Problems with CUE GAIN level, Behringer Nox 303

DJ Gear & Hardware Hardware: Controllers, Mods and Gear
, , ,
1

Problems with CUE GAIN level, Behringer Nox 303

Hello..

I bought my very first mixer for DJing last June, a Behringer Nox 303. The mixer initially seemed great value for money, however I have never been able to listen at comfortable volumes using the headphones.

I can only listen comfortably when the CUE GAIN knob is set to just half of the first position out of ten on the dial, any higher and it quickly becomes intolerable. This is not even the first position, i.e. it’s half of 1/10!

This doesn’t seem normal to me. Does anyone else have the same experience?

As I’ve never had a mixer before I thought the CUE GAIN must be set very loud so as to be able to hear it in clubs, and that it was normal. However, using it this low produces a further problem that is the following: at half of the first position and below, the left hand channel/headphone cuts out and there is only sound on the right hand channel.

Because of this issue I’ve sent the unit to be looked at as it is within its guarantee. The Behringer technician has told me that the unit is working perfectly, but to avoid listening at such low volumes in the headphones and to avoid the left channel cutting out, I must operate the mixer with the individual channels set to half as a maximum (i.e. the red LEDs only lighting up occasionally).

This seems very strange to me, because whenever I see DJs mixing, the channel levels reach the top or just below, all the time. And at the same time, the DJ has their cue gain level at a normal position.

Apart from this, if I mix with the channels so low, the RECORD out signal level drops considerably and effects my recordings.

I feel I’m being fobbed off, because I don’t find these explanations very credible, or practical.

I ask that if anyone else has a Behringer Nox 303, that they please tell me if they have the same issues.

I want to know if it’s just my unit or if it’s a general thing with this mixer. Especially because Behringer want to charge me 55€ for the return of the mixer as they say there’s “no fault found”.

I would love to hear back from someone.

2

where do you set the cue mix?

3

You’ve made a classic beginners mistake. You are running your channels TOO LOUD!

The red LEDs should NEVER light up.

In life, red usually means BAD or DANGER.

This is true for output meters.

Adjust you channel gains (and, probably, your master channel) so thst the red LEDs NEVER light up.

All the amber LEDs should be lit, and the green LEDs should only light up occasionally.

4

Hi Jester, thanks for your reply. Actually it does’t matter where the CUE MIX is set to, this happens at any position of the CUE MIX, from only CUE right through to PGM. As I’m mixing, I change the position all the time because I’m doing manual beatmatching and use it to synchronize before bringing into the mix.

5

Hi Patch,

Well you certainly agree with the Behringer technician. However, what do you say about the RECORD out signal being very low in when I have the channel GAINS set to half? I record straight into my iMac using Audacity and if I have the channel GAINs set so only the amber lights up, the waveform produced is extremely feeble, even with the Audacity mic input set to max.

Also, I have DJ’d at two events using other equipment, where I had the channel gains of the mixer lighting up to the top and the CUE GAIN at about 4/10. Why would it be possible on other equipment but on the Nox 303? Do you think it’s just the Nox 303 configuration - not a fault?

If so, it seems to me that the configuration is pretty extreme if you can’t listen above 1/10 when the channel GAINs are lighting red. By the way, when the red LEDs of the channel light up, the channel GAINs aren’t anywhere near max, they’re only at about 4 or 5/10.

I hope to hear back from you, thanks.

6

I don’t red line my mixer, but I have the same problem with my cue level. Mine is barely ticked when I’m mixing, but I make do with it. I can still mix. I just have my monitor levels adjusted so I can hear both at a good level.

7

Thanks SlvrDragon50,

But is your mixer a Nox 303?

Also, my problem is that when I listen with the cue gain set so low, the left channel cuts out.

Behringer tell me this is normal at such low volumes - what do you think?

Thanks.

8

Nah I don’t have Nox 303. I don’t know about the left channel cutting out.

My channel gains sit around 6-7 as well.

What dB are your songs normalized to?

9

How do I find that information?

Thanks.

10

you dont leave both monitor cue buttons on do you? you should only be cueing a “0” volume channel …
it could just be the mixer. every mixer i have used about half volume on cue level is plenty.
also in regards to the headphones, the left channel will cut out due to not getting enough juice.

11

Amen. Master and channels just touching into the orange occasionally :slight_smile:
Infact, we were so bad at this when we started out, we had to put clear tape about halfway up the master volume fader on our djm600 to resist temptation.

12

When cueing, I only have the cue button on on the channel I’m cueing up to bring in to the master, so only one at a time, not both. However I don’t understand your comment about I should only be cueing a “0” volume channel.. If I have the channel volume (gain) on 0 then I wouldn’t hear anything in the headphones. Could you explain please?

Regarding the headphones, if it’s due to lack of juice, what I don’t understand is why the same thing doesn’t happen on the Master, Booth, channel Gain, EQs etc. etc.??? Any volume control on any device that I’ve ever had goes from 0 to 100 gradually with no break. Why should it be normal with the Cue Gain of my mixer to not produce satisfactory sound at low level, especially as it’s set so high?

Do you think that an independent volume control on the headphones could fix the issue?