DJ Console Lets You Mix/Scratch on a PC

Top View (Click for a close-up)

Front View (Click for a close-up)

Rear View (Click for a close-up)

Hercules announced their new DJ Console, a complete portable DJ controller and multichannel USB sound card designed to let you use a desktop or laptop PC to mix MP3s like a night club DJ or turntablist.

Aspiring or amateur home DJs can create their own real-time live music mixes and compilations right on their desktop/laptop PC, perfecting their skills faster than with vinyl according to the company.

Club DJs, FM/Internet radio DJs and DJs on a budget can now prepare their mixes faster and easier than ever before, going beyond the limitations of conventional turntables with additional features like looping, cueing, search functions and more. Users can access tens of thousands of their favorite digital tracks and find any title in seconds with no need to lug around hundreds of CDs or LPs.

DJs can now instantly locate, play, mix, sample, loop, scratch and remix digital music -- including MP3s, WMAs and CDs -- with Hercules' DJ Console and their PC. Users will enjoy full hands-on control like a regular turntable instead of using keyboard shortcuts to control their major audio applications. DJ Console is also perfectly suited for use under low light conditions at parties thanks to at-a-glance LED mode indicators plus backlit and phosphorescent soft rubber keys.

DJ Console features :

• 2 vinyl-style jog wheels for spinning and scratching, with finger grips for rapid, accurate song searching or speed adjustment,
• 1 crossfader 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 ministick provides mouse emulation or allows for special DJ FX control.
• DJ Console comes with a complete, intuitive DJ/music software suite.

The DJ Console records audio from instruments, home stereos, CD/DVD players or other devices and plays back music too. The front and rear audio panels provide a range of connections including optical and coaxial digital In/Out and MIDI In/Out to easily connect most analog/digital consumer devices and audio/MIDI gear. Users can remix out to amplified speakers and enjoy up to 5.1-channel surround sound (up to 6 outputs).

DJs will appreciate being able to play one track for their audience via the DJ Console's speaker outputs, while listening to another track over the headphone output at the same time to prepare the following mix. To speak to the audience, DJs can use unit's microphone input with gain control. A handy talkover button allows users to reduce the music volume so that they can be heard more easily, and an input clipping indicator avoids sound saturation.

The DJ Console is easy to install and use: simply hot-plug the unit via its USB connector and go. DJ Console is 100% USB bus-powered, with no external power supply required. Perfect for mobile use, DJ Console is light and compact and can be used anywhere with a laptop computer. Its casing and sleek detachable cover provide maximum protection, while the removable shoulder strap allows for easy transportation.

The DJ Console carries an estimated retail price of $US249.