DJM 900 Problems/ Questions

I have 2 Questions.

Which offers better audio quality? CJD2000NXS into DJM900NXS via SDIF (Digital Coax) or via RCA Line in? I would guess that digital into the mixer would be more ideal/ offer better audio quality due to the signal not being converted from Digital to Analog on the CDJ, and then Analog to Digital and back to Analog on the mixer. Perhaps someone from Pioneer can shed some light if my thinking on that is correct??
It appears that the DB meters on the individual channels on the DJM900NXS mixer are not actually correct. When the signal is at the top of the green LEDs/ just 1 yellow LED, it should be at 0 DB no? Or in other words, Unity Gain. No gain added to the signal, none taken away. But when I plug my mixer master outs (via XLR) into a sound card for recording or into a crossover, the gain is not at 0dB. It's more at like -6 or -8 dB of gain. At first I thought this was due to the master attenuator, but when I checked it, the master attenuator was set at 0db. In other words there is no attenuation to the signal on the master outs.

Can someone tell me why the dB meters are essentially not true then? Why would pioneer but dB meters on the mixer if they aren't correct? Was it designed this way because DJs always play into the red anyway, so Unity gain is actually somewhere near the top of the dB meter instead of being in the middle? (Where the Green lights stop and the yellow starts?)

I have been very happy with my DJM900 up until this point, but it really irks me that the meters aren't correct. What's the point of even having a meter if it isn't actually giving me an accurate reading of my output sound? Is my mixer defective perhaps?

Jacob Bergeson 2014年04月23日 03:35

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Always connect your setup via digital, if you have that possibility - it's better for sound:)
the meters should ocassionally peak on yellow lights on channel meters and ocasionally peak the last yellow light on master out:)

(But it doesn't matter so much now, because djm900 has built in software PEAK LIMITER which limits the sounds on master and give no sound distortion.

Mateusz Kasprzak 2014年04月23日 07:03 0 票

Just want to add to Soulless Music's post that the peak limiter was added via a firmware update so make sure you are on the latest firmware for your DJM900.

walter_white 2014年04月23日 13:52 0 票

thanks for the re-affirmation. I'll keep running my gear with digital connections! (Although I'm unsure why most people don't seem to take advantage of this?)

I try and run my mixer at unity gain, which is 0 db, and should be (like Mateusz said, at the last green and first yellow) on both the individual channels and on the master. And I do know about the peak limiter that was recently added. I noticed it when I updated my firmware a few months back. (although with the peak limiter it won't clip, it still effects your sound to run into the red and makes it sound over compressed/ like crap so I still would not suggest running into the red ever.

BUT... this was not my question. (I'm sure it was my fault for not asking correctly/ rambling) My question is:

Why are the dB meters on the pioneer mixer (DJM 900NXS) NOT correct. (aka 0dB is not actually 0 dB and is more like -6dB when plugged into a mixer/ sound card etc.)

Again, at first I thought it was the master attenuator, but I have that set to 0dB of attenuation so I should be getting 0dB out when the meters say 0dB, but I'm not.

Sorry, kind of a difficult/ strange question.

Jacob Bergeson 2014年04月25日 02:02 0 票

got your point and havent though about it - don't know why its like this

Mateusz Kasprzak 2014年04月25日 07:17 0 票

difference is between digital and analog signals the headroom aint the same- conversion of decibels relative to full scale...

Digital can't go over 0dB- the ultimate highest it can ever go is 0dB

Analog can climb well above 0... reaching +5 +10 or even +16dB

There's a whole math calculation explaining the details here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBFS

and the DJM's ultimate max digital output is 0dB, otherwise the input gains and master out wont even hit the yellow/orange on the meter.

maDJam 2014年04月25日 16:56 0 票

So, what you're saying maDJam, is that because I'm using the digital input into the DJM from my CDJ's, the signal isn't correct on the dB meter because if it was, the signal would never go over 0dB (last green light/ first yellow) on the meters correct? Because Digital can't actually go over 0dB?

Totally forgot about it being a digital mixer. I thought the signal was converted into analog first, and then mixed via analog and then to the master analog outs?

Jacob Bergeson 2014年04月26日 04:53 0 票

It's a digital mixer, but that's really besides the point as to many of your questions.

Unity gain is a position on the gain/trim knobs, not a spot on the meters. You don't need to worry about that on the channels. Unity on the master volume, assuming you're using the channel faders at max, is about 2:15 o'clock.

0dB on the VU meters is about -18dB below full scale clip. You bounce around the zero on the meter depending on the dynamics of the track, not just up to it. Some tracks might even need every yellow, while some just need up to the first yellow to sound as loud. Use your ears.

The digital output on the Pioneer digital DJMs is anywhere from -5 to -19dB attenuation, depending on the model and the Utility settings.

Reticuli 2019年03月18日 20:53 0 票

What Reticuli wrote: the master output dB's can be manipulated in the Club Utilities Menu of the DJM-900. Next to this the additional peak limiter can also be (de)activated.

Theo 2019年03月19日 13:04 0 票

can someone help me my clip on my djm 900 nxs2 wont turn off even after i turn it off and on no music playing info please

Dominick Boyle 2021年08月15日 13:17 0 票