AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX2 Review: A great entry-level DJ controller

That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems. Jogging bikes are unimpressive at best. They are useful for finding your place in a song, but I can’t imagine trying to scratch or do any real DJ tricks with them. Limiting its usefulness in a live environment is the fact that there is no microphone input and the only two audio outputs (cue and main) are 3.5mm TRS jacks. It’ll work if you just want to practice at home or DJ at a small house party, but if you show up at a club with this, you’ll definitely get some looks.

Excellent integrations

Chances are, regardless of your DJ app of choice, or whether you’re using an iPad, laptop, or even an Android phone, the DDJ-FLX2 should work with your setup. I tested it with a MacBook Pro, a six-year-old Dell XPS, a 2021 entry-level iPad. and the Google Pixel 7. I had few problems connecting via USB-C (except for the port on my Pixel, which is extremely flaky).

Connecting to the iPad via bluetooth could have been a bit more seamless and I never got it to work with my phone. That being said, due to the latency that Bluetooth introduces, it’s not ideal for DJing anyway.

AlphaTheta says the DDJ-FLX2 is compatible with Record box, Djay algorithmand Serato DJ Litealthough I only tested it with the first two. Since AlphaTheta also makes Rekordbox, it’s no surprise that the integration there is tightest. It works exactly as you’d expect right out of the box, and the hardware labels reflect the terminology you’d find in the app. If you haven’t committed to a specific DJing platform yet, Rekordbox is worth exploring as it has a surprisingly feature-rich free version. It also supports streaming from SoundCloud, Beatport, Beatsource and Tidal, in case you’re still building your library at this stage of your DJ career.

But mostly I used it with Djay as that is the software I was trained on when I joined Maker Park Radio all those years ago. It also has Apple Music integration, making it easy for me to add stuff to my rotation in no time and with minimal effort. The FLX2 works seamlessly with Algoriddim’s Djay Pro software, although the labeling and naming conventions don’t always match, which can lead to some confusion.

It can be used in real life

Photo: Terence O’Brien

In addition to practicing at home, I DJed several episodes of my radio show with the FLX2 and even experimented with playing short, seamless blocks of dance music on air. The Smart Fader feature made it easy for me to transition between songs using filter and echo effects while smoothing out small tempo discrepancies. And when I wanted a little more time to make sure I had everything lined up or wanted to do a mini medley on the next song, the loop pads worked like a charm. I wouldn’t say I’m ready to DJ in a huge venue, but now I feel a bit more confident indulging in dance mixes in my show.