Allen & Heath has selected the forthcoming Sound Recording Technology (SRT) show — part of the London International Music Show (LIMS) — to unveil the new Xone:4D performance DJ controller.

Evolved from the Xone:3D, the Xone:4D has an enhanced feature set, combining a professional analogue DJ mixer with 105 MIDI controls, and a new high-end 96 kHz/24bit 20-channel USB 2.0 soundcard.

The mixer section is based on the Xone:92 and features 4 triple-input stereo channels (soundcard, phono and line), 3 band total kill EQ, 2 stereo effects sends, 2 analogue VCF filters with LFO, VCA crossfader and dual-rail channel faders, DJ mic and cue monitoring system.

For the assignable LFO, a new editable step-filter function has been developed. Each MIDI fader becomes a filter cut-off frequency, enabling users to "draw" their own tempo-locked LFO waveform.

There is also a new 16-bit tempo detecting circuit, which constantly monitors the BPM and outputs a MIDI clock to help synchronize MIDI-controlled music replay software with external source programme material.

For more information, visit their web site at www.allen-heath.com.

Allen and Heath have announced that the Xone:3D will be replaced by the Xone:4D.

The Xone:4D will replace the Xone:3D in all shipments made from the end of May 2008 onwards. The Xone:4D utilises the new USB 2.0 soundcard which is now in production in the Xone:2D, which is designed to offer much greater capability and flexibility over the previous version.

A summary of the new features:

• Totally new USB2 soundcard
• 24bit/96kHz capability
• Drivers available for both PC and Mac
• 4 stereo outputs plus digital out
• 4 stereo inputs plus digital in
• 8 extra soundcard configuration switches remove the need for the desktop configuration utility of the :3D
• Ability to switch FX2 RCA sockets to be recording outputs
• Unique real-time LFO waveform edit function
• Dual layer control surface with control snapshot allows 225 mappable MIDI controls across the two layers.
• Updated mixer circuitry
• Improved BPM detection system
• Heavy duty chassis and front panel

We're told that the new 4D will do everything that the 3D could do, and more. It is designed to enable DJs to greatly extend the capability of their digital setup, e.g. by running 4 simultaneous decks in Native Instruments Traktor, or by being able to achieve genuine multi-track recording of their sets in applications such as Ableton Live or ProTools.

Pricing is expected to be around the 1900 Euro (incl. VAT).