Cool, thanks very useful. Adding the controllers names list for ease of search/copy pasting: Hercules - Inpulse DJ 500 Numark - Mixtrack Platinum FX Pioneer DJ - DDJ-400 Traktor - Kontrol S2 Mk3 Pioneer DJ - DDJ-SB3
I can't say I agree with the scoring here. I think you're being too nice to the Hercules controller, and a bit harsh on the Kontrol S2 and DDJ 400. Both of those controllers should have scored higher in the 'value for money' category, because they both come with the full version of the software. Traktor costs £90 to buy and Rekordbox costs £10 a month, so the fact that both controllers include the full pro software means they're excellent value for money. Those three Serato controllers only come with Serato Intro, which is very basic. You can't even use all 8 performance pads unless you upgrade to Serato Pro, which costs £129. You didn't count that against those controllers in the 'Value For Money' category.
I own a DDJ-400 and I'm very happy with it. I totally love Rekordbox, it feels so PRO. And I love to see Hercules and Numark pushing the limits forward in this price range, competition it is healthy for all of DJs. I really hope Pioneer take notes of everything. I'd love to see a DDJ-600 with all these other features that Hercules and Numark has to unlock more power in the Rekordbox software. Great video folks!
Purchased the NI s2mk3 last month fantastic controller downloaded new tsi file so I could control different functions missing from the bigger no controllers by using shift function. Also this controller works flawlessly with VIrtual DJ so not just limited to Traktor. Win win
I stopped using Traktor years ago as it was overly packed compared to Serato DJ. The S2 MK3 is the one I’d recommend any beginner to think most carefully about before buying, as NI have backed themselves into a corner with Traktor. Good luck with your choices.
Without a doubt the DDJ-400 even with its plastic construction is the best of them all, would be cool if there was a metallic version of it, it would sell like hot cakes.
The versatility of the tractor software more than makes up for what the buttons on the NI controller actually do out of the box. There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to programming in tractor, but I've been using an apc40 for years now and I can program any button to do anything that I want. And the same goes for this controller.
I'm happy with Traktor. It has fewer features on the controller itself, but the NI ecosystem is actually solid. And they do update the software actually. I'm still lacking the HiDPI mode for my laptop, but Traktor Pro just feels superior to Rekordbox/Serato for tech/house music.
I have a Ddj 400 and it’s really amazing!! Love everything, if you’re thinking about buying one, I totally recommend ddj 400c It really fulls my expectations
Hey, I want to start learning and am considering buying a DDJ 400. Do you know if its works with Traktor or other softwares if I end up not liking Rekordbox ? Thanks.
I got an SB3 a few months ago because it was the only thing available at the time, and it works great! I was thinking of trading it or reselling it for a 400, but now I'm going to keep an eye on the Hercules.
havn't DJ'd in a few years and just decided to take a look at whats going on in the hardware world, suprised people are talking about hercules as a serious brand now they used to be practically considered toys.
Exactly my thought. I wound up buying the Platinum FX only after considering the in wheel display and effect paddles.. but I still remember when be Numark was considered a toy too. I wish Vestax didn’t drop out, their vinyl mixers were great
great video. I ordered the DDJ 400 so I will be bouncing through your videos once I get it in lol. The Hercules is nice, but I always been a Pioneer fan from subwoofers and radio decks. Looking forward to getting to know the Controller. Thanks again for the this video.
How the Hell do you give the Pioneer DJ DDJ-400 a 3/5 in the price category when it comes with the full version of Rekordbox and a 4/5 in the software category to the controllers that come with Serato DJ Lite??? That makes absolutely no sense at all knowing that in order to upgrade to Serato DJ Pro it will cost you another $130 in addition to the money you already spent on the controller!!!
@@thijnenninga6109 I went and got the ddj400. It was sold out in lockdown nearly everywhere!! so that means it’s still in demand.and also I’m only going to use it for 12 months before upgrading to a higher spec pioneer controller.And so I will all ready be used to the upgrade spec and software.also if it was good enough for 1000s of other people in the last lockdown then I’m sure it’s the best bet. What are you thinking of getting????
@@ajohnstitch Meh. I just bought a S4 mk2 for £170 which has DVS support, 4 channels and an actual FX section. This isn't really a deal. Also, consider the brand new S3 is currently selling for £330 on Juno.
Hercules managed to add so much features in an entry level controller at a very low price.Imagine if they decide to built a high end pro controller... What they will built???A spaceship???
clearly the winner is impulse 500.. way the best dj controller to buy and not by seeing only this video check more on youtube.. you will be satisfied when buy one like i did and im real real happy.. thanks Hercules company for best budget+more than a budget controller ever existed!!!!
7:40 Also I like DJUICED. You didn't mention it, but it's intuitive and has all the necessary features. I'm only a newbie though so I haven't compared against Serato/Rekordbox/Tracktor yet though. I grabbed an impulse 200 a week or so ago and I've been having so much fun I'm taking it back and swapping for a Inpulse 500 ASAP. Thanks for this video! I was torn as to whether I should go with Pioneer or not, but this solves that.
In terms of future proofing it’s worth mentioning that the numark is the only controller here that can access all 4 decks to n serato - something You tend not to get until you splash at least £200 more pounds on a controller (DDJ 800 for example) That said I think I will still go for the Hercules. It just seems rammed with tech and easy to use effects. I would class myself as a bit more advanced as a beginner DJ, but I am a skint DJ and the Hercules seems to be a pretty powerful bit of kit for the price!
The effects paddles on the Numark allow for a much faster response... they are more intuitive just like the battle mixers that inspire them... also it's got led screens in the centre of the jogs... speaking of the jogs, they have a little less latency
Ummmm. Have you even tried it... pioneer industry standard blah blah blaaaaaa.... 🤮🤮🤮 I’d take the Hercules over the 400... I’d take all 4 of these before the DDJ 400. Pioneer sound quality is horrible
I think a lot of people will be surprised by the build quality on the 500. Not that there's anything wrong with the DDJ 400 but little things like the 1/8th inch headphone jack show it's age
Great video! Love the comparison between all these entry level controllers. I use the DDD 400 and I'm about to upgrade to the DDJ 800 (The 1000 is too big for me) and everything you've said about the 400 is spot on. I forwarded this review to my younger brother who is now in the market for an entry level controller. Again, good stuff! Thanks man...
Thanks for this vid! It is actually really fitting into my current situation. I‘m using the Traktor Kontrol S2 Mk3 for one year now and I‘m thinking about selling it and buying the DDJ-400 for the next time, because I want defintely switch to Pioneer in 1-2 years and buy the DDJ-1000. I‘m starting to build my music library from the ground up again and I thought it would make more sense to build it directly in rekordbox. Unfortunately I can‘t use rekordbox with the S2. Would you say that switching to Pioneer is a good decision?
Good video, I think in the price category you should have included cost for full software. Most DJs will upgrade from Serato lite to Serato pro. That's $60.00 to $120.00 USD. (I got Serato on sale for $60.00).
Thanks for the video! I'm not sure I understand the scoring process. How can the Hercules model score 5/5 in the price, build quality and future proof categories? I'm questioning this for 3 reasons: #1, it's the most expensive and still needs another 120€ to have access to all its features with Serato DJ Pro whereas with the DDJ-400, you have absolutely all the features and full rekordbox license. I know it's reflected a bit in the software category, but still. #2 Hercules is not particularly known for having hardware that lasts long. Having a good quality feel doesn't mean it's well constructed and won't let you down during a gig. And to me that's a critical point for any DJ, beginners or not. #3 At the moment, it's hard to compete with Pioneer when it comes to future proofness in my opinion because they own the club standard pretty much. The SB3 is not great in that regard because of its layout and it only works with Serato without taking full advantage of it, but the DDJ400 has everything: layout, rekordbox. Ok, going from the 400 to a full CDJ setup may be a stretch, but it will still feel fairly familiar. I know you said that the Hercules would take to an intermediate level, not a pro level, but I still feel the difference in ranking doesn't make sense. Anyway, throwing my 2 cents here since you asked in the video. Great work nonetheless. I'm sold to the DDJ400, although my favorite non-standard club equipment is the Denon Prime 4 at the moment. The DDJ400 still is amazing for the price, to have fun or as a backup unit even. I wouldn't count on Hercules for that matter, although I'm sure it's a great piece of hardware to have fun at home and throw some first gigs. It's also well designed for beginners, which is what we're talking about here. My 14-year old son started with the 400 a few months ago, and I've been amazed by how he's progressed with the tutorials, etc. Truly a very well made controller for beginners, first hand comment (almost :)). Sorry for the long comment! And thanks again. I always love your videos.
I hear what you say but the numark platinum fx has it for me. Twice the tempo slider makes it 2wice as easy to match your tempo (something we do for almost every track). 2. Much larger jog wheels seen on controllers 4 times its price 3. Screen in the middle of each deck displaying track info. the bpm, key, track position much more convenient stopping you from looking at your laptop all the time 4. 6 hardware effect bottons with vinyl style switches. This destroys all controllers in its price range in my opinion but I welcome yours too :)
@@thijnenninga6109 by beat match guide, do you mean those leds under the decks? almost nobody needs them after 1 hour of djing. On the Hercules, the filters amount and the dry and wet are combined in one knob making it impossible to use for most djs. the numark runs the entry level market. a no brainier for me.
@@thijnenninga6109 I don't think you understand djing properly. Beat matching is completly different to what's displayed on the numark screen. If you don't know the bpm on your song and match them to each other, those beat match guides won't help you and are useless. On the Hercules, the tempo slider is half the size making it twice as hard to change bmp ( something we do for almost every track). The numark has the full range long tempo adjusters found in expensive equipment. Screen found mid deck also found in expensive equipment such as the pioneer ddj 800 and ddj 1000 displaying all track information stopping you from looking at your laptop every few seconds and crowed reading instead. 6 hardware filter effect bottoms with vinyl style switches found in the expensive Numark scratch mixer. And all the things I've mentioned in my original comment above practically beating the hercules in almost every aspect mentioned above.
Traktor is the best for mapping. You can do everything with this. You can find ready to use advanced mapping for any controller or do it yourself and map all features that you want. You can do extra shortcuts, more pad modes etc. Traktor is so powerful.
That is very true but I was ranking simplicity over complications with beginners in mind. Rekordbox and Traktor alike, a few clicks of a button and you can mess up the audio routing and be stuck. Serato DJ Lite is really really simple which I thought was more important for the less technical minded! 🙌🏻
I used Serato for a long time starting in the DVS era so I'm very familiar with it. I have to admit though Rekordbox is the superior Software (been using it the last 2 years) not even considering that the controllers here only come with the very restricted Lite Version of Serato. For that reason alone I'd go with the DDJ 400.
If you spend some time, you can actually set a really good map in the s2 to control both the mixer fx and the deck fx, of course for a begginer that'd be confusing, but still, mapping can get you way more possibilities out of the s2.
@@Crossfader I understand that but you definitely should have taken this into account when talking about how future proof the device is. As your skills advance mapping is something that people do. This controller has so many buttons that out of the box only have one function so can be mapped to anything you want with the shift key and a second function and having used both Serato and traktor the only real advantage of Serato is the streaming, and every extra feature on Serato costs a tonne more whether it is subscription or purchase. Let's face it as you advance you shouldn't really be playing out from a streaming platform and you can't record your streaming set either!
@@pep9716 yeah it's cool. i'm certain it's a defect and if I exchange it problem solved. i read amazon reviews and only one complained about this and i haven't seen any other ddj200 owners on youtube mention monitoring issues
Debating whether to sell my DDJ 400, which I got 2 months ago, and upgrade to the Hercules... thoughts!? I don’t do any of the scratching thing lol, not my thing. I’m a EDM DJ so you already know
I to see that pioneer need to bring out better equipment, as many other names are starting to push there equipment to a higher standard. Its good to have competition in the world of djing, as its better for us DJs..🎶🎶🎧🎧😎😎
Imagine if hercules removes djuced and just puts out inpulse 500 with serato pro - it would become the best controller money can buy on a budget period.
If i knew then what i knew now.....Go for Traktor or Pioneer. Traktor is incredibly advanced and you can customise it as you like as you advance. Pioneer is an investment, purely for the fact of that if you start getting gigs and playing out, pioneer will be in the booth. The pros all use Traktor/Pioneer.
I bought the Pioneer SB3 a year ago and it's a good controller a year ago but I do have to agree that it is a bit outdated. It's still worth buying if you are a beginner DJ as long as you understand you will have to upgrade sooner then later. I have Serato DJ Pro and I find some of the featured difficult to use with this controller because you have to use the shift button and press a pads to access the pro features which can be confusing sometimes. I am not sold on the Hercules brand name yet because I have never seen a Hercules controller nor do I know anyone who has ever used one or bought one even though we can get them here in Canada.
See I am super torn because I absolutely love the Hercules 500 because of its updated layout compared to the dated 400 but software wise and my end goal to be playing at clubs and festivals which draws me back to the 400...so would I be able to make that transition from this to a higher end controller down the road when I'm ready like a cdj withe relative ease? Hoping to get a response from you DJ Holland! thanks for the great review
Hey Brandon. I will say that if you get any controller youd want it to match you not your end goal. A 400 would help you get use to a CDJ layout but a CDJ layout isnt a hard concept to get your head around. I'd go with whatever controller you think would be more sturdy, compatible with your style, has the most flexibility with its use.... and the one that seems the most fun to play on. I've played on the 400 and I've played on the Hercules 500. I'd say the 500 is by far more fun. It's a larger set up so it feels like an all in one system most clubs are going with currently and Djuced isnt a bad software. Also, if you start to play clubs hopefully you can talk to the owner or resident DJ and ask to come in early before the place opens so you can get use to the CDJs there. When I first start playing nice location I was using a Novation Twitch, before that I played on M-Audio Xponent before that played Vinyl with a simple behringer no effects mixer.... all of them are less similar to CDJs than any controller here. I got a good idea on how the CDJs work after an hour playing on them before the club opened. Tl:dr buy whatever looks like youd have the most fun using. CDJs aren't that complicated.
Can you guys in the comments stop being pioneer fanboys here and at least appreciate hercules' and numark's innovation in terms of setting the bars for beginners? Just because the DDJ-400 is the most mainstream one, doesn't mean it has to be a bang in every category, the platinum fx's tempo sliders are far better than the DDJ-400's, and the Inpulse 500's inputs, including Aux input, RGB squishy pads are something you rarely see on something of that price range. Those are just a few of the pros over the DDJ-400
The end graphics are false. @ 19:59 the proportions are not respected.14/25 is more than half (almost 60%) while your placed it at less than 1/5. These graphs negatively influence people's opinion! Excel document available if needed
It being sold out i feel was a blessing in disguise! While waiting for monthes for it to be restocked the inpulse 500 was released and after research i cancelled that order and got the inpulse 500. When pre ordered it comes with serato pro and will be shipped before the ddj 400 gets restocked
If we talking about sales - ddj 400 won that competition long time ago. They're all sold worldwide and still many ppl looking for them. For now on I have seen them for sale only in Poland
Im Not really sure about this, I think Denon MC4000, kick their ***** off any controller here. I just name a few features: Faders; Long-throw 100 millimeter pitch faders, Balanced XLR Outputs: Booth outputs for local monitor speakers, with independent level control, Pro-grade steel construction, 2 Balanced mic inputs with 2-band EQ. Im Just saying, maybe im wrong or maybe im just a Denon guy, who knows. Good reviews by the way, im suscribing mate.
I've been using the Hercules Impulse 300 for six months now and i have noticed some problems about the software and hardware: 1) As for the software, i use Djuced (as it is the only one available for this model, exept from VDj) and some times it lags, doesn't open properly etc. Maybe this has to do more with the laptop than with the software itself 2) The pads are rubbery but they have a clicky feel in the fingers, so you have to puss them hard down to activate (also some times they don't activate exactly when i want them) 3) The jogwheels, although the feel super solid, they dont have free spin, so if you want to spin then fast to make a transition, you cant. Last but not least (this has to do both with hardware and software i think) you cannot tight the loup using the jogwheel, so smooth tight from 1/8 to 1/16 of the loup is not available. However it is a great beginner controller. ** i told you all of that cause i think some of these "problems" might appear in the 500 model too. Have a nice day🙂
I’ve have the Hercules inpulse 300 so one down from the 500 (still don’t know why they skipped a number) And although a few issues for example the ‘pads’ are really clicky and hard to press along with some other issues The controller is great for beginners as well as not too expensive Djuced which is the software it runs on is slightly laggy and unstable on old and weak computers like mine Hope this helps some people 💙
Never thought i'd ever hear someone say Pioneer's hardware is built cheaply. seems like some sponsorship going on here with Hercules getting full points for everything,even for being the most expensive.
Price should only be based on price. Doesn't make sense when you looked at the features separately to include that in the price evaluation. All the $250 controllers should have the same score.
Read the full guide here:
wearecrossfader.co.uk/blog/best-beginner-dj-controller-under-300/
Crossfader which controller can i Buy with four channel don't over 500 dolars for beginners it's that i want do a trick with it
1:44 Build quality
4:28 Performance features
7:18 Software features
10:06 Future proof
14:18 Price
17:08 Final scores
20:57 Summary
Crossfader, pin this comment instead
Cool, thanks very useful. Adding the controllers names list for ease of search/copy pasting:
Hercules - Inpulse DJ 500
Numark - Mixtrack Platinum FX
Pioneer DJ - DDJ-400
Traktor - Kontrol S2 Mk3
Pioneer DJ - DDJ-SB3
I can't say I agree with the scoring here. I think you're being too nice to the Hercules controller, and a bit harsh on the Kontrol S2 and DDJ 400. Both of those controllers should have scored higher in the 'value for money' category, because they both come with the full version of the software. Traktor costs £90 to buy and Rekordbox costs £10 a month, so the fact that both controllers include the full pro software means they're excellent value for money. Those three Serato controllers only come with Serato Intro, which is very basic. You can't even use all 8 performance pads unless you upgrade to Serato Pro, which costs £129. You didn't count that against those controllers in the 'Value For Money' category.
Torrent the software pleb.
Yea this is obviously a promo for Hercules
In the hercules you can use djuced, the software made for that machine, and work very well
I had all these controllers. The best one is Hercules. Only downside is jog wheels are tight.
how is the sound output?
I own a DDJ-400 and I'm very happy with it. I totally love Rekordbox, it feels so PRO. And I love to see Hercules and Numark pushing the limits forward in this price range, competition it is healthy for all of DJs. I really hope Pioneer take notes of everything. I'd love to see a DDJ-600 with all these other features that Hercules and Numark has to unlock more power in the Rekordbox software. Great video folks!
Pretty cool that a Hercules controller beats all the big brand controllers in the entry level market :)
They've been making some sturdy controllers for a while. Just have to ignore the 'air' feature from some of their more gimicky efforts.
DDJ 400 is still my bae, great for my local gigs 🔥
@@OfficialDJWolve Yeah, but pioneers are boring.
Sorry to be so negative.
@@Factory051 I like my numark mixtrack pro 3 I'm getting the mixtrack platinum fx
Ordered the Inpulse 500 a few days ago! Very excited and I got it with a Serato Pro bundle!
Purchased the NI s2mk3 last month fantastic controller downloaded new tsi file so I could control different functions missing from the bigger no controllers by using shift function. Also this controller works flawlessly with VIrtual DJ so not just limited to Traktor. Win win
This Finally helped me decide between ddj 400 and Inpulse 500.. Herculese today xdj tomorrow.. Thanks guys!
Dang, you guys read my mind. I've been thinking about this very decision for the past couple days
I stopped using Traktor years ago as it was overly packed compared to Serato DJ. The S2 MK3 is the one I’d recommend any beginner to think most carefully about before buying, as NI have backed themselves into a corner with Traktor. Good luck with your choices.
Had my platinum fx a couple of months, been using virtualDJ with it and I'm more than happy with it.
Without a doubt the DDJ-400 even with its plastic construction is the best of them all, would be cool if there was a metallic version of it, it would sell like hot cakes.
the rca output is a turn off tho isn't it ?
@@bigdiddy25 I’ve been using mine for a while and I don’t see any problem with it. 🤷🏻♂️
I mean hercules looks and is better.
„without a doubt“ lmao why? because some noname noob DJ tells so? Pioneer became overrated trash.
@@ImpactSpace nerd
Was going to buy an Sb3 this week but I guess not
The lack of accurate proportioning in that final chart is frucking bothersome.
So bad
Thank god im not the only one that noticed it xD
The versatility of the tractor software more than makes up for what the buttons on the NI controller actually do out of the box. There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to programming in tractor, but I've been using an apc40 for years now and I can program any button to do anything that I want. And the same goes for this controller.
I'm happy with Traktor. It has fewer features on the controller itself, but the NI ecosystem is actually solid. And they do update the software actually. I'm still lacking the HiDPI mode for my laptop, but Traktor Pro just feels superior to Rekordbox/Serato for tech/house music.
This makes me so glad I opted for the Inpulse 500. Now I just have to learn how to use it properly. 🤦🏻♂️🙈
I have a Ddj 400 and it’s really amazing!! Love everything, if you’re thinking about buying one, I totally recommend ddj 400c It really fulls my expectations
Hey, I want to start learning and am considering buying a DDJ 400. Do you know if its works with Traktor or other softwares if I end up not liking Rekordbox ? Thanks.
@@user-fv9nc7hm4f yes, but you have to map the buttons
Hurcules is setting the bar for beginners 🙌🏾🙏🏾
I got an SB3 a few months ago because it was the only thing available at the time, and it works great! I was thinking of trading it or reselling it for a 400, but now I'm going to keep an eye on the Hercules.
Great. The best thing you can get is the one you can have at time you're buying
Dude thanks for the review! Its the best I've seen out there that actually covers what matters. Thanks again!
Glad it was helpful!
Good tips and well done for 300k subscribers 🥳🥳🥳🥳
My personal opinion, go for the Roland DJ 202. For starters, this guy is AMAZING!!!
havn't DJ'd in a few years and just decided to take a look at whats going on in the hardware world, suprised people are talking about hercules as a serious brand now they used to be practically considered toys.
Exactly my thought.
I wound up buying the Platinum FX only after considering the in wheel display and effect paddles.. but I still remember when be Numark was considered a toy too. I wish Vestax didn’t drop out, their vinyl mixers were great
@@christianjforbes Truth..Vastax was sick
Hurcules over pioneer? Gtfoh
In my opinion its between the ddj 400 and the platinum fx. Whichever of these 2 suits you!
Agreed
I’d say the Platinum fx has the edge because of the jogs, fx paddles and it has the biggest pitch control fader
For me the 400. But with the size pitch control as the numark.as it’s abit short on all the others too.then it would be %100 awesome
This video surprise me, the ability to make a very good video is amazing.
Thank you a lot for the words and precision.
great video. I ordered the DDJ 400 so I will be bouncing through your videos once I get it in lol. The Hercules is nice, but I always been a Pioneer fan from subwoofers and radio decks. Looking forward to getting to know the Controller. Thanks again for the this video.
How the Hell do you give the Pioneer DJ DDJ-400 a 3/5 in the price category when it comes with the full version of Rekordbox and a 4/5 in the software category to the controllers that come with Serato DJ Lite??? That makes absolutely no sense at all knowing that in order to upgrade to Serato DJ Pro it will cost you another $130 in addition to the money you already spent on the controller!!!
also, i dont se what the hercules has better than the ddj 400?
Yeah it feel like there is a sales tactic in this vid. The 400 I would have. But I wish it had the size of the numark pitch control
I torrent all softwares for free and give you and all others a big one.
@@kcbryan8134 and the jog wheels too but i think they are right you should go for the newer controllers and that is what i am doing too
@@thijnenninga6109 I went and got the ddj400. It was sold out in lockdown nearly everywhere!! so that means it’s still in demand.and also I’m only going to use it for 12 months before upgrading to a higher spec pioneer controller.And so I will all ready be used to the upgrade spec and software.also if it was good enough for 1000s of other people in the last lockdown then I’m sure it’s the best bet. What are you thinking of getting????
This feels like an advert for Hercules
That's because it's damm close to the Pioneer DDJ-SR2 (RRP £650) when the Hercules is less than half that.
@@ajohnstitch Meh. I just bought a S4 mk2 for £170 which has DVS support, 4 channels and an actual FX section. This isn't really a deal. Also, consider the brand new S3 is currently selling for £330 on Juno.
Happy w my Numark Mixtrack pro fx thanks to Jamie’s review here from cross fader. Ty
Numark is the best value for money. The quality is good. Feels professional. Good fx and features.
Hercules managed to add so much features in an entry level controller at a very low price.Imagine if they decide to built a high end pro controller... What they will built???A spaceship???
i think that hercules will be one of the best company on the market
If Hercules make a professional standalone unit.. then it would be the best of all for sure
Indeed
clearly the winner is impulse 500.. way the best dj controller to buy and not by seeing only this video check more on youtube.. you will be satisfied when buy one like i did and im real real happy.. thanks Hercules company for best budget+more than a budget controller ever existed!!!!
Pleasure to watch it. Really professional comparison of well-known products. Well done!
Thanks dude!
7:40 Also I like DJUICED. You didn't mention it, but it's intuitive and has all the necessary features. I'm only a newbie though so I haven't compared against Serato/Rekordbox/Tracktor yet though.
I grabbed an impulse 200 a week or so ago and I've been having so much fun I'm taking it back and swapping for a Inpulse 500 ASAP. Thanks for this video! I was torn as to whether I should go with Pioneer or not, but this solves that.
In terms of future proofing it’s worth mentioning that the numark is the only controller here that can access all 4 decks to n serato - something You tend not to get until you splash at least £200 more pounds on a controller (DDJ 800 for example)
That said I think I will still go for the Hercules. It just seems rammed with tech and easy to use effects. I would class myself as a bit more advanced as a beginner DJ, but I am a skint DJ and the Hercules seems to be a pretty powerful bit of kit for the price!
Although saying that, you don’t get the same effects control as on the numark, just the wierd filter effects... now I’m not so sure between the two!
There's no way the numark mixtrack platinum fx is better than the pioneer ddj 400
why not? this is a really solid controller
The effects paddles on the Numark allow for a much faster response... they are more intuitive just like the battle mixers that inspire them... also it's got led screens in the centre of the jogs... speaking of the jogs, they have a little less latency
Ummmm. Have you even tried it... pioneer industry standard blah blah blaaaaaa.... 🤮🤮🤮
I’d take the Hercules over the 400... I’d take all 4 of these before the DDJ 400. Pioneer sound quality is horrible
I think a lot of people will be surprised by the build quality on the 500. Not that there's anything wrong with the DDJ 400 but little things like the 1/8th inch headphone jack show it's age
I agree, the DDJ 400 is way better, with rekordbox full license and all features.
Great video! Love the comparison between all these entry level controllers. I use the DDD 400 and I'm about to upgrade to the DDJ 800 (The 1000 is too big for me) and everything you've said about the 400 is spot on. I forwarded this review to my younger brother who is now in the market for an entry level controller. Again, good stuff! Thanks man...
Glad it was helpful! Appreciate the kind words, thank you!
I bought last Month the Pioneer DDJ 400
Thanks for this vid! It is actually really fitting into my current situation. I‘m using the Traktor Kontrol S2 Mk3 for one year now and I‘m thinking about selling it and buying the DDJ-400 for the next time, because I want defintely switch to Pioneer in 1-2 years and buy the DDJ-1000. I‘m starting to build my music library from the ground up again and I thought it would make more sense to build it directly in rekordbox. Unfortunately I can‘t use rekordbox with the S2. Would you say that switching to Pioneer is a good decision?
Thank you DJ Holland and Crossfader. Very good information to keep in mind when I get my controller.
Our pleasure!
Hercules is gaining back the reputation for their sturdy controllers
Hercules LE mp3 is only 60 bucks without build in audio card but i love it as beginner controller
Good video, I think in the price category you should have included cost for full software. Most DJs will upgrade from Serato lite to Serato pro. That's $60.00 to $120.00 USD. (I got Serato on sale for $60.00).
Im from France. Its Amazing vidéo. Vert Nice work ! Thx so much
Thanks for the video!
I'm not sure I understand the scoring process. How can the Hercules model score 5/5 in the price, build quality and future proof categories? I'm questioning this for 3 reasons:
#1, it's the most expensive and still needs another 120€ to have access to all its features with Serato DJ Pro whereas with the DDJ-400, you have absolutely all the features and full rekordbox license. I know it's reflected a bit in the software category, but still.
#2 Hercules is not particularly known for having hardware that lasts long. Having a good quality feel doesn't mean it's well constructed and won't let you down during a gig. And to me that's a critical point for any DJ, beginners or not.
#3 At the moment, it's hard to compete with Pioneer when it comes to future proofness in my opinion because they own the club standard pretty much. The SB3 is not great in that regard because of its layout and it only works with Serato without taking full advantage of it, but the DDJ400 has everything: layout, rekordbox. Ok, going from the 400 to a full CDJ setup may be a stretch, but it will still feel fairly familiar. I know you said that the Hercules would take to an intermediate level, not a pro level, but I still feel the difference in ranking doesn't make sense.
Anyway, throwing my 2 cents here since you asked in the video. Great work nonetheless.
I'm sold to the DDJ400, although my favorite non-standard club equipment is the Denon Prime 4 at the moment. The DDJ400 still is amazing for the price, to have fun or as a backup unit even. I wouldn't count on Hercules for that matter, although I'm sure it's a great piece of hardware to have fun at home and throw some first gigs. It's also well designed for beginners, which is what we're talking about here. My 14-year old son started with the 400 a few months ago, and I've been amazed by how he's progressed with the tutorials, etc. Truly a very well made controller for beginners, first hand comment (almost :)).
Sorry for the long comment! And thanks again. I always love your videos.
I hear what you say but the numark platinum fx has it for me. Twice the tempo slider makes it 2wice as easy to match your tempo (something we do for almost every track).
2. Much larger jog wheels seen on controllers 4 times its price
3. Screen in the middle of each deck displaying track info. the bpm, key, track position much more convenient stopping you from looking at your laptop all the time
4. 6 hardware effect bottons with vinyl style switches.
This destroys all controllers in its price range in my opinion but I welcome yours too :)
@@meti9230 with the hercules his beatmatch guide you don't need to watch your screen and if you already can beatmatch it is always usefull
@@thijnenninga6109 by beat match guide, do you mean those leds under the decks? almost nobody needs them after 1 hour of djing. On the Hercules, the filters amount and the dry and wet are combined in one knob making it impossible to use for most djs. the numark runs the entry level market. a no brainier for me.
@@thijnenninga6109
I don't think you understand djing properly. Beat matching is completly different to what's displayed on the numark screen. If you don't know the bpm on your song and match them to each other, those beat match guides won't help you and are useless.
On the Hercules, the tempo slider is half the size making it twice as hard to change bmp ( something we do for almost every track). The numark has the full range long tempo adjusters found in expensive equipment.
Screen found mid deck also found in expensive equipment such as the pioneer ddj 800 and ddj 1000 displaying all track information stopping you from looking at your laptop every few seconds and crowed reading instead.
6 hardware filter effect bottoms with vinyl style switches found in the expensive Numark scratch mixer.
And all the things I've mentioned in my original comment above practically beating the hercules in almost every aspect mentioned above.
I was wondering what dj to buy.thank you so much guys for helping me
Our pleasure!
Traktor is the best for mapping. You can do everything with this. You can find ready to use advanced mapping for any controller or do it yourself and map all features that you want. You can do extra shortcuts, more pad modes etc. Traktor is so powerful.
That is very true but I was ranking simplicity over complications with beginners in mind. Rekordbox and Traktor alike, a few clicks of a button and you can mess up the audio routing and be stuck. Serato DJ Lite is really really simple which I thought was more important for the less technical minded! 🙌🏻
Can you not do mapping with the Inpulse 500 using either Serato or Recordbox?
Great, relevant advice. Keep up the good work guys.
Thank you! Will do!
I used Serato for a long time starting in the DVS era so I'm very familiar with it. I have to admit though Rekordbox is the superior Software (been using it the last 2 years) not even considering that the controllers here only come with the very restricted Lite Version of Serato. For that reason alone I'd go with the DDJ 400.
The Roland 202 is over here waving, saying "Where's my comparison?"... 🤔👋🏻😉
I love My Hercules Inpulse 500!
Outstanding!! Very helpful my guy!
I got a Roland 202 which is $300 maybe $320 after tax and shipping, but it was worth it since it has a free serato pro upgrade
If you spend some time, you can actually set a really good map in the s2 to control both the mixer fx and the deck fx, of course for a begginer that'd be confusing, but still, mapping can get you way more possibilities out of the s2.
Very good point, as you mentioned though I was ranking simplicity higher here for beginners!
@@Crossfader I understand that but you definitely should have taken this into account when talking about how future proof the device is. As your skills advance mapping is something that people do. This controller has so many buttons that out of the box only have one function so can be mapped to anything you want with the shift key and a second function and having used both Serato and traktor the only real advantage of Serato is the streaming, and every extra feature on Serato costs a tonne more whether it is subscription or purchase. Let's face it as you advance you shouldn't really be playing out from a streaming platform and you can't record your streaming set either!
Can you do Intermediate controllers next? ($400 to $1K)
Djj 400 For the win 100% all day everyday. Comes with full software and great price point 👍
The Mixtrack Platinum appeals to me feature wise... but I like the size of the Hercules
They are about the same width! Just different uses of that space!
@@Crossfader yes LoL...i was noticing that...horizontal vs vertical 😁 . Both like pretty decent sized in their own design.
@@Crossfader I'm a sizeable guy so any extra space is enjoyed. Current weapon of choice is a DDJ-1000.
Once you figure out traktor it becomes the most versatile and feature rich software.
How can you leave out the Pioneer Ddj 200 for $150 and full access to Rekordbox it blows the competition out of the water.
except my ddj200's cue / monitor buttons stopped working. it rendered the whole thing useless and this was after only 3 weeks of owning it
@@jackedkerouac4414 sad to hear that. any equipment can fail, warranty would have taken care of that I suppose.
@@pep9716 yeah it's cool. i'm certain it's a defect and if I exchange it problem solved. i read amazon reviews and only one complained about this and i haven't seen any other ddj200 owners on youtube mention monitoring issues
I just ordered DDJ 400
I love talking gear! haha Great video, really well made 👌👌
Debating whether to sell my DDJ 400, which I got 2 months ago, and upgrade to the Hercules... thoughts!? I don’t do any of the scratching thing lol, not my thing. I’m a EDM DJ so you already know
Why would you want to do that and what do you want to achieve with your DJing?
Good luck finding a ddj 400 right now
I already ordered it but there was nothing left and luckily I changed to the Hercules!
Sweetwater.com 😅
prettymigzu same lol
Matsuwd-Emeth Da'ath good luck with that 👍
I to see that pioneer need to bring out better equipment, as many other names are starting to push there equipment to a higher standard. Its good to have competition in the world of djing, as its better for us DJs..🎶🎶🎧🎧😎😎
it's either the hercules or the new mixtrack...400 still holds weight but it really needs a refresh
DJ CTai what does it need that it doesn’t have?
I Agree if they upgrade the 400 a little bit, It will kill every other entry level controller.
What does it need?
it could use better jogs, there's nothing special about the 400s hardware. Its selling point was always the full software
The club ready layout as well... it's a very stripped down version of the CDJ/DJM layout
Imagine if hercules removes djuced and just puts out inpulse 500 with serato pro - it would become the best controller money can buy on a budget period.
Great video, thanks for taking the time to put this together
If i knew then what i knew now.....Go for Traktor or Pioneer. Traktor is incredibly advanced and you can customise it as you like as you advance. Pioneer is an investment, purely for the fact of that if you start getting gigs and playing out, pioneer will be in the booth. The pros all use Traktor/Pioneer.
Love my 400!
Thank you for this! Great job!
I bought the Pioneer SB3 a year ago and it's a good controller a year ago but I do have to agree that it is a bit outdated. It's still worth buying if you are a beginner DJ as long as you understand you will have to upgrade sooner then later. I have Serato DJ Pro and I find some of the featured difficult to use with this controller because you have to use the shift button and press a pads to access the pro features which can be confusing sometimes. I am not sold on the Hercules brand name yet because I have never seen a Hercules controller nor do I know anyone who has ever used one or bought one even though we can get them here in Canada.
See I am super torn because I absolutely love the Hercules 500 because of its updated layout compared to the dated 400 but software wise and my end goal to be playing at clubs and festivals which draws me back to the 400...so would I be able to make that transition from this to a higher end controller down the road when I'm ready like a cdj withe relative ease? Hoping to get a response from you DJ Holland! thanks for the great review
Hey Brandon. I will say that if you get any controller youd want it to match you not your end goal. A 400 would help you get use to a CDJ layout but a CDJ layout isnt a hard concept to get your head around. I'd go with whatever controller you think would be more sturdy, compatible with your style, has the most flexibility with its use.... and the one that seems the most fun to play on. I've played on the 400 and I've played on the Hercules 500. I'd say the 500 is by far more fun. It's a larger set up so it feels like an all in one system most clubs are going with currently and Djuced isnt a bad software.
Also, if you start to play clubs hopefully you can talk to the owner or resident DJ and ask to come in early before the place opens so you can get use to the CDJs there.
When I first start playing nice location I was using a Novation Twitch, before that I played on M-Audio Xponent before that played Vinyl with a simple behringer no effects mixer.... all of them are less similar to CDJs than any controller here. I got a good idea on how the CDJs work after an hour playing on them before the club opened.
Tl:dr buy whatever looks like youd have the most fun using. CDJs aren't that complicated.
@@bloodfalconfantastic4445 mad respect for this comment
Why isn't the Roland dj 202 on this list
Can you guys in the comments stop being pioneer fanboys here and at least appreciate hercules' and numark's innovation in terms of setting the bars for beginners? Just because the DDJ-400 is the most mainstream one, doesn't mean it has to be a bang in every category, the platinum fx's tempo sliders are far better than the DDJ-400's, and the Inpulse 500's inputs, including Aux input, RGB squishy pads are something you rarely see on something of that price range. Those are just a few of the pros over the DDJ-400
Respect
The end graphics are false. @ 19:59 the proportions are not respected.14/25 is more than half (almost 60%) while your placed it at less than 1/5. These graphs negatively influence people's opinion! Excel document available if needed
Good catch 👍🏻
I like the Inpulse 500 but I also like the DDDJ-SB3 so know I don't know what to do....so thanks for that Crossfader, know the decision is harder
Sb3 is outdated and you won’t have access to all controls on Serato Pro. Their clear recommendation is the Inpulse 500
I want the ddj 400 but it's sold out:((( 😭
It's really worth it!
Wait till lockdown is completely over and there will be loads selling for cheap, compared to people making money on them now
i found one on ebay for 200
It being sold out i feel was a blessing in disguise! While waiting for monthes for it to be restocked the inpulse 500 was released and after research i cancelled that order and got the inpulse 500. When pre ordered it comes with serato pro and will be shipped before the ddj 400 gets restocked
Pre order a hercules, its worth the money more in my opinion. That's why I pre ordered mine like a month ago 😂
To be fair even though the hercules is the highest rank I would go for the numark allday
You should buy the impulse 500 or mixtrack platinum fx
But which one between the 2 of those?
@@84jordie inpulse 500
People commenting the comments section: this is his opinion, it isn't fact. Do your own research and then make a purchase.
For the most part its more down to which software do you prefer. Then choose your controller from there
Very true and something I hopefully pointed out at the end, there's no bad controllers here
@@Crossfader i personally like rekordbox so 400 for me
I see you can also use an iPad/iPhone with a Apple usb adaptor and algoriddm app on the pioneer ddj-400.
Only Numark has long pitch fader and big jogs. This is very important at beginning if you want to learn play witch no sync first.
Very good point and something that we really appreciated with the Numark
Inpulse 500 is the best all day long, can get serato dj pro for free now with pre order
Damn, that sounds good. Only from the Hercules directly?
I believe Thomman and DJKit also have the deal too
@@Crossfader Yeah I found that. DJKit has too expensive shipping to Sweden and Thomann seems ok.
Pre ordered my hercules a month ago and I just can't wait for it 😂
Just did mine around midnight😋
@@matsuwd-emethdaath4002 lucky man
@@hoaxmusic3376 yeah true ...i asked on the forum here about how-to get it....went to Sweetwater.com and did the deal😊
Nothing beats the Platinum FX. The sales prove it.
If we talking about sales - ddj 400 won that competition long time ago. They're all sold worldwide and still many ppl looking for them. For now on I have seen them for sale only in Poland
Im Not really sure about this, I think Denon MC4000, kick their ***** off any controller here. I just name a few features: Faders; Long-throw 100 millimeter pitch faders, Balanced XLR Outputs: Booth outputs for local monitor speakers, with independent level control, Pro-grade steel construction, 2 Balanced mic inputs with 2-band EQ. Im Just saying, maybe im wrong or maybe im just a Denon guy, who knows. Good reviews by the way, im suscribing mate.
Does the Hercules have the key change function?
The DDJ-400 has it, and I feel it’s important for my way of potential dj’ing.
It does
I've been using the Hercules Impulse 300 for six months now and i have noticed some problems about the software and hardware:
1) As for the software, i use Djuced (as it is the only one available for this model, exept from VDj) and some times it lags, doesn't open properly etc. Maybe this has to do more with the laptop than with the software itself
2) The pads are rubbery but they have a clicky feel in the fingers, so you have to puss them hard down to activate (also some times they don't activate exactly when i want them)
3) The jogwheels, although the feel super solid, they dont have free spin, so if you want to spin then fast to make a transition, you cant.
Last but not least (this has to do both with hardware and software i think) you cannot tight the loup using the jogwheel, so smooth tight from 1/8 to 1/16 of the loup is not available. However it is a great beginner controller.
** i told you all of that cause i think some of these "problems" might appear in the 500 model too. Have a nice day🙂
I like the size of the pitch control on the numark .i wish the pioneer dj400 was the same.As all the others are abit short in my opinion
I’ve have the Hercules inpulse 300 so one down from the 500 (still don’t know why they skipped a number)
And although a few issues for example the ‘pads’ are really clicky and hard to press along with some other issues
The controller is great for beginners as well as not too expensive
Djuced which is the software it runs on is slightly laggy and unstable on old and weak computers like mine
Hope this helps some people 💙
Inpulse 300 only runs on DJuced for $200. That fact alone means it doesn’t make the cut when talking about top beginner dj controllers
Who knows, maybe a 400 is in the plans? Haha!
Inpulse 500 all the way!!!
I'm taking the dj media player as my first all in one dj set
Never thought i'd ever hear someone say Pioneer's hardware is built cheaply. seems like some sponsorship going on here with Hercules getting full points for everything,even for being the most expensive.
Well, but Pioneer ARE built cheaply, sad fact! Plastico fantastico, oh, and you have to pay subscription crap for RB6 now, lol
@@m-stat9 not really. I have DDJ400 on RB6 and it works fine
@@N.n.i.k that's not the point
Someone else said the same thing and the answer was no
In my opinion the DDJ400 is better than the Numark, the jog wheels of the numark are something cool though.
The Sb3 shouldn't have been on there. The DJ 202 is more cost efficient if you count software
Price should only be based on price. Doesn't make sense when you looked at the features separately to include that in the price evaluation. All the $250 controllers should have the same score.