AlphaTheta has today released a first for the company: A rotary DJ mixer. Called the Euphonia, this is an ultra high-end, hybrid analogue/digital mixer comprising a classic-looking four channel rotary mixer, a three-band isolator, and an effects unit.

It also has a unique screen, used for displaying various types of audio metering, including a retro analogue-looking VU meter with needles for all four channels, and a spectrum analyser. Being digital, you can use it with DJ software as well as media players and turntables, and it works out of the box with Rekordbox and, pleasingly, Serato.

The mixer has exceedingly high audio specifications, the best-sounding audio from this company we’ve ever heard. It has a suitably high-end build quality, finished in black and brass, with a predominantly metal build, heavy and high-quality knobs and controls, and real wooden side panels. It is very heavy, approaching the weight of a turntable.

It has send/returns for external effects units (both per channel and across the master output), a single mic input, separate booth monitoring with two-band EQ, split cue on the headphones channel, and a record output in addition to the (XLR-only) main output. Its four channels have switchable line, phono, digital and computer inputs.

One unique addition to the workflow is the ability to route either the lows, mids or highs from the isolator through the effects unit, something I don’t recall seeing on an isolator module before.

The AlphaTheta Euphonia’s price reflects its specification and build quality: An absolutely whopping $/€3799.

Our First Thoughts

Firstly, do check out our In The Loop video above, where we give you a quick demo and further info on this – that said, we’ve literally had it at the time of writing for just a few days, so it would be disingenuous to dress that up as a full review.

The first thing to say, though, is that this mixer is probably not for you. Quite aside from the high price, today’s mainstream DJ will scratch their head at things like a single effects unit (yes, not even per-channel filters), no LPF at all, indeed no effects at all past echos and reverbs, no crossfader, etc.

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But there is a rather large niche of DJs for whom rotary mixers are a preferred method of mixing. This is basically a mixer aimed at the corner of our culture inhabited by DJs whose style is smooth, long blends and mixes, endlessly sculpting their (often rather minimal) music into something new. Working the knobs, basically.

The rotary legacy

Since the pre-digital days (when the combination of a rotary mixer, a separate isolator, and a separate tape echo would be found in the very best clubs), various companies have continued to manufacture such equipment. In recent years, these have usually been smaller companies making analogue devices, so AlphaTheta is pushing the boundaries and taking a risk launching a mixer that takes this heritage, but attempts to build on it with something new – especially at such a high price.

Essentially, this device replicates the classic workflow of DJs using this type of equipment, but all in one box: Channels can be sent to, and the audio returned to them from, the single effects unit, which itself has just the effects preferred by this type of DJ (delays and reverbs basically, with just a single high-pass filter).

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Next, the overall mix can be routed through the isolator, allowing for further EQ tweaking and that split EQ effects send/return from this part, too. The addition of two separate FX send/returns for external equipment recognises the desire by such DJs to tweak and add to a system with a mixer like this at its heart.

So – not for everyone, indeed not for most. Nonetheless, innovative. Definitely a risk for the company. And, it has to be said, an absolutely beautiful mixer – definitely the most stunning mixer I’ve ever had in our studio. And definitely the most expensive. The kind of thing Vestax might do were they still making DJ gear, this is a brave and bold move.