The Lowdown
Allen & Heath’s replacement for the decade-old Xone:23 and 23C brings the signature Xone sound and filter to a compact 2+1 channel mixer, now with a new Innofader crossfader and master insert loop. The Xone:24 is pure analogue at £345, while the 24C adds a 96kHz USB-C interface, powered hub and MIDI output for £415. These are entry-level Xone mixers that punch well above their weight for home set-ups, mobile DJs and anyone building a modular digital DJ system.
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Video Review
First Impressions / Setting up
The first thing you notice is that Allen & Heath has ditched the hourglass shape of the 23 series. The new design is a clean rectangle that looks more like a shrunken-down Xone:96 or 92, and it’s better for it. The build quality feels solid throughout, with metal-mounted pots that have no play in them whatsoever. It’s the kind of mixer you can throw in a bag and trust to survive.
Around the back, you’ve got the connectivity you’d expect and then some. Both models have two switchable line/phono inputs with pairs of RCAs, auxiliary input, master insert send/return, balanced XLR master outputs, booth outputs and separate record outputs. That last one is particularly useful – you can ride the master for the room while keeping a clean feed for recording. The 24C adds three USB-C ports: one for your computer and two powered hub ports for connecting controllers like the new Xone:K3 (or other class-compliant audio devices).
Setting up the 24C with a DVS system was fun. I tested it with Algoriddim Djay Pro and Reloop’s 7-inch turntables using Phase as the wireless timecode source. With Phase plugged into one of the USB hub ports and a single USB cable running to my laptop, the whole thing worked straight away – no driver installation required thanks to the class-compliant audio, and no audio cables in HID mode. The 24C offers three operating modes (Stream, DVS Pro and DAW) which you set depending on how you want the audio routed, and switching between them is straightforward enough on power up.
One small gripe: the power supply is still an external DC transformer rather than an internal mains input. It works fine, but an IEC socket would be one less thing to lose or break on the road.
In Use
The heart of any Xone mixer is its filter, and the 24 mixers deliver exactly what you’d expect. It’s a single VCF that can be assigned to any combination of channels, with switchable high-pass and low-pass modes, a frequency sweep and the classic mild-to-wild resonance control. Turn the resonance down and you’ve got something approaching a tone control; crank it up and the filter screams in that distinctively musical way that Allen & Heath fans love. I found myself reaching for it constantly during testing, especially with techno, where you can really use it to sculpt transitions and build energy.
The EQ and mixer layout
The three-band EQ is full-kill, meaning you can completely remove any frequency band. This is essential kit for certain styles of mixing – if you’re swapping basslines between tracks or doing surgical frequency cuts, you’ll appreciate having proper isolators rather than the more common shelving EQs found on some mixers. Each band gives you kill to +6dB of range, which is plenty for creative mixing without encouraging you to cook your signal.
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What makes these mixers more flexible than a standard two-channel is the 2+1 layout. Your two main channels go through the crossfader, while the auxiliary channel (which has its own two-band EQ, gain and level meter) bypasses it entirely. This third channel can take a microphone, USB audio on the 24C, or a line input – handy if you want to bring in a drum machine, backing track, MC, or guest DJ without fighting over crossfader space.
The new Innofader crossfader is a notable upgrade from the 23 series. It’s smooth, precise and cuts in exactly where you’d expect. There’s an adjustable curve and an on/off switch for those who prefer long fader blends without risking accidental cuts. For scratch DJs who might be looking at this as an affordable practice mixer, the Innofader is a definite selling point – you’re not compromising on crossfader quality despite the entry-level price.
The metering is simple but effective. Each channel gets an LED peak indicator, while the main meters switch between showing your cued channel (so you can set gains before bringing a track in) and master output. The knob lighting throughout is bright and clear, making it easy to see what’s going on in dim environments. I did find the buttons a bit stiff to press at first, though you do get used to them after a while.
Digital integration on the 24C
On the 24C, the digital integration goes beyond just audio. Key mixer controls – including the Innofader, filter parameters, channel faders and cue buttons – output Midi data to your connected software. This means you can map the physical mixer controls to functions in your DJ software, blurring the line a little between standalone mixer and controller (although for deep use with DJ software, you’ll want a modular controller too). The powered USB hub is useful for this, letting you connect a Xone:K3 or similar controller without needing a separate power source or additional USB connections to your computer.
If you’re building a modular setup – say, turntables with Phase, a K3 for transport and effects control, and the 24C for mixing and audio – you end up with a decently capable system with minimal cabling. The 24C becomes a proper hub for your whole rig, and the class-compliant audio means it’ll work with laptops, iPads and iPhones without fuss.
Allen & Heath has also improved the phono preamps, making them louder than the 23 series. For vinyl DJs, this is good because weak preamps mean you’re pushing gains harder and potentially introducing noise. Here, the RIAA stage is clean and punchy, doing justice to your records without any obvious colouration.
The sound overall is characteristically Xone: warm, full and detailed. The analogue summing gives you that depth in the low end and openness in the highs that you simply don’t get from cheaper alternatives. Listening through decent monitors, the difference is obvious compared to budget mixers.
Conclusion
The Xone:24 and 24C are exactly what they should be: compact, affordable mixers that bring the essential Xone experience to DJs who don’t need (or can’t afford) the full-sized models. The filter sounds excellent, the Innofader is a welcome upgrade, and the 24C’s USB-C interface with powered hub makes it a useful centrepiece for modular digital set-ups.
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If you’re a vinyl purist who just wants clean analogue audio, the Xone:24 at £345 is a solid choice. If you need DVS support, streaming capability or DAW integration, the extra £70 for the 24C is money well spent.
There are limitations, of course. You only get one filter (shared across all channels), there are no built-in effects (you need to use the new master send, which is still limiting), and an external power supply feels cheap for a mixer at this price. The stiff buttons are a minor annoyance.
For home DJs, bedroom producers dipping into live performance, mobile DJs who want quality sound without bulk, or anyone building a hybrid set-up around turntables and software, the Xone:24 and 24C hit a sweet spot. At this price, the competition includes age-old mixers like the Pioneer DJM-250MK2 and Numark M101, but neither offers the Xone filter or this level of connectivity. If the Allen & Heath sound and maximum flexibility in a small mixer are what you’re after, the 24C especially is the most affordable way to get it.
