Nowadays, becoming a DJ feels like it is second only to becoming a YouTube influencer for young adults and kids. As such, it seems incredibly surprising to me that more portable and user-friendly DJ controllers are not available! Until now, I feel Numarks‘ little DJ2GO2 Touch was the only option for learning the basics of DJing (on the go).
Until the DJControl Mix by Hercules recently arrived.
Hercules recently dropped an entire line of entry-level DJ gear and was kind enough to send us a few options to review. After toying with this small controller and accompanying phone app, we’ve got some serious thoughts about this fantastic little device.
Because it’s got a lot to offer and does most things the Numark does, only better, but then again, we would hate for you, dear reader to bite on any marketing offer simply. So we did a deep and honest review of Hercules DJControl Mix. So let’s get into it all.
Check Out The Hercules DJControl Mix On Their Website Here
My Favorite Features Of The Hercules DJControl Mix
After playing with this tiny little controller for a weekend and a road trip, I found a few fun standout features that set this thing apart from its competition.
Let’s dive into my favorite features of the DJControl Mix.
Portability
This thing is portable; this feature is its defining quality. But what does that extreme portability get you? Well, you can use your phone as a record crate and hook this thing up to your car’s speaker through Bluetooth makes this my new favorite road trip past time.
My wife and I had to drive to the other side of the state for some family business, which kept us entertained the entire trip. Since all the music was loaded on my phone, we had no interruptions in the music as we went through the mountain pass (typically, Spotify loses reception). And the amount of features on this thing makes DJing a breeze, meaning that I could play tunes without having my entire attention span locked into the device – which made my wife happy.
It’s Damn Fun To Use
As the previous point mentioned, I had a blast using this thing. It was fun, easy, and functional. It has only the bells and whistles that you need to slam some tracks through a mixer and seamlessly play some tunes. No more and no less.
You don’t get distracted by touchy jog wheels, complex FX adjustments, finicky beat matching, or anything else. It’s streamlined and non-distracting, which makes it perfect for the casual situations you will likely find yourself using this thing in (small house parties, road trips, and such).
It’s Cheap For What It Is
This thing packs a fair amount of functionality into a tiny little controller, which is damn impressive considering it’s only got a $109 price tag (at least at the time of writing this).
This price makes it a solid offer, considering that most competitors can sometimes be twice as much for something far less portable. There are other competitors on the market as well; Numark’s controller is only $90 but is far more touchy and hard to use compared to the ease and breeze of this device.
What I Wasn’t Crazy About
With all the many boons this controller brings to the table, no device for just over $109 will be perfect. After having this controller for some time now and getting familiar with it, here are the things I wasn’t too crazy about.
How Often Would You Use It?
I know this will be incredibly subjective, as everyone uses their devices and toys differently. But this controller serves a particular purpose, and it does that incredibly well, but to me, it is a purpose that is more fun to talk about than use in practice. It’s been a while since I’ve been to an actual house party with its DJ, but I can only imagine a DJ using such a controller wouldn’t look nearly as cool as the trendy young adults in the advertisement above do.
It’s a fun toy to play with, but I can see its novelty having a shelf life.
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It’s Not Built For The Pros
This one might seem obvious to anyone who has been DJing for over a few months, but it bears repeating if only because I know the price point may attract many who think this is the ideal first controller for them or their child.
And while it might be just that for the right person or family, that money might be better invested in a more significant controller with more features similar to industry-standard controllers and turntables. If you’re serious about learning a craft, you should have access to the full breadth of its features and tools that can be found in one of Hercules’ other offers.
Sure, they might be more expensive, but it’s worth the long-term investment.
Specs On The Hercules DJControl Mix
Mixer controls
– Crossfader
– Master volume knob
– Headphones volume knob
– 1 bass/filter EQ knob per deck
– 1 volume knob per deck
Deck controls
– 2 touch-detecting jog wheels (for scratching)
– 4 pads × 4 modes (Hot Cue, Loop, FX, Sampler)
Speaker use
1. Speaker built into smartphone/tablet
2. Bluetooth® speaker with smartphone/tablet
3. Wired speaker connected to headphone jack on smartphone/tablet
4. DJ splitter cable (included) connected to headphone jack on smartphone/tablet:
– Wired speaker on Master output
– Headphones on monitoring output
What comes with it
DJControl Mix
– Body: 13.4 x 3.9 x 1.9 inches / 34 x 10 x 4.9 cm
– Weight: 1.1 lb / 0.5 kg
DJ splitter cable (to be connected to the headphone jack on the smartphone/tablet, providing separate outputs for a wired speaker and headphones
Stand for smartphone/tablet
Power cable – USB (type A)
Snag Your Hercules DJControl Mix Controller On Their Website Here
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