Hercules DJ Console RMX Review

Table of Contents:

• Inside the Box
• Characteristics
• Quality of Finition
• Installation 
• Overview

Inside the Box:

• DJ Console RMX
• USB Cable
• Installation CD
• Virtual DJ 5 DJC
•  Drivers
• Travel bag
• Guide

Characteristics:

• Price (approximately): 200€
• Built-in audio card
• USB electricity supply
• 2 Mic inputs for talk-over
• 2 Headphone outputs
• 4 stereo outputs
  • 4 x ¼" jack mono out (+4dBu) for pro gear
  • 4 RCA mono out (-10dBv) for standard gear
• 2 stereo inputs
• Aluminum plate on top
• Metal sheet on bottom
• Dimensions: 35x25cm / 13.8"x10.7"
• Weight: 3 Kg

Quality of Finition:

Body:

With its aluminium casing, the RMX has the great quality of being a very solid, console. Every part fits together perfectly with no looseness, and all the corners of the machine are smoothened properly in order to avoid any cuts. 

With its 3Kg weight,  the console is very stable and the music will probably not jump if someone bumps into the table. Finally the rubber feet are very good as they prevent any unwanted movements of the console.

Jog-Wheels:

The jog-wheels, although a bit small, are quite well made, and will mostly be used to scrool through your playlists or through a song. It is possible to use them for scratching, but they are not touch sensitive, meaning laying a single finger on them will not pause the song (unlike on some consoles with "vinyl-touch"). It is possible to strengthen or reduce the resistance of the jog-wheels by turning a screw under the console.

Faders:

The faders seem a little bit fragile and show a bit of looseness, but they seem to last their time. The crossfader is very loose, making it very comfortable to use. The volume faders have a bit more resistance making them more controlable, and so are the pitch faders with an additional middle point notch.

Equalizers, Balance and Gain:

These potentiometers seem less fragile that the faders, have enough resistance and are precise enough.

Buttons:

At first the buttons,  made in very durable plastic, seem too resistant when you press on them. However over the time you will realise that this eliminates the risk of pausing or messing up your song by mistake.

Installation:

Here is the equipment I use with my RMX:

• Computer: Samsung Laptop (4Gb RAM, 1,65GHz CPU)
• Software: Traktor 2 Pro Edition
• Headphones: Sennheiser HD-25 + a 6,35mm to 3,5mm jack adaptator
• Speakers: Logitech Z4 (3,5mm jack input)
• Cable: Belkin RCA to 3,5mm jack

Now I decided to start using Traktor 2 Pro instead of the offered Virtual DJ for many reasons. First of all, Traktor offers much more functions, effects, and I thought was more powerful. Secondly it is more professional, and will accompany your progress, whereas VDJ will probably slow it down. 

On the other hand, Virtual DJ is very easy to use with the RMX as it will recognise your console almost instantly as the mapping is already set up (and it's free!). To use Traktor you will need to go on the Hercules website (http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=17&fid=62&pid=215&cid=5) to acquire the mapping files (it is very well explained and easy to set up).

So basically, if you want to use Virtual DJ, you just have to install everything on the CD provided, plug-in your console by USB, plug your headphones and speakers to the console, and you are ready to play.

However, if you want to use another software, you'll have to find the right mapping for the RMX and set it up by hand.

Overview:

Hercules created a durable and affordable console which meets most of my expectations as a beginner DJ. I was able to compare it with the Reloop Mixage IE, and they both have their advantages and drawbacks. The RMX is sturdier, while the IE has better buttons and faders. The RMX is also one of the few consoles which is sold with a case, but it is bigger than the IE.
Here is an overview:

Adavantages: 

• Strong metal body
• Heavy and stable
• USB Powered
• Built-In soundcard
• Very good carrying case

Drawbacks:

• Fragile faders
• Not for scratching (small jog-wheels)
• Traktor mapping not very good (can be configured)

Rating: 7/10 (semi-professional console)