Hercules DJ Console for Mac

All the details

The DJ Console - for Mac not PC - USB powered In simple wording the DJ Console basically is a portable DJ controller with built-in multichannel USB sound card which you can hook up towards a desktop or laptop PC. Once the software is installed and the device is hooked up properly you can mix MP3/WMA/WAV/CDs just like a club DJ and all that in an easy to use environment. Let's have a look at some of the technical features of the device. Features 2 vinyl-style jog wheels for spinning and scratching, with finger grips for rapid, accurate song searching or speed adjustment 1 cross fader for seamless mixing between the two decks 6 ergonomic potentiometers and bass/medium/treble controls for creative remixing on the fly, 2 rotary encoders and 2 sliders for tweaking volume or changing the speed of music (pitch/master tempo) in real time 28 buttons to play/pause songs, speed music up or down for accurate mixing (pitch bend), add effects, cue points (song positions) and loops on the fly, skip through tracks backwards or forwards, rewind or fast forward and more A soft rubber mini stick provides mouse emulation or allows for special DJ FX control. Of course the DJ Console needs a stable and solid software solution and therefore Hercules signed an agreement with several companies. The most important one is from atomic productions who delivers a full customized version of Virtual DJ. The software emulates the layout of common 'real' consoles like the Pioneer CDJ700S, Tascam CD-302, and many other layouts. You can choose them by downloading and installing, btw. some skins are free to download. The buttons and faders in the software are corresponding to the DJ Console. That means if you press CUE then CUE at software level is handled properly. USB sound card To get the best out of the DJ Console Hercules opted to integrate a soundcard in it. The sound section itself is powered by a AKM AK4529 codec with 2 ADC channels and 8 DAC channels in 24 bits up to 96kHz. There is a Crystal CS8427 circuit for the S/PDIF and a Texas Instruments TUSB3200 for the USB. USB unfortunately is at 1.1 standard offering only 12 Mb per second. The DJ Console is equipped with 24 bit/96kHz converters, it only does run with a maximum sampling frequency of 48kHz and quantification on 16 bits. That's by far the most practical solutions and also sufficient for our usage since we are not professionals. Using 24 bit converters by the way is something that I like as it can uplift performance a notch over a 16-bit converter. The advantage is that you now have a plethora of connectivity on the DJ Console records as it can record audio from instruments, home stereos, CD/DVD players or other devices and plays-back music in high audio quality. The front and rear audio panels provide an extensive range of high-end connections including optical and coaxial digital In/Out and MIDI In/Out to easily connect most analogy/digital consumer devices and audio/MIDI gear! You can remix out to amplified speakers and enjoy up to 5.1-channel surround sound (up to 6 outputs). When you are not using the Console it'll function as normal soundcard. Also, one of the bigger advantages of the console is that you'll be able to play one track for your audience via the DJ Consoles speaker outputs, while you can listen to another track over the headphone output at the same time to prepare the following mix. With the press of a button you can switch between the two channels, really nice. Hercules Spec Mix, scratch and manipulate digital music in real time, from MP3s, WMAs to CDs Solid design with phosphorescent keys perfect for use under low-light conditions at parties Tactile controls for vastly superior DJ mixing than with a PC keyboard Scratch audio files and CDs Adjust cue points to create great loops Adjust BPM (Beats Per Minute) for smooth transitions between tracks Speed up/slow down music Play one track for your audience while previewing another on your headphones to create seamless mixes Add voice-overs by lowering the music volume with the click of a button, allowing you to talk to your public 16-bit/48KHz sampling, 24-bit ADC/DAC 5.1-channel analog output High-quality connectors: Digital optical/coaxial In/Out MIDI In/Out 5.1-channel output via minijack (3.5mm) or RCA plugs Stereo Line Input (2 RCA plugs) ¼ inch (6.35mm) stereo microphone Input ¼ inch (6.35mm) stereo headphone Output USB bus-powered device: no external power source required Compact size: 235x200x650mm (cover included) DJ Console includes: a protective cover that doubles as an inclined base a shoulder strap for easy transportation Virtual DJ from Atomix Productions, a full professional DJ software suite New DJ SE from GMIXON, the easy-to-use DJ mixing software Ots CD Scratch 1200 and OtsDJ demo from Ots Labs, a virtual turntable CD player and a revolutionary MP3/CD/WAV playback system for DJs, radio stations and music lovers Storm 2.0 DJ Edition from Storm Music Studio, a powerful audio sequencer DJ Console Softmapper from Hercules, a powerful mapping interface allowing you to assign keyboard shortcuts to your DJ Console’s controls for hands-on control of audio applications (mapping of digital controls only). Minimum System Requirements