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3.3 Equalizer

The channel EQ section comprises three control knobs and two switches. The EQ ON [1 6 ] switch activates the tone controls which enable cut and boost of HIGH [6 ], MID [7 ] and LOW [8 ] frequencies respectively­ (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

Range

Centre

High

Shelving EQ

15 kHz

+6/-18 dB

OFF

Mid

 

 

 

 

Peaking EQ

1.4 kHz

+6/-25 dB

OFF

Low

 

 

 

 

Sheiving EQ

50Hz

+6/-25 dB

OFF

 

 

 

 

 

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 [1 4 ].

◊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 [1 7 ] to send the channel signal to either of the two stereo submixes, which we call X and Y. The ASSIGN button [1 8 ] selects between these two submixes, and a pair of LEDs [1 9 ] 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 [3 3 ].

◊You can immediately tell if any channel is switched on (CROSSFADER switch depressed) by looking at the master ASSIGN X and ASSIGN Y [3 6 ] 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 [1 1 ] 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.

Pro Mixer DX2000USB User Manual

SENSITIVITY [2 3 ] 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 [2 4 ] controls the rate at which music volume recovers after a mic channel signal has activated the automatic music level reduction process.

DAMPING [2 5 ] allows you to adjust the depth of music attenuation triggered by the mic channel signal.

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 [2 7 ] is lit, your music is being automatically attenuated. ON [2 6 ] 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 [3 3 ], 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

Pro Mixer DX2000USB User Manual

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 [3 6 ] 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 [4 8 ]. A pair of LEDs [4 9 ] lets you know whether PUNCH or CUT is active. The X and Y PUNCH/CUT buttons [3 4 ] and [3 5 ] 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 [3 4 ] introduces the X signal to the mix, while the Y button [3 5 ] 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

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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 [3 0 ]. This level is continuously monitored by the pair of highly accurate tri-colored bargraph meters [3 8 ] 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 [2 8 ] and MAIN DIM [2 9 ] 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 [6 9 ] is a second main mix output with its own totally independent ZONE LEVEL control [4 1 ]. 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.

5.6 Effect return

A line-level stereo effect RETURN [5 4 ] (Max. gain 30 dB) feeds directly into the mix, level being adjusted by the FX RETURN knob [4 2 ]. This input is designed to accept the output from a mono or stereo effects unit (see chapter 10 “CONNECTIONS”). It could also be used to return another stereo music source such as DAT or mini disc if five stereo channels are not enough for your music needs.

5.7 USB connection

The DX2000USB has built-in USB connectivity, allowing stereo signals to be sent to and from the mixer and a computer. The audio sent from the mixer to a computer is identical to the RECORD OUT signal. Audio being sent from a computer to the DX2000USB can be selected with the Channel 3 INPUT button.

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