After extensive research and careful consideration, I’ve decided to go with the Rane One for my portable DJ setup.
The Rane One has always been on my radar, but the release of the Pioneer Rev 7 a few months ago definitely complicated my decision. Like many DJs who are used to a screen on their mixer (like my Rane 72) and prefer a battle-style layout, the Rev 7 was a tempting option.
I know I’m not the only one facing this dilemma, so I wanted to share my reasoning in choosing the Rane One. Hopefully, this will help you if you’re also trying to decide between these two controllers.
Build Quality: Rane One Takes the Crown
The primary factor influencing my decision was build quality. The moment you lay eyes on the Rane One, its high-end construction is undeniable. It’s crafted with all-metal components, making it incredibly sturdy and solid. Dropping this thing would be a bad day for your floor, let me tell you.
The knobs, FX paddles, performance pads, and pitch fader on the Rane One are all top-tier quality. And the platters? I’ll get to those shortly.
The Pioneer Rev 7 was honestly a bit of a letdown in this department. I was genuinely surprised by the difference in build quality. The Rev 7 is predominantly plastic, and it both looks and feels like plastic. While many reviews praised its build, and it is decent, compared to the Rane One, it’s in a different league. For a controller priced at £1,850 (a hefty £600 more than the Rane One), I expected significantly more in terms of build quality.
The knobs on the Rev 7 feel rubbery and not particularly robust. The trim knobs are noticeably thin. The FX paddles have a plasticky feel, and the click sound when engaged lacks the premium, softer feel of the Rane One’s paddles.
Platters: Real Vinyl Feel of the Rane One Wins
As a DJ who cut their teeth on Technics 1210 turntables, jog wheels and CDJs have never quite felt right to me. I’m accustomed to the feel of real vinyl.
The Rane One felt instantly familiar. It features actual platters with a spindle and vinyl-like surface. They are quite slick, ideal for scratching. While there’s a slight initial friction that took about 15 minutes for me to adjust to for my juggle routines, overall, the playability is fantastic.
I was genuinely excited to try the Pioneer Rev 7’s “vinylized jog wheels,” especially with the innovative screen embedded within them. Reviewers had raved about their feel, and the lack of a spindle promised more “vinyl” space for hand placement.
However, in practice, I didn’t have the same overwhelmingly positive experience. They do feel good, don’t get me wrong, but the plastic construction translated to a plasticky feel under my fingers. It felt a bit like scratching on a high-end toy. A cool concept, but for my personal preference, the real platter approach of the Rane One is superior.
If Pioneer had opted for Rane One-style platters on the Rev 7, my decision might have been much harder, considering Pioneer’s strong reputation in turntables.
The control discs on the Rane One are significantly better. They feel more authentic, and the integrated cue line adds a professional touch. Pioneer using a sticker on top of the Rev 7‘s platters on a £1,850 piece of equipment? It feels like an afterthought.
I’ve heard concerns that the acrylic Rane uses can become slippery with sweaty hands. I’ll need to test this in real-world gigs, but if it becomes an issue, I can easily replace them with actual 7-inch vinyl records – another advantage over the Rev 7‘s fixed platters.
Crossfader: Rev 7 Takes the Lead, But…
No question, the Pioneer Rev 7 wins outright in the crossfader department. The Magvel fader (the same as in the Pioneer DJ S9 mixer) is exceptional, and the on-unit customization is incredibly convenient.
The Mag Four fader on the Rane One is a premium fader, but it feels somewhat underwhelming. I’ve found it to be great at a specific angle but can become sticky if tilted even slightly. The store demo unit I tested likely needed some lubrication, which didn’t help.
But isn’t the crossfader crucial? Absolutely, it is. However, the Rane One’s fader is replaceable. I plan to swap it out for an Innofader (similar to what I did with my Rane 72). This will also create consistency across my setups. And, thankfully, the Rane One provides easy access to the fader for replacement. Accessing the Rev 7‘s fader for maintenance looks like an archaeological dig!
But I have to admit, the Rev 7 fader is next level.
The upfaders on the Rane One are also subpar, and unfortunately, non-replaceable. If you’re heavily into upfader cuts, you’ll likely dislike the Rane One. However, as I primarily use upfaders for simpler juggle/scratch techniques, this wasn’t a deal-breaker. I can still perform these tricks, just not with the same enjoyment as I would prefer.
Vibes and Flow: Rane One Sparks Creativity
This might be subjective, but it was a significant factor for me. I instantly connected with the Rane One and quickly got into a creative flow. I was having so much fun and didn’t want my practice session to end.
With the Pioneer Rev 7, while my cuts were technically tighter (thanks to that superior fader), I just wasn’t feeling the same creative spark. It felt a bit like a highly skilled musician flawlessly playing someone else’s music – technically brilliant but lacking soul.
What About the Screen?
I rely heavily on the screen on my Rane 72. I use it for various purposes: monitoring mixes in poor sound conditions, visually confirming beatmatching, locating mix-in points for the next track, ensuring accurate rewinds, and occasionally correcting chase patterns if my timing is slightly off.
I was initially concerned that the Rane One’s lack of a screen would be a major drawback.
It’s definitely a shame the Rane One doesn’t have a screen. However, I wasn’t impressed with the Pioneer Rev 7‘s screen implementation. I didn’t find it particularly helpful for beat alignment. The waveform display, with one waveform being significantly smaller than the other, made visual beatmatching less intuitive than I anticipated. Also, the cue line on the screen can be distracting and obstruct the waveforms. Although, you can disable the cue line.
Furthermore, its deck-mounted position prevents using the Rev 7‘s screen for on-the-fly chase pattern adjustments (yes, I know, I should practice more!). I would have preferred a single screen in the mixer’s center, mirroring traditional turntable setups.
Fancy Functions: Silent Cue, Instant Scratch – Do You Need Them?
Let’s consider features like Silent Cue, battle-style pitch control placement, and Instant Scratch on the Pioneer Rev 7.
Silent Cue isn’t a feature I particularly miss. The Rane One lacks it, but you can achieve a similar effect by holding the cue point on a performance pad and then pressing the start button to keep the track playing. It’s slightly more involved, but not a significant issue.
The pitch control location has never bothered me. Despite using battle setups for years, I actually prefer the side placement on the Rane One. If my routines heavily relied on pitch control adjustments, I might feel differently, but they don’t.
Instant Scratch is an interesting feature. I’m of two minds about it. On one hand, it’s incredibly convenient for quick practice sessions without powering up your entire setup. (Although, for quick practice, I can also use Algoriddim Djay Pro AI and connect my phone to the mixer – adding just 5 seconds but providing full flexibility with scratch samples and beats).
On the other hand, it feels somewhat gimmicky and more suited to an entry-level product. I would have actually preferred a slightly smaller unit without this feature.
However, repurposing those Instant Scratch buttons for sampler and scratch bank access is genuinely useful. It means you don’t have to switch your main performance pads for these functions. That’s a cool perk, but is it essential? For me, not really.
Final Verdict: Rane One for the Win
The Pioneer Rev 7 is undoubtedly a fantastic piece of DJ gear with a wealth of creative possibilities and an exceptional crossfader. However, I didn’t feel that I would significantly benefit from its innovative features, and ultimately, it lacks the premium look and feel of the Rane One.
For me, the Rane One is the clear winner. I’ve nicknamed it “Neo,” and I’m excited to put it through its paces at my upcoming gigs.
Recommended Modifications and Settings for Rane One
- Lubricate the Crossfader: Apply a small amount of fader lubricant to both rails upon unboxing. Sometimes they can feel sticky initially due to being boxed up.
- Adjust Fader Tension: Fine-tune the fader tension to your preference using the adjustment screw on the fader.
- Optimize Crossfader Cut-in: In Serato settings, under ‘Mixer,’ set the crossfader cut-in to the lowest possible setting. This might be a bit finicky, aiming for just barely visible on the dial. This will achieve a beautifully sharp cut-in.
- Upgrade Slipmats: Replace the stock slipmats with 7-inch versions of your preferred slipmats. I use Dr. Suzuki scratch slipmats, and this upgrade significantly enhanced the platter feel for me.
Enjoy your Rane One!
