Talk Over - Behringer PRO MIXER DX2000USB User Manual

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PRO MIXER DX2000USB User Manual
3.1 Input selection
Inputs are on the DX2000USB's back panel. Your input source is selectable
between a pair of stereo inputs by the INPUT switch (1) at the top of the channel
strip. An associated pair of LEDs (2) lets you know which input is selected.
The choice of inputs depends on which of channels 3 - 7 you are looking at.
The mixer is set up as follows:
Channel Input 1
3 PHONO/LINE 1
4 PHONO/LINE 2
5 PHONO/LINE 3
6 LINE 1
7 LINE 2
Tab. 3.1: Stereo channel configuration
◊ Never patch line level devices into your highly sensitive phono inputs.
Phono cartridge output is measured in millivolts. Line level signals are
of the order of magnitude of a volt. With line levels you are looking at
a signal up to 100 times more powerful than the phono pre-amplifier
is designed to handle! Press the PHONO/LINE button to allow the
PHONO/LINE jacks to operate at line-level.
◊
If for some reason your turntable has a built-in RIAA pre-amp,
you should patch it into a line level input.
◊
A mix could include three turntables (channels 3 - 5) and two samplers
for creative DJ work, or four CD/cart players plus a stereo tape recorder
for a broadcast studio. In fact any line level signal could be patched into
any line-level input.
3.2 Gain setting
◊
Gain is dependent on EQ. Set up your EQ before fine-tuning gain.
3.2.1 Quick way
Channel input level is continuously monitored by a pair of LEDs (3) . CLIP lets
you know if you're about to overload the channel (it lights at +18 dB).
The SIG. LED only responds to bass frequencies and is perfectly suited to keep
an eye on the beats. As long as the signal LED is flashing on the beat (and the
CLIP LED isn't) you can be sure the gain is reasonable. Do this for all music
channels. Channel gain can be continuously adjusted by the GAIN knob (4)
(from -20 to +20 dB).
◊
If you are in the habit of slamming the channel faders all the way
up (+6 dB), try to keep your MAIN faders at a compensatory -6 dB
to make sure you don't risk distortion. At this level PFL and MAIN
meters should show the same level (check this by engaging PFL on
the channel currently playing), allowing easy comparison between
outgoing (playing) and incoming (cueing) tracks. Keep an eye on the
output meters—red spells trouble. Remember—distortion is not
volume, and any distortion introduced before the power amplifiers
and speakers will worsen your sound and cause amps and speakers to
clip sooner.
3.2.2 Gain setting by using PFL
Pre-Fader-Listen is the professional way to set gain, and we always recommend
you do it if you have the time. Hit the PFL button (13) to temporarily send the
channel signal to the PFL meter (39) . Adjust GAIN until the PFL meter is hitting the
yellow (up to +10 dB) but not the red (clip). Once gain has been set for a channel,
release its PFL button.
Input 2
CD 1 / USB
CD 2
CD 3
CD 4
CD 5
◊
Normally you will want to PFL only one channel at a time. This might
not be true if you are layering tracks, and/or using "Permanent PFL"—
see the chapter 7 "HEADPHONES, MONITORS & PFL". Also note that the
mono PFL meter is a sum of L and R channel signals.
3.3 Equalizer
The channel EQ section comprises three control knobs and two switches.
The EQ ON (16) switch activates the tone controls which enable cut and boost of
HIGH (6) , MID (7) and LOW (8) frequencies respect ively (see below for specs.)
EQ can sweeten or effect a track, with the fading out and in of frequency bands
being very popular.
EQ Frequency
High Shelving EQ 15 kHz
Mid Peaking EQ 1.4 kHz
Low Sheiving EQ 50Hz
Tab. 3.2: Equalizer of the stereo channels
◊
EQ is particularly useful if two or more music tracks are playing
together, as frequencies often clash. Low frequencies in particular can
phase and cancel, causing uneven bottom-end response. The trick is to
cut the bass from all but one track playing. You can roll off the bass by
turning LOW fully counterclockwise.
3.4 Output
Channel level is controlled by a precision stereo 100-mm fader (14) .
◊ The faders used are high-quality true-log faders. These give ultra-
smooth operation even at low levels, on a par with those used in the
most expensive studio consoles.
Press the CROSSFADER switch (17) to send the channel signal to either of the two
stereo submixes, which we call X and Y. The ASSIGN button (18) selects between
these two submixes, and a pair of LEDs (19) clearly show you which of X or Y is
currently selected per channel. The X and Y mixes are then routed to opposite
ends of the main crossfader (33) .
◊ You can immediately tell if any channel is switched on (CROSSFADER
switch depressed) by looking at the master ASSIGN X and ASSIGN Y (36)
indicators situated under the crossfader.

4. Talk Over

Let's say you are talking over a music intro. You would almost certainly want to
attenuate the music while you speak. The DX2000USB talk over system does this
for you—automatically. Depressing the TALK OVER button (11) on a mic channel
engages the talk over system. You can leave this button down all the time—
it will not affect the music unless you speak into the mic, provided you set the
system up correctly. How do you do this?
If you look to the left of the main bargraph meters you will see three rotary
controls and two LEDs. These are the master talk over adjustments you will want
to make. Once you have set them up for your system you will probably not have
to alter them unless something else is changed.
SENSITIVITY (23) sets the speech level threshold at which attenuation
(also called gain reduction) kicks in once talk over is activated by a mic
channel signal.
TIME (24) controls the rate at which music volume recovers after a mic channel
signal has activated the automatic music level reduction process.
DAMPING (25) allows you to adjust the depth of music attenuation triggered by
the mic channel signal.
Range Centre
+6/-18 dB OFF
+6/-25 dB OFF
+6/-25 dB OFF