Using DJM 900NX2 as an Interface with Korg Minilogue

Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to production but have a current setup of 2 CDJ 900s, a DJM 900NXS2, Ableton Push 2, studio monitors, and just received a Korg Minilogue as a gift.

I've been using my DJM 900NXS2 mixer as an audio interface when producing in Ableton through USB with my laptop to the USB input on the mixer into one of the four channels. I then plug in my Push 2 through USB to my laptop as well and it works well.

However with the Korg Minilogue, I've been stuck trying to use it with Ableton and my DJ mixer as an interface to the studio monitors. There's an Output, Audio In, and USB on the back of the Minilogue. When I have my laptop hooked up to USB to one of the channels of the mixer, I can connect the laptop to the Korg Minilogue USB and get MIDI and use it as a MIDI controller that way but can't hear the actual analog sound.

Then if I plug in the OUTPUT with a 1/4 cable to the Return (mono) on the DJM 900 NX2, I can hear the actual audio of the Minilogue but Ableton doesn't pick it up at all. When I use the Audio IN of the Minilogue with the 1/4 cable to the Return, I hear nothing at all. Any advice on what I'm doing wrong? Might just pick up a separate audio interface if this doesn't work.

I would guess the USB on the back is there so you can use MIDI control over USB. It would mean you could either control the Minilogue with another controller, or use the keyboard to play notes in a softsynth etc.

You will need to set up the Korg inputting into one of the mixer RCA channels, 6.35mm TS jack to RCA mono (you only need to use the left (white) RCA). In Ableton, go to your audio prefs and select the NXS2 as input, and choose the activate input from that channel as "1&2 mono". You'll then be able to use an audio channel with "audio from" routed from the right place.

thanks for your help; i was able to get sound from the hardware synth into ableton by plugging a 1/4 cable to RCA into one of the channels on my djm mixer. however, i had to use the headphone jack because when i used the OUTPUT jack on the minilogue, i was only able to get sound to only one of my krk monitors, not both. with headphone, i got sound into both krks.

another issue is that when i record as an audio channel in ableton, im not able to isolate the hardware synth from the other tracks (drums, pads etc). anytime i record, it picks up the other tracks as well unless i solo it. sound from the synth is also extremely quiet. any thoughts? really appreciate it!!!

Probably because you're running the mono 6.35mm jack across both the joint stereo outputs in the headphone plug. It's a hack, but you might get phase issues resulting in quieter output. Ideally, you'd need a mono 6.35mm to joint stereo RCA, if they make such a thing.