Before we go ‘full pro mobile magazine’ with this, I’m going to ignore protocol and call a spade, a spade from the getgo. The XDJ-RR was probably the weakest standalone controller Pioneer/Alpha Theta have made. Now I have your attention, Let's all hope together its successor has what it takes to hold its own, in the current lineup. If you are new to the process of figuring out ‘what DJ kit best suits me as a newbie’, pull up a chair - because the XDJ-AN doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but answers the question ‘what do beginners actually need in 2026’.

Back to the elephant in the room - this is the long, long awaited direct successor to the marmite XDJ-RR. The RR was quietly ending up in bedrooms and travel bags for people who wanted a standalone like an XDJ-RX/RX2/RX3, but not for RX money. They didn’t want XDJ-XZ channel counts, 2 would do them fine! It was the gateway to navigating Rekordbox operating systems on a controller, having genuine standalone experience but without the need to remortgage for the XZ’s and Opus-Quads of the world.

It was small and able and probably the first controller of many headline DJs to this day! The trouble is, the market has moved on and the RR might has well stand for ‘Real Relic’. Since the inception of the RR, Streaming has exploded. Mobile devices now classed as legitimate DJ tools.

Cloud libraries now stable and accessible. Beginner DJs expectation of the technology is to keep up with the rest of their lives, not like using some cracked software from 2014. The XDJ-AN feels like AlphaTheta has recognised that and built the controller to 2026’s think tank and their habits. Physically, it's the trademark familiarity as a DJ you get to enjoy.

Two decks, Two channels and a layout clearly inspired by the CDJ-3000 players and DJM mixers. AlphaTheta are the best at intentionally making this a gateway drug to train you up as quickly as physically possible to playing at higher levels, with bigger (and more expensive!) Kit. One of the biggest hurdles for new DJs has always been kit which is totally different from bedroom to club; the XDJ-AN closes this gap considerably. From the cue buttons to loop controls.

Hot Cues, FX, headphones and library navigation and settings; its already teaching you where your hands need to be if you were playing on CDJ-3000s. Its all part of that natural feel across hardware! Weight-wise this is interesting, too. Seeing the controller with a degree of complacency, I came to lift the AN out of the box and it felt far more substantial than other controllers of this size.

Giving a sturdiness from its weight once I started to play on it. Before I could do any more weight watching, I’ve booted the unit up with one of it’s USB-C connection ports and realised just how much its going to outshine the outgoing RR - with how it handles music. Let’s be real - as much as a ‘veteran DJ’ like myself would WANT new DJs to have the same level of punishment to prepare music over months, downloading and sorting on USB sticks, labelling, analysing, re-syncing.

These new DJs are getting their tips and tricks from TikTok. Musical inspiration from Spotify, Apple Music and Beatport Charts alike are shoving massive amounts of music in front of them. The AN, has to match that level of music consumption - and embrace how it’s used. StreamingDirectPlay (Yes, its three words without any spaces) (and yes, I also think its silly) is the key here.

It allows direct access to your favourite streaming sites such as Apple Music, Beatport Streaming and TIDAL, with Spotify support promised via a future update. Rather than treating streaming as an afterthought, it's now fully embedded into the AN’s operating system from the start. Streaming used to be a ‘oh crap I haven’t got XYZ’ now, you can prep on your phone, and simply get home and mix your pre-arranged playlist! I can picture you DJ association traditionalists rolling your eyes right this very minute, in a monty python style situation: "I had to buy every record" "I organised crates" "I ripped CDs" Great.

So did many of us. But accessibility isn’t our enemy! So pipe down at the back! Perhaps they can now focus on phrasing, mixing and reading the crowd, now music has been made easier for them to get!

Perhaps this is an article for another day.. 78 Back to the XDJ-AN; one of the best features is info search. Whilst you’re playing a track, the XDJ-AN can suggest related music based on the artist or album information from the streaming catalogue. If you’re still building confidence, or discovering music or even playing a genre you are unfamiliar with, this is a brilliant learning tool rather than just convenience.

Cloud integration is another humungous step over the XDJ-RR. With Rekordbox Cloud Library Sync and CloudDirectPlay, the playlists and cue points live in the cloud instead of just your personal computer. It gets better! You can then edit the playlists directly on the touchscreen and will sync to the cloud.

No need to use your computer. Add hot cues, rearrange playlists, rename them etc - they will all sync automatically. it's not just cloud features that make the AN a worthy contender. It almost feels like a surprise that Alpha- Theta has included iOS support for iPhone and iPad on Algoriddims djay software.

Even less barriers as a result of this, as you can start learning with music on your mobile device without progressing to USB drives or even cloud libraries! The hardware itself feels nice, too. It strikes a nice balance where its substantial enough to feel like you’re not cramped or hitting buttons by accident, but small enough to fit nicely in a bedroom studio or smaller setup. It’s certainly not a toy, and weighing around 5kg it’s manageable to rock up to house parties, SU’s or small bars.

ALPHATHETA XDJ-AN Connectivity feels uniform and well thought out too. There are three USB-C’s on the unit, one for power, one for connecting laptops/phones and one for your USB media. Master outputs on RCA and XLR and bluetooth audio output is also supported for connecting to these monstrous boomboxes most people have now! (Or a Wave 8 if you want to keep it AlphaTheta!) Wi-Fi is built in for accessing cloud libraries and streaming services, all of which feel easy to use and get connected.

Bluetooth exists in a simple channel takeover mode if you feel like you need to use an ‘Aux’ input, this would be your only way to achieve this. I One feature borrowed from AlphaTheta’s priority technology catalogue is SonicLink. Having recently tested on the DJM-V5, I’m already pretty convinced this tech has a future. Pat compatible HDJ-F10 headphones and you can mix and monitor wirelessly I with latency figures so low they aren’t even worth mentioning, as you can’t notice.

No headphone cables catching on jog wheels and no risk of yanking your whole bloody controller off a table or booth. Just pure freedom. Sure, the headphones are in the “bloody hell how much?” category so I don’t see a queue of beginners getting them, but having the tech ready to go is nice… If you buy this controller now, by Christmas you will probably look to treat yourself to a pair of HDJ-F10’s! Cunning, AlphaTheta…Cunning!

The best way to conclude this article is by answering this question: If you own an XDJ-RR, should you consider upgrading? The answer is no. If you want to keep exporting playlists to USBs, not using a touchscreen, not using 8 hot cues, not wanting any sort of wireless accessibility or bluetooth backup or flexibility… 80 Yes I am being sarcastic! On a level, if you’re buying your first standalone controller.

Or found yourself detaching from the laptop way of DJing - OR need better grips on your streaming services and cloud libraries in the booth - the XDJ-AN feels like a solid investment into that train of thought. It’s not trying to be an XDJ-AZ pocket version - its standing on its own merit for an entirely New MK3 new generation of DJs. Who film movies in portrait Key features and think Mr Beast is old. • Refined design think it succeeds. We thank the XDJ-RR for teaching • USB-C connectivity people to DJ without the laptop.

The XDJ-AN teaches people how to DJ without spending their only free • New button mechanism time digging for music, and importantly how modern • Precision-molded DJing can actually be easy and achievable. for a flush fit with the WING don’t think the famous ‘should Marcus get one’ question applies here. Instead: Has it done enough to make me recommend it? Without hesitation. If somebody asked me today, "What's the best standalone controller to learn on before eventually playing in clubs?" I genuinely think the XDJ- AN has become the answer.

It doesn't just replace the XDJ-RR— it modernises the entire beginner experience, and that's exactly Intuitive layout inspired by music gear • Up to 4 DMX universes what a successor should do. Reliable standalone hardware • Colour, Move, Beam and Flash FX Music sync with mic and line in • 20 000 available fixtures ALPHATHETA XDJ-AN

Visit the AlphaTheta manufacturer website