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Topic: Hercules Live, Yes or No? - Page: 1

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bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
Well i'm at a point where I'm not far away from gigging, and I'm considering whether The hercules is going to cut it, The work i'm looking at is bars and bars come clubs.

The particular place where i'm likely to be playing at has 2 cdj100's and a pioneer mixer installed, Now whether I should go along with the intention of useing the laptop and hercules together and alone, or to hook the hercules up to the mixer..., i've heard a reference from another user who said that hooking the hercules to a mixer is a "cowboy set-up", what do you think?.

The thing I fear is that this whole thing of taking your own laptop to a venue is that i'm going to have to mess around with wires and stuff, especially if I want to go through the mixer. unplug the cd players, us my cables, make space for it all...

And another thing concerning me is the stability of the console, i've had no problems but others don't think it's acceptable, I refer to other users.

also the image of it, is it really good enough for live performances in mid sized venues?.

Please share your thoughts, the only other answer is the xp10's, or is there any other good solutions on there way?.
 

Posted Thu 17 Feb 05 @ 11:22 pm
BarglerPRO InfinityMember since 2004
I wouldn't use my Herc console to play out. I know other's do, but I wouldn't.

It's not a question of stability, I don't think. I never had many problems with it, but I did have problems with the sloppy buttons and jog wheels. The software EQ leaves much to be desired as well, imo. The more I used the console, the more I realized that my keyboard and mouse were much more precise than than the console's buttons.

I think that much depends on your mixing style. If you are doing blends where the the console isn't doing much besides fading from left to right, I think you could use it with no problems. I, on the other hand, love grabbing loops in mid song, cueing effects, etc. I can't afford to have a button press not register. Only you know if the console is good enough, really. Can you sit down with it and rock a floor for an hour without a hitch? If you can move the crowd, it doesn't matter if you are banging trash can lids together or standing behind a rig that would make Carl Cox and Tiesto jealous. =)

I upgraded to XP-10's and it is a world of difference. I'd take those to a club without reservation.
 

Posted Fri 18 Feb 05 @ 8:00 am
djjbPRO InfinityMember since 2004
i take my console to small parties (+-50 people). not to a bar or club.
what i do is ..plug the 2 cd players into the soundcard and use the tccd's, with a ext. keyboard with changed buttons for shortcuts.
 

Posted Fri 18 Feb 05 @ 9:32 am
I have been using it for bout a month home,bar ....very nice little unit
NO crashes
Its very compact maybe too much sometimes
But seems to me with a lot of practice and good hands you can make this little guy rock
You can use sv-04 skin with the mute and scratch up a storm(use right clik to temp mute
while back tracking sooooo you get a nice crossfade effect cut.
The sound is probably the best feature on it,your tunes will sound amazing with djc
As for the toyish look well Who cares ...if you wanna spend $ buy xp 10's or even better 1200's
with tcv.
People in bars are still in awww when the see us dj with a laptop so i would not worry about your controller
Hope this helps
My answer is YES
Andre
 

Posted Fri 18 Feb 05 @ 10:10 am
I use it at a club... about 800 guests each weekend

i do use keyboard shortcuts for "PLAY" button, as its a bit sticky on the Hercules...
Also external mixer.
So all it does is operate as a dual soundcard for Virtual DJ, and jogwheels for nudge..
But thats all I need ;)

can see my gig setup photos here :

http://www.virtualdj.com/blog/dj-in-norway/
 

Posted Sat 19 Feb 05 @ 5:57 pm
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
Thankyou for your contributions, I have decided I will use it at medium sized venues, because the hercules works just fine for house music when combined with a decent mixer.

This is how it will be untill some more controllers are released, I would like a new hercules controller with the changes made that we all want, designed at double the price would still be a bargain and potentially a great piece of equipment.
 

Posted Thu 03 Mar 05 @ 3:21 pm
VJ_EchoPRO InfinityMember since 2004
I use mine for playing in a club (average 600 people a night) but have found that I'm getting lazy :D and using the auto mix more than i should! That is why I'm moving onto FS2 :D I have run mine in all diff configs, including using the console as just 2 x cdj's... but have had some issues with lock ups/loops etc. In general if you feel comfortable then go ahead and use it.
 

Posted Fri 04 Mar 05 @ 9:44 am
rommerHome userMember since 2005
HALLO I HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HERCULES...SOME GOOD AND SOME VERY BAD.I AM READY TO BUY IT BUT IAM NOT SURE..DO U RECOMMEND IT FOR ME ??I WANT IT FOR HOME FOR PRACTISE..IS IT REALISTIC (WHEEL,PITDH,CUE...E.T.C.) LIKE PIONEER 100 FOR EXAMPLE???PLEASE SOMEBODY TELL ME,IS IT WORTH TO BUY IT??THE PROBLEMS???THANX A LOT......!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Posted Mon 07 Mar 05 @ 2:23 pm
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
You should search this forum for the answer to that as it has been adressed over and over by many of us..., including myself.

But in brief, I would suggest to you that the hercules is a great little gem.., when you consider the price vs what it offers, i'm sure you will agree that it's worth it and useful.

The jogs work pretty great, like any basic cd player, the pitch slider isn't so good, but you re-asign the "pitch" function to a knob, which I prefer. In short you can cue, pitch, and jog..., until you get that match as you can with any cd player.

Also the lights on the console are very attractive and nice in the dark.

The two things that could present a problem to you are the "play" button, it can ofen be unreliable, and you can miss the point where you intended to drop the song, to counter this you can either run the risk by giving the button a hard downwards press or useing the "sync" button (just above the play button), this acts as a perfect play button, but obviously syncs the songs automatically, which you may not want?...

The secound problem is the "mixing" side of it, the eq (bass, mide, treble) is not good, if for example you cut the bass on one song, that will work fine, but when you restore the bass you can't return it to "0" very easily, or very fast, this is when you'll need the mouse..., also the crossfader is to small and close to the jogs.., hercules is no good as a mixer!.

So the solution which many of us has turned to is to combine the hercules with a mixer, so the hercules acts as a "dual cd deck/controller" if you will..., in this situation the hercules is a nice little tool at a very cheap price, however if your not prepared to get yourself a mixer, you wont feel the part with the console.., it's not a complete system, just a part of a set-up.

The hercules is perfect for practice, I simply advise you to get a mixer for a better more proffesional feel and ultimately alot more fun.

Bagpuss.



 

Posted Mon 07 Mar 05 @ 4:39 pm
BarglerPRO InfinityMember since 2004
I have to disagree with you, Bagpuss. The jog wheels of my Hercules do NOT work well. The resolution is horrible, making precise lining up of beats problematic and scratching next to impossible.

The jog wheels are not precise. The buttons will often not "register". After extended use, I found myself using nothing on the unit but the eq knobs, and crossfader. The software eq built in to VDJ leaves a bit to be desired, imo, and the crossfader has a bit of lag making quick cuts sloppier than they should be. I believe that a cheap mixer and external soundcard would do the job better for the same price since I can't trust the jog wheels or buttons, they might as well not even be there.

For me, it is an external soundcard and nothing more. The other features are either of too low quality or reliability to be used. I think that Hercules chose an awkward price point. A bit cheaper, and it could have been an impulse toy purchase. A bit higher price and build quality and it could have been closer to pro gear. As it stands now, I don't think it fits either market and is more of a moneysink for those (like myself) that will eventually buy better gear to replicate what the Hercules attempts to give you.

If given the opportunity again, I would not purchase the unit. Everytime I look at my HDJC, I think about how I could have gotten a Korg Kaoss Pad for only $50 more. I pass my Console around to give my friends a taste of digital DJ'ing, and each of them has almost the exact same progression of feelings about it as I did: Excitement, followed by growing feelings of frustration and disappointment.
 

Posted Mon 07 Mar 05 @ 10:48 pm
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
I think that we both hold the same opinion of the hercules..

But I gave a more positive/optimistic view, while what you have said is negative about the hercules, I agree with your observations of how it works, what the problems are etc.., however I think for the price what you get is what you payed for.., and the hercules unit is to me like a taste of what would be possible if it was to be built at a higher cost...

I bought the hercules after I spent $600 on a mixer, because firstly I needed a dual soundcard, and it was suggested to me that for a little more cost I could get myself a little controller, to me that was fair and i never expected more than what I got, for me there is a delay, but I can still mix well on the hercules, everything can be matched fine..., even without using waveforms and bpm...

When I use the hercules in conjunction with my mixer, I don't feel like what i'm useing is perfect or ideal, but it does the job

one last point, how I consider the hercules positive is that I initially came from a producing background, I put together some good music useing studio software, samples etc, but I always liked the idea of live mixing, but i wasn't confident enough to pay out all the money for some cd players and start trying to mix, maybe i wouldn't like it or pick it up, this is where a hercules console comes in.., and it has been great practice useing the console, i've successfuly mastered mixing with the aid and without...

so a cheap price but helped me alot, now i'm ready to invest in a more proffesional controller for giging..

Bagpuss,

 

Posted Tue 08 Mar 05 @ 8:18 pm
BarglerPRO InfinityMember since 2004
Yes, I think we do agree.

I'm not saying it is a piece of junk. It isn't. It got me into digital dj'ing, actually. It's the reason I bought this software....then my mixer...then my xp10's. Sounds like you have done much the same progression.

I just wish that someone would have told me to skip this step in the journey and save $250, so that's the opinion I offer to maybe help somebody else now. =) I bought mine after reading many reviews. Some said it was fantastic, others spoke of the wheels and buttons like we do here. My impression from reading these was that a few people got bad units, which would be normal for any new product. Sadly, that was not the case and the discrepancy in the reviews was caused by the expectations of the users.

I expected a good controller with perhaps shoddy soundcard, inputs/outputs, and that sort of thing to cut costs. Turns out it is a good soundcard, but shoddy controller: The exact opposite of what an entry-level DJ looking to practice and get better would need, in my opinion.



 

Posted Tue 08 Mar 05 @ 8:45 pm
Hmmm seems confusing a bit
I have used it since Jan......love this little machine
So many good features.I dont know why anyone would complain about this dual souncard with controls.
This guy is super portable,practical and functional
Lets get real about this,if your going to spend money ........just buy 2 turntables with TCV
This will be the closest to the real thing
So in my opinion Bargler your purchase was a good thing...keep it!
Its the xp 10s that you should have skipped
Big difference in price but not in performance.....Still too small,no lights but good buttons!
and of course a much better feel with the jogs
Sooooooooooo until the day that someone takes a turntable platter and couples it with the Xp 10..go with Tcv
Andre
 

Posted Thu 10 Mar 05 @ 5:07 pm
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
I personally didn't buy a laptop, mixer, and the hercules because I couldn't afford a turntable set-up, I just wanted to try something new, I liked the idea of being able to change software, and having different skins on a nice big display, and not having features limited by a products design. And of course I don't want to be messing around with vinyl or cd's all time, carrying them around, i think it's safe to say none of us miss that!.

The main division i see on this site and in the digital dj world is that many get into it as a cheaper way to be a DJ, and the rest of us got into it because it's exciting, new, different and quite possibly the bigger reason is because it offers more...

At the moment i'm deciding what i'm going to do in the future, whether it would be more economical/nicer to buy 2 cd players to the value of say 500 pounds for the pair, for timecode use, or to buy 1 software controller for the same price, perhaps 2 controllers to that value if they are designed like the xp10's.

I sopose both ways have their positive and negative sides, i'm not quite sure how the timecode cd would work, I would want to try it or see some video before I invest, I'm not really so bothered about whether every action you perform on the players is displayed on vdj, but it would be nice to get some pitch indication, rather than waveforms..., anyone tried and tested it?, I would like to know how it compares to a controller?...

For example for the price of 2 xp10's you could really get a good pair of cd players.., I sopose the answer to what is better lies in the affectiveness of the timecode, future controllers.., and ultimately software support/developement if we are to stay loyal to virtual dj...

Bagpuss (to be taken seriously despite the name),



 

Posted Thu 10 Mar 05 @ 6:26 pm
lmichelPRO InfinityMember since 2005
Wow this is a tough decision. I've already decided that VDJ is what I want to use. As far as stability, I have two laptops connected through the mixer incase one of them decides to crash. But I cant decide if the quality/stability of the VDJC is practical. See, I want FAR LESS out of a VDJC than you youngins :-)
Here's what I need it to do:
- Use the jog wheel to line up the queued track for beat matching
- Adjust BPM /pitch to get close enough to playing track
- Hear the queued track in my headphones (PFL)
- Press play to begin the queued song - with very little delay in starting
- Crossfade to the other player
- act as a mouse to select the next track for the queue
THATS ALL
I dont want - and will never use:
Sound effects
Scratching ability
Que points
any other fancy doodad that I might be leaving out

So will the VDJC work okay for me? Is there another piece of hardware that you would suggest I purchase instead. As far as price, I think I would be willing to spend a little more, and get exactly what I'm looking for.

Thanks,
Lance
 

Posted Fri 11 Mar 05 @ 1:59 pm
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
All will work fine, except the "play" function, there is no garuntee it will register or be delay free...

The hercules is though a bargain, it's worth the money and you will get "most" of what you ask..

I think though, that you should be patient and wait for the ideal solution..

Hercules is not it.
 

Posted Sat 12 Mar 05 @ 3:17 pm
BarglerPRO InfinityMember since 2004
---------------------------------
Here's what I need it to do:
- Use the jog wheel to line up the queued track for beat matching
- Adjust BPM /pitch to get close enough to playing track
- Hear the queued track in my headphones (PFL)
- Press play to begin the queued song - with very little delay in starting
- Crossfade to the other player
- act as a mouse to select the next track for the queue

-------------------------------------

Are you dead set on getting away from the keyboard and mouse for image reasons?

jog wheel's to beat match -- just as easy from the keyboard (if not easier) than the Herc jog wheels
Adjust bpm -- Align your CBG grids on your songs and VDJ will load the next song up at the tempo of the song that is already playing. Minor adjustments are easy from the keyboard/mouse within the software.
Pre-listening -- Handled by your mixer
Button delay -- While the overall latency of the Hercules isn't bad, the unpredictability of the buttons will make you nervous everytime you try to drop in a beat. Keyboard/mouse is more reliable and precise.
Crossfade -- Handled by your mixer

Keyboard/Mouse + full VDJ = $100
HDJC + reduced functionality console version of VDJ = $250

I'd suggest you buy the full version of the software and try the keyboard and mouse first, then decide if you need to spend more money
 

Posted Sat 12 Mar 05 @ 6:52 pm
lmichelPRO InfinityMember since 2005
I agree. I decided to hold off on the VDJC. I would really dislike not having that play button work when I expected it too.

I was really looking for a a way to avoid using the mouse, but it really isnt that big of a deal. I'll just get good at keyboard shortcuts.

Thanks,
Lance
 

Posted Sun 13 Mar 05 @ 10:14 pm
I use the SYNC button on Hercules for play
its not sticky

for some reason the play button is the only sticky button in my experiences
 

Posted Mon 14 Mar 05 @ 2:36 pm
Same here use SYNC all the time.
Andre

 

Posted Tue 15 Mar 05 @ 4:31 am
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