volume setup

[oligunner]

Right wonder if someone can explain the right way here. Ive read on a Facebook page and a lot of people are saying that you should run your amp at full power.When I was using my dj mixer I used the theory of all volumes down then start with line channel on the mixer adjust so that the vu meters so just hitting the orange then same for master out then head to my actives turn up so just about noticing a faint clip light then nock it back a touch thus giving me optimal gain settings.:Censored:Now im using a xenyx 1002 mostly I have no channel vu meters just a master vu meter. So ive been setting my actives to half way.Should I be running my amps in the actives at full power.:Censored:Alternatively if I was to use the gain setup theory as in using vdj I understand it has auto gain so what if I was to set channel input on the mixer that laptop going in to to say 3 quater full then the rest of the steps to the speakers

[BeerFunk]

Ah, this old chestnut ;)

You're likely to hear several arguments over this, and it is possible that there is no right or wrong answer.

However, I have been setting the amp to full gain (and then back one notch, but that's just one of my pre-gig superstitions :p), and then controlling the volume from the mixer - which is, after all, what it is for :)

The result is that I have never blown a speaker, or damaged any equipment over the last 10 years or so. It might be a bit of luck too, but you sort of make your own luck, don't you? :beer1:

[super-hero]

You have been setting it up correctly. You have got the best signal to noise ratio possible.

On your new desk, can you pfl an individual channel to see its signal level on the main output meters.

[djdave01]

I was taught to run the amps at full power too, and just control the volume from the mixer.

I never let the clip lights go red, even if they go orange I turn it down a bit. In over 20 years, Ive never damaged a speaker or an amp running the system this way.

[super-hero]

If you set your gain through you mixer, so that all you levels reach the zero mark (0dB) Then you are not boosting or cutting the signal strength. This means the signal going in is the same as the one going out, not changed at all. As long as this signal does not clip the amp inputs, then the amps outputs will not be clipping.

You can then turn the amp down if your speakers are too loud. But if you have to turn your amp down because it's too powerful for your speakers, then maybe you need a smaller amp.

[ukpartydj]

I thought about this a few months ago. I reckon you should give the amps the least amount of work to do without going into the red on the mixer, normally my amps are at 9 o'clock to 12 o' clock so I'm definitely not overworking any part of the signal chain. My opinion is that putting the amp at max and feeding it a weak signal is just a bit silly but I'm not qualified to make that judgement.

[super-hero]

That's my point, why would you only give it a weak signal.
This means, either your amp is too big for your speakers, or your speakers are too small for your amp.

Professional amplifiers are designed to run at full power for long periods of time.

[BeerFunk]

I thought about this a few months ago. I reckon you should give the amps the least amount of work to do without going into the red on the mixerYou shouldn't give your amps less work, if the consequence is giving the mixer more work.


Professional amplifiers are designed to run at full power for long periods of time.Exactly, so don't think that running them at full is a bad thing! :)

I guess if your amp and speakers are correctly matched, then either method will be fine, and you shouldn't have any problems.

However, remember that it isn't the volume level that does damage, it's when you send a distorted signal to the amp. Thereby, you are more likely to send a distorted signal to your amp if you're running your mixer at full, than the other way around.

[ukpartydj]

You shouldn't give your amps less work, if the consequence is giving the mixer more work.

I thought 0dB meant "no amplification" hence anything less than 0dB is reducing the volume. I know that you can change the Master ATT on the back of my mixer to knock it down -12dB which would then allow you to go into the red on the mixer and never actually be able to clip the signal because +12 on the mixer is actually 0dB (think this is for nightclubs where the DJ's often whack the volume right up).

My Sound Card is set to boost the signal by 10dB to start with though so it's already quite a hot signal coming into the mixer.
I personally couldn't really do it another way because in order to mix tracks the master volume ideally needs to be getting at least -5dB or else I need to turn the headphone volume up loads and adjust the cue/master mix which just gets all complicated unnecessarily.

[super-hero]

Be careful with the Master ATT on the back of the mixer. By reducing the level here, you tend to need to boost the level at the mixer inputs to get a louder output signal. Thus your inputs can be clipping, which means your output signal will be sending out an already clipped signal. It will just be sending it out 12dB quieter.

If I am the only one using the mixer I set the output to 0dB. Like you say, your setup is different, and you have to set it up accordingly.