Just tried the USB-Out connected to my Windows workstation. Output level into the utility mode was set to 0dB (Standard i believe). Fired up OBS and noticed that the sound level is very low even when the played channel on the mixer was at around 0dB - Windows mixer setting for 1/2 was also set to 100%. Is it normal that i have to pump the output level at the utility menu to +15dB or so?
2nd question: I know that i can t use channel 1/2 for DVS when broadcast mode is one, thats fine since my turntables for DVS are connected to 2 and 4. But when i read it right (did not try that yet) the broadcast is supporting USB 1 and USB 2 of the mixer - does that mean i can`t use broadcast mode and DVS timecode at the same time? I mean how should that work if both USBs of the mixer sending out the master?
Regarding question 1: You mean you were only peaking on the X1850 to 0dB on the meters and you’re wondering why you were 20dB from full scale clip in OBS? That’s expected if you run a digital mixer like that. You’re not miking a bunch of individual live instruments. This is music that’s already been mastered.
Instead, peak over the mixer meter zero… peaks above and troughs below the meter zero, which is the nominal or average level you’re shooting for. The least-dynamic signal would be a continuous tone or like pink noise, and that you would put at exactly zero on the meters. More dynamic stuff will need to be turned up beyond the meter zero to sound as loud. Top meter led is 1dB from full scale clip. The led below that (the bottom blue) is a big chunk of headroom, I think about 9 or 10 dB or something if I’m remembering correctly, but you don’t know how far you are from clip when you’re in there. So that bottom blue (second to top) LED is your accidental ‘oops’ headroom that if you notice you’re going into that you back out of it with no harm, no foul. The top white channel meter LED just below that you should be going into with your most dynamic tracks that need the most extra oomph, though. Some really dense tracks might only need to peak at or right above the mixer meter zero to sound as loud.
Even then, you might want to have OBS increase the volume by 6dB and then add a gentle limiter that begins its compression threshold at somewhere like -3 or -6dB from full scale clip. Don’t do gain increase within or after this compressor-limiter, though. I would not do this in the mixer. That way you get a little boost in the streaming software and then crush a bit instead of hard clipping if you do something goofy accidentally… at least that’s what I do in Wirecast. This might be useful to watch, though I don’t get into the streaming setup part…
As for the second question, I don’t use DVS, so I’m simply guessing when I suggest you may be able to either have OBS listen to the 1/2 USB X1850 channels with WDM unobtrusively while the ASIO or WASAPI DVS software is doing its thing, especially if you use the other USB for the DVS, but it might even be able to just use one USB. I don’t know for sure on that. Try experimenting. If OBS WDM listening seems prevented when ASIO or WASAPI is running in another application, then connect the other USB cable. In my experience, WASAPI is less likely to prevent WDM listening on the same USB.