Andrew Zarkesh, from Computer Active, has published a review on Mobile DJ MP3 in the issue of 4 to 17th October 2007.
http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/hardware/2200348/review-hercules-mobile-dj
This review is also online on vnunet.com website:
http://www.vnunet.com/computeractive/hardware/2200348/review-hercules-mobile-dj
Native Instruments, the publisher of Traktor 3 LE, has announced a free update to Traktor 3.3 LE, for PC and Mac.
If you have DJ Console MK2 bundled with Traktor 3 LE, updating your release Traktor 3.1 LE to this release Traktor 3.3 LE fixes a few issues:
- in file browsing: each time you enter a directory with Traktor 3.3 LE, you choose whether Traktor 3.3 LE scans it or not, while Traktor 3.1 LE always scanned the new directory,
- in AIFF files playback: Traktor 3.3 LE plays back AIFF files on some Mac OS configuration where Traktor 3.1 LE failed to perform the same operation.
Update on http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=updates
More on Traktor 3 LE http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=tds3le
Some CD players output level is +4dBu while DJ Console MK2 is designed to support input signal around -10dBv: as a result, when the CD plays a +4dBu signal in DJ Console MK2 line input, DJ Console MK2 input may saturate, and cause a bad audio quality.
The solution consists in attenuating the CD player output level by connecting between this player output and DJ Console MK2 input an attenuating gear as volume knob for headphones (cheapest solution)
- Koss VC-20
- Shure EA650
or a mini mixer (more expensive solution) as
- Nady mini-mixer
- Behringer Xenyx 502
DJ Console MK2 talk over function is a hardware mixing of:
- the microphone analogue signal
- with the analogue signal output produced by the DJ software in DJ Console MK2,
so the talk over is not processed in the DJ software (VirtualDJ or Traktor), and as a result when you record your mix in the DJ software, the talk over is not recorded.
To record the mix with the talk over signal, you must
- connect DJ Console MK2 output 1-2 to the stereo line in of your computer integrated sound card (with a stereo cable)
- and record the stereo line in on your computer integrated sound card with a software (as Syntrillium CoolEdit Pro, Adobe Audition, Sony Sound Forge, Waveosaur….) which will record the mix as background task.
On some hi-fi systems, DJ Console MK2 audio output is noisy and saturated, because DJ Console MK2 output level is +4dBu (pro level) while hi-fi systems generally expect a -10dBv output level (consumer lever). Lowering the audio level in DJ Console MK2 control panel doesn’t change anything since the control panel mixer reduces the audio signal but keep the output level unchanged, so the noise remains equal.
The solution consists in attenuating DJ Console MK2 output level by connecting between DJ Console MK2 output 1-2 and the hi-fi system an attenuating gear as volume knob for headphones (cheapest solution)
- Koss VC-20
- Shure EA650
or a mini mixer (more expensive solution) as
- Nady mini-mixer
- Behringer Xenyx 502
If you meet this saturation issue after connecting DJ Console MK2 to some DJ mixers which don’t support +4dBu signal, setting the input gain button on the DJ mixer input at 25% should suppress the noise.
Mobile DJ Mix automatically places cue points in the music tracks, so if you want to play your music from the start, without cue points, your must change this setting.
There is a simple way of having no cue points with Hercules Mobile DJ Mix:
1) You need Mobile DJ Mix 1.04 or 1.05 (downloadable on Hercules website), since Mobile DJ Mix 1.03 doesn't provide this function.
2) Before analyzing the tracks for which you want no cue points, you must click on Cfg button, and in General menu, enable the option "Disable Automatic Cueing".
If you have already analyzed your music tracks while the AutoCue function was on, the Cue points have already been set, so to delete the existing cue points for a music track which has already been analyzed and cue points saved:
3) You need Mobile DJ Mix 1.04 or 1.05 (downloadable on our website), since Mobile DJ Mix 1.03 doesn't provide this function.
4) When Mobile DJ Mix software is off, move in the directory C:\Documents and Settings\Username\HerculesMobileDJMix Data\Stripes, and delete the file of the music track name with extension fst (for example, if the music track name is "I_Wanna_Be.MP3", the information file to delete is "I_Wanna_Be.fst")
5) You can then start Mobile DJ Mix software, click on Cfg button, and in General menu, enable the option "Disable Automatic Cueing".
6) Then when you load your music track whose .fst file was deleted, this Cue points have disappeared.
Hercules has released Mobile DJ Mix 1.04 software for Mobile DJ MP3.
This new version, downloadable on http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=28&pid=201&cid=5 , adds some new features :
- you can control on Mobile DJ MP3 the music track you preview (the previous release of Mobile DJ limited the control of the preview on the sftware interface)
- you can mix on 1 sound card and preview on another sound card, so laptop users limited to the stereo output of their laptops can use USB headphones for the preview, while they mix for the audience on the laptop integrated sound card stereo output.
- you can also change the pitch and the volume of the sound effects you loads.
Mobile DJ communicates with its USB dongle in a proprietary 2.4 GHz protocol: it uses neither WIFI nor Bluetooth. Mobile DJ proprietary protocol operates at a base frequency of 2.407GHz, and when it detects noise in its frequency, it moves by steps of 250KHz to the next noise free frequency channel.
The dynamic frequency adjustment lets Mobile DJ adjust to 2.4 GHz wireless networks (WIFI, Bluetooth) so that
- Mobile DJ doesn’t interfere with wireless networks,
- and the wireless network doesn’t interfere with Mobile DJ.
You should place Mobile DJ USB dongle at 2 feet or more from any other 2.4 GHz transmitter (WIFI, Bluetooth or audio/video proprietary transmitter) to get a good transmission range, since if they are closer, both systems will continuously jump from 1 frequency to another to avoid each other disturbance, and such continuous channel changes reduce the transmission range.
For the same reason, you should place a WLAN device at least 2 feet away from another 2.4 GHz device (Bluetooth, audio/video transmitter..) to optimize the range of your WLAN network.
MegaSeg is a DJ mix software in Mac OS.
1) In MegaSeg, if you use the Discrete Output Mode, and select both Hercules outputs using the Aggregate device output, then you can use DJ Console MK2 headphones selector to select the various cue modes.
2) But MegaSeg default mode is different, since instead of the left and right decks being hardwired to one output, MegaSeg has a "Preview" button to route either deck to a 2nd output for cueing or previewing. In this mode, both decks would output to a single output device (on a single stereo channel), and then you can press Preview and switch either deck to a 2nd output to cue (like the built-in headphone jack). This function is mapped to the cue button on the DJ Console MK1, and now the Audio source select on the DJ Console MK2. As the audio source select is also on this button, it means you must push this button twice to toggle the Preview mode.
If you hear no longer DJ Console MK2 Deck A and Deck B in headphones preview mode, then you may have upgraded DJ Console MK2 drivers to the last release (2.cmk2.2007) but you have forgotten to update your version of VirtualDJ.
To restore a proper preview mode, you must
- either install VirtualDJ 3.4.1 ,
- or switch in ASIO mode (run VirtualDJ in mode "Equalization on audio inputs").
You can power Mobile DJ MP3
- either with 2 pre-charged batteries (C type / LR14) (Alkaline or zinc carbon batteries)
- or with 2 rechargeable batteries (C type / LR14) (Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) or Nickel-Cadmium (NICAD or NiCd))
The only difference is the operation time, which is longer for alkaline batteries.
It is not recommended to power Mobile DJ MP3 with 1 rechargeable battery + 1 pre-charged battery since their operation times are different and their voltage are different (1.5v for the pre-charged battery versus 1.2v for a rechargeable battery).
Donald Bell from CNET has released a review of Mobile DJ MP3 on
http://reviews.cnet.com/audio-components/hercules-mobile-dj-mp3/4505-3022_7-32466616.html?tag=prod.txt.1#more
This review is also on ZDNET
http://review.zdnet.com/audio-components/hercules-mobile-dj-mp3/4505-3022_16-32466616.html .
Battery lifetime depends on your battery model
- alkaline batteries capacity is the highest (up to 7500 mAh)
- carbon zinc batteries capacity is lower than alkaline
- rechargeable batteries have the smallest capacity (up to 3000/4000 mAH per charge, but you can recharge them).
Mobile DJ consumes over 300mA with LCD backlight on, but not much as soon as the LCD switches off.
Mobile DJ should provide continuous mixing for
- 15 to 25 hours with 2 fresh rechargeable batteries (akkus)
- 30 to 50 hours with 2 good alkaline batteries.
It may be shorter with old batteries and longer with excellent batteries.
Mobile DJ Mix software includes an AutoCue function in the analysis of the sound track to :
- define a Cue In point (Cue In = the moment where the song playback starts in a DJ mix, which is the moment where the software detects a regular beat)
- define a Cue Out point (Cue In = the moment where the song playback ends in a DJ mix, which is the last point where the software detects a regular beat)
The analyzes of the Cue In / Cue Out point is in general
- relevant for music with a fixed beat and for dance / techno / country / rock music,
- irrelevant for music with changing rhythms, as for example classic music, pop songs starting with vocal solos, slow electronic music and in general music whose rhythms are far from techno/dance...
The solution for the music tracks with bad cue points is for the user to define one's own Cue In / Cue Out points:
1) load the music file
2) browse in Mobile DJ Mix software (with the slider over the waveform) at the point of the waveform where the user wants to place the Cue In point
3) Click on the "In" button of Mobile DJ Mix software on the deck where the song is loaded (left and right of Automix button on the software screen), to define the point which will be the Cue In point,
4) Click on the button with a triangle down on Mobile DJ Mix software to set the Cue In point,
5) browse in Mobile DJ Mix software (with the slider over the waveform) at the point of the waveform where the user wants to place the Cue Out point (the end of the music playback)
6) Click on the "Out" button on the deck of Mobile DJ Mix software where the song is loaded (left and right of Automix button on the software), to define the Cue point will be a Cue Out point
7) Click on the button with a triangle down on Mobile DJ Mix software to set the Cue Out point
8) Once the Cue In and the Cue Out points have been saved for the music track, save the Playlist with the button "Save".
If the user doesn't save the playlist after changing the cue points, the new cue points won't be saved.
Techdigest has listed Mobile DJ MP3 in its top 10 superstar DJ gagdets.
http://techdigest.tv/2007/05/top_ten_superst.html
ShinyShiny.TV has put on YouTube a video review on Mobile DJ MP3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eHKMyixk0Q
Techdigest has released a short review on Mobile DJ MP3.
http://techdigest.tv/2007/04/hercules_mobile.html
Engadget describes Mobile DJ MP3.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/23/hercules-mobile-dj-mp3-mixes-it-up-sans-wires/
To use DJ Console MK2 to Vista 32-bit, you must not only use new drivers (package 2.CMK2.2007, on ftp://ftp.hercules.com/pub/webupdate/DJMk2/2007_CMK2_2.exe with:
- DJ Console MK2 firmware 13.7
- DJ Console MK2 control panel 1.4.3.2)
but you must also upgrade VirtualDJ 3 DJC Edition to VirtualDJ 3.4.1 DJC Edition (free upgrade, on VirtualDJ website).
Hercules has released a new driver package for DJ Console MK2 and the old DJ Console MK1.
This package 2.CMK2.2007 makes it possible to mix with DJ Console and DJ Console MK2 in Vista-32 bit in addition to Windows XP.
The package 2.CMK2.2007 includes both a driver update and a firmware update for each console version.
http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=28&pid=177&cid=1
Native Instruments has announced on the Musik Messe that owners of Traktor 3 LE can upgrade the license of Traktor 3 LE to the full-featured TRAKTOR 3 at a special price of $ 119 / EUR 99, enabling a multitude of additional creative features including four playback decks, advanced looping and cueing functions, Native Mix Recording, additional EQs, filters and effects, and more.
This upgrade offer is proposed to all customers of DJ Console MK2 Traktor Edition (also called DJ Console MK2 Mac).
For a comparison between Traktor 3 LE and Traktor 3, click here.
You cannot mix directly DRM protect files, since DJ software cannot load iTunes DRM protected files, so the solution consists in;
- burning the DRM music files you buy on a CD audio on the computer on which you purchased the files (it means you need a CD burner on the computer where you buy music files with DRM, for example in iTunes),
- and afterwards either mixing the CD audio in your DJ software if your DJ software plays CDs, or extracting first the CD-audio tracks into MP3 files to mix them in your DJ software.
Hercules has released a new driver package for DJ Control MP3, 1.CMP3.2007, which supports Vista 32-bit in addition to Windows XP.
There is no hardware difference, both DJ Console MK2 are the same.
The difference is only the DJ software:
One year after the release of DJ Console MK2 for PC, Hercules releases its DJ Console MK2 Mac Edition, with Native Instruments Traktor 3 LE software.
Compared to the previous DJ Console Mac, base on DJ Console MK1, DJ Console MK2 Mac Edition has not only a new cosmetic, but also new audio features as 2 stereo audio inputs, so that in addition to mixing your MP3 files on your computer, you connect vinyl turntables or CD players to DJ Console MK2 audio inputs.
DJ Console MK2 for Mac offers hybrid mixing in merging analogue and digital audio in the same mix, since you can:
- set the gain on analogue inputs sound in Traktor 3 LE to set a similar level for external sources and MP3 files,
- set the volume on analogue inputs with DJ Console MK2 volume fader,
- equalize analogue inputs via with DJ Console MK2 EQ buttons
- mix analogue inputs with MP3 files on DJ Console MK2 crossfader.
DJ Console MK2 Mac Edition is compatible with Mac OS 10.4 on both G4/G5 and also Mac Intel based Mac computers.
DJ Control MP3 is a DJ mix controller without audio, so you need a 4-channel or 5.1-channel sound card to preview your music.
In VirtualDJ DJC Edition PC
- you get the mix on output 1/2 (front left/front right),
- you get the preview on output 5/6 (surround left/surround right),
then you preview a deck when you push down the monitor button of the relevant deck on DJ Control MP3 (the button with a headphone logo) AND YOU KEEP THE PREVIEW BUTTON PUSHED DOWN, since the preview stops as soon as you release the preview buttons.
If you don’t hear any sound in the output 5/6:
1) Make sure you have enabled the output 5-6: click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio devices > Volume : Speaker Settings : Advanced Settings > 5.1 Surround Speakers. If your setting for speakers is stereo, you cannot get a sound in the output 5-6.
2) Make sure your headphones have a low impedance (32 ohms or less) since standard sound output on 5-6 has a line level, a level not strong enough to playback sound on high impedance headphones, so you can use 200 or 600 ohms headphones only with headphones preamplifier.
How can I suppress the background sound of the preview in the mix output and vice-versa?
You should not hear the sound of the preview in your mix or vice versa, so if you hear it, a 3D virtualisation effect is positioning the sound in your multi-channel sound card. You must disable the 3D positioning in your sound card control panel.
Yes, DJ Control MP3 is compatible with Mac OS 10.3 and 10.4 if you download the drivers on Hercules website.
But there is no DJ software compatible with Mac OS in DJ Control MP3 box, so you need to have your own DJ software for Mac OS as Traktor or MegaSeg.
Headphones recommended for DJing have:
- a low impedance, from 16 to 64 Ohms, to keep the sound punchy especially on bass (high impedance headphones tend to be less punchy),
- with a high sensitivity (100 dB or more),
- isolating ear cups attenuating the ambient noise,
- comfortable soft ear cushions (you must bear the headphones for hours),
- a long cable (10 feet),
- a stereo jack 1/4" plug, or a jack 1/8" plug with a 1/4" adapter,
- preferably foldable earphones, to allows double or single ear monitoring.
Never use in-ear earphones: they are not appropriate for DJing, too difficult to remove, not protective enough from the ambient noise, and not comfortable enough.
You can use other headphones with DJ Console MK2, as hi-fi headphones over 100 ohms, but with headphones the higher the impedance the lower the volume in the headphones, so while high impedance headphones can be OK for bedroom DJing, their volume may be too low to cover the sound and screams of the audience in a party.
In "24", Season 5, Episode 22, DJ Control MP3 makes a short appearance.
OK, there is no DJ mix in this episode, simply the playback of an MP3 file.
DJ Console MK1 Play and Cue buttons response decrease with the time because the contact dots on the printed circuit board activated by the buttons become rusty when the console is not stored in a dry atmosphere.
You can improve the response by cleaning the contact areas of the printed circuit board:
The Gadget Show on Five on TV invited Pete Tong to test DJ products and the famous DJ enjoyed DJ Control MP3.
http://gadgetshow.five.tv/jsp/5gsmain.jsp?lnk=401&featureid=134&pageid=280&show=s4e10§ion=Features
Gadgetcentre has released a review on DJ Control MP3.
http://www.gadgetcentre.com/news/article/mps/UAN/289/v/1/sp/
DJ Mag has released a review on DJ Console MK2
http://www.djmag.com/img/pic.php?id=578&table=picture&field=image&field_type=type
Cnet has posted a review on DJ Control MP3.
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/digitalmusic/0,39029432,39195934,00.htm
http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=28&pid=179&cid=1
DJ Control MP3 drivers for Mac make it possible to use DJ Control MP3 as a MIDI controller in Mac OS 10.3 (Panther) and Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger).
DJ Control MP3 includes no software bundle for Mac, so it is not a complete solution to mix on Mac, but Mac owners who already have Mac DJ software with a MIDI learning mode as Traktor 2.5 or 3.0 full version can now control this software.
Traktor 2.5 DJ Console Edition Mac is not supported by DJ Control MP3.
http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=28&pid=143&cid=1
This driver package unifies drivers for DJ Console 1 and DJ Console MK2.
The new drivers for DJ Console 1 keep DJ Console 1 control panel, but change the ASIO engine for better stability.
These drivers are for Windows XP only.
http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=28&pid=177&cid=1
Hercules has released a new control panel for DJ Console MK2, to simplify the settings of DJ Console MK2.
All panels let the DJ
- Set the balance and the volume on output ½ and ¾
- Select the audio sources as being the computer or external audio sources
- Lock the audio source selection
- Choose the recording source on input 1 / 2 between line in and microphone in
Main Panel
The main panel lets the DJ:
- Set a talk-over attenuation (-3dB, -6dB or -9dB)
- See whether the microphone input is on air
- See the headphones mode
- Select the audio Mode as WDM or ASIO
ASIO Panel
In case the DJ selects ASIO as Audio Mode, the additional options are:
- sampling rate (44100Hz or 48000Hz)
- sampling step (16-bit or 24-bit)
- buffer size (steps stored in cache memory: at 44100Hz, 441 as buffer size means 441/44100 = 0.01s, a 10 ms buffer)
If the sampling step is 24-bit, the input channel 3/4 is not available.
Advanced Panel
The advanced panel proposes additional options for advanced users:
- use an external mixer
- lock the cross fader (if you plug DJ Console MK2 in a mixer, you use the mixer cross fader)
- change the cross fader curve
- activate the mushroom in mouse mode
These options are for other software than VirtualDJ (VDJ integrates directly such options).
About Panel
The “About” panel lets you read the drivers and firmware version.
