The mic channel/channels on my mixer/controller are/aren't fit for purpose.

[Nakatomi]

Funny, I've found them to be noisy and way too hot. The basic design is a bit flawed - pre-amp first and then what is effectively a volume control on the output from the pre-amp. If you put in a signal that causes the pre-amp to clip then you have no way of attenuating it. The really crazy bit is that if you want the Mic input to keep up with the 0db level from the built in sound card, you HAVE to drive the Mic channel to clipping (and push the gain to max).

Sounds to me like they've been copying fron Denon!

The proper way of course is to put the variable resistor (aka gain control) in the amplifier so it controls the feedback & therefore the gain. But needing to separate the controls from the mic amp area would make this arrangement potentially unstable & prone to noise or oscillation. Though they might have used a vca design which these days isn't expensive or complicated. Meh

[djdj]

Denon x500 & x900
Best mixers ever, Why they didn't use the same in the 6000 mk 1 is a mystery
The only way I can cope with the 6000 is to use a reducer.

The VMS5 is ok still a little hot but manageable ( I seem to remember the 4 had initial issues)

As to the Denon8000 well its early days for me but the whole thing is way to hot!, I had to reduce VDJ output before using it. and the Mic is really hot.
I will do a review on the 8000 once I have played with it a little more!

[ppentertainments]

Denon x500 & x900
Best mixers ever, Why they didn't use the same in the 6000 mk 1 is a mystery

Size and weight I would say.

[Nakatomi]

Here's the thing. The mc6000 uses exactly the same mic circuitry, give or take, as the x500 etc. Except the x500 doesn't have a music bus running at the same internal level as the 6000. That is to say it's easier to get the mic level to reach parity with music before it clips.

The mc6000 series all have a max mic bus level of 5 volts pk-pk where they go into the audio codec to be digitised. The music side of the controller (pc audio) is way too hot & there's no way the mic level can compete. This could have been fixed in a firmware update (it still could) because all the processing of mics & audio is done in the dsp chip.

[Excalibur]

Size and weight I would say.

Nah. It wasn't broke, so they had to fix it.

[sweetie]

Here's the thing. The mc6000 uses exactly the same mic circuitry, give or take, as the x500 etc. Except the x500 doesn't have a music bus running at the same internal level as the 6000. That is to say it's easier to get the mic level to reach parity with music before it clips.

The mc6000 series all have a max mic bus level of 5 volts pk-pk where they go into the audio codec to be digitised. The music side of the controller (pc audio) is way too hot & there's no way the mic level can compete. This could have been fixed in a firmware update (it still could) because all the processing of mics & audio is done in the dsp chip.

But they won't, instead they're releasing a mk 3 which will be slightly improved again and we'll all go buy it!

[Nakatomi]

The dn-x series of mixers don't use dsp. All the processing is done the old fashioned way using tone control circuits etc. In the mc6000 & up every input channel is converted to 24-bit digital stereo audio & chewed up in a DSP56724 chip (eq, mic echo & ducking, routing etc). The analogue to digital converter chip used on the mic channels has a maximum input level of 5v pk-pk which is way under the headroom of the mic input amps & the mix bus of the dn-x series mixers.

Even if you attenuate a mic by 20db on the mc6000 you'll never get it to match the music level without turning the music down a lot. It's silly.

[yourdj]

The dn-x series of mixers don't use dsp. All the processing is done the old fashioned way using tone control circuits etc. In the mc6000 & up every input channel is converted to 24-bit digital stereo audio & chewed up in a DSP56724 chip (eq, mic echo & ducking, routing etc). The analogue to digital converter chip used on the mic channels has a maximum input level of 5v pk-pk which is way under the headroom of the mic input amps & the mix bus of the dn-x series mixers.

Even if you attenuate a mic by 20db on the mc6000 you'll never get it to match the music level without turning the music down a lot. It's silly.

I remember the Vestax VCI V1 its was terrible. Dont know about the v2, as I move to a separate mini mixer and never looked back. Looking at my DJ pal in the other rooms Denon controller, having 3 band eq and kill switches on the controller and not elsewhere, certainly has its advantages. I am not very savvy on the tech, but it sounds fine to me. Its a super expensive £500 digital seniser and £7000 Nexo rig mind you.

[Imagine]

OK - a conundrum....

I know the MC7000 is hot on the inputs....I've sussed the mic and it doesn't squeal anymore (the channel is only just open mind....). However, the clarity of mic work now to my mind using my Senheisser e835 is superb

But the master output is peaking big time!

For those not familiar with this beast, they've now separated the VU LEDS, so you've got a set for each gain control (these are only in the green when I use it), and a set for the master output....these are going into the red regularly but it's not loud! Even VDJ is only showing the output in the green. Turning the master volume down obviously corrects this problem...but also obviously reduces the volume.

I've been using the Maui 28s until tonight and despite the master output showing red....they were nowhere NEAR what they can do. So tonight, I took the DXR15s out (way too much PA for the venue I was in), but the same problem. I know they're capable of a lot more than they were outputting and to be honest, the red wasn't actually distorting the sound (which surprised me I must admit). The DXRs themselves weren't clipping either (which is something they'll easily do if you try to overdrive them).

Am I missing a trick somewhere, or do I just need to go against my better judgement and use my ears rather than what the LEDs are telling me?

[Excalibur]

Am I missing a trick somewhere, or do I just need to go against my better judgement and use my ears rather than what the LEDs are telling me?

So many frivolous answers spring to mind. I have no cast iron answers, but clip lights on speakers worry me more than they do on mixers. I may be wrong on this, but that's my way of working.