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First Look: Reloop ELITE & RP8000mk2

Reloop had a good presence at NAMM, and they made sure to have plenty of great examples of exhibitionist DJing to demonstrate that their gear is up to the task.

First, let's talk about the Reloop ELITE – a high-performance DVS mixer for Serato, which Reloop has made a point of developing alongside international turntable artists.

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At an advertised price of $1,299, it provides a slightly better price point than the comparable Pioneer S9. In my experience, Reloop gear is well built, so I have no doubt that the same goes for the Elite. I watched the display units take a beating all weekend.

The Elite features 16 large, velocity sensitive RGB performance pads, allowing you to control up to 12 performance modes per deck.

It also includes a dual 24-bit USB interface, and the faders are high-quality non-contact Innofader Pros.

The mixer also features 2 high-contrast OLED displays showing real-time information of effects, BPM, beat divisions and setup menu. Around back are smart Link USB ports, with Auto RP-8000 MK2 deck recognition. Though, the ports can also be used as an active USB hub for other external devices.

And that brings us to the RP8000mk2.

There were a number of turntables on display at NAMM (notably, the latest version of the classic Technics 1200s)… but Reloop's piece seems notably more forward thinking.

This turntable is designed for a seamless integration with Serato DJ Pro, offering the possibility of controlling up to 7 different performance modes via its own onboards pads.

Using Platter Play mode, the pads can be used to control the platter's rotation speed to create melodies and authentic musical performances.

It has a statically-balanced S-shaped tone arm, and an improved tone arm base over the previous model.. and features adjustable torque and brake right on the top.

Using a combination of metal, rubber, and synthetic materials… the mark two is steady and reinforced. This helps it be resistant to vibrations and shock… and the surface is coated with a deep black metallic finish that is scratch-resistant.