This simple DJ controller helps you get started learning how to mix. Greg Scarth puts it to the test.
When you’re just beginning to learn how to DJ, there are lots of things to get to grips with. If you’re focused on music selection and beat matching, the last thing you want is to be worried about which equipment you need or figuring out how it works. The new Hercules DJControl Mix aims to make life as simple as possible. It’s a basic controller designed for the popular algoriddim Djay app, which is available for iPhones, iPads or android devices.
In the box, you’ll find the controller plus a couple of accessories: a small but handy foldable smartphone stand, and a splitter cable which we’ll get to in due course. The controller itself is a nicely designed unit, housed in a lightweight but sturdy plastic enclosure roughly shoulder width, making it comfortable to place your hands on and get familiar with the controls. In that respect, the DJControl Mix follows what’s pretty much the standard formula for DJ controllers, with two identical deck sections on the left and right, plus mixer controls in the middle.
There’s only one socket on the DJControl Mix, which allows you to connect the provided USB cable for power. You can power via a power pack or standard USB charger, neither of which is included in the box. The controller connects to your iOS/android device via Bluetooth, but there are two different ways you can set it up. Mode #1 is essentially a playback mode, whereby you control your device over Bluetooth and stream your music wirelessly to a Bluetooth speaker. This is a fine way to get started, but you won’t be able to cue tracks or monitor mixes on headphones.
Mode #2 is the better option, in which the controller still connects wirelessly to your device but you use the headphone splitter cable to give you two sockets. One allows you to connect a speaker, the other is for your headphones to plug into. This allows you to do what 99% of DJs do and listen to a different thing in your headphones to what’s coming out of the speaker, meaning that you can preview tracks, get your beats matched and take control of loops, samples, effects and hot cues.
With the unit set up and the excellent Algoriddim Djay app running on your device, the DJControl Mix is fun and easy to use. All the controls feel nice to the touch, and the layout is logical. Buttons have a positive click when pressed, and the other controls like the small rotary platters, pitch controls and crossfader have a nice feel to them. The controls themselves are a slightly simplified version of what you’d find on a standalone DJ mixer or a bigger controller. That means you only get a single knob for applying filters or EQing the bass, which is a compromise but one that’s not necessarily a problem for beginners. Likewise, you don’t get faders for the volume of each channel, but you can always use the volume control knobs to achieve similar effects when introducing a track to a mix.
Overall, the DJControl Mix is an excellent option for beginners to DJing. It’s simple, it gets the job done and it takes some of the stress away from getting started, allowing you to focus on what really matters: beat matching, triggering samples and performing your music. Hook it up with a nice pair of DJ headphones and a simple pair of speakers like the Reloop DSM-3 BTs and you’ve got all you need to learn how to mix.
Greg Scarth
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