Issues with Speaker Not Working During Gig

**dtdtank** · 05-09-2012, 09:03 AM

I'm new here, so I'll give a brief intro. I typically do some small shows on the side (weddings, small parties, reunions, etc.) for a little extra money to pay off student loans. My setup consists of 2 Mackie Thump TH-15A's (powered), a Numark M6 USB mixer, cheap XLR cables that came with the Thumps, and Virtual DJ Pro Basic. The speakers and cables are less than a year old and the mixer is about 3 years old but seems to be in good working condition. I use an audio cable and a USB cable between my laptop and mixer and have never had a problem with that setup in VDJ over the last 3 or so years.

I DJ'd a wedding reception last weekend and had a problem that I can't seem to quite figure out, so I'm looking for advice/help since I have a class reunion to do this upcoming weekend. I was about half way through the show when suddenly I realized that my right speaker would stop playing about half the time. After a couple times, I came to realize that the right speaker would only go out when I was playing off of the deck on the right in VDJ, so I would always have to fade that song to the deck on the left in order to use both speakers. Since I was in the middle of a gig, I couldn't really play with the settings and do a root cause, so I took the stuff home but I can't figure it out because I can't get it to happen again.

Thoughts:
1. I'm not sure if this is because of the XLR cables. They're cheap and don't quite connect/snap in to the mixer very well, but wiggling them doesn't seem to affect the sound quality. I swapped the right speaker's cable out for a spare I have and it didn't fix the problem. Should I upgrade before Saturday just in case?
2. The right deck plays through the USB. Could my USB cable be bad?
3. Is VDJ the issue?
4. Could there be something wrong with my mixer?
5. If this were to occur again, should I risk daisy chaining the right speaker through the left and see if that works?
6. This was the first time I ever used lights at a gig and ironically the first time I've ever seen this problem happen. I can't imagine this is the issue since only one speaker didn't work on only one specific deck, but could it be that they didn't have enough power? I plugged the non-working (right) speaker into a different outlet and it didn't seem to help.

Please let me know if this has happened to you or if you have any thoughts.

Thank you!

**VikingRSA** · 05-10-2012, 02:16 AM

Hey guy!

Not too familiar with powered speakers but it does sound like a cable/connection issue. You need to get some decent cables with decent connectors (not essential but I only use Neutrik connectors) The cable could be broken somewhere inside the insolation. Just check your power cables to be sure but it really sounds like a signal cable problem. All your signal - xlr - cables should fit and clip without applying too much force. Spend some bucks get some decent signal and USB cables and get yourself a backup cable for each cable you use - can never have too many cables!!

**Dave Daschofsky** · 05-10-2012, 02:25 AM

start from the source and work your way down the signal path. swap the left and right coming out of your computer while you have a song going on the right deck. if the sound goes out on the other speaker then you've got a bad cable.

**pumpitdj** · 05-10-2012, 06:51 AM

It sounds like a settings problem in VIrtual DJ . In virtual dj click config , and then go to options , is your crossfader set on Full ? Also under config go to your Sound setup , you may have the inputs / Outputs / sound card setup wrong .

**TDMusic** · 05-10-2012, 04:30 PM

My cross fader in VDJ is ALWAYS dead centre, i use the crossfader on my mixer instead.

**windspeed36** · 05-10-2012, 04:34 PM

Somehow reading what you were saying it makes me think there is either an output error with VDJ or you've got a wiring error In your mixer.

**Da Animal** · 05-10-2012, 09:44 PM

Maybe I am thinking too simple, switches get bumped from time to time but did you check to make sure you second channel you use is set to line in instead of phono? Or that the fader selection knob is on the right channel? It couldn't be the cables if you were getting sound to both speakers from the left deck, which either leaves a setting in VDJ or the mixer switches themselves.

**jayhwk** · 05-10-2012, 10:08 PM

Different outlet doesn't necessarily mean different circuit.

I'm guilty of not carrying a VOM around and metering power before I plug in, but it's something that I should do. This does, however, seem like it's related to other equipment - power issues would (probably) affect the whole rig.

**A#1 DJ** · 05-14-2012, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Dave Daschofsky

start from the source and work your way down the signal path. swap the left and right coming out of your computer while you have a song going on the right deck. if the sound goes out on the other speaker then you've got a bad cable.