Q & A Tuesday

QUESTION

I've got the Pioneer DDJ 400s - but if playing out on them, I think I'll need an extra bit of kit to connect the decks to a PA system - as they only have the one master RCA output & I think the speakers would have 2. Does anyone know what I'd need for this - some kind of adapter/mixer?

ANSWER

Thanks for a great question! 

Ultimately what we’re looking for here is the best way to connect a controller to PA, so that it sounds great! 

There is a solution that'll work for a setup on any DJ controller which has one master RCA output.

But first, let's consider cables.

When it comes to cables, there are unbalanced, and balanced cables. 

Unbalanced cables use two connectors and are used for instruments, turntables, CD player, home use applications, and short distances. 

Balanced use three connectors and can carry audio long distances while minimizing noise, hum, and interference, especially over long distances. If you want to have a bit of a nerd-out on this topic, there’s a link at the bottom to an article*.

They both have their place. 

As you correctly identified, the DDJ 400 (and FLX 4) has one master RCA output. It is an unbalanced output, and therefore you will be using unbalanced cables. Which is fine for small PA and small distances.

However, as soon as the PA gets bigger, and further from your controller, an RCA cable can get noisy. And this is where the extra bit of kit comes in.

A DI (Direct Injection) box, can be added to our setup. It converts the unbalanced signal (coming out of your controller) to a balanced signal - suitable for greater audio quality, and longer distances, as we mentioned above.

You can then connect the balanced signal from DI box to speakers - over any distance, and you’ll have better sounding audio! 

Which DI Box?

This one comes recommended by our Brighten the Corners friends. It’s robust, and reasonably priced: HERE

Which cables? 

To connect the stereo RCA out of your DDJ 400 (red is right, black is left) to 1/4” l/r inputs on the DI Box, you will need a Dual 1/4 inch - RCA Interconnect Cable cable HERE: 

Then, to connect the left DI box XLR outputs to the left speaker input. And the right DI Box output to the right speaker input using a male/female XLR to XLR like THIS ONE. 

Notes

With the XLR think about how long you need your cable to be to run from your controller. The link above is for 3m, I usually carry 5m, then I’m covered for all situations!  

The above setup is neat, compact, and will cover you for almost every situation you may find yourself in, and be suitable for PA’s small to huge, and will future proof you until you're ready to upgrade to a controller with XLR outputs.

If you’re using a controller with at a venue with a sound engineer, you have two options:

1. Let them know the make & model of controller in advance, and that you have stereo RCA out. Then they can have the DI Box / correct cables ready.

2. Let them know you have a controller /DI box and that you'll need XLR connection.

And top tip: always carry a dual 1/4” - RCA interconnect cable. Sometimes on multi-venue line-ups, you may need to connect into a channel on a DJ mixer. As you will now have a DI box, you might want to slip this into your kit bag too - that way you're covered.

But the golden rules are preparation and communication. Being prepared and knowing what is there means you'll be up and running smoothly, and makes the experience enjoyable all round.

Hope this helps! 

Tx

* Click for balanced vs/ unbalanced audio article.