In a life setting I want to use DCAs to group multiple inputs and control them for our monitor outputs. But when I move the DCA fader or set the DCA fader to Off the monitor out signal remains unchanged. The DCA fader has no effect on the signals sent to the monitors, at all.
My question is, do I something wrong or do the DCAs affect Main LR only?
You have likely set the output mix for your monitors to Pre Fader.
You would need to set it to Post Fader if you want it to follow the faders assigned to the DCA.
Check the block diagram for the mixer for all of the signal routing possibilities.
If you have the channel AUX output set to pre-fade, then the DCA fader will have no effect. However, the DCA ‘mute’ should still mute the input channels it has been assigned to.
Dave
Thanks all for your help! Yes, I have set the outputs to Pre Fader because the monitors should be independent from the Main LR levels. As you mentioned, it is true, the DCAs have no effect on the aux outputs when set to pre fader. So, it’s my choice to make the outputs routing post fader oder do without DCA control.
Exactly.
The DCA is the electronic way of (effectively) adjusting the main fader, and hence the mix to the mains.
This is not what you want from a monitor mix, which is why the DCA doesn’t affect it.
Did you notice the subtle statement I made regarding the fact that the DCA Mute WILL affect the monitor mix as well as the main mix (according to the block diagram at least)?
Dave
Yes, i have noticed your statement and checked it on real hardware. It works pretty well (as expected).
Thanks,
Holger
That may not be what you want of course - to mute the foldbacks at the same time as the main mix.
I just thought I would point out that this happens. It is why we use mute groups instead of the DCA mute - it gives us more flexibility in what we do with mutes.
Dave
You can assign the aux mix masters to a DCA if you want a way to turn the monitors up and down together.
Sorry to jump in, what is the additional flexibility on a mute group vs muting of a DCA on a CQ? I have found them to behave the same in that respect, and when mixing on a SQ I have transitioned to using the DCA Mutes as it is easier to have them more accessible when mixing on SQ Pad (less of an issue with CQ Pad as the soft keys are always visible).
It depends on your workflow.
Most times I want to mute all of our instruments - so I use the DCA mute assigned to the DCA that controls the faders of all of the instrument channels assigned to that DCA. Nice and simple.
At other times, I want to mute all of the instruments except the keyboard (that will be playing softly ‘underneath’ the service leader). I have assigned a soft key connected to a mute group that is assigned to all of the instruments except the keyboard.
I now have the flexibility of muting all of the instruments (DCA mute) or all of the instruments except the keyboard (soft key & mute group).
The DCA then still allows me to control the instrument levels (but only the keyboard is unmuted).
I find that I have a solution that can be documented and briefed out to our volunteers for them to easily follow a simple workflow.
Does this help with the explanation?
Dave