Had a chance to look at an AZ yesterday, on a table behind a Prime 4+… they are massive, far far bigger than the 4+. Probably at the point where i’d not really want to be lumping it around to gigs.
I had ChatGPT render a comparison chart or both machines.
Feature Comparison: Denon Prime 4+ vs AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ
| Category | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone Decks |  True 4-deck standalone playback |
4-deck standalone via USB |
| Software Compatibility | Engine DJ (standalone), Serato DJ Pro, VirtualDJ (controller mode) | Rekordbox (export, Link, CloudDirectPlay), Serato DJ Pro (via USB) |
| Touchscreen | 10.1″ HD multi-touch with waveform zoom, track preview, gesture control, XY FX | 10.1″ capacitive touch with Touch Preview & Cue, full waveform, 13-track browse mode |
| Jog Wheels | 6″ (152 mm) capacitive jogs with center display and RGB ring | 8.1″ (206 mm) mechanical jogs with on-jog display |
| Performance Pads | 8 RGB pads per deck (16 total). Modes: Hot Cue, Loop, Roll, Slicer, Slicer Loop, Sampler | 8 RGB pads per deck. Modes: Hot Cue, Loop, Roll, Slicer |
| Audio FX | 25+ effects: Sweep FX per channel, Main FX with OLED, XY Touch FX | 14 Beat FX, 6 Sound Color FX, DJM-style layout |
| Stems Support | Yes – pre-rendered STEMs (Vocals, Drums, Bass, Other) |
 Not supported |
Microphone Inputs & Processing
| Feature | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Mic Inputs | 2 × combo XLR/¼″ TRS (balanced) | 2 × combo XLR/¼″ TRS |
| Mic EQ | Mic 1: 3-band EQ | 2-band EQ per mic |
| Mic 2: 2-band EQ | ||
| Echo / Reverb | Echo toggle + level control via Utility | Simple echo toggle only |
| Talkover / Ducking | Adjustable ducking in Utility | Fixed ducking via Talkover button |
| Feedback Reduction | Not available |
Built-in feedback reducer |
| Phantom Power | Not supported |
Not supported |
Streaming & Connectivity
| Feature | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Platforms | Native: Apple Music, Amazon Music, TIDAL, Beatport, Beatsource, SoundCloud GO+, Dropbox |
 Beatport Streaming (DirectPlay), Rekordbox CloudDirectPlay (subscription required) |
| Wi-Fi | Built-in Wi-Fi |
Built-in Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | Full Bluetooth audio input/output |
Bluetooth for metadata/preview only (no audio) |
Media Inputs & Sources
| Feature | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| USB Ports | 4 × USB-A, 1 × USB-B (controller mode) | 2 × USB-A, 1 × USB-C (host/device switch) |
| SD Card Slot | Yes |
Not available |
| Internal Drive Bay | 2.5″ SATA bay for SSD |
Not supported |
| LAN / Link Port | None |
1 × LAN (for Rekordbox Link & CloudDirectPlay) |
Audio Outputs
| Output Type | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Master (Balanced) | 2 × XLR | 2 × XLR |
| Master (Unbalanced) | 1 × RCA | 1 × RCA |
| Booth Output | 1 × XLR | 1 × TRS (¼″ jack) |
| Zone Output | 1 × XLR (independent) |
Not available |
| Headphones | 1 × 6.3 mm + 1 × 3.5 mm | 1 × 6.3 mm + 1 × 3.5 mm |
Audio Inputs
| Feature | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| RCA Inputs | 4 × RCA | 2 × RCA |
| Turntable Inputs | 2 × RCA line/phono (on channels 3 & 4) | 2 × RCA line/phono (on channels 3 & 4) |
Physical Size & Weight
| Spec | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 728 × 497 × 104 mm | 895 × 504 × 133 mm |
| Weight | 9.7 kg | 13.5 kg |
Additional Features
| Feature | Denon Prime 4+ | AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Internal Storage | SATA SSD bay |
Not supported |
| Lighting Control | SoundSwitch DMX, Philips Hue, Nanoleaf |
Not available |
| Wireless Cueing | Not supported |
SonicLink (wireless low-latency monitoring) |
| Pro DJ Link | Not supported |
Rekordbox Link & CloudDirectPlay |
| USB-C Support | Not available |
Yes (switchable host/device) |
2 Likes
Yeah those stats pretty much confirm it, i think too, the fold down screen on the 4+ protrudes more than the screen on the AZ, so the actually unit itself looks much deeper in comparsion than the 4+, honestly i was shocked at the size… i wouldnt like to try and fit it on a booth with a pair of 1210s.
Great and helpful comparison chart!
You just forgot Ableton Link, otherwise everything is there.
But yeah, the 6" jogwheels always felt a bit toy-like compared to the beefy, mechanical 8" jogs of the Pioneer devices (XZ, AZ, 1000/FLX10). Hope they go for 7" ones with tension-adjust on the future devices. Fix the fragile faders and view-button, too, add a more beefy CPU, then I would be perfectly happy. P4/+ are great overall.
On the contrary, the Pioneer/Alpha jogwheels feel completely unnecessary, they take up a huge amount of space on that AZ and in reality i cant really see the benefit.
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Personnally I like the 6 inch jogwheel of the Prime4. If Inmusic would decide to release a LC6000 version with this smaller footprint I would trade my LC6000 in an instant.
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For you guys maybe, but the small 6" jog-wheels were and are the main point of critisism by several users, as well as reviewers like Mojaxx and Phil right from the beginning in 2019 - and I think rightfully so: Considering the overal size of the P4 unit, having just 6" jogs make them feel especially small and displaced. I do NOT say that we need to go for monstrous 8-8.5" jogs (like on the SC/LC6000), but there were mockups around with 7" jogs iirc, and the unit size could be kept exactly the same. The issue lies in the mixer section, which ‘wastes’ quite a lot of horizontal space and could be narrowed down a bit, giving the required space to make the deck sections a bit wider, without increasing the overall unit size. This would be a win-win for everyone.
Oh, and also ‘non-scratchers’ benefit from larger jogs. More space for pitch-bending and cueing up tracks. And larger and more detailed jog screens like on the Rane Performer <3
7" jogs here. For me they look perfectly balanced, not too toy-like and not too oversized.
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Good work on the comparison chart… 
The only missing (unless I didn’t see it) and the only reason I’m holding onto my Prime 4+… Ok, well not the only reason but a big one for me!! 
The Prime 4 and 4+ both have “Crossfader Start” which I use all the time to pull off some quick mixing and beat juggling… The only downside on the Prime 4 and 4+ is they left off “Channel Fader Start”.. With is really ideal with four channel mixing. They always come hand and hand on mixers. But I’ll take one over having none any day!
Now, just to be fair to the AZ..
Crossfader Start and Channel Fader Start are both functional on the AZ through SERATO but this defeats the purpose of running standalone and having the same options.
I personally would have liked a tension adjust on the Prime4. Bigger jogs not so much.
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Non-scratching but manual mixing is exactly what I’ve been doing since the inception of the first jog wheel, and I’ve never felt the wheels on the Prime 2 to be found wanting, I’ll use them for adjustment pretty much every single time I load a track.
To me, I’d rather keep the device size down and retain space around buttons that are far more in need of an accuracy.
As far as I’m aware, the Prime 4+ has a larger surface area on the platter than gen 1 Prime devices.
As Ben states above, I also find the LC-6000 jog a bit clumsy and wouldn’t mind a more compact rework if it ever surfaced.
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Now this to me is a ‘must have’ feature that should really be included on most gear, especially gear that’s not budget level.
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I think I used to be one of the only people in the world who ever used that on CDJs with that small Jack cable connected to the DJM haha, used to love it for acapella dropping and would welcome it back:)
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The work was mostly done by chatGPT . Though I did tweak some obvious mistakes; 16 performance pads vs 8 pads for example.
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You’re probably talking about my mockup. I also regard the 6" jogs as a bit too small, given the overall unit size. Here, I increased them to 7" (with added tension-adjust) while keeping the total unit size exactly the same, hence it is perfectly possible with some clever rearrangements:
Also better ergonomics with the pitch faders further down (and physical key-shift buttons)
But lets see, what the (potential) successor will bring… for now, I am quite happy with my Prime 4 as well as my Live 4. Both fantastic devices. The AZ, as badass as it looks, wouldn’t be an option for me. Bigger, heavier, more expensive, while being less powerful - and obviously, no SoundSwitch/EngineLighting.
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Biggest things I’ve learned you’d lose from going from Prime 4+ to the AZ:
- StageLinq outputs details, such as currently playing tracks, etc, always, while Pro Link would need to be enabled to provide these details, which disables Decks 3 & 4 on the AZ
- The AZ has no internal disk, so if you’ve become dependent on an internal SSD in the Prime 4+, you’d have to switch over to USBs (Though, you can find 2TB USBs and have a similar workflow)
- Lighting (without additional hardware and potentially complicated setups)
- I’ve heard rumors that Rekordbox isn’t the best at Key detection, but I don’t know how it compares to Engine DJ.
But, having a more stable controller (ie: none of this 4.3 nonesense), On-Device Color, Rating and Play Count, are huge benefits for moving to the AZ, meaning you can actually manage/curate/organize/tag your tracks as you play sets, building more than just “skills”.
You also get to use the USB of the AZ as a audio device, and since these are very portable devices, that means as you move this equipment, you don’t need additional audio capture equipment, you just plug in and capture audio via USB.
You definitely won’t get the ‘4.3 nonsense’ in their world, because they never do firmware updates.
Have you seen the posts from Mike (InMusic staff) asking for people to try a new build that hopefully solves the main issue with the 4.3 version? I do hope all the main complainants have contacted them to volunteer to try it out.
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Had time to check out AZ in a DJ-shop last time I visited my daughter in Stockholm. And yest it is massive, just like the predecessor XZ. I’ve played the XZ model several times and rigged it as well, and every single time I’ve thought that I shouldn’t carry one around because it’s not that good.
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The new one does look good from a features POV, but yeah, i definitely wouldn’t want to be carting it around to gigs.
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ChatGPT seems to have got a bit confused, there are a few inaccuracies there for the AZ - suspect it’s mixed up the XZ:
- Not sure what “4-deck standalone via USB” means but you can indeed play 4 decks on the AZ without any additional hardware
- There are more modes on the pads than listed for the AZ (e.g. gate cue, beat/slip loop, key shift - there also isn’t a slicer
- Apple Music is a supported streaming service
- You can stream bluetooth audio to an AZ
It’s true, they are massive though!