Ecler Nuo 3 Faders

[bobbyd]

So I have been out of the game for a while, but before I really hung up the headphones, I bought a new (at the time) Ecler Nuo 3. I like the mixer and its set up, but I have realized that I am very dissapointed in the faders. They don't really give any volume till you get to 7 or so - and even then, it is like a 5 on any other mixer. So I end up having to run the faders at 10 always, and adjust with the gain controls.

I am a little old school - I played on a Urei or two in my day - so I got used to relying on the faders for volume and fading control.

There is an adjustment on the front of the mixer for Ch 1&3 faders, but it doesn't do much.

Any thoughts on another table top mixer - 2 or 3 channels - effects sends (don't really care about onboard effects) that has better fader feel? A more consistent volume curve?

The thing is I have only really used this mixer 10 or 12 times over the years I have had it - and I am a little frustrated now that I am trying to lay down a studio mix.

Any suggestions - would probably be more prone to get a used mixer - just for the money factor, but I don't want garbage.

[ampnation]

I also have the Nuo 3 and will 2nd this which for me is a minor frustration.

[Estacy]

with the fader curve knop at about 2o clock, its fairly linear. but you shouldn't try to use this mixer like an Urei. the faders on the nuo 3 are meant to be slammed to the top, using the gain to set the correct volume

[ampnation]

If you're using gain to set correct volume, how do you maintain a proper gain structure to avoid clipping? That seems like a dangerous workaround.

[Estacy]

pretty much what you do is, you set the gain using the pfl meter to whatever level you desire (under 0dB for me) and then bring the faders all the way up, then the volume on the master is at under 0dB as well. just use the eq when mixing in and you can keep it at 0dB the whole mix. It simply works different to rotary mixers that have gain on the potentiometers.
and this Nuo has plenty of 'headroom' you can go quite deep into the red before you really notice the sound degrading, not that you want to, but still.

and with volume i didn't mean overall volume, that's what the master is for of course

[ampnation]

So you've set maximum gain with channel faders all up, gain at zero and with your gain setting signal, adjusted the master out to just below clipping... then rely on your own ability to keep the gains at or below zero for the entire gig?

I much prefer knowing that I can slam the channel faders all the way up and not worry about clipping. Plus, using the gain as a volume control would result in less than optimal sound quality I would think.

[bobbyd]

What companies have a more linear curve on their faders?

[punky]

The Rane TTM56 had really flexible line faders, but they're a lot shorter than the Nuo, as it's a scratch oriented mixer. Though you can mix just fine on it. I like my Korg Zero4's line faders, as the curve control really lets you make them do whatever you want.

[bobbyd]

How is the durability and sound quality on the Korg?

I was really looking for something a little more straight forward - less techy. In hindsight, I kinda wish I would have gotten the Rane empath...

[bobbyd]

Is there any way to replace the line faders with something that has a better curve?

[Estacy]

no

5char

[disparate]

I find the faders on my Nuo3 fine - the VCA scaling really isn't ideal (it seems to me that the useful range of the curve knob is mostly between 3 o'clock and its extent around 5 o'clock, anything further counterclockwise and the faders might as well be switches) but it's workable.

It's pretty stupid that the VCA curve knob only applies to channels 1 and 3, not 2, think they fixed that in the newer 3.0 version though.

It's a strange mixer (the EQs take a bit of getting used to but they are nice...) but I've grown to like mine a lot overall.

Rane TTMs are pretty good if you want ultra-adjustability, I use a TTM-56 pretty regularly and it's a decent mixer even just for mixing.

[bobbyd]

I am not into "ultra adjustability" I just want something that allows me to do club style mixing with out having to do a mix within 30% of the fader instead of using the whole 100%.

[pete]

I believe that the innofader can replace the pro-faders used in the Nuo.
Emarx would be the expert.
replacing 3 faders would cost the same as the mixer though.

Never had a problem with Ecler curve. I would just adjust how you mix using the faders. :shrug:

[mars.shosh1n]

Never had a problem with Ecler curve. I would just adjust how you mix using the faders. :shrug:

My intuition is to +1 this ... though I haven't played on the Nuo3. Are they the same as the Evo4 (only ecler i've put good time into)?

[bobbyd]

Part of this may be because I am a dinosaur that grew did a decent amount of cutting my teeth on a Urei mixer - so I don't count on cross faders, or gains or any of that stuff. I count on a good line fader. The adjustment on the front of the ch1&3 faders is pretty lack luster at best. Doesn't really make much of a difference at all in the curve - the curve just goes from being very steep to being an on and off switch.

My problem is that when mixing two records that are at the same level if the one playing is at 9, I have to get the other one up to 7 before I can hear it at all in the mix - so now I only have 20% of the fader that I am actually using, the other levels (1-6) are completely useless. Don't know if that makes sense to you all.

I can play a set on this mixer, no problem, but it is just not ideal - not the one I want at my house - at least the way it works now.

I can slam any fader up to 10 and correct with the gain adjust, I just want better control over the volume at the fader level. I called Ecler service and the guy I talked to acknowledged that it was an issue - that it is more of a scratch fader, and not so much a mixing fader.

[Estacy]

You are correct, the mixer is not perfect in your situation. I found it to be the best 3 channel mixer I've ever used (and I used the mighty Vestax PMC CX). The EQ's are perfect, sound is great. What you want is a mixer with long, linear faders, possibly with some gain on the top. You'd be looking at Dateq or something, but those are hard to come by in the US.

I suggest selling it, and going to a store and test some high quality mixers that suit your fader needs.

I had no problem btw with the faders, they never were fully linear, but I used the gain to set it to 0dB, and just slammed the faders. Its not a subtle mixer, its built to be handled a bit rougher

[bobbyd]

Well, the mixer is for sale:
http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?15405-FS-Ecler-Nuo-3-Shure-M92E-Cart-50-Balance-Cables-Freebies
Feel free to make an offer on it.

[FCruzDJ]

Part of this may be because I am a dinosaur that grew did a decent amount of cutting my teeth on a Urei mixer - so I don't count on cross faders, or gains or any of that stuff. I count on a good line fader. The adjustment on the front of the ch1&3 faders is pretty lack luster at best. Doesn't really make much of a difference at all in the curve - the curve just goes from being very steep to being an on and off switch.

My problem is that when mixing two records that are at the same level if the one playing is at 9, I have to get the other one up to 7 before I can hear it at all in the mix - so now I only have 20% of the fader that I am actually using, the other levels (1-6) are completely useless. Don't know if that makes sense to you all.

I can play a set on this mixer, no problem, but it is just not ideal - not the one I want at my house - at least the way it works now.

I can slam any fader up to 10 and correct with the gain adjust, I just want better control over the volume at the fader level. I called Ecler service and the guy I talked to acknowledged that it was an issue - that it is more of a scratch fader, and not so much a mixing fader.


I have a Behringer DJX-700 mixer that the pots do exactly the same thing (they're also VCA).
Then someone on Youtube did a reverse mod that fixed the problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uVM872nxqE

I had a mishap with it some time back that resulted in broken pots on channels 1 & 2.
So I'm going to experiment in replacing the linear pots to rotary and also eliminate the cross-fader.

If I screw it up, no biggie; I got other mixers plus I'm saving up for a rotary anyway. ;)