Hercules DJControl Inpulse 300From real comments

Verdict distilled from 25 mentions across 10 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment58%
PROS 58%
CONS 42%

Rank based on 25 mentions across 10 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

  • You're a beginner wanting an affordable entry point into DJing
  • You want eight-mode performance pads for mashups and effects
  • You need flexibility across VirtualDJ, djay or Serato and even tablets

What users love

Skip this if...

  • You need to backspin easily with loose, pro-style jog wheels
  • You require a proper headphone mix without external speakers (MK2)
  • You plan to move to professional club gear soon and want easy migration

What users complain about

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Based on user comments

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Natural, amp-like tone
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High-quality warm pitch shifting
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Origin Effects Deluxe61
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Excellent low-to-mid gain drive
Underrated favorite among owners
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Limited gain-staging flexibility
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Cultural and historical influence
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Moog Subsequent 37
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Strong DAW/VST editor integration
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Needs effects/partner gear to shine
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Wampler Tumnus V2
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You are here
31Budget
Hercules DJControl Inpulse 300
Broad software and device compatibilityAffordable entry pointGood for learning beatmixingNo headphone mix on MK2Locked into included software long-termCheap-feeling pitch faders
Hercules DJControl Inpulse 300
Broad software and device compatibility
Affordable entry point
Good for learning beatmixing
No headphone mix on MK2
Locked into included software long-term
Cheap-feeling pitch faders

Who wins on what

Ranked by what users actually praise

Overall Impression

Beginners repeatedly call it a great low-cost way to start DJing. Several commenters describe choosing the Inpulse 300 over cheaper or pricier alternatives like the Impulse 200 or DDJ-200 because of its extra features for the money. Users mention learning beatmixing within a month and recommend it to beginner DJs, though a few worry that budget controllers eventually get outgrown once players want more professional equipment and lose their software's cue points and playlists in the switch.

The eight-mode performance pads and broad software support stand out as strengths. Owners highlight the eight-mode pads per deck as excellent for mashups, loops and instant effects at this price. The unit also works across VirtualDJ, djay by Algoriddim and Serato, and some users successfully connect it to iPads or Android tablets, giving flexibility beyond a single laptop setup, which reviewers and commenters both appreciate for practicing at home.

Hardware compromises and setup issues frustrate some buyers. The MK2's lack of a headphone mix draws strong complaints from users used to cueing tracks privately before playing them out loud. Others report jog wheels too tight to backspin, pitch faders that look and feel inferior, RCA-only outputs with no XLR, and in one case persistent no-sound issues out of the box that led to a return after days of troubleshooting.

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