Before we crack on with this article, I want to make it clear that this is by no means a Pioneer DJ hater post! I’ve had some of my best nights on DJMs over more years than I care to mention and their mixers are superbly built for extremely tough environments and they just keep going. I have personally owned around a dozen DJMs from the 300 right up to the mixer in question here, the DJM V10.
As most of you know, I have a bit of a problem, some would say addiction for DJ mixers from boutique rotaries to linear mixers through the decades. For years I’ve had a huge soft spot and love affair with Allen & Heath Xone mixers. I’ve owner 5 or 6 Xone 92s, 3 Xone 96s, 5 Xone PX5s, a few Xone 23s and an aweful Xone 43. So it is safe to say I know Xone mixers pretty well.
Out of all those Xone mixers for me the PX5 is probably the best hybrid all round mixer on the planet. I say hybrid because many people assume the PX5 is a digital mixer, but it’s not. The digital element of the mixer just covers the comprehensive and “studio quality” onboard effects. If you mix straight through using no effects the signal path is analogue and the phone pre amps are pretty good. But the Xone that makes me all warm and fuzzy has always been the Xone 92.
If the Xone 92 is so good, why did you sell your soul and go for the DJM V10?
A great question and I’m glad you asked. I like to play in many different ways, playing many different genres and media formats. The Xone 92 being all analogue without an array of onboard effects isn’t really conducive to my needs. On the other hand the DJM V10 does it all! Send effects to an internal effects engine and combined external, beat effect engine with the usual array and a couple of new additions, dedicated filters (hpf or lpf) per channel, magvel crossfader assign, midi, two cue monitor systems, two USB outputs, master isolator and so on.
Hold on you said you were ditching the V10 for the 92, I’m so confused!
Yes, don’t worry, I’m coming to that. It’s all about soul (not the music genre) and heart. Yes the flagship Pioneer offering is a phenomenal piece of engineering brilliance and along with the DJM A9 will dominate booths across the world for years to come but it just doesn’t excite me. It’s hard to explain but I feel disconnected from the music when I play on the V10. My mixing is technically good and I am pleased with the summing and cueing etc., but it just doesn’t get me right there.
The issues I have had with the Xone 92
With this first point I felt like I was fighting the world on. The fader curve on the 92 and I don’t care what anyone says, all three settings on the 96 is dreadful. Nothing happens between 0-7 and from 8-10 is where the full range of volume is condensed into. Everyone fought against me on this and said I was wrong. If that was the case why did they release the 96 with three curve options? They still got it wrong but at least they acknowledged the issue. I spoke to Andy Rigby Jones (designer of the Xone 92 any many others) about the curve on his new Union Audio Elara range and he confirmed a more flat linear curve which is great news.
But the real turning point for me was the release of the Mk2 Xone 92. Now I never thought I would ever find the perfect mixer but ladies and gentlemen and everyone in between I can confirm perfection in the form of the Allen & Heath Xone 92 Mk2. The fader curve is adjustable and the flat curve is actually flat, it’s perfection. There are other improvements like no audible pop when activating the filters, an innofader crossfader and a few little tweaks which are all very welcome. This thing coupled with an Zen Delay from Ninja Tunes and something like a Boss delay pedal is a wonderful setup along with 2 or 3 1200 turntables of course.
