You must forgive me for treating every email that comes through today with suspicion. But when serious and traditional mixer company Allen & Heath sends out PR about a new product, I’m scouring it looking for jokes. But there are none — just a new solid lump of four channel mixer loveliness. The Xone:43 is a new take on the Xone:42, one that continues A&H’s rich analogue heritage, but adds a few new tricks.
The official words from their Cornwall HQ:
ALLEN & HEATH LAUNCHES XONE:43 ANALOGUE DJ MIXER
Allen & Heath has launched the Xone:43, a classic 4 + 1 channel analogue DJ mixer with a host of enhanced features, including the legendary Xone filters, X:FX routing, 3 band EQ, VCA faders, and adjustable crossfader.
At the heart of the mixer is the renowned analogue Voltage Control Filter (VCF) system offering HPF, BPF, LPF, frequency sweep and ‘mild to wild’ resonance control. The Xone:43’s intuitive and simple to use X:FX feature provides a single control per channel over the send/return to work with external FX units. X:FX can also be routed to the Xone filter to add layers of FX and filtering.
In addition to the 4 phono/line channels, Xone:43 features a flexible mic / aux input with XLR and phono connectors and 2-band EQ for tonal balance. The replaceable crossfader has three curve settings and is also compatible with Innofader for enhanced scratch performance.
The main mix output and mic input are on professional standard balanced XLR’s, and there is a dedicated record output. The Xone:43 is equipped with a simple headphone monitoring section, which offers both 3.5mm and ¼” headphone sizes, with level, cue / mix control and the option for split cue monitoring.
“The Xone:43 mixer is designed for DJs of all abilities and experience, whether you’re an electronic music enthusiast or a working DJ needing a compact quality mixer and fantastic analogue audio quality. The Xone:43 is a stylish addition to the Xone Series,” comments Greg Ibbotson, Xone product manager.
RRP: €899 ex VAT Shipping: immediately
IT’S ALL ABOUT ANALOGUE
It’s funny how things always come full circle. And here we are, back in very familiar territory for Allen & Heath. There’s no USB or even mentions of sample rates. Digital is not part of this mixer, and that’s something that will keep many people happy.
A&H is famous for its VCF filters, and the new xone:43 continues this with more filter control than most. There is a single filter though, so high pass on one channel and low pass on another isn’t possible, but you can assign it per channel. The X-FX seen on the 42 continues on the 43. This gives a simple wet/dry control that lets you route channels through to eternal effects units.
Essentially the Xone:43 is a slightly reworked 42 with digital stripped out, and all vestiges of old Allen & Heath ID gone. There is a certain irony that this new product would feel equally at home 10-15 years ago, and still be just as good then as it is today. For analogue DJs, the Xone:43 is ideal and lets them use CDJs and turntables on their own, or adding an external effects unit to bring some more audio creativity. Obviously you can still plug in your DVS interface of choice to make the Xone:43 every-DJ-friendly, but it definitely seems to be aimed at those wanting to keep the analogue faith. This is for A&H fans everywhere.
The quoted price of €899 equates to around £785 including VAT, which isn’t insane for a four channel analogue mixer with an A&H badge on it. It’s nice that there are new mixers being made too, but with the increased interest in turntables, it was inevitable.
Definitely a great cheap alternative for those who can’t afford the MP2015. Heck, they don’t even compare. Interesting though, will this move by A&H adds more “hype” to the push for the resurrect of the Technics given that vinyl sales have already elapsed the CD sales? One can only hope…..
What a bunch of crap, you cant compare this to the mp2015…and hey..maybe some dont like rotary.
There are few people that can afford the mp2015 at the moment, its ridiculously expensive. I do want one tho….
Having had about an hour mix on the 2015 in the studio, I’d say the same. Yes, it’s really well made, but it’s silly money considering its digital only and doesn’t have Traktor or Serato certification. I wouldn’t turn one down as a gift, though.
I would not turn it down also, cause most of my organs are sold already lol.
I like the design of the 43, and i think A&H could have a winner here.
I think the Serato certification will be coming else it doesn’t make sense two have dual USB ports…..
Looks like a very solid mixer! Unfortunately the design is pretty poor.
What about the design is poor?
Beat me to it. This sort of feedback is important.
Was I just seeing things or does the headphone level pot really go up to 11?
Funnily enough Jared picked up on that too. The xone:42 did as well. RAISE YOUR GAME SHAUN. ;)
The 92 and DB4 do to…
It’s one louder.
Nearly 4 years of ’42 usage at home here, also familiar with the 22 and 92 (on which I regularly play out), so here are my two cents.
I virtually never used the built-in USB for recording (had some noise I just wasn’t getting through my Audio 8), much less playback – I suppose they realized most people didn’t use it and it would bring their costs down to strip it out.
On that – replacing the push buttons with those switches is probably more of the same, along with the general simplification of all buttons in the new Xone style. They’re not the (more expensive ?) throw switches of the 92 or the DBs, but still a win here, as we get an extra OFF position on the crossfader assign that wasn’t there on the 42, one of the things I miss when I get back home from a 92. I’ve also had the input switches pop out from phono to line a couple of times (not a good look when using DVS and multicore cables…), that’s certainly not happening on this mixer now.
Being that the VCF is one of the main draws of the Xone series, I’d have enjoyed the bigger knobs on the filter controls, not on the X-FX, which remains the same send/return on a single knob affair.
Users who want to route their external effects to an extra channel in addition to keeping the dry signal on its own will still find it worthless (cloning a track to an extra channel using a sampler is trivial on a 92 or even a DJM, not so much here).
Replacing the crossfader curve pot with a three position switch, on top of the cost savings, makes this control more in line with what is found on the common DJMs, which I can’t fault.
It wasn’t very good on the 42 anyway, just like the stock crossdader. Hell, the cut-in on mine has been imprecise from day one.
For those heavy on the crossfader, well, the old mixer WAS compatible with some of the innofaders. The new one might be better at it but it doesn’t have the removable faceplate (cheaper I bet), so even though one typically does not switch faders like one does shirts, it looks like this operation now requires popping the lid open.
When introduced to the Xone series a few years back I was originally put off by the flashy, colored leds in the promo shots but quickly grew accustomed to the green/blue/red vu-meters and blue/red/amber eq and filter sections.
The more recent black/ graphite paint jobs helped make this less garish, although the gratuitous black dot graphics brought a hint of automotive tuning bro-cheap to the otherwise tank-like design.
The new design brought up with the DB series doubles down on that, which seems to be much more polarizing to critics – it’s certainly turning me off still, even after having being on the market for a few years now. The new Xone look feels like A&H took a cue from Pioneer’s auto products and somehow took it further even though it spares us the glossy plastic – to me it’s one decorative inner blue led strip away from looking like an overpriced hardcore pc gamer accessory. I really hope the 92 doesn’t get this treatment.
The most welcome addition to the 43 however is the presence of the four Phono/Line channels as opposed to only channels 1 and 4 before. I like having my main channels side-by-side for better one-handed mixer control – not spread apart like on modern DJMs – and still find this jarring from time to time.
Having phono on all four lines means we can do away with extra phono preamps when feeling adventurous with extra turntables, or even to rotate channels in order to level wear on the knobs – just plain more input flexibility, which is a welcome improvement.
Seeing the four Phono/Line channels brings to mind the jumper mod enabling full line/line inputs on the 92 but the apparent cost saving measures at play here would suggest the 43 might not have that gift. Or does it?
All in all… an expected refresh with a couple of nice goodies thrown in the mix. Still – if my 42 broke down tomorrow, I wouldn’t upgrade and might considering selling organs for a 92 instead.
I’ve had the 42 but i sold it because i wanted to upgrade to the 92. Is the 92 really worth it over the 42? What does the 92 have the 42 haven’t?
Late reply-
4 band eq is a bit more work but I find it’s more useful than most 3 band eqs, especially on long blends and/or three deck mixing.
Two separate filters is great for extra options when EQing does not quite provide what you are looking for.
The nifty little bit it has the 42 hasn’t and is now found on the 43 is that for each channel you have a left/OFF/right switch for the crossfader assign, as seen on the 4 channel Pioneers (says “thru”) for those times you want to keep some channels out of a crossfader fight.
The two aux sends and returns are a nice bonus…
YMMV
Any US $ price announced?
Hmmm…. I wonder if they’ll refresh the Xone:92 as well.
Yes. All of them eventually. Next will be same mixer C version then 92 and 92 C then DB series again in year or two.
A Xone:93C does sound appealing to me!
Yes. All of them eventually. Next will be same mixer C version then 92 and 92 C then DB series again in year or two.
Yes. All of them eventually. Next will be same mixer C version then 92 and 92 C then DB series again in year or two.
This is what they should stick to since they can’t get digital right with the dbs and macs. Still waiting for indri ers since 2013. basically I have db4 that runs like IThis one.
How’s the driver updates for the db4 and how is the quality? Some have complained about the quality.
User guide shows a Xone:43 with audio interface and serato logo p.21
I guess that’s the xone:43c outed then.
Look what else I found: (note the URL)
https://support.serato.com/hc/en-us/articles/204187114-DVS-control-with-the-Allen-Heath-XONE-DB2-XONE-DB4-and-XONE-43C
Cats, once out, do not go back into bags.
No, they record sample sets instead :-)
Nice find – and nice goof, A&H! :). Phono/Line switches become Phono/USB/Line switches as well.
Notice the X:Link RJ45 port – seems to be par for the course for C versions, indeed.
USB audio interface & X:Link too.
http://www.kosta-x.com
The warmth and punch of Analog, yes I will get one. If it’s made in china, like the DB4 I owned and sold. No, I won’t get one. I want a real UK built Allen & Heath mixer, Damn it for the price I’m willing to pay.
I doubt there will be any more new A&H products made in UK
I paid 1 grand for DB2 made in China and I feel ripped off.
Finally, they abandoned DB2 and DB4 series long time ago
I doubt there will be any more new A&H products made in UK
I paid 1 grand for DB2 made in China and I feel ripped off.
Finally, they abandoned DB2 and DB4 series long time ago
I don’t know what you guys are getting on about, but my DB2 says “made in the UK” right on it. Not only that, but the big perk of the DB series was that it was the last UK made A+H mixer.
Wow. And just because you are lucky winner and have very rare UK made model makes you believe all of them are made in UK. OK i’ll tell you. 90% of them are made in China. ONLY few rare last models were made in UK ONLY for UK market. I bought mine in Germany it says CHINA. I called shop (biggest in Europe) and they said all their stock is CHINA. To get UK made mixer you have to be very lucky or buy it second hand on ebay for high price. CHINA models are cheaper second hand because nobody want’s it. I had two CHINA made mixer Xone 22 returned because their manufacturing flaw. I settled on CHina made DB2 and you can see small flaws in build quality. First noticeable is that faceplate is not cut out preciseley (of by 1mm) and all the markings on the edges of the buttons are off. I checked it and this is consistent on all china made models I have seen.
A&H is bullsit company and I will never buy form them again. Not mentioning completely abandoning DB series with support (no drivers, updates nothing for past TWO FUCKING YEARS)
I really hate when a company that, has the reputation for designing and making great solid products. Be purchase by another company and desides to source out, cut corners to stay afloat and still charge you premium price for there products. I rather for allen & heath go under, than sell me a $2900 DB4 and fool me to thanking I was getting a real UK made allen & heath strong reputational product.
Same her. Forked out 1500 for DB2 just to get CHINA crap and no support. Do not buy AH products. You’d be better with Pioneer. AH doesn’t care for their reputation and PR not mentioning sustaining their forum. They are a joke.
Pioneer sucks because their mixers are digital wich you can hear when playing anologue vinyl..plus most of their up-faders are cheap.
i suggest to buy A&H from a UK seller and ship to your country
Even ordering from UK shop you do not have guarantee you will get UK made product. I called and some of them said they don’t know and some say it’s China made.
Secondly AH DB series are digital and they sound amazing. That is not the point. Point is selling china made products with premium markup and later DO NOT support it.
So which brand to get then?
For “only the UK market”? That’s funny because I live in Canada.
For mostly UK market. Happy? I checked in maybe 10 shops in Europe and they all stock China models. It is almost impossible to buy UK made AH mixer. Sometimes they won;t even tell you the origin.
I doubt there will be any more new A&H products made in UK
I paid 1 grand for DB2 made in China and I feel ripped off.
Finally, they abandoned DB2 and DB4 series long time ago
<3 it! I won't give up my DB for it, but this is the kind of thing that makes me love and continue to be an A+H customer. And one more thing……..innofader compatibility is FANTASTIC!! Love that they did this.