Alpha Theta’s new 3-channel mixer: gimmick, or the height of relevance?
Alpha Theta released their new three-channel mixer on the 20th of January this year, and the reactions have been mixed at best. Why is this piece of kit so controversial?
Alpha Theta brands this new mixer, the DJM-V5, as being inspired by “the design philosophy of the DJM-V10”, a six-channel mixer which has been used around the world in major clubs and festivals. They wanted to go for a “more compact 3-channel unit” which still offers “massive potential for uncompromising creative mixing” with a “more advanced range of effects” and their new SonicLink transmitter technology to enable wireless mixing with minimal latency.
The level of technology sounds really intriguing with the wireless mixing and range of effects, and reducing it to three channels may cut out the fourth channel that, for some DJs, remains unused if that is their preferred method for mixing. However, it’s a completely fair point that if a four-channel mixer already has everything you want in terms of effects and an extra channel, why wouldn’t you just go for that?
After all, wireless mixing may be great at home, but it provides risk when playing to a crowd, so if this mixer were to be in clubs or on festival stages, this feature may not be utilised, rendering it obsolete.
A real strength of the mixer, however, is the high-resolution sound. With the newest processing components, Alpha Theta claim “the result is a refined audio signature that maximises the contours of every sound… creating an immersive experience where each element stands out clearly and the overall mix feels smooth and energetic”, a feature which would be ideal for use with big crowds to maximise sound quality.
Public opinion has varied, with one X user saying, “What in the wackjob is the DJM-V5? 😂 Will stick to the A9 for now, thank you very much” and another saying, “A new addition to the @PioneerDJglobal graveyard,” while others feel it “brings a new, compact mixer to the market that transfers many features of the DJM-V10 into a space-saving format” or simply that it’s a “Laaaavley looking mixer.” ”. ”.
Would you use this 3-channel mixer over a 4-channel?