New Reloop Mixage DJ Controllers: Pro Build Quality On A Budget

As exclusively revealed on Digital DJ Tips last year, Reloop has two new controllers to add to its range, the Mixage Interface Edition and the Mixage Controller Edition. These basic controllers fit in at the bottom of Reloop’s range, and so are pitched against similar controllers such as the Vestax Typhoon and Numark Mixtrack / Numark Mixtrack Pro.

However, Reloop hopes that the Mixage controllers will find their own ground in this crowded niche, due to the inclusion of some features usually seen on more expensive controllers.

First impressions/setting up

We were able to try the units at the Musikmesse show a few weeks ago and can report that the build quality is a step above practically all controllers at the budget end of the market. In that way, they’re more akin to the Digital Jockey 2 and forthcoming Digital Jockey 3 controllers at the mid and top of Reloop’s range, with sturdy metal panels and an aluminium cover plate. Beyond build quality, some other surprising additions at this level include four big transport buttons that are switchable to cue trigger pads underneath each jogwheel; a dedicated filter knob; twin LED VU meters; individual channel gains and the ability to adjust the overall LED brightness of the unit. Some far more expensive controllers don’t feature these things.

Of course, in other ways things are as you’d expect at this price point; they are supplied with Traktor LE and only meant for two-deck control (although two units can be configured to control Traktor Pro’s four decks simultaneously for impromptu DJ battles!); and there are only a relatively small number of Midi controls available (54 in total), although a lockable shift and the ability to map it to any Midi controller give you as much flexibility as possible over those 54.

The built-in sound card with the Interface Edition is 16-bit/48kHz (the controller edition does not have a sound card), which will be fine for the target audience but would raise the eyebrows of some audiophiles; inputs and outputs are basic (although there is a mic-in with a volume on the Interface Edition).

But with decent, touch-sensitive, multi-function jogs, good build quality and a form factor that makes them easy to transport, these little controllers could well carve themselves a niche in the crowded budget DJ controller market, especially among those who find the aforementioned Numark controllers appealing but don’t like the plastic construction of those units.

Price is important at this end of the market, and our first thought is that Reloop will need to pitch the Interface Edition (the one everyone will want) close to the price of the Mixtrack Pro to have a chance of success with this. The company has promised us a review sample so expect our full review as soon as we have the unit on our test bench.