AlphaTheta has just announced their DJM-A7. It’s a four-channel mixer that takes the DJM-A9’s basic layout and strips it down a bit, into a mixer somewhat the size and function equivalent of the old DJM-750MK2. It’s going to run DJs $1,599, which is $1,300 under the A9’s current $2,899.
The two big features that give somewhat a hint of who it’s for: two USB-C ports (perhaps for laptop swaps/B2Bs), plus a pair of knobs that retune the master output to treat it for the room. My best guess is that this means it’s an install-oriented mixer for small rooms, clubs, hotels/bars – the kind of places where DJs rotate through the lineup throughout the month and the crowd / room changes sonically.
What the DJM-A7 keeps from the DJM-A9
The channel section appears to be straight from the A9, with the same layout, the same 45mm channel faders. Plus, inside the unit, it’s the same ESS 32-bit converters on every input and on the master, booth, and record outputs.
Like the A9, it has two USB-C laptop ports so the next DJ can plug in with one of our USB-C-to-C Chroma Cables (we make them in 2m with angled connectors on one end, now) while you’re still playing. Link Cue is here, too, so on a CDJ-3000X or a CDJ-1500X you can preview a track from the touchscreen without loading it. Rekordbox unlocks off the hardware with no subscription. Serato DJ Pro and Algoriddim’s djay (including djay on an iPhone or iPad over USB-C) also work, but you’ll pay for those separately.
Put the A7 between two CDJ-1500Xs and you’ve got a four-channel club-style booth for $4,997 at today’s street prices. Two CDJ-3000Xs + an A9 run $8,897.
Where the $1,300 went / What’s “missing”
Here’s what the DJM-A7 is limited to versus the A9:
- Fewer effects. Only six beat FX (the A9 has 14), including Delay, Echo, Spiral, Reverb, Trans and Roll. Each on its own backlit button instead the selector knob. Sound Color FX also drop from six to four.
- No send/return audio jacks: There’s no 1/4″ jack send and return on the back. But, DJs can still route external effects through the USB-C I/O port. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a DJ (outside a trade show booth/performance) that has done this (have you? leave a comment), and it’s been a feature option since the DJM-900NXS2 release.
- Mic moves to the channel selector: One XLR/quarter-inch combo jack on the rear of the mixer, with the attenuator back there too. Instead of getting a whole processing strip like on the A9, mic shows up as a source on each channel’s input selector.
- One headphone cue: The 1/4″ and 3.5mm jacks share a single cue mix and level knob, where the A9 gives two DJs independent cue systems for back-to-back sets.
New on the A7: Mater Texture and Split Filter
“Master Texture” is a pair of knobs in the master section. One adjusts the top end (ranging from “Smoky” to “Bright”), while the other works the lows (from “Smooth” to “Punchy”).
Is a quick master tone fix useful in a bar with no tech on staff with a room that gets harsh when half empty? Yes. Do you want every DJ playing to have it? Probably not, so I’m hoping there might be some hidden attenuation. A 9pm DJ can crank “Bright” all the way up, and the 11pm DJ will inherit that choice. Let’s be real, any venue with a real sound engineer will want both knobs parked at center with the room tuning handled elsewhere.
The A7 also gets the new Split Filter, which shapes the mids while leaving lows and highs alone (it’s somewhat a “cousin” of the cross-pass filter on the DJM-V5), the Soft Mix Curve fader mode that debuted on the V5, and a built-in SonicLink transmitter for AlphaTheta’s wireless headphones. It’s the second mixer after the V5 with SonicLink inside, and touch pairing with the $349 HDJ-F9 will come in a firmware update. Interesting how new AlphaTheta mixer features keep landing on the smaller models first, and the A9 has neither SonicLink nor Master Texture.
Two different ways to shrink a flagship
When AlphaTheta shrank the DJM-V10 into a V5 in January, it cut the channel count in half (six down to three) and dropped the Beat FX and crossfader, but kept the V10’s sound-shaping core: 4-band EQ, per-channel compressors, send FX, and 60mm faders. It’s a smaller V10 for a selector whose booth or setup doesn’t need or fit the big one. The price came down to $2,199 vs the V10’s $3,799.
The DJM-A7 goes the other way, keeping all four channels, the crossfader, the A9’s layout – so anyone who’s played a DJM-900 or A9 can find everything in the dark. The trimming happens in effects and I/O instead, and it lands at $1,599 against the A9’s $2,899. Again, this feels pretty well-oriented for smaller installs and home rigs.
DJM-A7 price and availability
The DJM-A7 will run $1,599 and ships in November through AlphaTheta dealers, likely including the DJTT store. AlphaTheta says it’s the same size as the DJM-750MK2. Height and depth match, but the A7 is 11mm wider (331mm vs 320mm), so if your 750MK2 lives in a snug flight case or a booth cut-out, measure before you order. It’s also $200 more than the 750MK2’s “final” price of $1,399.
Want a full review?
Phil and Mojaxx are on the case, and they’re well both well worth a watch:
