Mixers

Geordie · Jan 15, 2004

Mixers

I was talking to Lee Foster about this @ Trance Classics as i picked up on it when he was talking about the tapes he had received for the DJ Comp and said it sounded like alot of them had been mixed on red on the mixer, red as in the EQ's!

Anyways i have just got me mixer back before off a mate (cos i lent it out for a week cos am nice like that) and as soon as i start to mix i cant help but notice my EQ's are on red. Not just one little but but up to 3 and 4 bars as well as the master :spangled:

I have tried a few things just to see what its like and cant help but mix on them, i have turned volumes down / gain/low/mid/high etc and still red and the more fiddling that goes on the shitter it sounds !

Anyone shed any light on this - atm i have a DJM500 and a 100 watt amp and same for the monitors !

Cheers

Wot · Jan 16, 2004

have you set the master level attenator on the back of your mixer?

Play · Jan 16, 2004

Re: Re: Mixers

Originally posted by juski
First things first:

The EQs are not lights. They are controls which affect different frequencies of sound.

VU (volume unit) meters are the pretty bars of lights.

While you're cueing up your next track, adjust the gain (that's the top one) so that the VU meter level is JUST below the red. Also make sure that all the EQ controls are set in the middle. This way, most of your tracks will sound about the same volume. Except, that is, when you're mixing. If you're putting two channels out which are the same volume (going by the channel VU meters), you'll get DOUBLE (approx) that at the output.

EQ controls boost & cut ranges of different frequencies. If you boost any level too far, your mixer and/or amp will run out of 'headroom' - i.e. the level out of the mixer channel (or mixer output) can only go SO high. Once you try to go over that limit, the sound gets distorted & nasty. Turn your amp up as loud as it'll go then turn it down until it stops sounding shit & you'll know what I mean (but don't coz it'll probably fuck your speakers if you take too long about it).

Another thing to watch is domestic amps & stereos. Some of them have sensitive line inputs. What I mean by that is: they 'expect' a level of sound - go over that limit and you get clipping & distortion. Here's the catch - some mixers have 'louder' (i.e. more powerful) outputs than others. Get a mixer with a beefy output like the Pioneer & shove it into an amp which has a sensitive line input.. if the mixer's turned up too loud it'll distort the input of the amp.

You don't have to be a whiz with audio to know this:

if it sounds like shit, try turning it down until it doesn't. If the master volume of the mixer is turned down & it still sounds distorted, turn the gain of the mixer channel down. Move the EQ controls to the centre (or even back the bass off a bit).

I've just realised another thing - Pioneer DJM mixers have an 'output level trim' control on the back panel. It's used by installers to help balance the mixer to a sound system (some gear needs different levels sometimes). Find it and turn it down. See if that helps.

If none of this helps it's possible the output of the mixer has been fried (very unlikely but possible). If everything sounds ok in the headphones, try the REC out of the mixer. Try other outputs aswell by plugging them into the amp. The Booth output is a good one to try.

The diagram below (crap innit?) shows you what I mean by clipping.

The wiggly line represents the sound. The two straight lines represent the 'headroom' - be it in your mixer, your amp, your speakers - whatever. To the left the sound is happily sitting well within the headroom. To the right, it's trying to go higher (louder) than the headroom will allow and gets 'clipped' at the top & bottom. This 'clipping' is what sounds like shite, and the extra high frequencies (which you mostly can't hear) that clipping causes have a tendency to overheat speakers & burn out yer tweeters. I hope this clears a few things up.
Click to expand...

:clap:

Geordie · Jan 16, 2004

Sorted now !

Its alot better...

Geordie · Jan 18, 2004

There's no need when your on this board tho

Jimmy · Jan 19, 2004

Originally posted by juski
I think there needs to be a site on the net where DJs who don't understand electronics can get info on how to set their gear up properly.

I wonder how many of you have your tonearms set at the right height on yer turntables....

From demos I've heard, to people I've seen playing out, it seems there are some people who could be a lot better with some basic know-how.

Recess' website isn't bad, but is a bit light on detail. I'm thinking about doing a site which covers most things - from setting up a mixer, amp & speakers - to recording & burning a mix CD. Reckon it's worth doing?
Click to expand...

Good idea Jus m8!

Log in or Sign up

Mixers

Users Viewing Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 0)

Geordie "Im Outta Time"

Wot Registered User

Play Registered User

Geordie "Im Outta Time"

Geordie "Im Outta Time"

Jimmy Registered User

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Mixers

Users Viewing Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 0)

Geordie "Im Outta Time"

Wot Registered User

Play Registered User

Geordie "Im Outta Time"

Geordie "Im Outta Time"

Jimmy Registered User

Share This Page

Useful Searches