Keeping amp loud and cool.
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  1. #1
    Tech Student
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    Default Keeping amp loud and cool.

    Hi,

    I have very quick question, clear answer to which I haven't found yet.

    When I play on CDJ's/Vinyl, I'm usually able to get louder and clearer sound than when playing through a soundcard.
    Clearness of the sound might depend on my Traktor skills, I guess.
    But many other DJ's I spoke to find, that it's a lot easier to overload the amp/dj mixer using laptop than other equipment.

    I use Audio 2 DJ, set it up to 75%, and keep master output on traktor happy, not allowing it to clip.

    As I said, it seems to be a common problem, and I couldn't find exact guidelines on how to go about this problem, whereas laptop dj's blow up one pa after another...

    So the question is:
    how to get the most out of the mixer/amp, not overheat it, keep the signal clean and loud (pump it up on computer/soundcard/trim on mixer?) and why vinyl decks/cdj's don't seem to have this problem and how one could mimic it.


    Best.
    MAO

  2. #2
    Tech Wizard
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    Either don't redline your mixer all night or, if it has an attentuator like the pioneers do, set it so that you can redline the mixer but without sending so hot a signal that the pa amps don't like it, or turn down the pa amps, there's so many links in the chain you can adjust the signal level at that it shouldn't matter what a dj throws at a rig you should still be able to control it.

    That has been my experience with soundtechs, they can be very protective anbout thier rigs and yu can't blame them if it is their rig or they are responsible for it still working tomorrow night.

    With the difference between decks and soundcards i think soundcards put out a much hotter signal in general, not sure of specific dbs but reckon are more than decks. Of course that will also vary from one sc to another too so it would make it much harder to set levels blind for a gig and increase likely hood of something blowing if you don't have another control to apply.
    Last edited by darryljames; 03-12-2010 at 08:15 AM.

  3. #3
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    Grab a voltmeter and a your amps manual. You should be able to find the recommended input voltage in there. set your audio 2 to that. If you are going through another mixer, check it coming out of there as well.

  4. #4
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    In the light of this article :
    http://www.djtechtools.com/2009/12/0...ter/#more-3658

    Should I keep master out pretty hi, lay back on faders in Traktor and just keep it in the safe area on the mixer and crank up the amp?

  5. #5
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    Traktor has pretty decent headroom, but its still important to keep the mixer out of the red. You should be able to keep the gain at around 0db on the master, maybe a tad lower. Faders in traktor can also stay up.

    If you are feeding a low level of input to your amp, you are going to percieve the speaker volume as low, and try to feed more power to them. This is gonna heat your amp up even more. You need to make sure you have an adequate input signal through all paths of the signal chain. Having a good soundguy on board really helps, but short of that, its just going to have to be common sense.

    What amp are you using by the way?

  6. #6
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    I'm using monitor speakers at home, which are fine, don't experience any problems with them, but I guess i don't push them to limits.

    The question is general about gigging situations. I play quite a lot of house-parties where the kit is not entirely adequate, and it's easy to overheat the amp/overload speakers... As I said, it's a usual thing for a computer dj to come around to parties like that and mess things up. Say, quite often I arrive and person before me raped the amp so I have to let it cool before i can use it... But saying that, I do abuse setups in similar ways... And, interestingly, this doesn't happen to my colleagues on cdj's/vinyl..

  7. #7
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    I feel like part of the problem lies in the... convienience of just pulling out your laptop and a midi controller.

    If you show up at a house party, and theyve got CDJs/Technics and a mixer already set up, most of them will have a decently powered amp in place as well. Now, if you show up to a party, and hook up your gear..... usually it isnt laid out as nicely for you.

    It could be a variety of issues, ranging from anything youve done, to anything the people who set up the sound gear have done. At least throw a box fan on the amp.... that should help the overheating (not the harmonic distortion though).

    This is also related to "microwave Djing" (not that I'm saying you are a microwave dj). A lot of computer djs have only been at it for a little while, and thus dont fully understand the importance of keepin the signal chain happy, with minimal clipping, yet optimal level. They guys who played before you could have been perpetually in the red, which isnt fun for the amp, or the drivers.

  8. #8

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    this is called Gain Staging, and is one of the most important things to consider when running sound. typical practice is to have *everything* peaking just under the redline (or whatever means "clipping"). this means traktor, external mixers, amps, speakers, etc. the only thing you don't want to run SUPER hard all night is the amp (or powered speakers, same thing). if you need it quieter earlier in the night, then leave your faders/master out down a little, and use that to control levels.
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  9. #9
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    yep. Most hi end mixers and amps are built with a lot of headroom, and are pretty foolproof, but if you are using inexpensive gear anywhere, clipping is going to sound like balls, and send a ton of hot signal to your amp, which could clip both amp input, and output, risking your drivers, and amplifier. Like I said, a good sound guy is key if youve got multiple paths

    Ive started to play a good deal of houseparties (just finished building 2 subs and tops =D). The signal chain for me is, Laptop to audio 2, audio 2 to 2 channel mixer (sometimes) 2 channel mixer to 10 channel mixer (for micing and adding other dj setups). 10 channel mixer to amp (crown xti 2000 with built in processing). Then its amp to subs/tops. Since most of the stuff is my gear, If i'm not djing, I'm dedicated to running sound, and protecting my gear. Right now I use the built in limiter on the amp (DSP limiter), but I plan on grabbing a DCX, to protect both my drivers, and my amp in the future, as well as allowing for gear expansion.

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