This is what I aim for.byacey wrote:If you get the opportunity, attenuate your input levels so your limiters are just engaging when the DJ mixer is clipping. If it sounds like crap, it's his problem / responsibility to lower his gain to an acceptable level.
The issue is that the DJs come in with a wide variety of sound interfaces with a wide range of maximum outputs. About 2/3 of the DJs are using the headphone out jacks of their laptop. Most of those are capable of +2 to +6dBu (ish). The other 1/3 are using sound interfaces that vary from the old consumer grade (-10dBu reference, maybe +4dBu max) to really hot sound interfaces with a +18dBu max output. My sound interfaces have a maximum +14dBu output.
That wide range of possible input signal levels means that when I set the system up to clip the DJ mixer and the final hard limiter at the same time....I have to choose if that will be with the lowest or highest input signal from the DJ. If I choose the highest input level, then most of the DJs really can't get loud enough. If I choose the lowest input level, then a handful of DJs can be way too loud. I typically choose near the lowest....in order to accommodate the headphone jack DJs.
I will say that when I am there to adjust the channel gain for them, this is a non-issue and works itself out in no time at all. Play a loud song, adjust your volume to the max, adjust the channel gain until it is just ticking into the yellow, and move on from there. It takes about 30 seconds for the song to kick in enough to adjust the levels.
The "talent" also have a tendency to blame the system and not their usage. The event owners want the talent to be happy....and I get stuck. After five years, all the real pros know to just trust me...but the wanna-bes have egos well in excess of their understanding.