| IN SHORT | |
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| The Xone:23C is a compact, affordable 2 channel mixer with 4 audio inputs. It is well build, features the legendary VCF filter from Allen & Heath and is Traktor Pro 3 certified. | |
| Price: | $$ check the price on Amazon Under USD 200: $ |
| Level: | mid-level |
| Power: | power supply |
| Inputs: | 2 LINE (RCA), 2 PHONO/LINE (RCA), 1 MIC (XLR) |
| Outputs: | 1 MASTER (XLR), 1 BOOTH (RCA), 2 PHONES (1/4-inch stereo jack, 3.5-mm stereo mini-jack), 1 x RECORD (RCA) 1 x FX OUT (RCA) |
| Supported DJ software: | Traktor Pro 3, Mixvibes Cross DJ |
| Djtechzone Rating: |  (4.6 / 5) |
| PROS | CONS |
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First impressions
The Allen & Heath Xone:23C is not the most recent mixer by Allen & Heath. It came out back in 2014, replacing the Xone:22. It’s an entry-level mixer, and at USD 399, it offers a lot of advantages for a very moderate price.
I’m reviewing the XONE:23C for a few reasons. First of all, the mixer is still widely available. Secondly, it’s compatible with Traktor Pro 3 and Mixvibes Cross DJ. And last but certainly not least, this is a Xone mixer with the legendary VCF filter.
The construction is extremely solid. The mixer is definitely build to last, and all the knobs, faders and buttons feel sturdy and can certainly take the abuse that comes with regular usage.
Video review
Features & functionalities
2+(2) channel mixer
The Xone:23C is a 2(+2) channel mixer, allowing the connection of 4 sound sources at the same time, each of them with their own volume control. There is no switch between each input for each channel, but 4 volume controls on top of the mixer, so you can have the 4 inputs live at once if you would like to.
I like this approach. As it gives you individual volume control over each of the 4 channels, even if the mixer is limited to two physical channels on the top plate.
In addition to this, the Xone:23C is Traktor Pro certified, which means you can plug it straight into Traktor Pro 3 through USB. If you add to that an Allen & Heath’s Xone:K2 or the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1, this gives you full control of Traktor Pro and creates a modular setup that is very compact and affordable for the modular oriented DJ. One thing is a bit annoying, however: there is no way to control the gain for the sound coming out of Traktor on the Xone:23C. This makes it a bit harder to mix with software channels, but considering the price, it’s an acceptable limitation.
The mixer is also DVS enabled, but you do need to pop the mixer open to set the internal jumpers. This is a lot to ask from a regular user, as it’s easy to void the warranty when messing around with a mixer’s internals. So if you want this mixer for DVS use and you want to make sure it works when you get home, make sure the DVS modifications are done in-store by a professional before you start using it.
Channel features
The Xone:23C has, as said, 4 volume knobs on top, one for each input on the back. The channels knobs feel very solid and are very pleasant to use. There is a 3 channel full kill EQ per channel and bright paired with clear VU meters. Next to the left channel, there is a MIC input, with its own volume level and two-channel EQ.
On the other side next to the right channel, there are volume knobs for the Master and the Booth output (a great addition at this price point by the way). Finally, there is also a CUE/MIX and volume knob for the headphone output, and a button to activate the FX loop circuit, which allows you to send sound to external FX units and right back into the mixer through the filter system.
The filter
If the above is not enough for you to give the Xone:23C a chance, the build-in VCF filter should convince you. The filter system consists of an HPF (high pass filter) and an LPF (low pass filter) button and resonance/frequency control knobs. Each channel has an on/off filter button.
The quality of the filter is excellent and has that typical, analog warmth of Xone mixer’s VCF filters. The amount of expressiveness you can achieve using the resonance and frequency controls is very high and definitely can add a lot of dynamism to your mix.
The faders
The line faders on each channel are appropriately smooth and very comfortable to mix. The crossfader is smooth and loose and has a switch to control the crossfader curve. Scratch DJ’s should feel at home with this fader. The crossfader is Innofader compatible as well.
Inputs and outputs
On the backside, the Xone:23C features 2 line and 2 phone input channels. There are also RCA monitor and record outputs, and a master XLR output. On the front, the Xone:23C has 2 headphone inputs.
Furthermore, there is a USB input to connect the Xone:23C to your computer and an X-link (more commonly known as an RJ-45 ethernet port) input to connect other Allen & Heath DJ gear (such as the K2 controller), saving your USB ports on your laptop.
Be aware of the fact that the Xone:23C has an external power supply, that is quite bulky and heavy. This makes the overall weight of carrying it around slightly higher, but not by much.
Conclusions
Overall, the Xone:23C is a great mixer. it’s compact, affordable, and because of the built-in soundcard and the 4 input channels with dedicated gain controls, it still stands out as a good choice in 2019.
Be aware of the hardware configuration necessary for DVS use, however, as attempting to open up the mixer can lead to void of warranty if you mess up.
Apart from that, the Xone:23C is a good choice for DJ’s that want a mixer with a top of the line filter system, a booth output, 4 input channels, while still keeping the price under USD 400.
Picture Gallery
| IN SHORT | |
| |
| The Xone:23C is a compact, affordable 2 channel mixer with 4 audio inputs. It is well build, features the legendary VCF filter from Allen & Heath and is Traktor Pro 3 certified. | |
| Price: | $$ check the price on Amazon Under USD 200: $ |
| Level: | mid-level |
| Power: | power supply |
| Inputs: | 2 LINE (RCA), 2 PHONO/LINE (RCA), 1 MIC (XLR) |
| Outputs: | 1 MASTER (XLR), 1 BOOTH (RCA), 2 PHONES (1/4-inch stereo jack, 3.5-mm stereo mini-jack), 1 x RECORD (RCA) 1 x FX OUT (RCA) |
| Supported DJ software: | Traktor Pro 3, Mixvibes Cross DJ |
| Djtechzone Rating: | (4.6 / 5) |
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