Although you have all the technical answers you need,
also bare in mind this other information if you are not already knowing,
as you get used to your equipment levels and fades and gains you will gain better understanding in these other key points, I would liken getting levels balanced in relation to your level meters and amp similar to not being able to get the bite point on a car but as time goes on you learn, equipment always varies so its a key to always use your gain within a mix not just before and if you do this right you should never ever have to touch your master output volume (never see red) off course only secondary to your current issue but if you seek the fine tuning their after you solve your issue.
For example: I know my controller level meter precisely so instead of using the fader to balance overall volume levels I would tweak the gain, that way your faders can mix without distraction in your hand coordination if you get what I mean and every second counts.
You should not have to worry about overall level with your faders they are for doing the cutting and mixing more so, and (Red) never allow it under any circumstances

tweak that gain down a little, and if in doubt take your phones off a second judge the quality and the distortion levels if any, again you may need to know the sound system that always helps where possible to know when you are going to far over the limit/limiter.
How I workFor example past green I have 3 bars of yellow before one red on my controller mixer, so I have what I personally call the middle ground and on my setup I always push for the second yellow and when I see a third I pull back, so I have that whole of a bar as a warning, so I never ever need go into red and I don't. That is important getting used to your level meters and find your byte point where your levels are in that safe zone away from the limiting where possible.
Use the sound system to pump the sound output, many just push and push on into the red on the DJ controller/mixer when they feel the music is not loud enough, instead turn up the club Sound system if possible without getting the bad distortion and muffled sound quality.
A valuable lesson also in relation to this, use the limiter but really that is only a tool to chop the peaks as already mention and this is only a safety mechanism to stop the levels and peaks going to loud, practice that metering and gain control as I mention above, it will be your making.
Now just think of this !!!
Cross DJ has a limiter and if you don't balance your levels with the gain at a certain point the limiter will kick in and cut off the top of your music and if you push the levels to much past the limiter you cant see how far beyond that point its going and how much its cutting off your track. Also if its cutting the top peaks of your music it must be detracting from its original quality as the track was made and intended to be.
So add into this equation as a novice or a (Volume junkie) pushing the levels way beyond the Cross limiting cut off point. Then if you are playing on a club or mobile amp this will also most likely have its own limiter so that is double the dose and like you are pushing all your music through a ever narrowing funnel at the narrow end the sound is not as it originally sounded.
so most likely you have lost your byte point visuals beyond that limit and at this stage your ears will most likley be getting short term damaged, common knowledge that over loud music will deteriorate your hearing and our first instinct is to turn the gain or Cross master up more to compensate for the loss in hearing. We have al done it at our house parties etc hearing music over people talking and we bothy know that will be a never ending battle, just remember that its the wrong time to turn the gain up, lower it and find that byte point and safe zone.
Even though at first the music goes down and you worry when your crowd hears this drop in level, their ears will soon adapt again, and the music will sound so clear and vocal and melody will get through on a really loud club system more often than not without being lost in all the distortion made from not balancing your levels correctly in the first place. This has been a time old problem in the clubs and DJ booths drives me crazy and gives this old timer a Extreme migraine

even many of the big names are responsible but this is a trap you have to master and must not get into the habit of doing.
I have gone into a few club now and the dance floor are empty I brave the decrees in volume and in no time at all the floors have filled by my first 2-3 song if that, all because they can hear what they are dancing too, clean crisp sub bass with all other song elements coming through as the band or artist intended.
Its deep to look at maybe but with dedication it will end up like riding a bike.
The best thing about software we have so many indications and visuals to use and not just out ears, with a few fundamental rules practiced you will soon understand.
Tipsone other important trick, When you cue up a track to play, quickly skip through it in your headphones to find what you think is the loudest section, find that then pull your gain down so you are in that comfortable zone without too much risk and hopefully not much limiting is being used, then go back and cue your track up at Start and your levels will be spot on and then all I do through the mixing is tweak it as necessary., Mixing then becomes an art and a joy when you can hear and control all aspects.
The most important aspects to remember:
a) cueing up in headphones maybe doing a quick run/mix in your headphone doing this has its advantages as you may be able to tease a little bit in prior to your main mix crossover or do some sampling or even just go with the mix their and then, Previewing and b) level balancing, Master this!
c) view your software waveforms and markers etc and compare from track to track so you get a good idea of the track song structure and its breaks etc, yet again another advantages of software you can see what is coming before you hear it, then you act on that hindsight.
All food for thought and just one of the many depths in my discipline and fussy ideals, maybe not quite as relevant for a mobile DJ or those set on their own ideals, but still good knowledge and it will just open up more joy in Djing, eventually you wont have to think about it you will just react.
