External mixer: volume overload problem/BUG persists

[discopex]

This is an issue I've experienced with every release after 3.0.0.

I'm using ASIO soundcard drivers (Reloop Contour) with external mixer. At first, tracks come in very loud. Adjusting the gain behind info 'panel' helps. Over time though I need to adjust tracks even as much as -6 dB to prevent distortion. The track 'VU' meter is going always red without adjustments.

However, when playing further, say 2-3 hours, the tracks begin to distort and gain adjustment is not at all helping anymore.

Such was the issue today. When the distortion was ridiculously heavy, I exited the app and launched trusty old Cross DJ 3.0.0.

Suddenly the sound was SILKY SMOOTH and it was a joy to start mixing tracks. No settings changed.

With 3.3.8 (32-bit) I noticed at one point that the MASTER volume had gone 100% full without me touching it with the mouse (I usually have it at approx. 60%). When I lowered the master the distortion went away. But later on the master adjustment wouldn't help with distortion.

So now I'm left wondering how come I am practically the only person who keeps reporting about this gain/volume overload/distortion issue. Has no one really noticed this (the ones using external mixer setting)?

Investigate please. I've also even experienced this after a fresh install after HDD failure. So it absolutely cannot be a corrupt settings issue.

To me it feels like there's a bug somewhere in the signal processing. Post 3.0.0 there was changes in filter plus the new reverb effect, perhaps one of these could be the culprit?

[discopex]

OK I CRACKED IT !

The sound was ok as long as I did not engage FILTER. After filter the track volume level went up several notches. This can be seen in these screen captures. The first pic is of track playing, the second one after filter applied and tweaked back to OFF position (as the filter light is clearly unlit). But the second pic is WAY louder.

crossglitch.png

So I found out this was clearly filter related. The new, post 3.0.0 Cross-version filter that is. However, controlling filter with another controller (Quneo) the sound was alright. So I looked at the mappings.

Conclusion: Post 3.0.0 CrossDJ (with revised filter) needs FILTER CENTER setting ENABLED. This cured my problem immediately. Even when the filter was off position on screen it somehow affected the track.

So, is this a bug or a feature? guess it's a developers' call. But glad I finally can start using the latest version.

[TinouCAS]

Thank you so much for this: I can now reproduce it, finally

I clearly see the issue now, as filters apply a gain when active. This is a bug and I will have it fixed in the next version (3.3.10).

The "center" workaround you found is a good one, but instead of having to modify all mappings controlling filters (not to mention, user defined mappings...) I will look into it and find a better approach.

[discopex]

All good and even better in future versions

[RoJeC]

Nice work discopex!