Due to some big life circumstances, I sold all of my DJ equipment several years back which included a DDJ SZ. Within the past 6 month the idea of "portablism" sparked my interest and I have been messing with vinyl and a Numark PT01 (blessed by Jesse Dean) for the first time ever. The idea of being able to grab the PT01, a portable battery and portable speaker and go sit in the park was a huge revilation for me. Now this reloop is taking me back full circle. Being able to throw down full couple hour mixes in a park or at a summertime BBQ is so much more fun than bigger pieces of equipment that need setup and power. Ironically, I'm waiting for the postman to drop of an SB3 today but I'm about to place an order for this reloop and see how it goes. I think this summer's BBQs are going to be a lot more fun with a 13"MBP, a portable battery, a minirig 3 speaker, a minirig 3 sub and either the SB3 or this reloop. All of which will fit in a backpack and not need power for a solid 6-8 hours. I love where DJing has progressed too...
3rd type of dj audience for this controller is what i call a desktop DJ. There are plenty of times when you want to record a mix but you need to stay seated (And you have a modest sized desk). Like your first use case, i do a lot of preparation and just listening whilst seated - it's nice. Most cheaper/smaller controllers cut corners or aren't so ultra compact, this Reloop seems great!
Interesting piece of kit, thx for the review, Phil. As always, I would like to know what the sound quality out is like ie is the DAC any good? Would love to have this issue addressed in every controller review.
I feel like they never bring it up and since this is not a pro level it's probably not that good. Hence I always try to have a separate mixer on the side to work with with the USB out from the computer
Actually, I was surprised how bad it was. Even if not audiophile, cheap DACs are usually acceptable these days, but not this one. Could be the analogue path, but its really harsh and mechanical sounding and the lows are missing altogether.
Thx for this review. True it's a little expensive for beginners but I will cop this one today since I already have Serato Pro. It is perfect to me for being mobile and preparing my stuff on the train or in the bus. I had the Hercules Starlight for this need. But this one is even a little bit better for that, since it has 8 performance pads on every side like my big mixer at home and is still small enough to fit in the backpack with the laptop. Also the jog wheels are big enough to have some proper haptic feedback while mixing. The Starlight ones were a little bit too tiny for me. A small controller shouldn't have smaller jog wheels than the Reloop Ready's otherwise u have to mix more out of your wrist instead of the arm which can be unusual for people like me who come from turntables. This one here is perfect for staying flexible, so If u find a used one online I would recommend it to every advanced DJ as a side gear.
Another solid review, Phil, thanks. I've been using the -since discontinued- Reloop Terminal Mix 8 for ages now and I'm quite proud of the fact that it's one of the last controllers ever made that put the TABLES in front of the beat pads. But , I digress. I'm getting this for it's super mobility and just outright respect for Reloop and their design prowess & build quality 👏 I've been looking for a "mini me" and I'm totally chuffed Reloop came out with this. That said, if you don't currently have a controller and want everything in one, I've been eyeing the Roland m707 for ages now. It looks absolutely stellar and I'm pretty sure you can find a review for it somewhere on DDJT ✌
I wanted something small, but a lot of minis were too small, and the others just looked ugly, cramped and awkward. I think the price on this is a bit steep but I went for it because it sounds like a perfect second controller. I almost went for the Hercules 500 which I think is a much better bang for your buck, and as a sole controller a great deal … as well as the 300. But the pad size, fader placements, layout, etc … I don’t see anything else like it. And I really love using my laptop to dj, so it just works. I can sit down with it on my lap … on the laptop … next to it. I agree this kit is for a very specific person. Someone who has a bigger controller but wants something smaller to make some mixes with and find some good transitions etc I don’t always wanna stand up and use cdjs , gets exhausting
Booked to play in Paris in August and want something I can just carry on the plane in a back pack. Phil do you have any recommendations in addition to this?
I agree with you stating the controls on the side aren't ideal and if you do use a mouse surface and mouse on the right side, it would make it so you'd have to move them further apart to avoid getting caught in the cables. I'd prefer the Reloop Buddy layout without the iOS slot personally, but I haven't tried either first hand. I'm sure some people will like this controller since we all have a different preference for our gear. Reloop controllers definitely look slim and attractive. I'm sure we'll see more from them really soon.
I used to have the Reloop Buddy, but the sound quality was just awful. How good is the Ready in terms of sound? When I plug into a mixer/sound system will it sound decent in a club?
Do you have any explanation / content on how to mix only with headphones ? (Cue/Mix) I've never done so but I'd like to learn, given that life sometimes doesn't give you the opportunity to practice out loud :)
I"m thinking of getting one as a backup controller in case i'm out at a bar and for whatever reason my S9 or CDJ don't work (hasn't happened yet but just.in.case). Needs to be small and work with serato
A bit late to the party but does this unlock my serato pro dj (already have an s11) or would I have to pay a premium serato thing? That’s the decider for me so I can play on planes and trains pre set
Wait.. The Traktor Kontrol S2 that Phil suggested at 7:30 Mark come with Serato DJ PRO software in the box? I thought they only work with Traktor Pro 3.
Hands down…is the soundquality of this controller good enough to perform in a club if you plug into a decent club mixer? Or is this just for use at home or very small venues?
You all probably dont care at all but does anybody know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account..? I somehow lost the password. I love any tricks you can give me.
@Rohan Samuel thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and im trying it out now. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
What controller would you suggest for a vinyl DJ that hasn't spun in 10+ years wanting to get back into mixing (just for themselves), but doesn't have much space? I'm talking very limited space. Like, something around the size of the Reloop Ready. And I already have Serato DJ Pro.
Hi Phil I've seen on another video it fitting perfectly over the keyboard section on a 13 inch Mac laptop but does it fit perfectly over a 15 inch Mac laptop without pushing down on the keyboard? Also is there a soundcard built in?
Can you still hook it to an iPad and run djay and use the stem EQs even if you have to use the screen to change the setting it comes up as as a supported controller on the app.i picked up the Numark mixtrack pro fx and the jogs are giving me latency
Hello, I have a full size goxlr mixer, 15 button stream deck, xlr mic and couple laptops. What would be a good entry level dj controller to get started with?
Fair point Milosz, it allows you to prepare less I guess! Beatgrids and analysis need to be right if you're going to rely on sync. Also, DJ Angelo who helped design it uses the pitch faders creatively.
GREAT for a daily strip club DJ, who's carrying a MacBook, HD and a controller in a backpack, back and forth, back and forth, daily grind work... AND a small footprint, because we're handling stripper business and don't need a massive controller taking up the entire booth.
@@digitaldjtips Maybe I'm too fussy, but to me it sounds harsh and mechanical with the low end missing. Most gear manages an "acceptable" level of sound quality these days, but I don't think this does. It might be the DAC or the analogue path, but I can't listen to it for long. Fine for skipping through your new tracks or trying things out, but no more than that. I have an old inexpensive Akai AMX and it sounds loads better. I always use the Reloop with a Fifo USB DAC, so the cue monitors are gone. My main device is a DDJ-SZ which, as you know, is a monster so I love how much the Ready does in such a small form factor and if a MkII was released with better sound for an extra £100 or so, I'd be queueing to get one!
