The Hercules DJ Control Inpulse 300 Mk2 is a DJ controller of the entry-level for Serato DJ Lite, which combines a few special features.
It also works with DJUCED, a free and excellent alternative DJ platform. The controller has built-in mixing aids to help beginners learn manual beat mixing, and it is very affordable compared to some of the competitors. While it's not perfect, it might be worth considering for learning the basics.
First Impressions and Setup
The Hercules DJ Control Inpulse 300 Mk2 is, like its predecessor, a simple DJ controller for beginners from a company known for such devices. So, you get a lightweight, relatively small plastic box with a whole set of basic controls for both the included DJUCED software and, new for the Mk2 version, for the Serato platform, one of the world's most popular DJ software.
You pretty much get what you'd expect at this low price: reasonable jog wheels, a two-channel software mixer with EQ and channel-specific filters, basic transport, loop, and effect controls, headphone cue buttons, single-color backlit performance pads, controls for navigating and loading libraries, and the usual outputs (RCA master and 3.5mm headphone).
We tested the controller with Serato DJ Lite (the free version of Serato), and like all Serato devices, it was easy to set up and recognized the software as soon as it was plugged in. DJ novices should note that for using such devices for mixing, they need their own wired active speakers, so that should be taken into account.
The Controller in Action
Hercules is an entry-level brand, and therefore, the company has added some features to assist beginners in learning DJ techniques, especially beat mixing.
Under the jog wheels, there are two small lights that indicate whether the track on this deck is behind or ahead of the track on the other deck. The pitch faders also have similar lights that indicate whether the track on the respective deck is playing faster or slower than the track on the other deck, allowing you to accelerate or decelerate accordingly.
While modern DJ software has a "Sync" function, so DJ novices don't have to worry about aligning their tracks, ultimately, it's important to know how to do these things manually at the beginning, even if you don't use them constantly while performing. Therefore, it's good to see an entry-level controller manufacturer incorporating such learning aids into their devices, and they work well.
As for the rest of the features, we liked that we could control Serato's effects slightly better than what we were used to from Hercules. We also appreciated having a button for the Slip mode, a fun performance feature that many manufacturers ignore, even on much larger devices. And a big thumbs up for the accurate VU metering, which is unparalleled in this price range and is also important for learning.
However, we missed a Cue/Master control, which often helps DJs who want to mix only with headphones, and we found the tempo faders to be quite short. There's no microphone input at all. In this market segment, there are always compromises when it comes to features, but these are things to keep in mind.
The audio quality is acceptable for the price range, although there was some noise on one channel, which we attribute to a one-time issue with this test unit. However, you shouldn't expect a professional-level sound card—for home use, small parties, and so on, it's suitable, but not for large events. It's not something you'd take to a professional club.
Our Conclusion
To learn the fundamentals of DJing, the Hercules DJ Control Inpulse 300 Mk2 is a good choice. It covers most basics, is affordable, reliably built, and has some unique advantages. Especially if you want help with learning manual beat mixing, it's particularly attractive.
The Mk2 version expands the original version with Serato compatibility and better jog wheels, with the former being a big step forward, although the DJUCED software (which is unique to Hercules controllers) is free and excellent as well.
However, Serato DJ is also included but only in the limited Lite version. Here, a paid upgrade to the Pro version or a monthly subscription is required if you want to use all Serato features.
All in all, the Hercules DJ Control Inpulse 300 Mk2's plus points are: the alternative software platform, the mixing aids, the decent VU metering, and the price.
There are many controllers in this market segment, but if one of these features is particularly important to you, this controller could be just the right choice.
