AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX2 Review: A Great Entry-Level DJ Controller

This is not to say that there are no problems. The jog wheels are unimpressive at best. They are useful for finding your place in a song, but I can’t imagine trying to scratch or do a real DJ trick with them. Limiting its usefulness in a live setting is the fact that there is no mic input, and the only two audio outputs (cue and main) are 3.5-mm TRS jacks. It will work if you’re trying to practice at home or DJ a small party at home, but if you show up in a club with it, you’ll definitely get some looks.

Excellent integrations

Chances are, regardless of your favorite DJ app or whether you’re using an iPad or laptop or even an Android phone, the DDJ-FLX2 should work with your setup. I tested it with a MacBook Pro, a six-year-old Dell XPS, a base model iPad from 2021, and a Google Pixel 7. I had few problems when connected via USB-C (besides the port of my Pixel being). extremely scaly).

Connecting to the iPad via Bluetooth could be a bit more seamless, and I never managed to get it all working with my phone. That said, due to the latency that Bluetooth introduces, it’s not really ideal for DJing anyway.

AlphaTheta says the DDJ-FLX2 is compatible with Recordbox, Djay Algorithmand Serato DJ Litealthough I only tried it with the first two. Since AlphaTheta also makes Rekordbox, it’s not surprising that the integration there is tighter. It works exactly as you’d expect right out of the box, and the labels on the hardware reflect the terminology you’ll find in the app. If you haven’t committed to a particular DJing platform, Rekordbox is worth exploring as there is a surprisingly feature-rich free version. Plus, it supports streaming from SoundCloud, Beatport, Beatsource and Tidal, in case you’re still building your library at this stage of your DJ career.

I mostly use it with Djay, however, since that’s the software I was trained on when I joined the ranks of Radio Maker Park all those years ago. Plus, it has Apple Music integration, which makes it easy for me to add stuff to my rotation on short notice and with minimal fuss. The FLX2 worked out of the box with no problem with Algoriddim’s Djay Pro software, although the labeling and naming conventions don’t always line up which can lead to some confusion.

Usable in real life

Photography: Terrence O’Brien

In addition to practicing at home, I DJed a couple of episodes of my radio show with the FLX2 and also experimented with making short, seamless blocks of dance music on air. The Smart Fader feature made it easy for a noob like myself to transition between tracks with the help of filter and echo effects, while smoothing out small discrepancies in timing. And when I wanted a little more time to make sure I had everything lined up or wanted to do a mini mashup on the next track, the loop pads worked like a charm. I wouldn’t say I’m ready to DJ a huge venue, but I feel a little more confident indulging in dance mixes in my show now.