Xone:92 - Just got one - I can't work out these filters.....
OK,
So I just got this thing home - and the filters don't work like I expect them to.
Let me summarise.
Leaving out the LFO and simply concentrating on the Frequency and Resonance pots.
When I have the High Pass filter selected, and ensuring that the VCF to fader is not enabled, everything works as I would expect, that is to say that the frequency pot at it's 30hz setting is DRY and at it's 20khz setting is WET. This makes it easy to use in a mix, meaning that going from wet to dry is simply a case of rotating the frequency port from right to left (or wet to dry) and by the time it's in it's 30hz position it is having no effect on the track.
My LPF and BPF filters do not work in the same way. That is to say even when they are rotated right round to the 30hz mark they still have an effect on the track. This makes it impossible to use them for fading in and out becuase there is no gradual way to switch them off.
Does this make sense to anyone - and is there something I am missing?
Cheers
Jarv
Sep-20-2009 15:28
Zak McKracken
Trance
Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
lol a LPF is a lowpass filter (freqs below your knob-pos passes through) so in order to have it with no effect it must be at 20kHz position or "WET" as u call it, i call it fully open. btw dont think dry/wet when it comes to filters beacuse the effect is always 100% "wet" or ON, but you cant hear it when its below 30Hz using HPF and above 15-20kHz using BPF beacuse they are then fully open/everything passes through. LPF works the other way around than the HPF (hi pass filter) it is fully "open" at knob-pos all the way to the right (20kHz). a BPF (band pass filter) can never be "dry" as it will only let freqs around the freq-pos pass, it might let more pass through with the resonance/Q-knob all the way to the left, i dont know, some filters works like that. These are general uderstanding of filters. Ive never tried the Xone so it might work otherwise but these explainations should aply. BPF has nothing to do on a dj mixer imo. And the BPF and LPF should have been two separate knobs.
Sep-20-2009 16:56
Jarvmeister
Building a fire......
Registered: May 2001
Location: Trancentral
Thanks - your explanation helps.
Anyone got any other pointers for me? I've had a little llok at the youtube vids available for filter demos - but not a lot is on there.
Any wow - the Xone92 forum on A&H's website - Pios forum puts it to shame!
Sep-20-2009 18:00
n3lly
www.n3lly.com
Registered: May 2003
Location: Dublin
Apart from changing the resonance from wild to mild and then using the filter in the way you described above with the HPF enabled and then using the same 'effect' with the resonance changed to wild I only use the LPF and HPF.
One little trick i'll throw in every now and again with the resonance set to wild. I'll have the LPF selected (Filter off though) and just on the drop of the bass i'll turn on the filter and go from left to right on the dry/wet knob.. Gives a nice little sound.
Apart from that i quite like having the resonance on half way or so and then using the filter to just cut out the low end of an out going track. I barely ever use the LFO, actually never really.
I also never assign the filter to the crossfader.
What do you think of the mixer in general?
Sep-20-2009 18:20
Jarvmeister
Building a fire......
Registered: May 2001
Location: Trancentral
Cheers Nelly - that's also helpful.
Yeah - still really getting used to it. A couple of things I do notice, when comparing against the DJM800 which is what I swapped it for:
1. The Xone's sound IS of a higher quality - can't really explain, but it's more pleasing to the ears.
2. The 800s finish is more durable than the Xone's. Both mixers are 3 years old, yet the Xone's finish has visibly deteriorated over time, whereas the 800s finish is laquered so hard it's not ever going to deteriorate.
Thats all I can say for now - I left my headphones at a mates and will have to wait until at least Wednesday to get them back before I can really use this little beauty - very frustrating!
I'm considering buying a replacement faceplate for it - just to give it a new feel - anyone have any experience in getting hold of one? I've emailed A&H in the UK and await a response.
Sep-21-2009 08:07
Jarvmeister
Building a fire......
Registered: May 2001
Location: Trancentral
I've just noticed the 'pop' that occurs when you engage or disengage the filters - it's widely discussed on the A&H forums, pretty disappointed with that - seems audible even when you activater it on the beat.
My 800 did it too - but not as badly.
Also I notice that I get a popping in time with the tempo tap flash button, although only in the headphones. Only noticeable when volume is really really low - but an imperfection none the less. Again it's been discussed on the A&H forum many times.
My verdict so far: the 92 is more of a purist's mixer, but I don't accept that the 92 is head and shoulders above the 800 - they are both great pieces of kit, and they both have flaws.
Sep-21-2009 12:25
Zak McKracken
Trance
Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
the best mixer would be without any efex at all. and have rotary faders.
Sep-21-2009 14:30
Nemesis44
ZZZZZzzzzzz.....
Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Brighton
quote:
Originally posted by Jarvmeister
My verdict so far: the 92 is more of a purist's mixer, but I don't accept that the 92 is head and shoulders above the 800 - they are both great pieces of kit, and they both have flaws.
I would say that this is a pretty fair assesment of the situation.
With regards to the pop, engage the filter with the resonance on mild is it sounds like you are getting a rez pop.
With regards to what you can do with the filters, kind of depends on what you use, but if you have loopability i.e. either through CDJs or virtual DJing tools etc.
I will sometimes loop a section in a track and than filter out all the high frequencies to give the impression of it being a break down of sorts and then mix in a vocal over the top (In key) or even sometimes a looped melody from another track where I have filtered out the bottom end, then start to work on building tension, perhaps finsih the segment with a loop rinse and then pump back into the previous track or a new one depending on what I feel fits.
When I work in clubs I come across the 600 or 800 8 times out of 10 and an A&H mixer is a bit of a rariety.
I still use a Xone 464 at home. It's huge but I love it to bits.
Originally posted by palm
BPF has nothing to do on a dj mixer imo.
I think the initial idea was to use this to try to isolate vocals or instrumental parts that you want to mix in to a track. But that said, it's not something I couldn't do with with ordinary EQ.
does anyone else notice how palm is always the first to comment on gear, when he says he has not mixed since the beginning of the decade, nor does he actually own any gear?
Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
No, but I also don't drink out of a fucking sippy-cup you goddamned Appalachian.
Sep-23-2009 20:59
Zak McKracken
Trance
Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
quote:
Originally posted by lenazi
shut up
what? im actualy helping him here... im probably twice your age and has some experience eventhough i dont got any dj gear right now as i live in 50m2. my speakers takes the whole place.