Hercules DEEJAY TRIM 4&6 USB Audio Interface

• 4-channel output

• For internal mixing: play the mix on outputs 1-2 / preview on outputs 3-4
• For external mixing: assign outputs 1-2 to left deck, outputs 3-4 to right deck and mix on an external mixer

• 4-channel input (Line & Phono level)

• Line level: connect external MP3 / CD players and mix them with computer tracks
• Phono level: connect vinyl turntables and mix them with computer audio files

• Headphones output for monitoring

• Stereo ¼’’ jack output for connecting headphones, featuring a volume button
• Set the monitored channels: outputs 3-4 for preview / outputs 1-2 for the mix

• Microphone input with talk-over function

• Mono ¼’’ jack input for connecting a microphone
• Talk-over mode (mix the microphone input with background music)

• Preamplifiers on 4-channel inputs

• 2 stereo preamplifiers to adjust the volume of the 4-channel analogue inputs:
• 2 buttons and 4 view-meters to set the volume of analogue inputs
• Supports high-level sources (e.g. Pioneer CD players) and phono turntables

• USB 2 high-speed hub with power adapter

• 3-port high-speed USB hub to plug your DJ controller and external storage device.
• Power adapter included.

• 1.5 GHz or faster CPU
• 1 GB RAM or more / USB port

• MS Windows® XP / Vista / 7 (32/64-bit)

or

• Mac OS 10.4 / 10.5 / 10.6

1) My computer has a built-in sound card, why do I need a deejay sound card?

Computers generally feature stereo playback, so you can play your mix on the stereo output; however, you lack a second stereo output to preview your mix in your headphones.

2) Why is a deejay audio interface better than a standard music audio interface?

A standard audio interface, if it is not built for DJing, lacks:

• A talk-over feature: mix the microphone over the music background (i.e. to talk over the music),
• The phono input level: phono pre-amplifiers to connect turntables with a phono output level,
• A pre-amplified headphones output for headphones on channel 3-4, to preview your mix on another stereo channel than the main output (usually outputs 1-2) used to play the mix.

3) Why do the inputs feature analogue pre-amplifiers instead of a software-controlled gain?

Analogue pre-amplifiers trim or increase the input signal prior to its digitization, with two benefits:

• Gain: if the input signal is too weak, the analogue-to-digital converter doesn’t use its full resolution (in 16-bit mode, a weak signal may be coded on only 8 or 10 bits of the possible 16-bit resolution and the software gain intervenes after the conversion, i.e. too late to restore the resolution, meaning a low-level source will lack brilliance). With its analogue preamplifier, Hercules lets you optimize the input level prior to analogue-to-digital conversion and record the source at full-scale resolution, which no software-controlled gain feature can perform.

• Attenuation: if the level of an input source saturates the input, the analogue-to-digital converter on the input will crash and no software setting can restore the signal quality afterwards. Hercules analogue preamplifiers let you trim the input signal prior to its digital conversion, to get the best audio quality.

4) Why is a high-speed USB hub built in the DeeJay TRIM 4&6?

A high-speed USB hub is built in the DeeJay TRIM 4&6 for two reasons.

• Deejays needs a hub to mix with the DJ control surface: DeeJay TRIM 4&6 is built for use with a control surface; connecting both gears (USB audio interface + USB control surface) requires two USB ports, so laptops with only two USB ports would then lack USB ports to connect hard disks, USB keys or a USB mouse. By including the USB hub, Hercules completes the audio interface with a necessary element.

• The powered high-speed USB hub protects the music from power fluctuations on the USB bus: as Windows XP and Vista by default allow Windows to cut the power to the USB bus to save energy, deejays may experience changes in the audio output level caused by power fluctuations to the USB bus. Powering the high-speed USB hub’s (separately) secures the audio output level on all configurations, and avoids compatibility issues on some laptops whose USB ports have a too low voltage.

5) What makes the DeeJay TRIM 4&6 different from DJ Console Rmx integrated audio?

•  The DeeJay TRIM 4&6 is more versatile

• With two audio modes: 2-in/6-out audio mode in addition to the 4-in/4-out mode. DeeJay TRIM 4&6 features a 2-in / 6-out mode in addition to the standard 4-in / 4-out mode, for exporting computer mixes to a 6-channel analogue mixer.

• With a built-in high-speed USB hub. The USB 2.0 hub supports the connection of three additional USB devices, such as USB control surfaces (e.g. DJ Control Steel or other MIDI controllers) or external USB storage devices (hard drives, USB keys).

• With an included power supply. The external power supply protects the audio level from power fluctuations in the computer’s USB bus

• The DeeJay TRIM 4&6 is more powerful, featuring preamplifiers on the audio inputs

• The DeeJay TRIM 4&6 features preamplifiers allowing users to set gain and attenuation levels on the 4 input channels, and supports:

• High-level output sources such as Pioneer CDJ players

• Low-level output sources such as Phono level turntables with a low-level cartridge. On the DeeJay TRIM 4&6, simply use the preamplifier rotary buttons to adjust the gain level.

• The DeeJay TRIM 4&6 offers more precise audio level settings, with view-meters for each audio input

• The view-meters allow Deejays to easily and visually check the audio level of each stereo source, and instantly see if an input has been misconnected.

6) What audio codec does Hercules’ DeeJay TRIM 4&6 feature?

The DeeJay TRIM 4&6 features:

• The Wolfson WM8770 codec, a 24-bit codec (DAC: 106 dB SNR A-weighted / ADC: 102dB SNR A-weighted)
• The Wolfson WM8781 stereo ADC code (102dB SNR A-weighted)