Hercules DJControl T10 Gig Pack Guide: Specs, Setup and How It Compares

Motorized platters used to mean a heavy controller or a full turntable rig. The DJControl T10 is Hercules' answer for scratch, battle, hip-hop and open-format DJs who want records under their hands but still want to carry the whole setup on their back. The Gig Pack version adds the backpack Hercules designed with UDG, so the controller, a laptop up to 17 inches and your accessories travel in one bag. Below is what you get, how the key parts work, and how the T10 compares with the other motorized controllers DJs shortlist.

What's in the T10 Gig Pack?

• Hercules DJControl T10 controller
• UDG-Hercules backpack
• Two 10-inch vinyl discs
• Two Hercules x Dr. Suzuki felt slipmats and two Dr. Suzuki slipsheets
• Power adapter with removable power cable, and a USB-C cable
• Serato Pitch 'n Time DJ coupon, instruction manual and warranty flyer

Serato DJ Pro and DJUCED PRO licenses are included. The Pitch 'n Time DJ expansion is activated from the coupon through your Serato account and is not transferable. The standard DJControl T10 has the same box contents without the backpack.

Key specs at a glance

How do the T10's motorized platters work?

Each platter is a 290 mm die-cast aluminum disc turned by a three-phase brushless DC motor through a servo-controlled belt drive. A sensor watches the rotation and a microcontroller corrects any drift, and Hercules rates the start-up torque at 0.16 N·m, reaching 33 1/3 RPM in under 0.4 seconds. You stack a slipsheet, a felt slipmat and a 10-inch vinyl disc on each platter, then play it like a turntable: backspin, hold, release, scratch. Shift plus the pitch bend buttons switches between 33 1/3 and 45 RPM.

Two things to know before you buy. The motors cannot be switched off, so stopping a platter stops the track, just as it would with a record. And Hercules advises against holding a spinning platter still for long periods, to protect the drive system.

What is the InduXfader, and why does it matter for scratching?

The InduXfader is Hercules' own crossfader. It reads the fader's position by electromagnetic induction, with a shuttle riding on two rails over a proximity sensor, so no part touches the sensor, which Hercules says means zero mechanical wear. It is approved by Innofader. From the front panel you can set the feel from light to heavy, the curve, the cut-lag and reverse, and bumpers at each end of the rail soak up hard cuts and stop rattle. Set the cut-lag to minimum for the very short cut scratch DJs want.

What can you do with Stems, Stem Slip and the pads?

Each deck has dedicated Vocal and Instrumental buttons, so you can drop the vocal out of a track or play the acapella live. Slip mode keeps the track running silently while you scratch, loop or jump to a cue, then brings you back in time, and Slip Release sets the timing (0, 1/2, 1, 2 or 4 beats). Stem Slip combines the two: hold Slip, press Vocal, and you can scratch the isolated vocal while the instrumental keeps playing untouched. Hercules describes Stem Slip as a new feature powered by Serato.

The 8 pads on each deck have 8 modes, four on the mode buttons and four more with Shift. What each mode does depends on the software:

Serato DJ Pro or DJUCED PRO?

You get both. Hercules calls Serato DJ Pro the industry benchmark for scratch, hip-hop and open-format DJs, and the included Pitch 'n Time DJ expansion adds high-quality time-stretching and pitch-shifting. It streams from Apple Music, Spotify, Beatport, SoundCloud and TIDAL with a subscription to each service. DJUCED PRO is Hercules' own program: it records your sets (streamed tracks excluded), lets you customize the controller mapping, and adds video loops to a performance. On Windows, install the Hercules driver pack before using Serato DJ Pro, because Serato runs the T10 in ASIO mode.

Is the UDG-Hercules backpack worth it?

If the T10 leaves the house, yes. The main compartment is cut for the controller (40 x 14.7 x 3.9 in inside) and holds it with two removable foam pads and two padded hook-and-loop straps. A flat sleeve behind it takes a laptop up to 17 inches, two front pockets hold spare vinyl, slipmats, headphones, a mic and cables, and a zippered back pocket stores the backpack straps when you carry it by the handle. You can wear it as a backpack with a chest strap, sling it on the removable shoulder strap, or carry it by the top or side handle. The shell is laminated 600D polyester that Hercules describes as waterproof, and the bag weighs 11.5 lb (5.2 kg).

It is a padded bag, not a flight case. Hercules says it protects the T10 on foot, by car or by bus, but not as checked luggage or with other gear stacked on top of it. If you fly to gigs, plan on a hard case for the plane.

How does the T10 compare with the T7, DDJ-REV7 and Rane ONE MKII?

These are the motorized controllers DJs most often weigh against each other. Specs are from Hercules, Pioneer DJ and Rane, and the T7's crossfader, width and weight are from our T7 listing.

The T10 carries the largest records of the four, and at 16.1 lb it is 7.5 to 8.5 lb lighter than the DDJ-REV7 and Rane ONE MKII, which is the whole point of the Gig Pack. The Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV7 ($2,159 at Hollywood DJ) adds on-jog displays and rekordbox support. The Rane ONE MKII adds XLR booth outputs and a second mic input. The Hercules DJControl Inpulse T7 ($849.99) is the budget way into motorized platters, with smaller 7-inch records and Serato DJ Lite instead of Pro.

What else do you need?

• Headphones. Closed-back and tough enough for the booth: the Sennheiser HD 25 is a long-running favorite with scratch DJs, and the Hercules HDP DJ60 is a lower-cost match. More in DJ headphones.
• Speakers. For home practice, powered monitors such as the Hercules DJMonitor 42 or Pioneer DJ VM-50. Browse studio monitors.
• Cables. The balanced XLR master outputs connect straight to a PA or powered speakers with XLR cables like the ProX XC-MIC25 (25 ft).
• A laptop stand. The T10 is 37.4 in wide, so plan where the laptop goes. A stand beside or behind the controller keeps the screen at eye level, such as the Headliner Digistand Pro.

Who should buy the T10 Gig Pack?

Buy it if you scratch, juggle or play battle-style sets and want real records under your hands without hauling turntables and a mixer, if you share decks with another DJ and want a clean handover between two laptops, or if you are moving from DVS to a controller and do not want to give up vinyl feel. Buy the T10 on its own if it will live on a table at home or travel in a hard case. If you mainly blend long mixes and never touch the platters, a conventional jog-wheel controller from our DJ controller range costs less and weighs less.

Get the Hercules DJControl T10 Gig Pack at Hollywood DJ

Order the DJControl T10 Gig Pack, the T10 by itself or the UDG-Hercules backpack online, or see the rest of our Hercules controllers and DJ packages. For current availability or help planning a setup, call 1-800-700-4542 or visit us at 934 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021.

Frequently asked questions

Is the backpack included with the Hercules DJControl T10?

Only with the Gig Pack. The DJControl T10 Gig Pack includes the UDG-Hercules backpack, and the standard DJControl T10 does not.

How big are the platters on the Hercules DJControl T10?

The T10 uses real 10-inch vinyl discs on motorized 290 mm die-cast aluminum platters, which spin at 33 1/3 or 45 RPM.

What software works with the Hercules DJControl T10?

Serato DJ Pro, with the Pitch 'n Time DJ expansion, and Hercules' DJUCED PRO. Both licenses are included.

Can two DJs use the T10 at the same time?

Yes. It has two USB-C ports for two computers, and a USB 1/2 switch on each deck chooses which computer that deck controls, so DJs can hand over mid-set.

Can I check the T10 backpack as airline luggage?

No. Hercules says the backpack is not meant for checked luggage or for having other gear stacked on it. Use a hard flight case when you fly.

How much does the Hercules DJControl T10 weigh?

The controller weighs 16.1 lb (7.3 kg). The Gig Pack backpack adds 11.5 lb (5.2 kg).

How does the Hercules T10 compare with the Rane ONE MKII?

The T10 plays 10-inch vinyl on its platters, while the Rane ONE MKII has 7.2-inch motorized platters. The T10 is also lighter, at 16.1 lb against 24.56 lb for the Rane ONE MKII, and connects with USB-C instead of USB-B.

What is Stem Slip?

Stem Slip lets you scratch one stem, such as the vocal, while the rest of the track keeps playing at normal speed. Hold Slip and press Vocal or Instrumental on the T10 to turn it on.