Just purchased the Hercules DJ Console MK4 for Christmas. I am somewhat knowledged on VirtualDJ software (FREE download here), although never using it with actual DJ equipment before.
The MK4 is made of plastic parts but still has a decent feel to it. The knobs have resistance to them to allow for smooth transitions. The sliders work great and the turntables work pretty well. My one complaint about the turntables is that you can spin them hard enough that they keep spinning after you've taken your finger off of them. It isn't a ridiculous amount, but it does happen a little too much.There are 2 sets of inputs and 2 sets of outputs. Only one of the outputs has a 3.5mm jack but for beginner DJing that's all you need.
I got this mixer to start DJing and so far it has been a lot of fun to play with. The problem I have is that I don't have a very strong music collection, nor the money to pay for acapellas or instrumentals to do my own mixing (or paying off for the legal rights to use those pieces.)
I recommend this device to anyone interested in DJing and wants to get started with some beginner gear.
Hercules MK4 Static coming from Headphones / Speakers
In my second practice-DJing session I ran into the problem of overwhelming static on tracks playing out to headphones/speakers. I was thinking it was probably an issue with power- which it was. The USB settings for most laptops allows them to reduce power consumption to save energy. I had to go into the power management for each of the USB root hubs. I noticed that when I had a usb mouse connected to the USB port next to the mixer USB port, it was causing static, so I moved the mouse USB to the other side of the laptop and it fixed that issue.
If you are experiencing static from your speakers, check out Hercule's manual for laptop optimization.
