DJ: DJM (mixer) Troubleshooting

First, make sure tracks are playing on both CDJs. If you still don't hear anything, work through these in order:

1. Check the speakers are powered on — look for the LED light on the front of each one. There's a power switch on the back of the speaker itself, and another at the wall socket.

2. Check the channel dials on the DJM. Each channel has a mode selector at the top — set it to LINE if you're using a USB stick, or A/B (matching whichever port your laptop's third USB cable is plugged into) if using a laptop. Leeds location only: set all dials to DIGITAL instead.

3. Set the BALANCE and MASTER VOL knobs to the middle position. See this quick guide for more.

Make sure the BALANCE knob is set to the middle position. See this quick guide for more.

Turn down the TRIM knob on each channel until the LED stays green rather than red. If that leaves the volume too low, turn up the MASTER volume knob instead — it's just to the right of channel 4.

If you're playing from a laptop through Serato, Rekordbox, or Traktor, distortion is usually caused by the software's master output being too loud. Find the master volume control in your software (in Traktor, it's at the top of the window) and turn it down until it clears. Then double-check the DJM's TRIM and MASTER knobs are both showing green.

The mixer can look off even when switched on at the back — it may just be in sleep mode. Look for a small red light on the right-hand side and press it (the "wake up" button) to bring the mixer back on.

This usually comes down to one of two causes:

1. You're playing from a laptop with only one USB cable connected. Our setup is fully interconnected and needs all three USB cables to work correctly — see connecting your laptop to a CDJ 2000 NXS2 for the full setup.

2. The RCA cables at the back of the DJM aren't fully plugged in, aren't in the LINE ports, or the red/white ends have been mismatched between cables — or one end is faulty. If a cable is faulty, connect the working side digitally instead: run it from the CDJ's digital output to the DJM's digital input, then switch that channel from LINE to DIGITAL at the top of the mixer.

If other troubleshooting hasn't resolved it, reset the mixer to factory settings:

1. While holding QUANTIZE (UTILITY, WAKE UP), press POWER. FACTORY RESET mode will display.

2. Press BEAT (◁ ▷) and select YES.

3. Press TAP to enter the setting.

4. Press POWER.

Make sure each channel is set to A or B if you want to use the crossfader to switch between the two CDJs' output.

Make sure one of the six colour effect buttons on the left is selected — with none selected, turning the knob won't affect the sound. Also check the parameter knob isn't turned all the way to the left, which sets the effect to its minimum strength; turning it right increases the intensity.

The Beat FX section is on the right-hand side of the mixer. If you're not hearing any effect, check these three things:

1. Press the ON/OFF button so it lights up blue — the effect won't apply until it's engaged.

2. Turn the LEVEL/DEPTH knob up from MIN toward MAX. If it's sitting all the way to the left, the effect strength is at zero and you won't hear any change.

3. Use the channel selector dial (marked MIC, 1–4, CROSS FADER A/B, and MASTER) to choose which channel the effect applies to. If it's set to a channel you're not using, you won't hear anything.