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DJ Tech Reviews

Hercules DJControl Inpulse 200 MK3

A light two-deck starter controller with stems buttons and beatmatch lights; plastic build and a fixed USB-C cable.

Hercules DJControl Inpulse 200 MK3 at an angle

Photos: Hercules / Guillemot Corporation

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2 of 3 professional reviews recommend it
Best for
Beginners learning to beatmatch by hand on Serato DJ Lite or DJUCED.
Skip it if
You own the MK2, need a mic input, or want a booth output.

The Internet’s Opinion

From 3 professional reviews and 4 owner reviews: a fair amount of evidence.

Two of three professional reviews recommend it as a first controller for its stems buttons, Beatmatch Guide lights and value, and the owners read at Thomann praise its light weight and price; Bonedo scores it 3.5/5. The repeated reservations are a modest update over the MK2, a plastic build with slightly wobbly faders, a USB-C cable fixed to the unit and bare connections with no mic input or booth output.

2 recommend1 mixed0 avoid

What people praise

  • Light and compact enough to carry in a laptop bag
  • Strong value for a two-deck controller with a sound card and two DJ programs
  • Instrumental and acapella stems buttons on each deck
Show 5 more
  • Comes with both DJUCED and Serato DJ Lite
  • Beatmatch Guide lights help beginners learn to beatmatch by hand
  • Built-in virtual sound card sends the mix to a livestream
  • Jog wheels respond well enough for mixing and basic scratching
  • Clean sound from the built-in sound card

What to know first

  • An iterative update: beyond stems buttons, USB-C and the virtual sound card, little changes from the MK2
  • Bare connections: no mic input or booth output, only RCA and a 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • Plastic build with slightly wobbly faders and knobs
Show 2 more
  • The USB-C cable is fixed to the unit, so a damaged cable means a dead controller
  • Software needs checking first: Serato support arrived in an update, and Serato and DJUCED need a CPU with AVX
See the 3 reviews behind this

3 professional reviews (2 recommend, 1 mixed, 0 avoid); 4 owner reviews read at Thomann (8 posted in seven languages, 4 under 20 words skipped); Guitar Center shows noneCompiled 2026-10-17How this is compiled

Prices

Before you buy

Released
March 2026
Status
Current

Works with

  • DJUCEDFree, included

    Hercules' own DJUCED is included, with the Beatmatch Guide and the Intelligent Music Assistant for track suggestions; DJUCED PRO and DJUCED PRO+ are paid upgrades Manufacturer spec sheet (Hercules), checked 2026-10-17

  • Serato DJ LiteFree

    Plugging the controller in unlocks Serato DJ Lite for free, with dedicated Serato Stems controls Manufacturer spec sheet (Serato), checked 2026-10-17

  • Serato DJ ProPaid licence

    Works with Serato DJ Pro, but the box includes only a Serato DJ Lite licence; Pro runs as a trial until a licence is bought Manufacturer spec sheet (Hercules (user manual)), checked 2026-10-17

  • djayPro subscription

    Algoriddim lists it among the controllers djay supports natively on Mac, Windows and iOS; the full controller list needs a djay Pro subscription Manufacturer spec sheet (Algoriddim), checked 2026-10-17

  • Streaming servicesPaid streaming tiers

    Both programs stream from TIDAL, Beatport and SoundCloud GO+; Apple Music works only in Serato Manufacturer spec sheet (Hercules), checked 2026-10-17

You’ll also need

  • A Windows PC or MacNot standalone

    It connects to the computer through its attached USB-C cable and draws power from it; on Windows, Serato DJ Lite needs Hercules' ASIO driver Manufacturer spec sheet (Hercules (user manual)), checked 2026-10-17

  • A USB-C port on the computerFixed USB-C plug

    The braided cable is attached to the controller and ends in a male USB-C connector; no adapter is listed in the box Manufacturer spec sheet (Hercules (eshop)), checked 2026-10-17

  • Powered speakersNot in the box

    The master output is two RCA connectors for active speakers; an RCA to 3.5 mm adapter for multimedia speakers is not included Manufacturer spec sheet (Hercules (user manual)), checked 2026-10-17

  • Headphones3.5 mm, TRS plug

    The headphone output is a 3.5 mm (1/8 in) stereo mini-jack on the front; headsets with a TRRS plug are not compatible Manufacturer spec sheet (Hercules (user manual)), checked 2026-10-17

Key specs

Channels
2
Decks
2
Software
DJUCED and Serato DJ Lite included; DJUCED PRO, DJUCED PRO+ and Serato DJ Pro as paid upgrades
Standalone
No (USB controller for a Windows PC or Mac)
Outputs
Master 2 x RCA (rear); headphones 3.5 mm (1/8") stereo mini-jack (front)
Performance pads
8 (4 per deck), 4 modes: Hot Cue, FX, Loop, Sampler
All 15 specifications
Jog wheels
Touch-sensitive (top and ring), with a switchable Vinyl (scratch) mode
Weight
0.9 kg (2.0 lb)
Power
USB bus-powered from the computer through the attached USB-C cable
Stems
Instrumental and Vocal (acapella) buttons on each deck
Mixer
Crossfader and 2 channel faders; per channel a 3-band EQ (gain on Shift + High), a filter and a cue button
Effects
FX pad mode on each deck plus one filter knob per channel
Audio interface
Built-in, 24-bit / 44.1 kHz on master and headphone outputs; THD+N < 0.01 % (master)
USB
Braided USB-C cable attached to the controller (not detachable)
Dimensions (W x D x H)
320 x 195 x 49 mm

15 of 15 figures sourced; hover one for its source

Our take

Rory TassellWritten from the sources on this page, not from a loan unit.

Two of three professional reviews recommend it as a first controller, for its stems buttons, Beatmatch Guide lights and value, and owners read at Thomann praise its size, weight and price. Bonedo scores it 3.5/5, marking down wobbly faders and the fixed USB-C cable, and reviewers call it a modest update on the MK2. With three reviews and four owner reviews, the record is thin. Buy it to learn on; MK2 owners gain little.

What it is

Status, October 2026: current. Hercules still lists the DJControl Inpulse 200 MK3.

What it is

The DJControl Inpulse 200 MK3 is a compact two-deck DJ controller for beginners from Hercules, the DJ brand of Guillemot Corporation. It was announced in March 2026, when Bonedo reported it open for pre-order (Bonedo). It is the third Inpulse 200, after the 2018 original and the MK2, which Hercules introduced in March 2023 as the little brother of the Inpulse 300 MK2 and the Inpulse 500 (Hercules). The MK3 adds Instrumental and Vocal stems buttons on each deck, a USB-C connection and a virtual sound card that sends the mix to a livestream while the headphones still cue (Juno Daily).

It is not standalone. A braided USB-C cable, fixed to the unit, connects it to a Windows PC or Mac and powers it. DJUCED and Serato DJ Lite are included, with DJUCED PRO, DJUCED PRO+ and Serato DJ Pro as paid upgrades, and Algoriddim lists it for djay.

Each deck has a touch-sensitive jog wheel with a Vinyl (scratch) mode, a tempo fader, four pads with Hot Cue, FX, Loop and Sampler modes, and Beatmatch Guide lights that show which way to move the tempo fader and the jog wheel. The mixer has a three-band EQ with gain on Shift and the High knob, a filter and a cue button per channel, two channel faders and a crossfader.

The built-in 24-bit, 44.1 kHz sound card feeds a master output on two RCA jacks at the back and a 3.5 mm headphone jack on the front; there is no mic input. It measures 320 x 195 x 49 mm and weighs 0.9 kg. The box holds the controller with its attached cable, DJUCED and Serato DJ Lite licences, stickers, an instruction manual and a warranty leaflet.

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