Allen & Heath has launched the Xone:K3, a fully customisable Midi controller that succeeds the popular Xone:K2 with improved build quality, RGB LED feedback, and modern connectivity – but this time with no audio interface. The Xone:K3 costs £195 and is available now.
The K3 updates the K2’s formula with several improvements while keeping the same basic layout that made the original popular. You get 52 physical controls including 12 rotary pots, six endless encoders, 30 backlit buttons, and four 60mm faders. With three independent layers, that translates to up to 174 assignable Midi parameters per mapping.
The build quality looks like a step up from the K2. Allen & Heath has moved to a diecast metal chassis with nutted pots and tactile switches designed to handle touring. It’s still slim enough to fit alongside club mixers, but looks more substantial than its predecessor.
New features, too…
RGB LED feedback is the most visible upgrade. The 34 buttons now show different colours to indicate which layer you’re on and provide visual confirmation of your mappings. The free Xone Controller Editor app lets you customise everything including Midi assignments, LED colours, and layer configurations.
Connectivity has been modernised with USB-C replacing the older USB connection. The K3 is class compliant, meaning it works without drivers on macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. X:Link connectivity remains for integration with Xone mixers including the 96, PX5, 43C, and 23C. Multiple K3 units can be daisy-chained, with each one recognised independently by your software.
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The K3 maintains compatibility with existing K1 and K2 mappings, so if you’ve already built custom set-ups for the older controllers, they’ll work straight away.
- The Xone:K3 costs £195 / $249 / €228 and is available now.
First Thoughts
Of course there’s nothing revolutionary here – it’s an evolutionary update to a modular controller that’s been popular for years. The improvements look sensible: better build quality, RGB feedback, USB-C, and backwards compatibility with existing mappings all make sense. No audio interface, though? Looked at that way, it’s really a K1 Mk2, and we could possibly expect a K4 with an audio interface?
The price is still reasonable for what you’re getting. At under £200, the K3 sits in a sweet spot between cheap plastic Midi controllers and premium specialist gear. For DJs who want a reliable, road-ready controller that’ll slot into their existing set-up, it looks like a solid choice.
Wait, did you say Xone:24C?
Here’s where things get interesting. In the YouTube video accompanying the K3 press release, Allen & Heath appears to have outed another product in the on-screen blurb at the end, the Xone:24C. Based on the naming convention, this would be the successor to the current Xone:23C entry-level mixer.
Update: We did indeed keep our eyes peeled. And, as they say, a picture speaks a thousand words, so…
Promo video
Phil Morse
