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External mixer

With an external mixer (a Pioneer DJM, Allen & Heath Xone, Rane and the like), the hardware does the EQ, faders, crossfader and headphone cue. openDJ only plays the decks, each into its own mixer channel. This is also how timecode vinyl rigs are wired.

You need an audio interface with an output pair for each deck: many mixers have one built in (USB on the mixer itself), or use a 4- or 8-output interface.

Set it up

  1. Open Settings › Audio and set Mixer to External.
  2. The outputs change to a row for each deck, the headphones and the sampler. Pick the interface for Deck 1 and Deck 2 (and Deck 3 and 4 for a four-channel mixer), each on its own channels, for example Deck 1 on ch 1-2 and Deck 2 on ch 3-4. Leave a row on None to turn it off. The channel menu only shows on devices with more than two channels.
  3. Wire each output pair to a line input of the mixer: Deck 1 to channel 1, Deck 2 to channel 2.
  4. To record or go on air, plug the mixer's record (or booth) out into an input of the interface, set it up as an Auxiliary input under the inputs, and pick it as the Recording input under Recording.

What changes

  • Each deck goes out at full level, after its deck effects, pads, loops, stems and sync. openDJ's EQ, filter, channel fader, gain knob, crossfader and headphone cue are left out; auto gain still levels the tracks.
  • The mixer in the middle of 2-Deck, and the channel controls of each 4-Deck strip, give way to each deck's level meter.
  • Master and booth are silent. The headphones only play the browser's preview player.
  • Controllers keep working. EQ, fader and crossfader moves they send do nothing, so a deck-only controller pairs best.
  • Automix and the master limiter are off: they need openDJ's mixer. Each deck's output still bends its loudest peaks (above −1.5 dBFS) under full scale instead of clipping them.
  • The mic and Auxiliary inputs aren't mixed into anything (the mixer has its own). The sampler plays on its own output if it has one, else on Deck 1's.
  • Master and booth are not used, so their channels are free for the decks.
  • Recording and going on air take the Recording input (see step 4).

Set Mixer back to openDJ to mix on screen again.