Trouble with my DJM600

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:37 pm

I've split 2 stereo channels from my soundcard into 4 mono tracks, with each track feeding a channel on the DJM600.

I've set the gain on each track in Live to peak at 0db, then adjusted the trim for each channel on the mixer to peak a t 0db also. All the line faders on the mixer are at the max position.

The problem I have is this - I have everything bouncing around nicely in the green on the meters in Live and on the mixer - all except the mixer's Master Level. I have to have the fader set waaaay down (at around 4 or 5 on the meter) to get the level peaking at 0db.

I can't work it out! Is it just because the summing up of all four tracks causes the master level to rise that much that the fader has to be waaaay down to compensate? There is NO TRIM on the Master Level, which I thought was odd.

I have also set the Master Level Att. on the back of the mixer to a suitable level, but this has no effect on the Meter Readouts for the master level.

rbmonosylabik · Post by **rbmonosylabik** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:47 pm

Make each peak at -6

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:37 pm

You're joking, right?

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 6:11 pm

Doesn't anyone here use a 4 channel audio mixer with live? I'm desperate to find out what is causing the amplification between the line channels and the master channel......

xeb · Post by **xeb** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:21 pm

so you're summing 4x 0dB signals and wondering why you're getting something above 0dB???

doesn't take a genius does it?

not sure exactly what you're trying to achieve, but personally i'd leave live set as is and adjust the gain on the djm channels so that you get a suitable range on the faders to mix with. personally i dont' recommend using the top 20% of the fader on the DJM600, it's not all that linear at the top end... i always used to mix up to 8 as a general rule and so i'd adjust eh gains to be hitting 0dB at 8 on the fader not 10. it gieves you a bit more headroom as well if you didn't get the gain set spot on.

Trim on the master? not sure what you're expecting there. There is a master level fader, but of course there is no gain control on the master, it's an output not an input to the mixer (inputs have trim/gain, outputs have level adjust... channels output to the master section hence having both)

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 1:59 pm

Cheers xeb...

The amplification happens even when I'm just using one of the channels - this is the reason I asked the question.

xeb · Post by **xeb** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:35 pm

ah right, you didn't make that clear

think i know what it is... the levels displayed on the master of the DJM are the levels being sent to the master channel. this is very different to the line level outputs at the record out. if you plug a recording device into the rec outs and press record and then turn down the master to zero, there will be no effect on the rec out signal. it's the record out signal you should be using as a basis for finding your right datum point.

not entirely sure what you're tryign to achieve, but i i usd to record a lot of DJ sets on mine and did the following to get a good readout:
- use the booth output to listen to the mix... this way you can turn up and down without effecting the master LEDs which will be your datum
- run one channel peaking at 0dB into the mixer, put fader up to a set point which will be your maximum (as i outlined above, i use

and route the record output of the mixer into another channel so you can monitor the return level
- set your channel gain so the mixer line level output is peaking at 0dB (or lower - see below)
- now adjust the master fader so that the LEDs so they're peaking at 0dB and then never touch it again!!! this is know your datum point and the master LEDs are now showing something useful to you. Note that you're not actually using the master channel for anything as you're monitoring through the booth... the fader could effectivly be at zero, you're only using it for the LED readout. Of course you can't do this if playing in a club, but generally then you care less about whether you're peaking at -6, -3 or 3, just whether it's loud enough

i found on mine that 8 on the channel and 8 on the master with normalised track being played of CDJ gave me about -3dB peaks at the other end. A word of warning, if you're setting your master output levels to be 0dB then in the real world youre likely to get some clipping unless you're damn careful. hence when mixing i ad it set to be aiming for -3 so if i go over that a little i'm not gonna get clipping.

make sense?