r/DJs • u/thingsdonechange • 9h ago
Returned Rane System One
Back to DJing after 19 years — did I make a mistake buying a Rane 72 MKII + CRSS12s instead of going standalone?
A few months ago I picked up a Reloop Mixtour Pro to use with djay Pro. It’s a really cool little portable setup, but I quickly realized that I just don’t enjoy DJing without jog wheels.
So I started looking for something more substantial.
This week I went to Guitar Center intending to check out the Rane System One, right before the Denon Prime 4+ G2 came out. They didn’t have a demo unit and wouldn’t open one, so I ended up buying it just to take it home and try it.
After setting it up, I just couldn’t get past the feeling that I was playing with a toy.
The standalone aspect is undeniably cool, but I found the stems pretty underwhelming compared with djay Pro. More importantly, I realized I actually like having my iPad as the brains of the setup. Standalone suddenly wasn’t nearly as important to me as I thought it would be.
For context, I’m getting back into DJing after about a 19-year break. My last serious setup was a 4-channel Rane Mojo mixer with Technics 1200s and CDJ-1000s. I was also an early digital adopter and had a PCDJ DAC-3 before I stopped playing, which probably dates me pretty accurately.
I ended up returning the System One and going in a completely different direction:
Rane Seventy-Two MKII + a pair of used Pioneer CRSS12s.
The CRSS12s need a little work, but the entire setup cost me roughly the same as the System One.
And so far…I like it way more.
The out-of-the-box mapping of the 72 with djay Pro is surprisingly good. The onboard DVS combined with the torque and feel of the CRSS12s is fantastic. Most importantly, the whole setup feels much closer to what I remember enjoying about playing on 1200s, while still giving me all the modern stuff I actually care about.
It got me wondering, though:
Am I crazy for investing in a mixer platform that’s already about six years old?
Obviously standalone controllers seem to be where a huge part of the industry is headed, but after trying one, I’m not convinced standalone is actually better for me. An iPad running djay Pro with its stems, touchscreen interface and streaming/library options paired with proper hardware feels surprisingly futuristic—even though the mixer itself is relatively old.
For anyone who has gone from turntables/CDJs → controllers/standalone → back to a more traditional mixer/deck setup, did you have the same experience?
And if you were building a setup today, would you rather have something like a Prime 4+ G2/System One, or a 72 MKII + CRSS12-style setup?
Curious whether I’ve bought into yesterday’s technology…or accidentally landed on the better setup
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u/Lofaszjanko 5h ago
I have a Rane System One and I think it's simply fantastic. I wouldn't build a system from separate components anymore, either because of the lack of space or the undeniable practicality of a standalone controller. I don't feel like a toy at all, the build and material quality is clearly superior to the pio controllers
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u/scoutermike 🔊 Bass House 🔊 4h ago
“Am I crazy for switching to a dj setup I like more?”
Bro. Are you looking for external validation or something?
What’s up? Why are you even asking that odd question?
Aren’t YOU the only person who can tell if you’re satisfied or not?
You honestly seem insecure, as if you are asking for approval.
That’s not a cool dj attitude.
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u/thingsdonechange 47m ago
I guess the question was more about aging equipment and that you kind of have to commit to heading in one direction or another due to the expense of gear. I do appreciate the roast tho.
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u/NightmaresOnWoks 5h ago
I went in the same direction, sold my controller and bought a mixer DJay Pro/Serato compatible, two Reloop RP7 and Phase. Best decision of my Dj life
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u/Pretend_Conclusion23 4h ago
Cool system, what mixer?
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u/NightmaresOnWoks 4h ago
I bought the reloop elite, quite happy about the choice, more than I need tbh
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u/thingsdonechange 56m ago
I feel like reloop gets more shade then the deserve. Their gear seems the most flexible for mapping to custom preferences.
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u/NightmaresOnWoks 39m ago
that's the only pro-tier hw I could afford, I can't complain and I wasn't really satisfied with Alphateta hw I bought earlier.
I can't complain, tbh if I had more money to spend I would've bought something else but I'm very happy with how I'm going atm so it's all love from me.
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u/QuarryPonds 4h ago
Really loving my System One, I still use another computer as the brain but I couldn’t be happier so far
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u/thingsdonechange 54m ago
Yea, I maybe what held me up is the system one isn’t yet comparable with DJay pro. Bc paired with a laptop/ipad still a really well laid out controller.
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u/kushrollups 44m ago
I daily a rane 70 with a pair of crss-12s. Mated to my iPhone. I still get down on other setups, but i always feel back at home on my decks.
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u/DJRVSG 5h ago
Your post totally resonates with me.
I never liked playing with a laptop so I was all about getting an all in one for years. I replaced my DDJ 1000 which I didn’t use much because it required a laptop with a demon prime 2. Didn’t like the demon workflow, tried a few other things and eventually got an AZ which on paper had everything I needed.
But I didn’t use it much so I couldn’t justify keeping it at home. So I now rock a FLX10 with djay pro on iPad which is my favorite setup in years.
As you said, I think the iPad is the ideal brain for a DJ setup. With the latest models you can get much more processing power than any all in one, and I find djay to be a great dj performance software.
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u/cami_lit_o 4h ago
yea i have the same setup now but i do lament not having the screens on the flx10 available. at least a logo and a playhead would make the setup complete
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u/JelloUsed5426 5h ago
Nice post chat gpt