DNX1100 needs all cue lights on to ouput?

My great old skool mixer is not translating good hot input source to the master meter and thus it takes about 3 minutes of the mixer going on and off before (presumably) it’s warm enough (?) or whatever has happened and then it outs some audio. Could this be fluff and crap or is this a trait of failing components anyone? It’s like it wants to duck the audio an gate it until a loud part occurs (more volts?) and then it lets the audio through again.

Would love to know if there is a cure before I jump to the new digital equivalent hopefully :slight_smile: