The filter knobs are just that – filters – unless one of the little FX buttons is pressed. When that is the case, FX1, FX2 and FX3 turn on Serato DJ Lite’s three effects consecutively and the Filter knob controls the effect – you have to select the effect you want with the mouse pointer on the screen, though. There’s a dedicated VU meter and outputs are delivered through line-level RCA connections. You’ll also get a pair of TS unbalanced outputs for audio interfaces, guitars, and more.

Push to toggle focus between the Folders and Songs Lists. When focus is on the Folders List, push and hold dial down (for about 1 second) to open/close sub-folders. The Hercules DJControl Inpulse 500 really took our breath away with its ability to deliver both excellent beginner experiences and plenty of versatility. The only criticism about the controls I have is the fact that the VU meters and pads are not very bright. They’ll be fine most of the time indoors or in dark parties, but playing outdoors or in very bright rooms, you’re going to struggle to see them. With the pads, some colours are fine, but some are definitely hard to see under those circumstances. Probably it’s because the unit has to take all its power from the computer. The filter controls are large and easy to use, with a High/low pass filter running as standard until you choose your effect. This beginner controller has its own dedicated TRS microphone input, as well as a TRRS 3.5mm aux input and stereo input.If STEMS doesn’t work well with your computer, you can deactivate the function into DJUCED Settings. RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATIONS Press + Turn the encoder to change the Energy level of the Assistant suggestion, and use the Color ring to choose between 6 Levels of energy (Blue = Low Energy, Red = High Energy).

The addition of RGB lighting on the pads might seem like anything new, but it’s still a nice touch. Some reviewers might complain that the lighting is quite dim, but we didn’t think it was too bad. We were extremely impressed by the versatility here, especially when you consider how limited many beginner controllers are when it comes to offering input access. The mixers all have physical ports which line up with a clear text to help you find your footing as a beginner. Before connecting the Hercules DJ Control Inpulse 500, ensure you have the latest version of Serato installed on your computer, available here .Serato users will need to pay for Serato DJ Pro before they can tap into full mixing functionalities, which is a bit of a headache. However, if you’re a fan of Serato, it’s nice to have the option there. It feels nice and refined to us. The way the buttons light up on the corners when pressed, in a rather understated but clear white colour is lovely, and despite the glowing light under the unit when the feet are up, the lit ring around the library knob (more on this later), and the Beat align lights – all of this is subtle. Finally, the crossfader features hardware controls to change its behaviour, another example of a premium feature on this entry-level controller. The crossfader has a very tight cut distance and feels smooth, great for aspiring scratch DJ’s.