Buyer's overview
DJ mixers: 11 devices at a glance
The mixer is where two decks meet. Two channels are enough to learn on; four are for people who really play four sources. More important than the channel count are two questions: is there a sound card inside (otherwise software needs an interface), and does the layout match what stands in a club. Both are noted on every device.
€100 to €200
Reloop
RMX-10 BT
A two-channel entry mixer — the place where two turntables meet.
- Two channels are enough to learn on
- Considerably cheaper than the club class
- Not a club standard — you learn that on a DJM
Numark
M6 USB
A four-channel entry-class mixer — more inputs than two decks need.
- Four channels at an entry price
- Takes turntables and line sources side by side
- Nobody needs four channels at the start
€200 to €350
Pioneer DJ
DJM-250MK2
A two-channel mixer with phono inputs and a built-in sound card — the centre of a vinyl setup.
- Phono inputs for turntables
- Built-in sound card, DVS with rekordbox possible
- Only two channels
€350 to €600
Allen & Heath
Xone:23
The analogue two-channel mixer with the famous Xone filter — club sound from the start.
- Xone filter with resonance
- Analogue sound, robust
- No sound card — DVS only with an extra box
Allen & Heath
Xone:43
A four-channel mixer with the Xone filter, without a sound card — the analogue middle way.
- Four analogue channels
- Xone filter on board
- No sound card — software needs an interface
over €600
Pioneer DJ
DJM-450
The two-channel mixer above the DJM-250MK2: Magvel fader, Beat FX, sound card for rekordbox DVS.
- Beat FX like on the big DJMs
- Magvel crossfader, replaceable
- Only two channels
Pioneer DJ
DJM-S5
The scratch mixer for Serato DJ Pro: Magvel Fader Pro, pads, crossfader curve right on the unit.
- Magvel Fader Pro, built for scratching
- Runs with Serato DJ Pro, DVS-ready
- Only makes sense with Serato
Pioneer DJ
DJM-900NXS2
The club standard: four channels, Sound Color FX, Beat FX — the mixer found in most booths.
- Found in most clubs — nothing to relearn
- Four channels, sound card for DVS
- Very expensive for a practice unit
Allen & Heath
Xone:96
An analogue six-channel mixer with the filter the brand is known for.
- Six channels and two sound cards
- The Xone filter as a tool in its own right
- Expensive and large
Pioneer DJ
DJM-A9
The brand's current four-channel club mixer — the successor to the 900NXS2.
- Four channels, club layout
- The standard you will face in a club
- Very expensive for home use
Pioneer DJ
DJM-750MK2
A four-channel mixer in club layout, below the big models.
- Four channels in a familiar layout
- Built-in sound card
- Fewer effects than the big DJMs
Frequently asked questions
The questions people actually ask before buying — answered from what we can back up. Daily prices are deliberately not part of it.
- How many channels do I need?
- Two are enough to learn on and for most nights — hardly anyone mixes more than two sources at once. Four channels pay off if you want turntables and players connected at the same time, play back to back, or need a third source.
- Do I need a mixer with a sound card?
- Only if you want to record or work with a digital vinyl system. For simply mixing turntables or players a mixer needs no computer connection. The surcharge is therefore a decision about what you plan to do, not about sound quality.
- What is a battle mixer?
- A two-channel mixer with the crossfader in the middle and short channel strips — built for scratching. What matters there is the fader itself: it has to be replaceable and adjustable in its curve, because it is the part that wears out.
- Mixer or controller — which is right for me?
- A controller if your music lives as files on a laptop: mixer, sound card and control are all in one box. A mixer if your sources are standalone — turntables, players, someone else's gear. In a club it is usually the second setup.
Other categories
Everything together, filterable by setup and budget, is in the catalogue. Why we recommend what we recommend is in the buying guide. To the equipment catalogueTo the buying guide