Quick Sign In:  

Forum: Old versions

Topic: Hercules Mk2 in Asio/TCV mode, waiting for a real review - Page: 1

This part of topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information

apopsisdjPRO InfinitySenior staffMember since 2003
I'm waiting for a hercules mk2 -soundcard- review in TCV mode.
The question is:
How is it compared to our standard maya44 usb, when used with TCV.
performance? / stability ?
I've read the manual and specs look very simillar now.
Unlike the old console, this one has hardware sample rate at 44.1/48 k (asio switchable)
(like the maya) wich is very imporant.
Maya's asio drivers have been proven very stable, but i'm not sure about hercules.
It's all about Asio drivers you know...

The other question is:
Are buttons really fixed now.
Some users say yes, but i'd say, time will tell...

PS. i think Behringer made a big gift to hercules by leaving the christmas market so clear..
 

Posted Tue 29 Nov 05 @ 5:11 pm
 

Posted Tue 29 Nov 05 @ 6:01 pm
apopsisdjPRO InfinitySenior staffMember since 2003
waiting for your review -)
 

Posted Wed 30 Nov 05 @ 2:38 am
apopsisdjPRO InfinitySenior staffMember since 2003
Ok, someone with a hercules mk2, please try if Asio drivers are Asio multiclient.
This means that more than 1 Asio applications (or 2 vdj instances) can use the Asio driver at the same time.
In fact very few cards support this and maya44usb is one of the few.

So, (dj-in-Norvay or others) try this for me:

1.Set console in asio mode
2.Open and setup two Asio applications (or 2 vdj instances)
Run both programs at the same time to check if you can hear both, or only the first you opened.

I'm also waiting for a review about the buttons, are they made from the same rubber material like in v1, (as i hear they are hard plastic now and feel better) are they reliable now ?
 

Posted Thu 08 Dec 05 @ 11:49 pm
I will, as SOON as it is delivered to my shop :) they ordered it for me a week ago.. still waiting for it :)
 

Posted Fri 09 Dec 05 @ 2:48 pm
apopsisdjPRO InfinitySenior staffMember since 2003
One last question when you're ready:
Does hercules provide multi-port wdm drivers too, or only asio.
In other words, when you're in windows sound mapper (not the asio control panel)
can you see something like Out 1+2, Out 3+4 ?
 

Posted Sun 11 Dec 05 @ 3:18 am
djbambiPRO InfinityMember since 2003
Hi apopsis,

> "1.Set console in asio mode
2.Open and setup two Asio applications (or 2 vdj instances)
Run both programs at the same time to check if you can hear both, or only the first you opened."

if I start two vdj instances in ASIO mode, I can only get the first one to play audio.

I also tried to open VDJ in ASIO mode, then to open Fruity Loops (which I use in ASIO mode too), and Fruity Loops tells me "DJ Console mk2 already in use", then issues an error "Not enough ASIO output channels available. At least 2 channels are needed."

So unless I did something wrong it looks like it might not be multiclient...


> "In other words, when you're in windows sound mapper (not the asio control panel) can you see something like Out 1+2, Out 3+4 ?"

yes, in both WDM and ASIO, you can set separate levels for out (1+2) and out (3+4), as well as panning (between 1 and 2) and (between 3 and 4)
 

Posted Sun 11 Dec 05 @ 8:41 am
djbambiPRO InfinityMember since 2003
man, I just went to modify the above message to add a lengthy answer to your button question but I guess I was not quick enough: it lost all my modification :( GRRR!!!!....

I'm not going to retype everything but, about the buttons:
- touch and feel exactly like v1, no difference at all
- underside: double the amount of carbon contacts. before it was two towards the middle, now there are four of them, one in each corner (I think it's better given the shape of those buttons). In 3 months, I've had no problem.
- even if they ever get bad, now with the new DJConsle mapping possibilities in VDJ 3.2, we'll always be able to map other, less used buttons for play/pause. but let's hope we won't have to :)

hope this helps,

Nicolas
 

Posted Sun 11 Dec 05 @ 9:04 am
 

Posted Sun 11 Dec 05 @ 12:59 pm
djbambiPRO InfinityMember since 2003
Pretty responsive, but personnally I thought that the first console's buttons where pretty responsive (as in "no latency between the push and the related vdj action"), they just didn't work every once in a while and got worse and worse as time went.

This time, you can trust that when you press it it will work on the first try :)

For the sake of it, I just tried pushing play/pause 100 times, it worked 100 times, and this no matter of where I pushed on the button (whether in a corner or in the middle).

Also, with a 130 bpm track, in a one-beat duration (i.e. between two small CBG squares), I'm able to start and pause four times (start-pause-start-pause-start-pause-start-pause), not too bad :)

let's all cross fingers that it stays this way for years to come!

I bet you can't wait to receive yours eh norway ? :)
 

Posted Sun 11 Dec 05 @ 4:52 pm
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
Sounds excellent :), from what I've heard so far I think it's safe to say I'll be investing.

The play button on my console MK1 are very bad, I hardly ever used them because they aren't reliable, but now when I push them just for the sake of testing it works maybe 1 in 10 attempts, although the new console is no doubt a huge improvement, I have to express that I feel they will wear as the original did.

But I'm not going to buy mine strictly because of the inputs, I'm also after the other improvments (especially the 2inputs).
 

Posted Mon 12 Dec 05 @ 1:52 am
apopsisdjPRO InfinitySenior staffMember since 2003
Thank you for your input djbambi.
A tip for you: before you press the post button when you have write a big message, press contr+A (select all) and control+C (copy to clipboard) just in case...

Now it seems that asio drivers are not asio multiclient in mk2, but as i wrote very few drivers support this (big advantage for maya)
But as you wrote now hercules has multi channel wdm driver, wich means that you can see 2 output pairs in windows mapper, so you can for example setup winamp to use out 3+4.
Or you can use the icon with the 2 soundcards and the mixer in virtual dj and choose the individual outputs for each deck in wdm mode, can you confirm this ?
Another important question: can you use wdm, and asio at the same time ?
eg. virtualdj in wdm and FL in asio ? (this is called multiclient drivers too)
And one more thing to try, about the mic input.
In Djconsole 1, when i tried to record a mic using the mic input, (using wavelab for example)
the signal was too weak and too low, the mic preamp was really like the ones in cheap consumer soundcards. Can you test this to see if any better ?

and of course, someone has to test the mk2 soundcard in TCV enviroment.
How is the performance, any problems, skips, compared to maya.
 

Posted Mon 12 Dec 05 @ 2:56 am
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
.Damn just read the last sentance of my last thread, sounded aweful, It was meant to read more like "I'm not after the new console just because of the improved play button, but I also like the other improvements (especially the 2 inputs) - disadvantage of typing fast.., sometimes your brain lags..GRRR..

I share this interest too, before I spend ALL that money, lol.
But this is really worth knowing, The outputs of the original Hercules work great, the headphone output works great too, but I share the problem with the mic input, the signal is weak and rather quiet, overall the mic is best not used on the hercules, this is where a hardware mixer is essential to replace these problematic functions.

 

Posted Mon 12 Dec 05 @ 3:28 am
apopsisdjPRO InfinitySenior staffMember since 2003
Of course a mixer's mic input is 10000x times better for mixing the mic signal and music live.
My question was about recording, (you know field recording)
Because hercules can be powered from usb, i just need an all in one solution for my mobile needs.
Its a shame that i need maybe 2 or 3 different cards or devices to do my job right.
One for dj'ing, one with acceptable mic preamp for mobile recording one (pci) for recording/editing...
(For example a Firewire card need external power supply when used with a laptop..)
 

Posted Mon 12 Dec 05 @ 4:52 am
bagpussPRO InfinityMember since 2003
Welcome to the costly land of DJ'ing!, can you ever remember a point in time when you didn't think to yourself "I just need to buy this and then I'll be sorted"?, well I can't! :).

As for the Hercules, the soundcard side of things is ok but I'm not sure just how well made it is for that price (considering the controller which is the main attraction), what have Hercules actually said about ammendments to the original?, well not alot judgeing from there site, on the other hand they wasn't likely to issue a FULL list of improvements else it would make their previous console look a bit stupid, for example they didn't mention "play button that WORKS!".

I don't think this unit will be the perfect controller or the perfect soundcard (although I gather timecode could work great), but for studio use I'd prefer a dedicated soundcard for sure.
 

Posted Mon 12 Dec 05 @ 1:03 pm
apopsisdjPRO InfinitySenior staffMember since 2003
Any news ..?
Some questions are not answered !

1. wdm, and asio at the same time ?
2. 1+2, 3+4 outputs in wdm/dx applications, eg vdj in 2 soundcards mode, possible ?
3. mic input level (compared to djc 1) ?
4. Performance/stability with TCV ?
 

Posted Fri 16 Dec 05 @ 7:20 am
djbambiPRO InfinityMember since 2003
oops sorry, this one escaped me :)

1. no
2. no. in a multitrack progem (such as krystal audio), you can output using all 4 outputs, or 2 stereo (1+2, 3+4), even in wmd/dx. But you cannot simulate two soundcards. For example in VDJ, you won't have 1+2 and 3+4 listed as separate soundcards. Of course, you can still output deckA onto 1+2 and DeckB onto 3+4, even in wdm/dx mode!
3. don't use mic, so I don't know. but for phono-in input level, a high-voltage cartridge is best (9.5mV or above, such as the Shure M44-7)
4. I pretty much said it all in the post that Norway refers to in the previous page. It's totally fine for house/techno mixing, but I would like to hear the opinion of a heavy-duty scratcher...

cheers,

Nicolas
 

Posted Fri 16 Dec 05 @ 9:45 am
well when your scratching fast (uzi or scribble) you get a few occasional pops and digital clippings. When you scratch very slow its as if your dragging your beat and sounds really poor.

I've never attempted to do a test on Numark CDX using regular CDs since I don't know anyone around me that owns a pair.

but that's really the only problem I've really seen on TCV. They are great for mixing though (any styles) match your beats and blend both songs together just don't do any advanced scratches and you'll be fine.

Best Regards

DJ White Devil
 

Posted Sat 17 Dec 05 @ 6:41 pm
djbambiPRO InfinityMember since 2003
WhiteDVL> are those observations about TCV using the dj console mk2 or your maya card, or both?

For the "scratching fast", have you tried different ASIO buffer sizes? you want to go with the smallest buffer size possible (for the lowset latency), but not go too small either: smaller buffer size require bigger CPU resources (to handle the transfer of all those tiny buffers), and therefore might cause those few occasional pops and digital clippings you're mentionning. So maybe in your case try to up the buffer size just a bit, IMHO it's better to sacrifice latency to sound :)

For the very slow scratching unfortunately, I think there's no solution: 0s and 1s goings through the pipe very slow will never match the analog contact of the stylus on the vinyl and its resulting soundwave :(
 

Posted Sat 17 Dec 05 @ 11:06 pm
woodsyPRO InfinityMember since 2004
Good things about the Mk2, the buttons now work correctly, fast reaction. Earphone split cans and main out switch is a welcome addition. My Sure mic works on Mk2, it never did on mk1.

Bad things, Optical, midi and coaxual in/out have been ditched and...
I've been using it over the past week and it's crashed out several times, every time i've been streaming. All the drivers have been updated and I'm running SP2 with VDJ 3.2. I've tried it in asio and wma and it's crashed using both, old mk1 drivers were removed prior to install.
 

Posted Sun 18 Dec 05 @ 12:23 am
67%