Reloop Mixtour Pro : Hardware mode on PD Port Only

DJ Hardware
,
1
  • Device model (iPad Air 2024 M2):
  • Version of operating system (iOS 17.7):
  • Version of djay (e.g. 5.2.4):
  • Hardware/controllers used (Reloop Mixtour Pro):

Hi there,

I’ve just bought a brand new iPad Air M2 to go with my Reloop Mixtour Pro and I’ve discovered an issue with Djay Pro 5.2.4 where I cannot engage Hardware Mode unless I plug my iPad into the PD port (left, looking down in the Mixtour Pro) rather than the intended data port on the right!

I have proved this out with two different USB-C cables, same effect. (One Amazon cable, new, the other being the also brand-new Apple-supplied cable)

This means that my Reloop controller has to be bus-powered by the iPad, as I now cannot power the controller using the data port.

This means that until this is fixed I have to rely on the iPad’s battery!

The Reloop is running firmware version 1.0.1 (latest)

Please can somebody look into this ASAP as it could well be a widespread issue for the Mixtour devices. Not sure if this is a software or hardware problem, reporting it here first.

Thanks very much.

Kind regards,

James

2

Hi there,

I think this might be a Red Herring, or at least half of one, after all.

So my original set-up/use case was where I was able to power the Reloop using a USB-C to USB-A into a USB power hub, and then use a USB-C to USB-C with USB-A adapter into my laptop for Djay Pro on Windows - without issue.

However, when I then attempted to power the Reloop in the same way and then use the same USB-C cable (this time without the USB-A adapter to go into the iPad Air) it would not work. I could power the Reloop, but I would not be able to get any connection or go into Hardware mode on the right (Data) port into the iPad.

But if I removed the power cable and switched the USB-C to the left port I could connect in Hardware Mode, but then I would be powering the Reloop using the iPad’s battery. This is where I reported the problem originally.

However, after some more experimentation last night it seems that if I use a USB-C to USB-C power cable to a USB-C charger (which only arrived yesterday) instead of the USB-C to USB-A to power bank, not only do I get power to the Reloop, but also as if by magic the other USB-C cable on the data port to the iPad then kicks into life and Hardware Mode would engage.

Very strange, but it works and would be the standard set-up going forward. The only reason why I tested it the previous way was purely because the USB-C to USB-C cable for power wasn’t quite long enough, so I just tried to the use the “existing” power solution, that provided by the USB-C to USB-A to the power bank, which had apparently worked without issue with the Windows setup.

So… very strange, but just in case it catches anyone else out, I thought I would report back my findings.

To clarify, I am not using any real “workaround” - this is standard, but if anything it just seems that either the Reloop Mixtour Pro or Djay iOS is fussy about not going into Hardware Mode without having a full USB-C end-to-end solution. Even if the USB-C to USB-A cable I was trying to use for power didn’t fully support Power Delivery to power the iPad, I still don’t understand why the iPad wouldn’t accept a Hardware Mode connection on the Data port, just without charging capability. Oh well, never mind!

Cheers,

James

2 Likes
5

Thanks for sharing your findings @James_Gillies

6

Could it be that the Mixtour Pro has severe power issues? I also have the same issues. It even depends on which USB-C to USB-C cable you use. Some work some don’t.

Did you ever manage to power the Mixtour Pro only from an iPad or even only from an iPhone? For on the go mixing?

7

Hi @doogie, please note, when powering the Mixtour Pro off the iPad alone, you must connect it to the 20W/Laptop USB-C socket on the back. This should work okay for short sessions with an iPad, but I wouldn’t recommend it with an iPhone.

8

Not really Mixtour’s fault. This is often the case, and most of the time an issue which stems from inferior / cheap cable quality.

1 Like