New! AlphaTheta XDJ-AN.

Anyone learning to DJ at home on a controller like the DDJ-FLX4 knows the problem: suddenly, when you arrive at the club, there is a CDJ/DJM setup that looks and feels completely different. AlphaTheta now solves this with the XDJ-AN, the successor to the legendary XDJ-RR and immediately the most affordable all-in-one system in the range.

The layout is directly inspired by the CDJ-3000X and the DJM mixers found in just about every professional booth — and you don't need a laptop: you play directly from USB, streaming services, or the cloud — although you can just as easily connect the device to your laptop, tablet, or smartphone if you prefer.

At the center of the XDJ-AN sits a 7-inch touchscreen (1024 × 600) that brings together virtually all of the device's functions. Whereas previously you often still needed a laptop, you now control everything directly on the screen.

You log in to your cloud library or streaming service via a QR code, after which you can easily choose between USB, cloud, or streaming as the music source. While browsing, you immediately see artwork, waveform, BPM, key, and all important track information. During mixing, the screen provides an overview of the full waveform, Hot Cues, loops, and tempo, while functions such as Beat Jump, Sync, and Sound Color FX are also easily accessible.

Additionally, you control functions such as Vinyl Mode, Quantize, Slip Mode, and Master Tempo via the touchscreen. This results in a sleek and uncluttered control panel with fewer physical buttons. Finally, you can also create and manage playlists directly on the device, without needing a laptop anymore.

The biggest leap over the old XDJ-RR? Your music no longer necessarily has to be on a USB stick. Thanks to StreamingDirectPlay, you can stream tracks directly to the device from Apple Music, Beatport Streaming, and TIDAL, and Spotify support will follow via a free firmware update. No more buying, downloading, and managing tracks before you can practice: connect to your Wi-Fi and play. This simply removes one of the classic barriers for aspiring DJs.

It is striking that AlphaTheta opted decisively for USB-C. The device features three USB-C ports: one for storage media, one for connecting to your PC, Mac, or mobile device, and one for power. The storage port supports the FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, and HFS+ file systems without any capacity limit, so large external drives are also welcome.

The XDJ-AN is deliberately not a scaled-down XDJ-AZ, and it doesn't need to be. The flagship XDJ-AZ offers four channels, a 10.1-inch screen, nearly CDJ-sized 206-millimeter jog wheels, a LAN port with full PRO DJ LINK support, and fourteen Beat FX — but it also weighs 13.5 kilograms and costs many times more. The XDJ-AN sticks to two channels, a 7-inch screen, 132-millimeter jog wheels, and three Beat FX (Reverb, Echo, and Flanger), supplemented by the same six Sound Color FX as its big brother: Space, Dub Echo, Sweep, Noise, Crush, and Filter.