Setting Up a DJ Controller with a Mixer

[@eardleynorton6948]

Of all the viids out there on how to connect a basic DJ controller to a audio mixer, this was the best and most detailed. Thank you for taking the effort to educate us and provide all these details. Wonderful job, you've nailed it👍👍

[@tbmproductionsdj1]

We talked about running through a mixer before on The DJ Round Table Show. The ZED 6 is a good little mixer.

[@desoxx]

Thank you for the very detailed walk through! This is by far the best I've come across! Well done!

[@Tales_From_The_Crypto]

Great video !!!! Thank you I was using it wrong .

[@morpheux2]

Excellent vary clear explanation. Thanks so much.

[@Shadowshodan28]

So the speakers go into dj board or mixer after that set up

[@DaveNavarroOfficialChannel]

How do you hook it up to the rodecaster pro 2?

[@CANTTEACHTHISLIFESTYLE]

How do I record vocal audio with a ddjrev 5 controller and Yamaha mixer all connected ?? Any ?

[@DJFriendZone]

@@CANTTEACHTHISLIFESTYLE You’ll probably need to record the audio output from your controller. One thing you can do is run an RCA to 1/8” cable back into your computer (into the mic input; some laptops like MacBooks use the same port for headphones and mic) and then use a free program like audacity which will record the audio coming into your computer. The reason some programs like Serato won’t pick up your mic signal when recording from app is the mic may be added into the signal by the controller as an external mix source, it is never sent or routed through the computer if that makes sense.

[@teaforone77]

Great tutorial!

[@castlecastle503]

Where should the amp on powered speakers be set at?

[@DJFriendZone]

@@castlecastle503 to be honest it depends on the amp you are using and there are a lot of combinations. With that said, general recommendation would be to set it so when your DJ controller is turned all the way up (and your mixer is outputting at 0dB on the master) your amp is getting a solid signal but not limiting or clipping. You can limit a bit if you need to once in a while, but clipping your amp is a surefire way to destroy your speakers so avoid that at all costs. What you can do to avoid this is first turn your amp all the way down. Then play music at max controller volume through your mixer which is set to 0dB. Then start turning up your amp until you limit or clip, and that is your max position. Back off a bit and then your amp is set. Try running a few songs (including some bass heavy ones and some “loud” ones, like some that are mastered at like -6 LUFS) and make sure you aren’t clipping. From there you can mark that spot on your amp

[@castlecastle503]

@@DJFriendZoneThank you.

[@gustavoduenas1550]

what if you want to add subwoofers

[@kingavin7669]

if its powered speakers you would connect your tops through your sub and from sub direct to the left and right channel

[@DJFriendZone]

@@gustavoduenas1550 like kingaven, I usually run my audio out to the subs and then run the audio through the sub out to my tops. So the main outs run XLR to the subs, and I daisy chain the audio from the subs to the tops. Some people like having the option of aux fed subs (mainly for separate sub volume control), in which case you’ll need a mixer that has an aux out (or monitor out, or control room out, etc). Most mixers do have this open; I may make a video on how to do this as well, though you couldn’t do it with this model shows. Some people complain aux fed subs can shift your effective crossover as you raise/lower the sub volume. In my view this doesn’t matter, or at least matter enough to need to be taken into account. At most things may move a few Hz.

[@oldskoolhardcore90s]

This is am amazingly clear video. One question....do you get a better sound quality from using channel 1 and 2 with XLR cables, or from the channel 3 with stereo jacks? Or does it sound the same? Thanks!

[@DJFriendZone]

To be honest, I don't notice a difference in the sound. I prefer to use the stereo jacks most of the time because I don't have to worry about separate gains/panning.

[@Randalldan]

Question: When using the stereo input, does using the balance affect the left and right on mains?

[@DJFriendZone]

Yes, the balance knob would affect the left/right amount on the mains. However rather than putting the mono signal more to one side or another, it turns down the volume of the left/right channel instead (hence why it is labeled “balance” instead of “pan”)

[@keeshea6718]

Hi! Thanks for the video!! how would you connect a qsc digital mixer to a dj controller that i can play my sax with my settings through his settings/equipment? thanks so much!!

[@DJFriendZone]

@@keeshea6718 I would actually run it backwards - I would run the controller through the QSC mixer (my guess is a touchmix) and the sax through the QSC mixer as well. The other thing you could do is run the sax to the mic or aux input on the controller, but depending on the controller model the preamp quality may be bad and you’ll be sacrificing audio quality. The only benefit to running your sax through the DJ controller is so the DJ can control your level in their end. If that’s what they want to do that could make sense, but they could also do that from the touchmix and the quality would likely be better.

[@keeshea6718]

@@DJFriendZone thanks so much !!!

[@andriyaniliev3344]

Thank you! My English language is not good and i need to ask something because im also using flx4. If i buy some mixer is it possible to use effect pedals on it? I looking for way to use effect pedals with my flx4.

[@DJFriendZone]

You should be able to do this, however keep in mind most FX pedals are in mono, unbalanced. You may want to get an RCA to TS cable, and use one of those RCA inputs to your FX petal

[@andriyaniliev3344]

@@DJFriendZoneThank you!

[@yunongguo6064]

can more decks be connected to the mixer in this way?

[@DJFriendZone]

@@yunongguo6064 yes, with a mixer like this you could connect multiple controllers together. They could even play at the same time

[@lukemachinegreen5168]

Hi, thanks for the video. I have a question… do you know if this works only using one active speaker? I have an FLX4 and have bought a powerful Active PA speaker. However, the volume isn’t that high. Will a mixer boost the signal? Also, with only one speaker I assume i also loses half the signal?

[@DJKARMAMUSIC]

Yes, The mixer will boost it.

[@DJFriendZone]

@@lukemachinegreen5168 a mixer can boost it (even with one channel). What is the model of the speaker you purchased? I ask because it is rare for an active speaker to have low sensitivity where it can’t be driven to max volume by RCA (at -10dBV) With only one speaker yes you will only get either the left or right channel, unless you sum them to mono, but even then you can’t get true stereo sound with one speaker.

[@softavocado2677]

can i get a male to female XLR cable for the mixer? I also have the DDJ flx 4 but i wanna make sure i can connect to any speakers

[@DJFriendZone]

@@softavocado2677 yes most XLR cables are simply male to female. So if you have a mixer, id get an RCA Male to XLR Male cable (you can use this to connect your FLX4 to a mixer or speakers directly), and then have XLR male to female to connect from the mixer to your speakers.

[@ImanIman-ku7hu]

Thank you for the update I appreciate

[@djfizz8687]

Plug into the output on the mini mixer

[@softavocado2677]

would you recommend getting both cables used in the video or am i okay with just the first one

[@DJFriendZone]

You should be fine with the first one, I'd recommend just RCA to XLR (no need for the adapters). There are a few mixers that only take 1/4" but these are rare and getting your controller to XLR is better

[@JohannesNielsen]

​@DJFriendZone Brilliant run through of the Signal path, I am using the new Reloop Mixtour pro and a Novation Launchpad, and Push II. So I am doing a combination of Live Composition with the Push II and Novation Launchpad with my Loops, Risers, Vocal stabs, and one channel for my Arturia MiniLab

[@averymcdaniel423]

What is the adapter o n tthe rca cable called?

[@DJFriendZone]

Look for RCA to 1/4, store.djtechtools.com/products/chroma-adapters-rca-1-4-jack?variant=40262775898199

[@StevieRayEntertainme]

Maybe I am not too smart. Why would you not run into channels 3/4 or 5/6 (stereo inputs), your cable is unbalanced anyway? Why waste two channels? The way you are configured it, you defeated the main purpose of using an external mixer, using the mic preamps, as Mic preamps on any controller even a Flx10 or Rev 7 are garbage? You showed that method eventually, I am just curious why you showed the first method.

[@DJFriendZone]

You’re absolutely right, with this controller (which only has unbalanced outputs) there’s not a good reason to use 1 and 2. However I like using 1/2 for demonstrations because not all mixers have stereo inputs, and it is good to know how to adjust the pans correctly when using a mixer without stereo ins like the DL16s, Midas M32, X32, etc. I’ve encountered many DJs do not understand the way signals are rounded in a mixer, including mono/stereo signals, using matrix outs, etc. For instance, many keep the pans centered on both channels which messes up the stereo image and can cause coherence and phase issues. Also in mind using 3/4 and 5/6 use two channels as well, however they are linked to the same fader/pot which makes adjusting the level easier.

[@StevieRayEntertainme]

@@DJFriendZone OK that makes sense. I wasn't thinking about some of the big console mixers. I was thinking of all the small 4-10 channel mixers I've ever worked with. Good Point.

[@softavocado2677]

thank you do much omg

[@traxonwax]

Some DJs will insist on running a controller into a mixer to get extra headroom. I only believe this is needed if the controller is USB powered. But the vast majority are ran on DC power from the mains. The other reason is if the preamp on the controller is of poor quality, you’ll want to hook the mic into the mixer.

[@DJFriendZone]

@@traxonwax yeah I think in general it’s a bad idea to use a mixer if you only need more gain, though there are some speakers with low input sensitivity which you may need. Part of the difference is line level is different from consumer/whatever RCA usually uses. But yeah, the mic preamps on many controllers (including many entry level controllers) are shit so using an external mixer for mic(s) makes a lot of sense. Plus you can add some EQ on the mics. I use a DDJ Rev7, Rane Performer, and a Prime 4 and I fine the mic preamps on those controllers are good enough that I don’t mind running the mics through them for most cases. For something like the DDJ Rev1 on FLX4, the mic doesn’t sound great and clips super easily.