, WHYs, and HOWs of all the most important ones.

It’s Affordable For What It Is

I was shocked to learn that this entire kit retails for only $215. Beginner kits of this caliber often go for double that and don’t even include some of the software this kit does.

Many entry-level controllers cost $300-$400, which is just pricey enough to make some hesitant parents shy away from investing in such a thing for their kids. The exact price point may also deter a broke college student or a working professional looking to practice their DJ chops on the weekend.

But as this controller sits at only $215, it’s an easy justification for anyone looking to dabble in the art of DJing.

What I Wasn’t Crazy About

At this price point, it’s hard to complain about much… it’s an entry-level controller, after all. But there was one thing that stood out to me and gave me some hesitation.

So let me explain that as quickly as I can.

DJUCED Software

Okay, before I dive too far into this one, I will say that I don’t necessarily have a problem with the software itself. More so, it’s the fact that this controller exclusively runs on this software.

DJing is all about intuition, so many creative doors are opened once you have the technical basics down. Switching to an entirely new ecosystem for DJing is always a turbulent process, and rest assured, you will be upgrading to Serato or Rekordbox within a year or two of DJing (if you stick with it).

Many of Hercules’s other controllers, like the Hercules DJ Impulse 500, offer better integration with Serato, making the transition to the more industry-standard DJing ecosystems easier.

Is the change impossible? Far from it. But it can be a hassle learning a new program like that, and it always took the wind out of my sails a bit when I did.