First Details Of Rane DJ’s Twelve Controller + Seventy-Two Mixer

We’ve watched carefully over the last two weeks as the hype has built for Rane DJ’s return. Today, they’re officially announcing two products. Twelve is a turntable-sized, motorized MIDI controller, while the Seventy-Two is a battle mixer with a clear goal: winning the throne back from the DJM-S9. Keep reading for all the first details.  

What happens when you take a decades-old DJ hardware company and sell it to  InMusic? We’ve seen already their angle of attack with Denon DJ, and the Rane approach seems similar: put out products that are highly competitive to the market leader and strive to offer something unique at the same time.

Today’s two new Rane DJ product announcements tick off these two boxes:

Twelve: A Turntable-Sized, Motorized MIDI Controller

Rane DJ is coming out swinging with a product unlike any they’ve made before: a MIDI controller that’s emulating a complete turntable tactile experience. Motorized controllers and vinyl-emulation we’ve seen before (famously in the fundamentally flawed Technics SL-DZ1200) – but this is a new level of design.

Click to zoom

You can’t play any media on this deck standalone – it’s a MIDI controller in every sense. Instead of a tonearm, there’s a strip search control. It’s the exact size of a DJ turntable with a 12″ vinyl platter – and has a single USB out for connecting to a computer (or the back of the Seventy Two). Here’s the rest of the features from the Rane press release:

  • Full 12” Vinyl with motorized platter to control playback
  • Traditional, familiar turntable layout, no need to learn something new
  • Strip Search with 8 hot cue triggers access
  • 5.0 kfcm High torque motor with Hi/Low torque adjust for more traditional setups
  • 4 decks of control so you can use one, two or more (switchable on the top right of the unit)
  • Extreme precision—3600 ticks of platter resolution for seamless performance
  • MIDI interface via USB that can be connected to the SEVENTY-TWO or your computer

  • 33 1/3 and 45 rpm platter speeds
  • 8/16/50% pitch with precise dual resolution detented slider
  • Top Panel rotary and traditional Motor Off switch, allows traditional wind down effects

The press release also notes that the Twelve is Serato DJ OSA READY (means that it will be pre-mapped in a new update to Serato DJ. There’s no support for Traktor at launch – and InMusic indicated to us that it would be up to NI to make that happen if they wanted it.

Seventy-Two: Battle Mixer, S9 Challenger

We’ve already written quite a bit about the Seventy-Two when it was first introduced last weekend as a surprise prize for the DMC US Finals.

Suffice to say the official reveal continues to impress. There’s a classic Rane focus on build-quality (something that they’ll likely tout over Pioneer DJ’s DJM-S9, which is comparatively very plastic). Rane DJ apparently already had this design in their labs when InMusic took over – and it shows.

There’s new fader technology in here – much of which is adjustable form inside of the touchscreen thanks to new magnets in the faders themselves.

The screen on the mixer feels like an InMusic addition – and it has the potential to be amazing. We’ll see how the final experience feels when the mixer is released. It does feel like it ensures that only Serato DJs will be using this unit – it seems unlikely that any other companies will develop official waveform displays (but of course basic MIDI mappings might appear).

Click to Zoom

There’s also XY pad effects on the mixer’s screen – which can control the built-in mixer effects or the Serato DJ effects. We can already hear fans of Kaoss Pads starting to get excited. Add to that the FX units can all work in a chain – unlike the DJM-S9, which allows control over internal mixer FX or Serato FX units one at a time.

  • Solid steel construction—built like a tank for non-stop, heavy-duty use
  • (3) NEW MAG THREE tension adjustable faders for crossfader and channel faders with reverse, contour controls, and cut-in adjustment
  • 4.3” Touchscreen for moving wave display, FX control, song selection and user customizations
  • Dual Flex FX engines, one for each channel
  • Chain-integrated Serato DJ Effect control plus one internal Flex Effect per channel
  • Dual USB connections for DJ handoffs

  • 16 Akai MPC-style performance pads w/RGB backlight, adjustable threshold and aftertouch, with independent mode controls per deck.
  • Two microphone inputs – combo Neutrik, on/off, tone, mic/line level switches
  • RCA Phono/CD and CD inputs for each deck
  • RCA session Inputs/outputs, balanced XLR, Main Out, balanced 1?4”, Booth Out

  • SERATO DJ and DVS enabled and includes Serato Control Vinyl
  • Assignable USB controller inputs for Rane TWELVE Battle Controller
Stay tuned to DJTT for more details about the Rane Twelve and Seventy-Two as they become available! Would you buy one? Let us know in the comments. 
battle mixerrane DJrare seventy-twoseratoseventy-twoturntable controllertwelve
Comments (101)
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  • Jerry Alan Carroll

    if i could use the RANE TWELVE with something else other than this, I would be happy…but the TWELVE is proprietary with this unit.

  • Christopher Edwards

    The SL1200 consumes 14W. At 21-22V, that translates to less that 0.7A. I guess the direct drive motor would do well with 0.5A and another 0.250A for the MIDI control PCB/buttons. We should probably double this to 1.5A though as USB only provides 5Volt. Should be fine as I heard some Apple MacBooks can do 2.1A on their USB ports, I guess a Rane 72 internal hub can also do so.

  • Paul

    “Rane DJ is coming out swinging with a product unlike any they’ve made before: a MIDI controller that’s emulating a complete turntable tactile experience. Motorized controllers and vinyl-emulation we’ve seen before (famously in the fundamentally flawed Technics SL-DZ1200) – but this is a new level of design.”Stanton scs.1d, numark v7 and cdx arduino mod are laughing atm…

  • Samuel Jamieson

    I see the Rane 12 has the option to control 4 decks in serato. How will this be implemented on a 2 channel mixer? I’d love to know everybody’s thoughts on this.

  • Daddy

    Sad that the player is not a standalone one, otherwise seems great.

  • clinton

    Sad that the player is not a standalone one, otherwise seems great.

  • Leon de Jong

    why 7 ? when they did v7 (Numark ) everybody was asking for a v12 ….a now that we have it we ask for a 7 ? RU kidding me ?

  • ElephantLeg

    My gut wants to believe but it’s not going to happen… Serato will need an iOS version which hardly will be released soon…

  • poxy1985

    This is being pitched to Turntablist and Battle Dj’s…Not having to worry about a needle jumping (yes, even relative mode skips if you’re back spinning really fast on juggles), or worse, breaking, mid routine is definitely worth 1600 bucks. If you don’t see that, you’re probably not the target market for this product.

  • Martijn Ruisch

    My meaning was that they were an early midi DJ controller product. And for their time they were genuinely innovative, but the necessary use of Da Router middleman software alone is enough to deem it unreliable, much like the SCS.3 system, which were again, innovative, but by today’s standards, unstable in their implementation of MIDI. Much of that can, I imagine, be attributed to the OS’s in which they were required to run, of course.

  • Mathias

    I know there is a lot more power available on the newer USB standards, but I doubt it would be enough (or reliably consistent enough) to power a direct drive motor in one of these things. It’s a nice idea, but I think if you want motorized platters you’re always going to need a separate power source.

  • John Medeiros

    So without RCA’s how will this work with controllers such as the SX2? Will it function just like a midi controller and plug right into your laptop and still function with the controller as a normal turntable would?

  • Quinten de Koningh

    you would think they’d add USB ports so that you could use this without a laptop…that should be a standard feature at this point

  • Elmex94

    I’ll remember that next time make an answer.To reiterate, the Stantons, and the subsequent SCS systems were genuinely innovative, but generally unstable going by both my own experience and that of reviewers. I bought the SCS3 system twice, the second time hoping that I’d be able to power through its shortcomings through traktor mapping, but the convoluted implementation of MIDI, both with and without Da Router, prompted me to return the product twice. Great idea, held back by unfortunate shortcomings in its execution.And regardless of your personal involvement in a project, the CDX still isn’t an official product, cool an achievement though it may be.

    • Dubby Labby

      I think this answer was out of place, mate? :S

  • erik willems

    Why is my earlier post here being flagged as spam and am unable to add to it?

  • ElephantLeg

    Why is my earlier post here being flagged as spam and am unable to add to it?

  • Daddy

    Sad that the player is not a standalone one, otherwise seems great.

  • Elmex94

    My gut wants to believe but it’s not going to happen… Serato will need an iOS version which hardly will be released soon…

    • Dubby Labby

      Why did you copied my comment?

  • Jack Bean

    A $799 midi controller that only works with Serato? That costs more than an ATLP1240 and a DS1. Holy shit!

    • Anthony Alonso

      my sentiments exactly. That mixer tho. 🙂

  • jordan griffin

    Pioneer next product.

  • dj 30min mix

  • Corentin Huet

    Finally, a brand which is releasing a single deck midi controller.!!!I like the single deck Denon DN-SC2000, now I hope Rane will also make a similar cheaper controller with a static CDJ size platter!For years I’m waiting for (for example) Pioneer that they make a DDJ-SZ or RX layout single deck controller so I can use it with my favourite software and my own choice of mixer!The market is full with those all-in-one midi controllers, now recently Roland is also announcing a “Pioneer serato look a like” midi controller.

  • Ezmyrelda Andrade

    Somebody was listening! Somebody was actually listening! “It’s for serato.” Oh.. Crap.. Hope the 12 is MIDI class compliant. That or NI steps up with Traktor support.. Nice though.

    • Asu

      It is,Ni will need to map it

      • Ezmyrelda Andrade

        Which will probably never happen. But I’d like to be wrong on this.

  • Carlos Hernandez

    This is set up is to Djing Technology what the Emoji movie is to cinema: Meh…

  • Teo Tormo

    It is a turntable without tonearm and an optical sensor in the spindle for sending midi. In fact it’s a VL12 without the tonearm, same motor specs (5kg/cm torque, same pitch ranges, same two torque modes), but you can’t play a record on it. It would be better to put the midi in a existing turntable, and more useful.
    Again: 800 bucks for a turntable without tonearm. Weird.

    • Mauri Moore

      “800 bucks for a turntable without tonearm” NO , 800 for a replacement of a TT , you can forget about TIME Code , in my opinion the nightmare of time code is finished .
      Forget about bad signal , needles , vinyls … it’s a dream .

      • Reticuli

        He’s making the point it’s weird to put all that TT tech in it and not have a tonearm as an option to actually play records on the thing.

    • Asu

      You’re thinking about this the wrong way…imagine the peace of mind,no bass rattle,no expensive cartridges or damaged tone arms,bent or damaged rca cables….oh i forgot my time code records,happened to me last year….thank god my lady quickly run out to guitar center in the area and saved me.

      • Reticuli

        Putting a tonearm on the Twelve would still give you the option of not using the tonearm/cartridge if you’re just using it as a controller, though. So you’re thinking about this the wrong way.

    • Jacob Stadtfeld

      Love that.

    • Reticuli

      What’s preventing you from rotating it yourself? I understand why they’d put the logo on it that way considering battle style is how most turntablists would have it oriented, anyway. Interesting idea about making it larger, though.

  • anthony

    Excellent ! Now the point of a MIDI controller is the portability, so I’ll probably wait for the Rane 7 ! Hoping it will be equally well built and that it will be a USB-powered unit (no separate power). $599 would be a coherent pricing for the Rane 7 !

    • Mauri Moore

      why 7 ?
      when they did v7 (Numark ) everybody was asking for a v12 ….a now that we have it we ask for a 7 ? RU kidding me ?

      • Dubby Labby

        Hahahaha

  • ElephantLeg

    Excellent ! Now the point of a MIDI controller is the portability, so I’ll probably wait for the Rane 7 ! Hoping it will be equally well built and that it will be a USB-powered unit (no separate power). $599 would be a coherent pricing for the Rane 7 !

  • Nerdtology

    It´s nice to see, Rane/Seratos Hardware Business ist still alive, after Rane got sold to InMusic. I like the Turntable Design very much, it´s always nice to touch some Vinyl, but there are no good features to let me switch from my 1210s to such a Midi Device. It would be nice to get more value from such a device, but only some deck switching buttons and a pitchrange buttons ist not enough for 800 bucks. Missing features are some MPC Pads, for people who already have another mixer and perhaps a track selection knob/button. But with this design style, why not put all devices together in one big Controller?

  • Shalom Marinho Azevedo

    Show…

  • Mixx Master Lee

    Here,here!!!

  • frenkee

    Finally, a brand which is releasing a single deck midi controller.!!!
    I like the single deck Denon DN-SC2000, now I hope Rane will also make a similar cheaper controller with a static CDJ size platter!
    For years I’m waiting for (for example) Pioneer that they make a DDJ-SZ or RX layout single deck controller so I can use it with my favourite software and my own choice of mixer!
    The market is full with those all-in-one midi controllers, now recently Roland is also announcing a “Pioneer serato look a like” midi controller.

    • denmark

      they gave u a similar price like the denon sc. how much cheaper do u want? man this people always complain never satisfied

      • sfmzg

        Denon SC-2000 was a $250 single deck controller, so no – this isn’t “a similar price” nor a similar product.

        Denon SC3900 was. It was also designed for SSL and wasn’t plug’n’play – no native support from Serato.

      • frenkee

        I’m not complaining, you probably did not read my comment well.
        Like smfzg also said, the sc-2000 is a much cheaper controller and I mentioned this one only as an example.
        My point is, finally there is a single deck controller back into the market.
        Ok ; this Rane 12 will be a typical “scratch controller”, I hope for the future there will be more kind of single deck controllers on the market.

    • Mauri Moore

      yes man , u r right ! i’m with you , more single controllers please .

  • Scott Frost

    Where’s the sync button ?

    • Dubby Labby

      In the software.

  • Anthony Alonso

    A $799 midi controller that only works with Serato? That costs more than an ATLP1240 and a DS1. Holy shit!

    • Anthony Alonso

      I am sorry, but making a controller to replace turntables that is double the price of turntables is a stupid move by Rane. Especially considering the mixer has a soundcar built in and comes with control vinyl. Why buy those controllers when you can get turntables for half of the price (if not less) to pair with the mixer. as an All In One package, just no. lolwtf Rane?

      • Johnny

        Because your turntables will end up costing you more over their lifetime due to things like needles.

        • Anthony Alonso

          Good luck selling that to the consumer.

        • ?The Other Denzel?

          Exactly.
          This is also being pitched to Turntablist and Battle Dj’s…
          Not having to worry about a needle jumping (yes, even relative mode skips if you’re backspinning really fast on juggles), or worse, breaking, mid routine is definitely worth 1600 bucks. If you don’t see that, you’re probably not the target market for this product.

          • despo

            that’s not entirely accurate. This is only if you use your twelves at home all the time, that means in clubs you will still use your needles and CVs and spend money on them. I can’t see you lugging around 2x rane twelves

          • ?The Other Denzel?

            I currently lug around 2 numark ttx’s twice a week. These would be a breeze.

            But again, I use traktor, so these are off the menu

      • Be

        I’d presume that the lack of a tonearm makes it more durable. Also, there’s no worrying about needles or cartridges.

      • ?The Other Denzel?

        This is being pitched to Turntablist and Battle Dj’s…
        Not having to worry about a needle jumping (yes, even relative mode skips if you’re back spinning really fast on juggles), or worse, breaking, mid routine is definitely worth 1600 bucks. If you don’t see that, you’re probably not the target market for this product.

      • Asu

        your thinking is short term…think bigger bro.clearly you don’t use TT daily

  • Nikola FromOhrid

    Is there a built-in talent inside?

    • Dubby Labby

      Wait until mk3…

  • Yellowneck Habs

    I think its going to be very common to accidentally hit one of the “MPC” style pads when trying to hit one of those small “mode” pads. Those small pads are way to close to the main pads.

  • Dubby Labby

    “Rane DJ is coming out swinging with a product unlike any they’ve made before: a MIDI controller that’s emulating a complete turntable tactile experience. Motorized controllers and vinyl-emulation we’ve seen before (famously in the fundamentally flawed Technics SL-DZ1200) – but this is a new level of design.”

    Stanton scs.1d, numark v7 and cdx arduino mod are laughing atm…

    • Jacob Stadtfeld

      The Stanton’s were unreliable early midi, v7’s were seven-inch platters, and the Arduino mod isn’t an official product.

      • nem0nic

        No such thing as “early MIDI”. The MIDI being used in products right now is just like the MIDI that was used in the early 90s.

        • Jacob Stadtfeld

          My meaning was that they were an early midi DJ controller product. And for their time they were genuinely innovative, but the necessary use of Da Router middleman software alone is enough to deem it unreliable, much like the SCS.3 system, which were again, innovative, but by today’s standards, unstable in their implementation of MIDI. Much of that can, I imagine, be attributed to the OS’s in which they were required to run, of course.

          • Reticuli

            Didn’t the SCS need third party transcoding software because of something about their firewire implementation of MIDI?

      • Dubby Labby

        if you believe that is show how innacurate is your knowledge as the setence I marked. Take notice that nemonic was involved in scs.1d and myself in the cdx mode before make an answer. Thanks.

        • Jacob Stadtfeld

          I’ll remember that next time make an answer.

          To reiterate, the Stantons, and the subsequent SCS systems were genuinely innovative, but generally unstable going by both my own experience and that of reviewers. I bought the SCS3 system twice, the second time hoping that I’d be able to power through its shortcomings through traktor mapping, but the convoluted implementation of MIDI, both with and without Da Router, prompted me to return the product twice. Great idea, held back by unfortunate shortcomings in its execution.

          And regardless of your personal involvement in a project, the CDX still isn’t an official product, cool an achievement though it may be.

          • Dubby Labby

            I saw your point from the first comment but just wanted to be more clear since this is internet and people will came after us 😉
            Yes, the darouter solution was a pita but the problem wasn’t the technology of the time… was the lawsuit debacle stanton/NI what leave stanton in a difficult situation (nemonic could explain it better for sure). In my case the trouble was similar due lack of thight integration of software (and going further the same reason behind denon hibrid mode).
            The big players never opened their deck control to third party and rotation platter was dvs thing. Up to date NI still seems bet for turntable as the best solution for vinyl lovers and controllers without jogs in consequence. Serato until twelve played a similar approach with ITCH/SSL but it was doable so back in the day and I even posted solutions and resources at its forums (and mailing) with zero response (or even getting closed topics as spam when I didn’t sell nothing) like the video I’m going to link at the end.
            So to make it clear it was a software issue never a hardware or midi limitation in the end. Even the scs.1d was firewire so it has more than necessary data flow cappabilities from hardware side but dealing with Traktor was the mistake. The Cdx mod video was made with arduino 328 so some wow flutter made it seem crunky… what people didn’t know was the next test with teensy (which has direct usb suppor instead serial/usb conversion from the old Arduinos) making the solution clever and cheap from hardware side like stanton. Once again dealing with software implementation was the problem due you can’t made it thight without the host help.
            Finally, as a proof of concept about using ITCH with regular turntables in a way you can find very familiar and once again cheap (underground if you prefer) we made a strightforward hack into vci300 to use it with tascam ttm-1. I will let you (and invite anyone) to imagine how cheap and portable could be a raspi box project with this in mind. Further work has been done over the years for some many individuals in this field so if you are truly interested I will be very glad to share any bit of my humble knowledge as I did with all my resources some time ago.
            Peace (and hug)
            https://youtu.be/G17o_HuQvo4

    • zendoo

      I really liked my SCS.1Ds! Unfortunately they’re super old now, and therefore busted, or I’d still be using them. The performance with Traktor as of a couple years ago was perfect. Zero drift, super high resolution.

  • Todd Oddity

    “It does feel like it ensures that only Serato DJs will be using this unit – it seems unlikely that any other companies will develop official waveform displays…”

    I know Virtual doesn’t get a lot of love on this site, but it can’t be ignored that every single “Serato only” screen released so far works perfectly with VDJ. If Atomix can make that happen, no reason another software developer couldn’t as well if they wanted to.

    • Jay Neural

      I think / hope, the 72s USB inputs are just a hub like on the Mixers DUO or NI Z2, which would mean the Rane 12 is basically a MIDI controller with some Serato integration in terms of protocol. Interesting, but as I said in my previous comments, point for controllers is mobility, so I guess I’ll stick with my Denon SC2000s for mobility and my Technics 1200s at home or for big gigs.

  • AKM

    Sad that the player is not a standalone one, otherwise seems great.

    • Be

      I’m guessing that would cost at least 3 times the price.

  • Christopher Allen

    you would think they’d add USB ports so that you could use this without a laptop…that should be a standard feature at this point

    • Jay Neural

      If they’re Audio Class Compliant (for the 72) and MIDI Class Compliant (for the 12), the whole thing could work on an iOS device, so yes, no laptop needed (crossing fingers)…

      • Dubby Labby

        My gut wants to believe but it’s not going to happen… Serato will need an iOS version which hardly will be released soon…

        • Jay Neural

          No need for Serato ! I already tried with the Rane MP2014 which is a Class Compliant mixer. Using the DJ Player (Pro) app and external mix routing, everything works like with a laptop, DVS control too ! If the Rane 12 are MIDI Class Compliant, they will work too as do 90% of devices on the market today.

          Now would be nice other softs like Traktor for iOS or Algoriddim Djay Pro add support for external mix routing like does DJ Player.

          • Dubby Labby

            Yes, it will be awesome.

    • Anthony Alonso

      You could just get a NUC or something similar and leave it laying about somewhere. Set Serato as your shell so that it automically opens when you turn on the mini pc.

      • Christopher Allen

        yea i did something like that a long time ago as a workaround. a shame no company has just added their software to a soundcard, threw a screen on it, and called it a day….something i’m actually working on mass producing

        • Anthony Alonso

          I totally agree. Would be totally easy to do with DVS

      • Dubby Labby

        Pioneer next product.

    • Be

      Denon SC5000: $1600 + Rane TWELVE: $800 = $2400… times 2 decks… $4800.
      Of course the math wouldn’t be that simple, but I’m just saying, whenever the first company makes this a reality, expect it to be very expensive.

      • Christopher Allen

        Well that math is wrong seeing as you wouldn’t buy 2 mixers. But I get you. And in any case USB drives have been in midi controllers for years.

  • Jay Neural

    Btw is that MIDI-class compliant ? Or does it need drivers like the Native Instruments MIDI controllers ?

  • Jay Neural

    Excellent ! Now the point of a MIDI controller is the portability, so I’ll probably wait for the Rane 7 ! Hoping it will be equally well built !

    • Todd Oddity

      I know there is a lot more power available on the newer USB standards, but I doubt it would be enough (or reliably consistent enough) to power a direct drive motor in one of these things. It’s a nice idea, but I think if you want motorized platters you’re always going to need a separate power source.

      • Jay Neural

        The SL1200 consumes 14W. At 21-22V, that translates to less that 0.7A. I guess the direct drive motor would do well with 0.5A and another 0.250A for the MIDI control PCB/buttons. We should probably double this to 1.5A though as USB only provides 5Volt. Should be fine as I heard some Apple MacBooks can do 2.1A on their USB ports, I guess a Rane 72 internal hub can also do so.

        • Jay Neural

          It would be so much convenient if they did so. We would have a very powerful deck in a very small footprint and without cabling hassles.

        • Jay Neural

          Btw if they had put USB-C inputs on the 72 and USB-C outputs on the 12, there would be no debate : up 100W of power per port !

          • Dubby Labby

            This could be…

        • Dubby Labby

          Something makes me feel it’s not so simple…