AlphaTheta, the new parent company of Pioneer DJ, has begun launching products under their own moniker. The first product out of the gate was the Wave-Eight, a battery-powered, portable loudspeaker with a couple of tricks up its sleeve. Immediately afterwards, the Omnis-Duo, a standalone, battery-powered DJ system made its debut, and it became clear that AlphaTheta was playing for keeps with a complete ecosystem that promised to bring the party anywhere you wanted.
For a limited time only! Up to 80% off all Waves Bundles. PLUS click the banner above or the Go button for an additional 10%! This is Waves best deal yet! Get yours today before this special ends! Go!
Never providing anyone with a truly satisfactory answer as to why AlphaTheta relegated the well-known Pioneer DJ brand to the bench, aside from a very brief statement, many have attributed the change to the company being bought and sold a number of times in the last few years. It really doesn’t matter at this point. Love it or hate it, AlphaTheta now has three products under its umbrella, including the recently released euphonia, a four-channel rotary DJ mixer. We’ve been subjecting the Omnis-Duo and the Wave-Eight to a long-term test with five evaluators, including one that was brand new to DJing, to gain a deep understanding on how this new ecosystem would find its place an extremely crowded DJ gear market. The impressions of our reviewers are in quotes below.
Let’s first address the 800 lbs. Pink Gorilla in the room – the Omnis-Duo’s blue color. This has had a polarizing impact on anyone with an opinion on the Internet, which is basically everyone. Some liked it. Some went absolutely mental. And some fell somewhere in between. What we can tell you is that it looks far better in person than it does in pictures. The blue color, which AlphaTheta calls “Denim,” is much darker and richer. In fact, it “has an almost a luxurious look” and “it’s a completely different experience when you see it with your own eyes.” We even brought it to SXSW this year to get opinions from musicians and DJs who came to our retreat to check out all the latest gear. It was certainly a magnet and initially garnered even more attention than the latest synths and effects pedals in our arsenal. Overall, it was positively received. We do have to salute AlphaTheta for “taking the risk” on the aesthetic.
The blue color, which AlphaTheta calls “Denim,” is much darker and richer in person…
One of the Omnis-Duo’s Microphone Inputs
The Omnis-Duo is not the first portable or battery-powered, standalone DJ system – Denon has the Prime Go – but it’s easily the the most well-executed. “Deep thinking” went into both the Omnis-Duo and the Wave-Eight with even “the smallest details painstakingly thought out” for an almost seamless experience. The Omnis-Duo has “all the main controls” a typical Two Deck + DJ mixer standalone contains, but “nothing is cramped” and each element “has plenty of real estate to breathe.” Our noob found it “inviting,” “unintimidating” and “couldn’t wait to start mixing.” It features three band EQ (Hi – Mid – Low), track volume sliders, eight cue points per track, pitch control sliders, Trim pots, Cue/Master Blend, Cue/Master Volume, Headphone selector (1-2), two different Mic inputs (XLR + 1/4″) with individual gain and a Talkover button. Hardware FX controls are limited to Beat Jump, Beat Loop and Color, a high pass/low pass filter. Two touch sensitive touch wheels, Booth and Master output volume knobs and a large, color touchscreen round off the offerings. AlphaTheta did a commendable job matching the color of the top of the metal touchscreens to the chassis, but under some lighting conditions, they can look quite different.
The Omnis-Duo and Wave-Eight are the first products with the AlphaTheta name.
AlphaTheta has you covered on I/O options: USB-C power, USB-C to a computer, USB-A for thumb and external drives, SD Card slot, Master XLR stereo output, RCA stereo Booth/Master, and two headphone connections (1/4″ and 3.5mm MiniJack). Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi and SonicLink – easily surpassing other wireless DJ systems – more on SonicLink later.
Every one of our reviewers, no matter what their ability, was able to find their own sweetspot to get the most out of their experience.
While the uncluttered interface welcomes entry-level DJs to get their hands dirty, the touchscreen is where intermediate and expert users can access the more advanced features, including the effects via the Rekordbox software. The software has its detractors with an “annoying subscription service” and “frustrating upgrades where you have to update your entire library,” but thanks to Pioneer DJ’s ubiquitous CDJs, you really can’t escape it. Although, the Omnis-Duo employs Rekordbox, you really don’t need its advanced features to get mixing. This is where AlphaTheta adroitly hits a delicate balance with the Omnis-Duo. Every one of our reviewers, no matter what their ability, was able to find their own sweetspot to get the most out of their experience.
Rekordbox’s Light and Dark Modes on the Omnis-Duo
MIDI Designer Is Now Free!
MIDI Designer Pro X is now free to download! MIDI Designer Pro X is a professional-grade MIDI controller platform for iPhone, iPad and Mac. User-contributed layouts let you control everything from Ableton to Yamaha out of the box. Go beyond hardware and express your musical vision. Check out out now!
Omnis-Duo Features & Specifications:
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- S/N Ratio: 112 dB (USB, SD)
- Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.003% (USB, SD)
- Inputs: MIC 1 XLR + 1/4″ TRS Jack; MIC 2 1/4″ TRS Jack; LINE × 1 (Bluetooth [exclusive from output])
- Outputs: MASTER × 1 (XLR); MASTER × 1 (RCA); MASTER × 1 (Bluetooth [exclusive from input]); BOOTH × 1 (Combined use with RCA output); HEADPHONE MONITOR × 2 (1/4″ Stereo Phone Jack + 3.5 mm Stereo Mini Jack)
- USB: USB-A for thumb drive x 1; SD card x1; USB-C for PC/Mac control x 1; USB-C for power input (USB PD 45 W) x 1
- Supported WiFi standards: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Frequency band used: 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz)
- Bluetooth Wireless system: Bluetooth Ver.5.2; Frequency band used: 2.4 GHz; Compatible codecs: SBC, AAC
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery capacity: 47.52 Wh
- Weight: 4.6 kg / 10.1 lbs.
- Dimensions: (W × D × H) 500 × 307 × 71 mm / 19.7″ × 12.1″ × 2.8″
- SD card slot conforms to SD/SDHC/SDXC standards; Max. memory capacity: 2 TB
- Audio Sampling rate: 44.1 kHz
- A/D, D/A converters: 24bits
- Channel equalizer characteristic: HI: -26 dB – +6 dB (20 kHz) / MID: . -26 dB – +6 dB (1 kHz) / LOW: -26 dB – +6 dB (20 Hz)
The Wave-Eight features a 110 watt, Class-D amplifier powering an 8-inch, aramid fiber woofer and a 1-inch soft dome tweeter. Our testers found the Wave-Eight to be a premium battery-operated loudspeaker that contains quality components, savvy design choices and a robust build. AlphaTheta claims that the speaker can play up to eight hours on a single charge, and our evaluators usually hit just under that mark at constant loud volume. Two Wave-Eight’s can be paired with the Omnis-Duo for stereo sound applications. Although the Wave-Eight has sophisticated wireless connectivity, AlphaTheta didn’t skim on wired connections. Each unit has a two XLR/TRS combo jack inputs, a 1/4″ TRS input and a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack input.
The easiest way for electronic musicians to get their music onto Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Tidal, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pandora, Twitch & much more! Click the banner above or the Go Button to save 7% off of your signup! Go!
Built into each Wave-Eight is a water-resistant closet that contains the SonicLink module. The module can be removed and connected to the Omnis-Duo via the RCA outputs. While SonicLink isn’t without some latency, it’s far less than your typical Bluetooth connection, which makes certain types of DJing a challenge. Our evaluators found setting up the SonicLink connection between the Omnis-Duo and the Wave-Eight to be “a breeze” and the the connection to be “stable” with no reports of dropouts or sudden disconnections.
Why didn’t AlphaTheta simply build SonicLink into to the Omnis-Duo instead of having a breakout module? It’s so that any DJ rig could utilize the 2.4 GHz wireless technology to connect to a Wave-Eight, greatly expanding the reach and versatility. There are two lights on the bottom right of the Wave-Weight to indicate power status and the wireless connection type.
The Wave-Eight features several EQ profiles, including Music, Music (Low Cut), Flat, Flat (Low Cut), Vocal and Subwoofer. Subwoofer mode cuts out the high and mid frequencies, allowing the Wave-Eight to act as a sub. Our reviewers found it worked “surprisingly well,” but weren’t sure how it would work as a 2.1 system with the other Wave-Eights, since it was only tested with Funktion-One and Mackie satellites. Low Cut mode is just the opposite and is intended for use on units that are combined with a Wave-Eight set to Subwoofer mode. Flat is the mode you’ll want to use if you have an EQ or processor on the Master and Vocal is for presentations. Most users “will be quite satisfied with the Music profile,” although “the bass can get squishy” and “there’s not enough high-end sparkle” on some material, according to two of our evaluators.
Wave-Eight Features & Specifications:
- Powered Two-Way Bass Reflex Active Speaker
- 8″ Woofer + 1″ Soft Dome Tweeter
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery life at high volume: 7.6 hours
- Inputs: Two XLR/TRS combo jacks, One 1/4″ TRS jack, One 3.5 mm stereo mini jack
- Output: One XLR jack
- EQ modes: Music / Music (Low Cut) / Flat / Flat (Low Cut) / Vocal / Subwoofer
- Approx. 22 feet line-of-sight wireless range
- Bluetooth Wireless system: Bluetooth Ver.5.1; Frequency band used: 2.4 GHz; Compatible codecs: SBC, AAC
- Weight: 12.7 kg / 28 lbs.
- Dimensions: (W × D × H) 300 × 554 × 337 mm / 11.8″ × 21.8″ × 13.3″
All of our reviewers absolutely “loved” how AlphaTheta built-in an extendable pull handle, and rubber, rollerblade-like wheels. They are “solidly attached” and can go over floors and carpets. Traveling over grass, dirt and rough pavement “will be a challenge” but it’s “certainly better than having to carry each 28 lbs. speaker.” What’s more is that each Wave-Eight has plenty of built-in grab handles, as well as the Vortex Bass Accelerator port for maneuvering the speakers into position. There is also a built-in pole-socket on the bottom for mounting the Wave-Eight on a stand – “just make sure it can support the weight.” Finally, the Wave-Eight has a IPX4 water-resistance rating, so there’s no need to panic if the clouds turn gray.
Build quality on both the Wave-Eight and Omnis-Duo is “world-class” and “is the reason you’re paying a premium.” None of our reviewers experienced any failures during our long-term test with the Wave-Eight or Omnis-Duo and each unit held up quite nicely even when passed from evaluator to evaluator. One, who used the SonicLink extensively, was “impressed” on how AlphaTheta designed the compartment on the Wave-Eight to house the unit and “love[d] how the spring loaded claw securely gripped the module.” He suggested storing a stereo RCA cable in the SonicLink closet, since the Wave-Eight doesn’t come with one.
One design choice that was universally panned by all five reviewers was the seam that went around the perimeter of the Omnis-Duo. At about 2mm wide, it had the tendency to attract debris and “if you’re a stickler for this type of thing, you’ll find yourself cleaning it regularly with a toothpick.” A better design choice would have been to have this reveal on the bottom of the unit, which not only would have alleviated this problem, but also would have given the top a “capped” and “more refined” aesthetic.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, all this glorious DJ action does not come cheap. Two Wave-Eights and an Omnis-Duo will set you back $3300 in North America and about €3500 in Europe. Professional DJs will instantly be able to substantiate the cost with the convenience, portability and flexibility that this DJ ecosystem brings to the table. The casual user with financial constraints may be much harder to convince, based on all the options on the market, but if you’re looking to go wireless, this is the one to buy now. Even with a handful of negatives, considering the feature set, technology and build quality, it’s a fabulous system. Highly Recommended.
AlphaTheta Omnis-Duo & Wave-Eight Rating: 92%
Cheers:
+ Innovative
+ Technology
+ Build-Quality
+ Attention To Detail
+ Denim Color
+ Accessible
+ Portable
+ Connectivity
Jeers:
– Expensive
– Color Filter Effect
– Top Seam On Omnis-Duo
– Rekcordbox Subscription Needed For Advanced Features
AphaTheta’s Omnis-Duo costs $1499 and the Wave-Eight costs $899.
The Future: This DJ ecosystem is an incredible debut from AlphaTheta. The top seam on the Omnis-Duo should be redesigned or relocated to the bottom of the unit as stated above. And while the blue denim color is net positive, We think some complementary colors could be added to the fader caps, knobs and bottoms for just a little more pop.
Every evaluator, save our beginner DJ, wasn’t very impressed with the Color Filter effect. The slopes were “too abrupt” and the sonic signature should be “much broader” and “smoother.”
Pioneer DJ Corporation changed its company name to the AlphaTheta Corporation on January 1, 2020. The concern stated that they are updating their corporate name to better reflect their values and vision. They also claim that the change is not related to any merger, sale, or reorganization. “We take great pride in our commitment to the music industry and we’ve chosen our new company name, AlphaTheta Corporation, based on our passionate vision to innovate, inspire, and entertain. Why AlphaTheta? Music can guide the human brain into extremely powerful states of mind. Peak human experience can be enhanced with an optimal balance of creative music, superior sound technologies, and group coherence. AlphaTheta refers to the brain wave frequencies achieved in these peak states. Our vision is to use our innovative technologies to enable and enrich these peak moments. AlphaTheta enables you to go Beyond the Music.”
AlphaTheta is not affiliated with the Alpha Theta Sorority
