Hello, Just wondering how everyone uses their line fader master and line level knob. Want to see the different variations if possible
Thanks
I’m certain you’ll get a 2000 word essay from one member, who’s reply somehow bends the topic back to five or six of their current wish list items, lol: but here’s a short answer.
I start a device playing into the channel, cueing past any low level or slow building instrumental fade ins or build ups etc, then I check that the filter is off and all three EQ knobs are not biasing the sound up or down , then I adjust the rotary gain until the middle colour is predominantly showing, with the top/max colour is only lighting occasionally. Which is how all my inputs are, so that should match volume wise when I mix, as long as the channel fader is at the same position up/down as the current playing channels fader(s).
Then I crossfade over
Works for me.
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Do you ever need to max the line fader? Im wondering if maxing the fader can affect the sound quality if its still under the peak on meter. Thanks
Line rotary first.
I’ll generally only use the line fader for temporary/quick adjustments / fx
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Are oldskul kats still lazy to use gain/trim knobs on modern DJ mixers?
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i try not to go past 3/4 on the line fader so im using the rotary first but when im recording the level is so low in logic pro that i been going over 3/4 on the rotary just to keep the fader under max. Then I used the usb output in utilities to boost the recording level up so i can back down some on the rotary and fader. I cant notice any difference in sound quality in the recording after boosting the usb output but before when i had the rotary passed 3/4 and the fader up so high there is a sound quality difference in the listening room. So i feel like when recording, there needs to be some adjustments.
Open format dj
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Gain/Trim to off.
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EQ + Filter = 12 o’clock
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Play Music at loudest portion
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Channel fader - To the Max (touching metal),
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Adjust Channel Gain/Trim to where it’s gonna be on both channels (or all 4)
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Adjust master Gain
Profit
During set use Channel Trim/Gain Knob to level individual tracks as required (PRN)
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This.
I have no idea why anybody in 2019 would not use gain/trim knobs to adjust their track level.
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Im new on this mixer im used to a urei 1620 . never had the level passed 7 and theres no trim for each line. I am trying and learning how this would sound best
Maybe they started out with the gain/trim on that channel lower than they needed?
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The X1800’s fader unity is max.
Master out unity is adjustable, and you should set it to 10dB lower than max in the settings if other people are ever going to be on your X1800, and then just turn the master all the way up when sound checking levels on a big system.
0dB on the meters is about -18dB full scale. Just don’t go up to the top meter lights and remember to reserve yourself some headroom for dynamic tracks that you don’t use up for crushed tracks. First blue’s emergency headroom with about 10dB range encompassed in there… don’t intentionally run up into that. Top blue is clip or limit. That’s bad. I wouldn’t max out all the whites all the time, for instance. Just kind of let it bounce evenly around the zero, above and below while staying out of the blue. And don’t forget to use your ears 
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I set the master out lower in utilities as u suggested and that helps alot especially because im running so much power to the cabinets. Now i can set the amps gain where i want it instead of so low. Only i set it at -15 db, do u think thats bad instead of -10? Thank u
You set the master out to -15 in settings and then turned the master out knob all the way up? You’re under unity on the master out. I’d put it at -10 in there and the knob at max so the channels and master meters are the same. By the way, I think booth has this setting, too. You don’t want people able to go over unity on the booth and master knobs and bumping up against the digital brick wall without knowing it on the master meter… and you don’t want other DJs having huge latitude over sound system max levels, hence the reason you stick master knob at max. Not to mention that on the master out you maximize the performance of the mixer this way. Stick your booth knob wherever, though, for your booth speakers if you’re using any… obviously you want to make sure the booth system is capable of dealing with the booth knob at max if the DJ cranks it all the way up. Like if they’re just some powered cabs pointed at the DJ, run the levels hot on the mixer, booth all the way up, and turn the booth speakers’ volumes up as loud as you’d want any DJ to ever turn them up. Then the booth knob back down to a comfy level.
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I dont have the system in a club but im at home with a 2400 watt amp running two jbl srx cabinets. The mpx 1200 amp is so powerful that i cant possibly use it like i want to unless i have a large space. So when i put the master out -10db i will adjust the amp gain at 1/4 so i can turn master up full.
is that best ?
master and booth knob at max with least distortion.
But only im confused about where each line rotary should be when i set the master
Line rotary? You mean the gain/trims at the top of the channels? You can put those anywhere you want to get the cueing levels and headphone monitoring behavior you want. Since unity of the line fader is at max, you should probably put the gain/trims at the level you want the track to be in the master when the channel fader is all the way up on its own. You don’t need to worry about maximizing input S/N ratio, though, since they have no effect on that. The channel faders don’t have boost over unity and the master out does not affect the master in the headphones, so it is not practical to just put the channel gain/trims in one spot and leave them at that permanently unless you’re just doing single-channel and single-ear monitoring trying to mimic the Urei. Touch and adjust the channel gain/trims as-necessary to get good pre-fader channel levels and run single channels all by themselves with the fader all the way up when that track is playing out. Should make sense to you when you start doing it and accept the freedom to adjust the gain/trims… they are totally digital-domain. You’re not going to hurt anything touching them. Just follow the earlier advice on how to set your levels.
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When recording into logic my audio level is low so will i have bad sound quality if i turn the trim and fader for the line near max? feel like your saying this wont affect sound quality cause its digital. with the urei i wouldnt go much past half.
Thanks for your advice
If everything is in digital domain from player, to mixer, to computer, to software, then you don’t need to bother messing with getting levels at mastering & commercial release volumes when DJing or recording. Save that stuff for post. Follow the previous advice on running your levels. Do double check the USB input and output setting in the X1800 utility, though. They should be at zero, not plus or negative some value. Make sure you’re using ASIO or CoreAudio, too.
There are also other threads on recording you can read.
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Bro, you crack me up !!!
I set master and booth at -10 with the gain on my amp at 1/4 because its so dam powerful(1200 per channel). Sounds great at full master now, Only the two meters are slightly different. The meter above the booth knob is slightly lower. Doesnt seem to be at unity
You mean the master meter on the X1800 is slightly lower than the channel meters? The master meter is a different length than the channel meters and with slightly different labeling. Unless you have the crossfader on and with a dip or are doing something else weird, the actual levels are showing to the same points. For instance, try to get them to go to 0dBVu or +6dBvu, and they should light at the same moment those labeled LEDs. Not sure why InMusic chose to use a shorter meter on the master… or put the pan knob physically above the master meter rather than the booth there when pan could have gone in Utility and then keep the resonance knob where the booth is. Or not have the writing on the channel sweep effects buttons. Or not have a Mic effects light or real master effects light… lighting all the channels up for the master effect indicator is weird. Yeah a few weird things on it.
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