DAW / Ableton
Ableton Live 12
9.2Essential
Ableton Live 12 is a digital audio workstation (DAW) for music creation, performance, recording, mixing, and production, available in Intro, Standard, and Suite editions.
Plugin comparison
Ableton Live 12 vs AlphaTheta CDJ-1500X
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which daw to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
8.4Great
The AlphaTheta CDJ-1500X is a compact standalone DJ multi player with the flagship CDJ-3000X's 10.1-inch touchscreen, cloud and streaming playback, and the new CoBeat audience feature, in a smaller, lighter body for bars, small clubs, and mobile rigs.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Ableton Live 12 comes out ahead (9.2). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Ableton Live 12 | AlphaTheta CDJ-1500X |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | MSRP not yet announced |
| Dubspot Score | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| Formats | VST2, VST3, Audio Unit v2 (AU), Audio Unit v3 (AUv3) | Standalone hardware |
| Editions | Three: Intro, Standard, Suite | — |
| Plugin format support | VST2, VST3, and Audio Unit v2 and v3 | — |
| Audio & MIDI tracks | Intro: 16; Standard & Suite: Unlimited | — |
| Scenes | Intro: 16; Standard & Suite: Unlimited | — |
| Software instruments | Intro: 8; Standard: 12; Suite: 21 | — |
| Audio effects | Intro: 27; Standard: 36; Suite: 59 | — |
| Sound library size | Intro: 5+ GB; Standard: 38+ GB; Suite: 71+ GB | — |
| Max for Live | Included in Suite edition only | — |
| Type | — | Standalone DJ multi player |
| Display | — | 10.1-inch capacitive full-color touchscreen (dark/light modes) |
| Jog wheel | — | Mid-size, rotation indicator, non-slip surface |
| Performance | — | 8 Hot Cues, Beat Loop knob, Beat Sync, Beat Jump |
| USB | — | USB Type-A x1; USB Type-C x2 (storage x1 / PC x1) |
| Supported formats | — | MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless, FLAC |
| Streaming | — | Apple Music, Beatport Streaming, TIDAL (StreamingDirectPlay) |
| Cloud | — | rekordbox CloudDirectPlay (Dropbox, Google Drive) |
| Network | — | Built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/n/ac), LAN x1 (PRO DJ LINK), NFC login |
| Audio output | — | RCA (AUDIO OUT L/R) x1 — analog only |
| S/N ratio | — | 105 dB |
| Frequency response | — | 20 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Dimensions | — | 252.1 x 374.7 x 116.5 mm |
| Weight | — | 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) |
| Launch | — | Announced July 2, 2026; rekordbox update + CoBeat July 9, 2026 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.