ALLEN & HEATH XONE DX User manual

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 1
USER GUIDE Publication AP7820

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 2
Limited OneYearWarranty
This product is warranted to be free from defects in materials or
workmanship for period of one year from the date of purchase by the
original owner.
To ensure a high level of performance and reliability for which this
equipment has been designed and manufactured, read this User Guide
before operating. In the event of a failure, notify and return the
defective unit to ALLEN & HEATH Limited or its authorised agent as
soon as possible for repair under warranty subject to the following
conditions Conditions Of Warranty
The equipment has been installed and operated in accordance with the
instructions in this User Guide.
The equipment has not been subject to misuse either intended or
accidental, neglect, or alteration other than as described in the User
Guide or Service Manual, or approved by ALLEN & HEATH.
Any necessary adjustment, alteration or repair has been carried out by
ALLEN & HEATH or its authorised agent.
This warranty does not cover fader wear and tear.
The defective unit is to be returned carriage prepaid to ALLEN &
HEATH or its authorised agent with proof of purchase.
Units returned should be packed to avoid transit damage.
In certain territories the terms may vary. Check with your ALLEN &
HEATH agent for any additional warranty which may apply.
This product complies with the European Electro magnetic
Compatibility directives 89/336/EEC & 92/31/EEC and the
European Low Voltage Directives 73/23/EEC & 93/68/EEC.
This product has been tested to EN55103 Parts 1 & 2 1996 for use in
Environments E1, E2, E3, and E4 to demonstrate compliance with the
protection requirements in the European EMC directive 89/336/EEC.
During some tests the specified performance figures of the product were
affected. This is considered permissible and the product has been passed as
acceptable for its intended use. Allen & Heath has a strict policy of
ensuring all products are tested to the latest safety and EMC standards.
Customers requiring more information about EMC and safety issues can
contact Allen & Heath.
XONE:DX User Guide AP7820
Copyright © 2010 Allen & Heath Limited. All rights reserved
Allen & Heath Limited
Kernick Industrial Estate, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9LU, UK
http://www.allen-heath.com http://www.xone.co.uk

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 3
Warranty............................................. 2
Packed Items...................................... 4
Power Supply...................................... 5
System Requirements....................... 6
Software Installation Mac................. 7
Software Installation PC................... 9
Panel Drawings.................................. 11
Rear Connectors............................... 12
Front Panel Connectors .................. 15
Mixer Section..................................... 16
Master Section................................... 18
Library Navigation............................. 19
Transport Controls........................... 21
Hotcue Points.................................... 23
Looping................................................ 24
Beatgrid / Sync /Autotempo .......... 26
Advanced Play Features.................... 29
Effect Units......................................... 30
EffectTypes......................................... 32
Direct Input........................................ 34
Software Overview........................... 35
Main Screen Overview..................... 43
Importing Music................................. 45
Preparing Files.................................... 46
OrganisingYour Library ................... 47
History................................................ 50
Recording andAuxiliary Inputs....... 52
Additional Setup................................ 53
WhitelabelAudio Files ..................... 58
Troubleshooting and Support......... 59
Corrupt Files...................................... 60
MIDI ControlValues-Mixer / FX.... 61
MIDI ControlValues-Virtual Decks 62
MIDI ReturnValues........................... 63
Block Diagram.................................... 64
Specifications...................................... 65
RegisteringYour XONE:DX............ 66
CONTENTS

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 4
PACKED ITEMS
Check that you have received the following:
Safety Sheet
Important ! Read this sheet
before starting. Retain for
future reference.
Type A-B USB Lead
To connect the Xone:DX
to your computer.
Power Supply
Fit the correct mains adap-
tor for your region.
Xone:DX Professional DJ Controller. Check that the rear
panel optical out blank plug is fitted.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 5
POWER SUPPLY
The Xone:DX contains its own Universal Voltage Input Power Supply unit with inter-
changeable heads for territory specific mains electricity outlets.
The power supply comes with a pin protector that needs to be removed before the de-
sired head can be fitted.
To remove the pin protector, pull down on the release mechanism and pull the protector
out from the bottom.
To attach the required head, locate at the top first and then push down to locate and
lock in the release mechanism.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 6
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
PLEASE NOTE: These are the minimum requirements to run ITCH with the Allen & Heath Xone:DX.
For best performance and for use in professional situations we recommend you buy a higher spec com-
puter.
The minimum system requirements are:
MAC
• Intel Processor, Core Duo 1.8GHz processor or better
• 1GB RAM
• 1024 x 768 screen resolution
• OSX 10.4.11 or higher
• Available USB2.0 Port
• Hard disk space for music
WINDOWS XP
• Intel Processor, Core Duo 1.8GHz processor or better
• 1GB RAM
• 1024 x 768 screen resolution
• Service Pack 2 or higher
• Available USB2.0 Port
• Hard disk space for music
WINDOWS VISTA
• Intel Processor, Core Duo 1.8GHz processor or better
• 1GB RAM
• 1024 x 768 screen resolution
• Service Pack 1 or higher
• Available USB2.0 Port
• Hard disk space for music
PLEASE NOTE: The above is the minimum requirement to run ITCH. For best performance and for
use in professional situations we recommend you buy a higher spec computer.
Note: 64 bit Windows is not supported, if you are purchasing a Windows machine for ITCH please en-
sure it has a 32 bit Windows installation.
If you are looking at buying a computer with an AMD Turion or Athlon processor please visit:
http://serato.com/faq/#4781

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 7
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION - MAC
Free updates to the ITCH software are available from http://www.serato.com/itch. We suggest you
check the website for the latest version before installing.
To begin installation:
• Either
Insert the Serato ITCH install CD into your computers CD drive and browse to it using ‘Finder’.
• Or
Browse using ‘Finder’ to the location where the ITCH download installer was saved, double click the
ITCH .dmg file to mount the image on your system, and browse to that volume.
• Then:
Double click the file called ITCH installer.mpkg.
1. The following screen will appear. Click ‘Continue’.
2. Accept the License Agreement and then click
‘Continue’.
3. Choose the hard disk you want to install to and click
‘Continue’.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 8
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION - MAC
4. Confirm the install location and click ‘Install’.
5. ITCH will now be installed.
6. A confirmation screen will appear when the install is
complete.
STARTING THE SOFTWARE
The ITCH software is installed in your applications folder.
To start ITCH, double click the ITCH icon in your applications folder. When the software launches
ITCH will automatically detect the Allen & Heath XONE:DX if connected.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 9
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION - PC
Free updates to the ITCH software are available from http://www.serato.com/itch. We suggest you
check the website for the latest version before installing.
The installer should start automatically, if not:
• Either
Insert the Serato ITCH install CD into your computer’s CD drive and browse to it using Windows Ex-
plorer.
• Or
 Browse using Windows Explorer to the location where the ITCH download installer was saved, un-
pack the ITCH .zip file and browse to the extracted contents.
• Then:
1. The following screen will appear. Click ‘Continue’.
2. Accept the License Agreement and then click
‘Continue’.
3. Choose the location you want to install to and click
‘Continue’.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 10
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION - PC
4. ‘Complete’ will perform a standard installation. Click
‘Next’ to continue.
5. Confirm the installation options and click ‘Install’.
6. ITCH will now be installed.
7. A confirmation screen will appear when installation is
complete.
STARTING THE SOFTWARE
The ITCH software is installed in the following location:
WINDOWS XP: Start > All Programs > Serato > ITCH
WINDOWS VISTA: Windows Menu > All Programs > Serato > ITCH
To start ITCH, browse your START menu and click the ITCH icon. When the software launches ITCH
will automatically detect the Allen & Heath XONE:DX if connected.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 11
PANEL DRAWINGS

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 12
REAR CONNECTORS
1 2 4 53
BALANCED MIX OUTPUT
Phase inverted balanced Mix (Soundcard Output 1-2) outputs on XLR-3 sockets. For
unbalanced operation use Pin 2 and Ground—DO NOT SHORT PIN 3 TO GROUND.
1
UNBALANCED MIX OUTPUT
Mix (Soundcard Output 1-2) output on RCA Phono sockets.
2
BOOTH OUTPUT
Booth (Soundcard Output 3-4) output on RCA Phono sockets.
3
AUX OUTPUT
Auxiliary (Soundcard Output 5-6) output on RCA Phono sockets.
4
CUE BUS OUTPUT
Cue Bus (Soundcard Output 7-8) output on RCA Phono sockets.
5
6 7
DIRECT INPUT SOCKET
3.5mm stereo jack socket for Direct Input (see Page 34).
6
CHASSIS EARTH TERMINAL
A screw terminal is provided for connecting the earth straps from turntables. This
connection earths the metal parts of the turntable to reduce hum, buzz or similar audible
noise getting into the system.
7

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 13
REAR CONNECTORS
8 9 10
DECK 4 INPUT SELECT SWITCH
Switch to select Deck 4 input between LINE and MIC.
8
DECK 4 INPUT
RCA Phono sockets for external connection to Deck 4 (Soundcard Input 7-8).
9
DECK 3 INPUT SELECT SWITCH
Switch to select Deck 3 input between PHONO and LINE.
10
DECK 3 INPUT
RCA Phono sockets for external connection to Deck 3 (Soundcard Input 5-6).
11
DECK 2 INPUT SELECT SWITCH
Switch to select Deck 2 input between PHONO and LINE.
12
DECK 2 INPUT
RCA Phono sockets for external connection to Deck 2 (Soundcard Input 3-4).
13
DECK 1 INPUT
RCA Phono sockets for external connection to Deck 1 (Soundcard Input 1-2).
14
11 12 13 14 15
DC INPUT SOCKET
Connect the supplied external power supply to this socket.
15

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 14
REAR CONNECTORS
SPDIF DIGITAL INPUT AND OUTPUTS
SPDIF is a popular digital audio interfacing standard for connecting two channel (stereo) audio
using a single COAX (RCA phono socket) or OPTICAL (TOSLINK socket) cable.
For reliable connection use a 75 ohm COAX cable intended for this function. Avoid the use of
cheap audio cables. Use purpose made optical fibre cables for connection using the Toslink
port. Make sure the blanking plug provided is fitted to any unused Toslink sockets.
The SPDIF input and outputs are available only when your computer is connected via the USB
port. The computer provides the clocks needed for the soundcard to function.
Sample rates of 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96kHz are supported.
16
MIDI IN / OUT
Connect to either a MIDI interface or directly to MIDI compatible equipment using a
standard 5 pin DIN (MIDI) lead. The MIDI output socket data duplicates what is sent via
the USB connection to the PC.
Incoming MIDI is merged with the Xone:DX MIDI and transported, via USB, to the PC
or Mac. Incoming MIDI data can also be used to remotely control the status of the LEDs
on the surface.
17
USB CONNECTOR
USB (Universal Serial Bus) V2.0 is an external peripheral interface standard for data
transmission. The Xone:DX USB works at 480Mbps and provides up to 20
uncompressed audio channels.
The USB connection is used to send/receive audio and MIDI data between the Xone:DX
and the connected computer. Use a standard USB type A to B lead to connect to your
computer. This is supplied with the Xone:DX.
18
16 17 18 19
CABLE RETAINING CLIP
Cable retaining clip for USB and Power Supply cables.
19

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 15
FRONT PANEL CONNECTORS
1 2 43
HEADPHONES OUTPUTS
Stereo 1/4” TRS jack and 3.5mm mini-jack. Plug in good quality stereo headphones intended for
DJ monitoring. Use closed-ear headphones that provide maximum acoustic isolation when
cueing your sources. We recommend that you use high quality headphones rated between 30
to 100 ohms impedance. 8 ohm headphones are not recommended.
1
MIC EQ CONTROLS
The MIC equaliser provides a tool to adjust the tonal quality of the sound to correct source
problems such as microphone response, proximity effect, noise and feedback, to help the voice
cut through the mix, or to adjust the overall ‘feel’. Start with the EQ controls set to their mid
(flat) position, then adjust to achieve the desired sound.
2
MIC INPUT
Balanced XLR. Plug in a DJ, guest or announcement microphone here. Use a good quality low
impedance dynamic mic such as those specifically designed for vocals. Do not use high
impedance or unbalanced microphones, or condenser types which require phantom power. Use
the best professional grade balanced cables and connectors you can afford, as these are typically
subject to intense use and abuse in the club environment.
3
MIC LEVEL CONTROL
Adjusts the input sensitivity of the Mic channel to match the connected source to the
console’s 0dB operating level.
When the Mic channel is not in use, always turn the level control fully anti-clockwise to prevent
unwanted noise from this sensitive input entering the main Mix.
4

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 16
MIXER SECTION
The Xone:DX mixer section allows control of all four deck channels simultaneously, regardless of which
deck layer is chosen. THRU mode may also be selected on each channel, allowing the playback of exter-
nal audio sources such as turntables or CD players.
FX1 AND FX2 ASSIGN
The Xone:DX features two effects processors FX1 and FX2. When the FX1 or FX2 but-
tons are pressed, the channel’s audio will be routed to the designated effects processor.
The FX buttons are post fader, hence any adjustment made to the trim, EQ or fader con-
trols will affect the audio being sent to the effects processor.
Selecting both FX1 and FX2 on a single channel will route the output from FX1 into the input of FX2,
chaining the effects processors together. If both FX1 and FX2 are selected for a single channel, any other
channels with FX1 selected will automatically be routed into FX2. The FX2 light will flash to indicate this
forced chaining of the effects processors. To disengage the effects chaining, press all of the non-flashing
FX2 lights below the selected FX1 lights.
ADJUSTING GAIN / LEVEL
The LEVEL knob at the top of the channel strip allows you to boost or cut the volume of
the track before you control it with the up fader for mixing. It is best to have the level of
the track adjusted so that in the loudest part of the song the 0dB blue light on the chan-
nel meter is lighting up but is not permanently lit. Setting the LEVEL so all tracks are
metering in this manner makes it easy to balance the mix between them with the EQ and
faders. Pressing CUE on a channel will display the tracks volume on the master channel meters.
TIP: Using this technique will allow you to bring any of the channel faders fully up, making it impossible
to push an individual channel too loud in relation to the other channels.
EQUALISING
EQ is used to boost and cut specific frequencies. The Xone:DX features 3-band EQ with
low, mid and high frequency controls. The knobs go from full cut (or kill) when turned all
the way left, unity when facing straight up, and +6 dB of boost when turned all the way
to the right.
EQ is used to balance the sound of tracks that have been mastered differently, to make a
track sound “right” on your particular system, or for creative mixing techniques. With
EQ, less is usually better - when boosting do so sparingly. Cutting frequencies is also
usually better than boosting them. For example if you have a track with too much mid
range, rather than boosting bass and treble to compensate it is better to cut back the
mid range. Every speaker system and room has a different frequency response so you will
need to adjust your EQ to suit.
CHANNEL METERS
The level of the audio through the channel is displayed on the channel meter. The
meters are configured as Post EQ and Pre Fade. It is best to set the channel level so that
it peaks at +6 maximum, as this will provide some headroom for EQ adjustment before
the audio lights the PK! LED and distorts.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 17
MIXER SECTION
CROSSFADE / CROSSFADE ASSIGN
Each of the Xone:DX’s four channels can be assigned to either side of the crossfader, or
disabled altogether if needed. Set the XFADE toggle switch to the left to assign the
channel to the X (left side), or to the right to assign the channel to the Y (right side) of
the crossfader. To disengage the channel from the crossfader, set the toggle switch to its centre position.
HEADPHONE / CUE
When CUE is pressed on a track, the audio is sent into the headphones so that you can
cue the track without it appearing in the main mix. The headphone LEVEL knob controls
The headphone volume.
You can balance the mix in the headphones between what is playing to the MASTER output and the CUE
channel by selecting SPLIT CUE. This will send the CUE signal to one headphone speaker and the
MASTER output to the other.
THRU (SHIFT MODE)
Holding SHIFT and CUE will set the selected channel to THRU mode, allowing you to playback external
audio sources through the software.
NOTE: These signals will be routed through software – the lower the buffer setting in your ITCH setup
screen the lower the latency will be.
CHANNEL FADER
The Channel Fader adjusts the level of the channel audio in the mix outputs.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 18
MASTER SECTION
CHANNEL METERS
The Channel Meters display the level of the Main Mix Bus. The meter display is
sourced pre Master level and so does not represent the signal level on the outputs.
During normal operation the meters display the level of the left and right channel of
the program material.
In SPLIT CUE mode, the left meter displays the level of the CUE signal and the right
meter displays the level of the program signal.
MASTER / BOOTH LEVEL CONTROLS
MASTER - the Master control adjusts the Master output level of the Xone:DX. The
Master output is provided by balanced XLR connectors and unbalanced Phono/RCA
connectors.
BOOTH - the Booth control adjusts the Booth output level of the Xone:DX. This
allows for adjustment of the DJ booth monitor speaker without altering the Master
output level.
LIBRARY NAVIGATION
See Page 19.
HEADPHONE MONITORING
PHONES LEVEL CONTROL - adjusts the level of the signal sent to the head
phones. The headphones can be connected to the Xone:DX via 1/4 inch and 3.5mm
Jack sockets.
SPLIT CUE - The Split Cue button sets the monitoring system to Split Cue mode,
illuminating the corresponding LED.
! Warning ! To avoid damage to your
hearing do not operate the headphones or
sound system at excessively high volume.
Continued exposure to high volume sound
can cause frequency selective or wide range
hearing loss.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 19
LIBRARY NAVIGATION
The library contains all the music that you have added to ITCH. By using ‘Browse’ and ‘Search’ you can
easily narrow down your selection to find the track you want.
TIP: You can change the size of your library text by using the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + and Ctrl -.
HARDWARE NAVIGATION CONTROLS
AREA - Pressing the AREA button will toggle between ‘Files’, ‘Crates’ and ‘Browse’
panels within ITCH.
SORT COLUMN - Pressing AREA and SHIFT will toggle between the first four
columns in your Library to sort.
Use the ◄(BACK) button to move the cursor between adjacent columns in the
browser view or to move through any ‘Browse’ field available.
SCROLL - The SCROLL knob controls cursor movement in ITCH allowing you to
navigate up and down through the library.
FWD - Use the FWD button to move the cursor between adjacent columns in the
browser view, or to move through any ‘Browse’ field available.
PREP - Pressing SHIFT and FWD will add the song selected in your library to the prepare panel.
Use the ►(FWD) button to move the cursor between adjacent columns in the browser view or to
move through any browse field available.
VIEW - Pressing VIEW will swap between library view and full virtual deck and waveform view.
MOUSE AND KEYBOARD
As well as using the Xone:DX control surface you can also use the cursor keys and mouse to navigate the
library. The cursor keys work as UP, DOWN, FWD and BACK.
SEARCHING
ITCH includes a search function to help you find tracks quickly and easily. Just enter text into the search
box and ITCH will automatically find as you type.
TIP: Use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + F to jump to the search box. This keyboard shortcut will also
take you out of any crate or playlist that you might be in and into your main library, so you can find any
track in your collection. If you then click on a crate or playlist, the search query will be cleared. To select
which fields the search function will look through, click on the left hand side of the search box. The drop
down menu shows which fields are currently being used. Press ESC or the X button on the right of the
search box to clear the search.

Allen & Heath User Guide for XONE:DX with Serato ITCH 1.6 20
LIBRARY NAVIGATION
BROWSING
Press the VIEW button to open the ‘Browse’ panel.
Use the SCROLL KNOB to navigate the ‘Browse’ panel. The ‘Browse’ panel will open above the main file
library. The filters are ‘genre’, ‘BPM’, ‘artist’, and ‘album’.
You can narrow down your search by selecting the specific genre, BPM or name of the track you’re look-
ing for and ITCH will show the results on the main library window. You can move between the four fil-
ters with the ►(FWD) and ◄(BACK) buttons, the computer keyboard or by clicking with the mouse.
LIBRARY STATUS ICONS
The column at the far left shows the status of each track, examples of these icons are below.
ITCH has detected some corruption in the MP3 file. If possible, re-encode the MP3.*
The track has been imported from the iTunes library.
The track has been imported from iTunes but is corrupt *
The track cannot be found. Most likely the file has been renamed or moved.
ITCH is trying to import a track from the iTunes library, but cannot find the file.
Tracks that are read-only have a locked icon.
* See CORRUPT FILES page 60.
PREPARE
The ‘Prepare Panel’ is an area for holding tracks, much like preparing a set by lifting records partially out
of your record bag.
Click the ‘Prepare’ button in ITCH to open the ‘Prepare Panel’. Navigate through your library with the
keyboard and use the mouse to drag tracks or crates into the prepare window or onto the prepare tab.
These tracks will be removed from the prepare panel once they have been played. All tracks in the pre-
pare panel will be discarded when you exit ITCH.
You can also hold down the SHIFT and press the SCROLL knob on the Xone:DX to add the currently
selected song to the prepare crate.