Hardware Review · 2026 Phase Essential review The wireless system that turns any turntable into a DVS deck — no needles, no timecode vinyl. And as of July 2026, it plugs straight into rekordbox over a single USB cable. Phase Essential: one Receiver, two Remotes that sit on your records. That’s the whole system. 8.5OUT […]
Phase Essential Review: Wireless DVS, Now Native in rekordbox Read More »
Weird & Wonderful Gear · Part 2 The Formanta Polivoks — the synth that launched a thousand techno basslines. In the 1970s and 80s, the Soviet Union had no music-technology industry to speak of. What it had instead were state-owned radio and defence plants filling production quotas — and inside them, engineers who loved synthesizers.
Weird & Wonderful Gear: 10 Soviet Synths That Sound Like Nothing Else Read More »
First look / All-in-one systems AlphaTheta XDJ-AN review A cloud-first, two-channel standalone built to walk you from the bedroom to the booth — streaming, cloud libraries and a club-style layout in one compact box. Rating pending Standalone 2-channel $1,199 AlphaTheta has a habit of quietly reshaping the middle of its range, and the XDJ-AN is
AlphaTheta XDJ-AN Review: The Cloud-First Standalone That Bridges Bedroom and Booth Read More »
Hardware · Head-to-head · Rating pending Party Mix III vs MixTrack Go Numark dropped two brand-new starter controllers on the same July morning — the light-up Party Mix III at $149 and the pocket-sized MixTrack Go at $99. They share a spec sheet but solve completely different problems. Here’s which one belongs on your desk.
Numark Party Mix III vs MixTrack Go: Which Entry Controller Wins? (2026) Read More »
Weird & Wonderful Gear · A new series Our favourite weird gear. Edition 01 — Drum Machines Before the 808, there was a century of strange, clunky, wonderful machines trying to fake a drummer. These are the ones we love most. Welcome to Weird & Wonderful Gear — an occasional series about the odd, obsolete
Our Favourite Weird Gear: 7 Odd Drum Machines That Built Modern Music Read More »
Technique · Hardware KeyMatchingOn DJ Gear What Key Sync, Key Shift and Master Tempo actually do — how the CDJ-3000X handles it, and why standalone gear and laptops solve the same problem differently. Key Sync CDJ-3000X If you’ve spent any time mixing harmonically, you’ll know the frustration: the perfect next track is sitting right there
Key Matching on DJ Gear: How Key Sync Works (CDJ-3000X & More) Read More »
Compared · Media Players · Jul 2026 CDJ-1500X vs CDJ-3000X vs XDJ-1000MK2: which player for your rig? AlphaTheta’s new compact CDJ finally gives home DJs and smaller venues a real choice. Here’s how the 1500X stacks up against the club flagship above it and the decade-old XDJ it replaces — with a bias toward producers
CDJ-1500X vs CDJ-3000X vs XDJ-1000MK2: Which CDJ Should You Buy? Read More »
Review · Controllers & Decks · Jul 2026 AlphaTheta CDJ-1500X review: the compact CDJ finally arrives A 10.1-inch touchscreen and cloud stack borrowed from the flagship, squeezed into a body built for bars, small rooms and home rigs. It’s the first properly affordable CDJ since 2016 — but the tradeoffs are real. CDJ 1500X FIRST
AlphaTheta CDJ-1500X Review: The Compact CDJ For Bars & Home Rigs Read More »
Buyer’s Guide · Updated June 2026 The best all-in-one DJ systems in 2026 Standalone DJ systems do everything a laptop-and-controller rig does — analysis, effects, streaming, stems — without the laptop. We tested and compared the eight that matter, from a $699 first system to $3,199 club-grade flagships. Here’s what to buy, and exactly who
The 8 Best All-in-One DJ Systems in 2026 (Tested & Compared) Read More »
VS Hardware · All-in-one showdown XDJ-AZ vs Prime 4+: which standalone wins in 2026? Two flagship four-deck systems, no laptop required — and about a thousand dollars between them. One gives you the authentic club rig in a box. The other does more for less. Here’s the honest call. By Dan · Updated June 2026 ·
XDJ-AZ vs Prime 4+: Which Standalone DJ System Wins in 2026? Read More »