Xone:22 channel meters not lighting up/distortion! Show tonight, help needed ASAP!

[grandlethal]

I have never owned an external mixer before so bear with me!

I have my Xone:22 set to work along with my Kontrol X1 to work with traktor.

I have Traktor set to mix externally with the Xone 22 through the use of an Audio 2.

Now, I plugged in my headphones, and since I do not have XLR I wanted to test out the Xone 22 so I set the CUE/MASTER to master so I could hear whats going on with the master through my headphones.

I plugged the Audio 2 into the back of the mixer into the "Line" slots, left and right respectively.

When I did this, I noticed that everything worked just fine, but the Channel Meters were not lighting up at all. They only lit to a static level of +3 db when I held the CUE/MASTER button halfway between the two option.

I decided to experiment, and I switched the RCA's into "Phono", left and right respectively. I noticed immediately that the Channel meters began to light up like they should. But out the headphones (master output) was EXTREME DISTORTION, especially on the low end. Sounds like a youtube video when someone has record a live show through a crumby phone mic.

What on earth is going on? I have a show tonight in about 3 and a half hours and would really love to get this sorted.

Thanks!!

[jakeintox]

Phono inputs provide a significant signal boost for turntables, so that's why the distortion. Use the line inputs! I don't use Traktor, so I can't help you much on that end.

[Vandalus]

Well, I don't mix via the Audio 2 or an X1 - but the basic premise is that you are routing your Audio 2 between the computer and the mixer and the mixer just acts as if its connected to 2 CDJ's/TT's. So you route Audio 2 output channel 1 to channel 1 line input of the mixer, channel 2 the same way.

Whether you have XLR or not, I don't see how that matters. Traktor is working internally and sending a signal to the mixer for it to then be routed to the pre-amp/amp to speakers. If your levels are down, it might be something about the way that Traktor is outputting the audio. Again, I don't use any of the Audio 2/6/8/10 products (I have a Pioneer DJM850 so it's all internal) but that's all I can think of. Definitely DO NOT try to plug into the phono, it's distorting because phono requires a significant amount of boosting of the signal to get up to regular volume, so if you plug non-phono into the phono jack it's crazy distorted.

[Vandalus]

On further thought - did you check the gain's on the mixer? They could be way down. Lastly - you said "it all works" and then talked about checking your XLR outputs so you decided to check the cue/master in the headphones... you should be checking what the signal is doing not via the headphones but through the master/rec out at the amplifier.

And I hate to say this, but doing a gig on equipment that you have never used before is just a recipe for disaster, as you are no doubt realizing right now. You are beyond that stage right now now obviously, now is the time to fix the problem and get it worked out, but this is one of those "now you know" moments that you should learn from in the future.

[manchild]

Check your volume faders in traktor and/or set the deck layout to external or disable the volume faders, The audio 2 has a volume control but I'm not sure if that effects those outputs you're using (something to look into), plug into the Line IN on the mixer, check your channel gains on the mixer. You already know how to cue up the master so I'll skip that. Good luck.

[jakeintox]

Change Traktor back to mix internally?

[SirReal]

OMFG REALLY? You have a gig tonight and no understanding of signal flow, line level and phono level? Trying to mix externally with an audio 2 can only be done mono.

[Thijs]

I used to have the exact same setup. Bear in mind that the channel meters only show an output level for the low frequenties, play a loop from a part with some bass in it to start troubleshooting.

Check if the connection at the back are one A&B line input (I sometimes plugged deck B into the return input).
Check the gain for deck A&B on your mixer, should be somewhere at the 12 or 1 o clock position.
Check the gain for your master output on your mixer, should also be somewhere at the 12 o clock position for a desent output.
Check the the output levels on your Audio 2, on both sides you can change the output level for A & B
Check the main output gain in Traktor.

Also, make sure that the fx loop is not by accident switched on..

Good luck!

[iambiggles]

OMFG REALLY? You have a gig tonight and no understanding of signal flow, line level and phono level? Trying to mix externally with an audio 2 can only be done mono.

Not true - the Audio2DJ is a pair of stereo outs. So one for each of the two channels - line level. Monitoring done via the mixer.

[SirReal]

Not true - the Audio2DJ is a pair of stereo outs. So one for each of the two channels - line level. Monitoring done via the mixer.

I stand corrected. It doesn't make up for a lack of knowing basic signal flow and the difference between Line level and phono level though.