Master Audio Outputs - Behringer PRO MIXER DX2000USB User Manual

7
PRO MIXER DX2000USB User Manual
To set up these controls properly, first turn DAMPING full on (MAX). Set up the
gain on your mic channel using PFL. Now adjust SENSITIVITY until the music is
always attenuated by a voice signal. (Attenuation is at MAX to enable you to hear
this adjustment as clearly as possible.)
◊ Take care to ensure that SENSITIVITY is not set too high, otherwise spill
from loudspeakers into the mic could trigger the talk over system,
and the music volume will just keep going up and down! (You have set
up an intermittent negative feedback loop.)
Once SENSITIVITY has been set so that talk over is only being activated by speech,
it's time to fine-tune the system with the other two controls again, according
to taste. Twin LEDs let you know how your talk over system is behaving.
When DAMP (27) is lit, your music is being automatically attenuated. ON (26) lets
you know that one or both mic channels have talk over engaged.
◊
If two mics are being used, set SENSITIVITY with both mic channels
switched on.
◊ Talk over could just as easily be used for MC-ing. It might not however
be appropriate for rapping, which takes place alongside rather than
over the music, unless the damping effect is set to be quite subtle.

5. Master Audio Outputs

5.1 Crossfader
The heart of your music mix is the horizontally-mounted infinium optical
crossfader (33) , which controls the blend of the X and Y mixing channels. When set
fully to the left, only X is heard in the mix, and vice versa. We know how much
you rely on this, and for that reason we have not only ensured that it is incredibly
durable and smooth-acting. We also allow you to tailor its response to your "feel"
by means of a simple adjustment (see chapter 11 "CROSSFADER ADJUSTMENT").
The crossfader is most often used to fade one track into another during a DJ mix.
◊
If you are bringing in an intro over an outro, there will be a time
when you want to hear both tracks at full volume. Simply pause your
crossfader in the middle position until you are ready to fade out the
outgoing track.
◊ The crossfader is actually a sophisticated VCA controller. Its ultra-high
quality design means that you can expect nearly endless operations
without failure. And even if the fader does get something nasty poured
over it by mistake (please don't do this!) the quality of your music
should be unaffected. This is because no audio signal actually passes
through your crossfader, unlike on many other DJ mixers.
◊
You can immediately tell if any channel is switched on (CROSSFADER
switch depressed) by looking at the master ASSIGN X and ASSIGN Y
indicators (36) situated under the crossfader.
5.2 Transforming with punch and cut
Transforming is a DJ term used to describe the chopping up of sound to create
dramatic effects. Traditionally this is done by rapidly moving a crossfader to give
a stuttering or "gated" effect, either between two music sources, or one source
and silence. Another DJ trick is to use the channel faders or channel on buttons
to chop one music track over another. These methods are still valid, but if you
are looking for instantaneous transforming action, check out our ergonomic
alternative—a pair of big assignable PUNCH/CUT buttons. We are sure you will
grow to love their speed and ease of operation.
Punch and cut are two transform modes selectable by the TRANSFORM MODE
button (48) . A pair of LEDs (49) lets you know whether PUNCH or CUT is active.
The X and Y PUNCH/CUT buttons (34) and (35) are ergonomically situated by
the crossfader with which they are designed to work. CUT mode enables the big
buttons to be used as mutes for interesting gating effects, temporarily silencing
the X or Y output. In PUNCH mode the X button (34) introduces the X signal to
the mix, while the Y button (35) brings in the Y signal. This means you can add
in bits and beats from X on top of Y and vice versa, opening up your scope for
creative mixing.
◊ This is the first time we have come across any really BIG buttons
on the DX2000USB. At this point it's worth pointing out that all the
smaller switches on your DX2000USB are latching. This means they
stay down until you hit them again. Big buttons are all non-latching,
or momentary in operation. This means that they are only active
when your finger (or other appendage) is actually holding them
down, like the keys on a MIDI keyboard. These are ideal for executing
transformations, as you will very quickly find as you get into using
your DX2000USB.
◊
Try running a rhythm track through X (crossfader fully to the left).
Now use the Y button in PUNCH transform mode to manually
chop in a sustained signal like orchestral music, ambient sounds,
noise, whatever.
◊
As well as using the X - Y crossfader to select / fade between X and Y
you can also use it to blend X and Y together, by simply leaving it
somewhere in the middle. Now you can use the big buttons in CUT
mode to chop between X and Y for more creative music gating effects.
◊
You can send more than one channel to either X, Y or both. In practice
you will usually only send one at a time, but if you are layering tracks
you might want to send more. Also you can crossfader between
channels assigned to the same side of the crossfader using the 100 mm
channel faders.
5.3 Main/tape outputs
Level to the main outputs (Max. output +28 dBu balanced, +22 dBu unbalanced)
is ultimately governed by a pair of precision 60 mm main faders (30) . This level
is continuously monitored by the pair of highly accurate tri-colored bargraph
meters (38) sited immediately above the output faders. The main outputs
constitute a blend of X and Y, as well as channels not assigned to the crossfader,
and the two mic channels, all covered previously in the manual, plus the stereo
effects return. The main output also feeds the RECORD OUT jacks on the back of
the console.
◊
The LINE OUT jacks on the top of the console are taken directly from the
output of the crossfader. This mix does not include the mic channels
1 and 2.
◊
Never connect to both sets of LINE IN/OUT jacks
(see chapter 10 "CONNECTIONS").
5.4 Main boost and main dim
MAIN BOOST (28) and MAIN DIM (29) are big non-latching buttons acting on the
main outputs, temporarily boosting (by +4 dB) and cutting (by -20 dB) volume.
◊
MAIN DIM could be used for audience sing-along bits. Or you could use
MAIN BOOST to emphasize the beats etc.
◊
MAIN BOOST should not be applied for more than just spot effects, as
you will probably stress the sound system, or simply cause the limiters
to come in harder.
5.5 Zone
The ZONE stereo output (69) is a second main mix output with its own totally
independent ZONE LEVEL control (41) . This can be used for feeding the mix
into a separate sound system such as DJ foldback, or another room or area in a
dance club.