Reloop RP-7 DJ Turntable Review

Video Review

First Impressions / Setting up

Opening the box, I was immediately struck by how adorable the Reloop RP-7 turntables are. It’s essentially a proper DJ turntable that’s been through the shrinking machine – everything’s where you’d expect it to be, just smaller. The deep black metallic finish looks professional, and at 5.7kg it feels reassuringly solid without being cumbersome.

Setting up was straightforward, though you’ll need to supply your own cartridge and headshell as none are included. The recessed power socket and RCA connections are a thoughtful touch, and Reloop even provides right-angled cables to keep everything flush against your mixer when in “90 degree” mode. I particularly appreciated the switchable phono/line outputs – handy if your mixer lacks a phono stage.

The straight tonearm caught my attention immediately. It’s borrowed from Reloop’s RP-7000 MK2 series and features height adjustment and internal rubber damping. Interestingly, there’s no anti-skate adjustment, which apparently is unnecessary for straight tone-arms (thanks, Mojaxx, I learned something from you!).

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One quirk worth noting: the power button on top actually kills all power, not just the motor. If you’re using the line-level output, hitting that button will cut your sound completely. It’s something to remember during gigs.

In Use

This is where things get interesting. I tested the RP-7s in three different configurations, and they exceeded my expectations in almost every scenario. First up was pure analogue DJing with 7-inch singles through a small rotary mixer, which is honestly what I was using these for in my head when I first heard about them.

The start-up time is properly quick at under a second, and the platter holds its speed well enough for beatmatching 45s. I did notice the aluminium platters are undamped and ring when tapped, lacking the rubber lining of more expensive turntables, but it never caused problems in practice.

The pitch fader deserves special mention. It’s full-sized despite the compact deck, with a lovely smooth action – note no centre click. You get three ranges: ±8%, ±16%, and a massive ±35% for those ultra-pitch experiments. The reset button brings you back to zero instantly, which I found myself using more than expected when mixing between wildly different genres of 45s.

The strobe dots work perfectly for visual beatmatching, and the removable target light stays put while being adjustable for any set-up. Even the slipmat and plastic sheet underneath feel like proper professional items, not afterthoughts – I’ve not bothered to think about changing them yet.

DVS and isolation testing

I then tested them for DVS use with Serato control vinyl (yes, they make 7-inch versions now). Paired with a Numark Scratch mixer, this created possibly the most compact professional DVS set-up I’ve ever used. The tracking was spot-on, scratching felt natural, and I genuinely forgot I was using tiny turntables. We even tried them with Phase wireless control, which worked flawlessly.

Now for the crucial bit: isolation performance. Mojaxx (again, thanks fella!) did some proper testing, placing turntables on a subwoofer to test feedback resistance. The RP-7 performed better than the modern Technics MK7 (no surprise there – they’re atrocious in this respect), but not quite as well as the legendary MK2. In my own tests at home with loud monitors, they held up admirably. The standard feet are decent, but brilliantly, they use standard 6mm threads, so you can upgrade if needed.

With the tonearm, you should probably angle your cartridges inward for better audio fidelity on such a small turntable. If you don’t, they look a bit strange (assuming you’re using the classic headshell / cartridge / needle set-up, as I was, borrowed straight from my 1210s). I have to admit I didn’t, and they sounded fine to me as-is.

A pair of these weighs about the same as a single Technics, making them genuinely practical for DJs on the move. I’ve been gigging with makeshift portable 7-inch turntables for a while now, putting myself through substandard set-ups just to play the format I love. These finally give us a proper professional option.

Conclusion

The Reloop RP-7 succeeds in filling a gap I didn’t even realise needed filling this badly. For DJs who live and breathe 45rpm culture – whether that’s Northern Soul, reggae 45s, or just collectors who want to actually play their singles on a turntable made for them – these turntables offer the first genuine professional solution. At £499 each, they’re reasonably priced, especially considering the engineering involved and the build quality delivered – more than fair for such a specialised product.

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Who should avoid these? Anyone who needs to play 12-inch or 10-inch records, obviously. If you’re just starting out in DJing and you know you want turntables, grab a pair of regular turntables instead. But if you’re already established and want something special for 45s, or need the most compact possible “real turntables” DVS set-up, these are genuinely brilliant.

As someone who’s been struggling with inferior 7-inch set-ups at proper gigs, I can’t wait to get these out there for a proper road test. The RP-7 is a love letter to 45rpm culture that actually delivers professional performance in an impossibly cute package.