Guide to how to use a DI/mixer?

[uncle psychosis]

Hey folks

Can anyone help me out? I currently use a DHA preamp-DI and a mixer at home for practising. Thing is, I'm really confused as to the relationship between all the different gain/level/DI controls. I have about 7 ways of changing the volume and it makes my head hurt!

The preamp has a gain, level, and DI level controls (amongst other things).

The mixer has a gain and a volume on each channel, a well as a master volume and a separate volume for the controls.

How do I work out where to set all the different levels for 'best practice'? Is there a "tried and tested" method?

Yours in ignorance,

[StraightSix]

Bit difficult to answer without more info but this is a useful guide to gain structure: [url="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr98/articles/gainstructure.html"]http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr98/articles/gainstructure.html[/url]

[Mark_Andertons]

DI: Gain/Volume are probably as much tone shaping as volume and interact (i.e. if you need more gain then you'll never less volume if you want less gain you'll need more volume. DI Level is purely an output volume control.

Set both Gain and Volume to 50% and DI to 50% too

STOP Put some music through your mixer so you can set the main output at a comfortable listening level. Then stop the music.

Put the mixer gain (on the bass channel) to its minimum setting and the volume fader (again on the bass channel) to its highest setting.

now

Slowly turn up the gain until the bass is as loud as you will ever want it.

From then on only use the volume fader on the mixing desk to control the volume, pull it down if you want it quieter and push it up if you want it louder.

Try that and let me know how it works it. That's the best way to do it but if you get a lot of noise then you might need to tweak it.

As I say try it and let me know and we'll tweak if it needs it.

[uncle psychosis]

Thanks Mark, I'll give that a try.

My mixer volume controls are knobs, not faders. I'll set them to the "unity" position and go from there.

[Mark_Andertons]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1338062494' post='1669231']
Thanks Mark, I'll give that a try.

My mixer volume controls are knobs, not faders. I'll set them to the "unity" position and go from there.
[/quote]

That's fine. As far as mixers go whatever you're putting through them the rule is

Set main outputs where you want them with a reference input like a CD,

Channel Gain to minimum, Channel Volume to max and then slowly turn up gain until it's as loud as you want it plus a little bit louder then from then on you can just use the volume fader and not touch the gain. Works for anything that goes through a mixer and ensures you aren't giving anything more pre-amp gain than it needs (pre-amp gain is where the majority of noise is introduced to a signal).