Reloop has announced the RHP-10 Mono Neon, a bright new colour for its single-ear DJ headphone that harks back to the disco era of DJing.
The RHP-10 Mono follows the classic “lollipop” design – a single ear cup attached to a handle that DJs can hold to their ear or cradle between shoulder and chin for quick cueing. The new Neon edition joins the existing black version, giving DJs who fancy this retro monitoring style a bolder visual option.
Like the original, it features a 50mm neodymium driver, ergonomic padded handle, and water-resistant vegan leather ear pad. The swivel-mounted cup design means you can position it however works best for your mixing style. Connection comes via XLR with a locking mechanism (a professional touch), paired with a coiled 6.3mm jack cable that stretches from 1.3 to 2.8 metres.
A brief history of the DJ lollipop
The mono headphone with handle – or “lollipop” as it’s affectionately known – has been part of DJ culture since DJing properly began in the late 1970s. Before purpose-built DJ headphones existed, resourceful DJs in New York discos would convert telephone handsets into monitoring devices. Why? They were incredibly tough and naturally mixed stereo into mono. These DIY tools became so common that Sennheiser created the HD 412 – the first commercial lollipop that became standard kit for legends like Louie Vega, Larry Levan at Paradise Garage, and David Morales, who’s been using one since 1977.
The design lets DJs quickly cue tracks by cradling the cup between shoulder and chin while keeping one ear on the dancefloor. Some DJs made it their signature look – Mark Moore from S-Xpress still DJs with red telephone-headphones, while Terence Parker earned the nickname “Telephone Man” for using an actual converted handset. Though mostly replaced by regular headphones, lollipops maintain a cult following among house and disco DJs who reckon the single-ear design keeps you connected to the room rather than locked away in your cans.
First Thoughts
While regular headphones dominate modern DJ booths, there’s something to be said for the lollipop approach – it naturally keeps you connected to the room sound rather than isolating yourself in your cans. The XLR connection is a nice touch for reliability, though at 246g it’s actually heavier than many regular headphones.
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The Reloop RHP-10 Mono Neon is available now for €70 / $80 / £60 – reasonably priced for DJs curious about this old-school monitoring style, whether for practical reasons or just to stand out from the sea of identical-looking set-ups. For more information, head over to the Reloop website.
Phil Morse
