experienced (20 years) dj here, been using pcdj since it was pcdj 1.0 and carrying around a desktop and crt (no joke). of course ive moved up over the years and my main system is pcdj red mobile with a dac-3.
however i just decided to upgrade to virtual dj pro full and a hercules controller. i bought an rmx last night and everything installed perfectly (as far as i can tell). im loving this setup... except...
the problem is that the mic input on the rmx is very (very!) noisy... lots of hiss, and when i push the button to turn it on, theres a loud "pop" about 80% of the time.
question #1 - is this normal? or did i maybe get a defective unit?
question #2 -= notwithstanding the hiss, the mic seems to be "ducking" the music. i do not want any reduction in music loudness when i turn on the mic. is there a way to disable this? i see that its able to change, but i cant find anything in the config area that would do this?!?
again, using rmx and virtualdj pro full.
thanks in advance!
Ok a quick update... I was able to find the RMX Control Panel and stopped the attentuation, but the pop got worse and the hiss seems louder.
Defective? or typical?
This is the case for both front and top microphone connector ?
What model of microphone are you using ?
yes, this happens via both front and back, AND also when there's no mic attached. The pop is most definately in the button or hardware. The hiss is also in the hardware.
The mic is a Shure SM58 wireless that works flawlessly (and has for over 200 gigs over the last 2 years). Just to be sure, I hooked it to 2 other systems (into mixers/amp/speaker) and it's still working great.
was playing around tonight and also noted that the lights on the "kill" buttons don't light - not sure they even are supposed to, but they don't.
I'm thinking this unit is defective?!?
Hello,
1) The Kill buttons on the Rmx are not backlit, so it is logical they don't light on.
On this photo, all buttons including a backlight except the microphone button are lit. 
2) The pop when switching on the microphone button on the Rmx is part of the hardware.
3) What is the model of your wireless receiver?
Microphone wireless receivers output level is generally much stronger than a wired microphone output.
For example, Shure PGX4 receiver has a very loud output level on its 1/4" jack output (-5dBv at 3KOhms), looking more like the level of a line output than the level of a microphone output, so that it would saturate the microphone input of an Rmx.
If you have a Shure PGX4, can you connect it XLR output rather than its 1/4" jack output to the microphone input on the Rmx (with an XLR to 1/4" cable)?
PS: You should detail your configuration in your profile (MY SPACE > MY PROFILE):
- computer model and operating system
- version of VirtualDJ (complete version detail : for example VirtualDJ 7.0.3 Pro Mac)
- driver version of DJ Console Rmx
- microphone model
- speakers and amplifier model
- headphones model.
Hmm, that's kinda dumb that those don't light... I mean for 7 cents worth of LED and 5 extra minutes of internal wiring... 🙁
So are you saying ALL of these units will "pop" when we push the MIC button?
And, OK, I'll update my profile 🙂
Hello JeremyG,
LEDs in Kill buttons would have a limited cost, but LEDs require
- more electric power,
- more inputs on the micro-controller,
- more isolation to protect the embedded audio from LEDs noise.
There are LEDs in DJ Control Steel and DJ Console 4-Mx Kill and effect buttons, so you can assume not including LEDs in Rmx kill buttons was not a choice based on just LED costs, but on other considerations.
The pop sound when pushing the Mic button On is different in VDJ 5 than in VDJ 7, but it is still there, so it is definitely part of the hardware, I don't know if there is a sofware way to hide it.
Ok, let's forget about the LED issue at this point, because I'm flabbergasted about the pop on mic turn-on problem.
Are you really telling me that Hercules has made a product with a microphone input that makes a loud POP when the mic is turned on, and that pop happens on EVERY unit they sell?
Does anyone else see the problem with this? Who the heck would want a controller that POPS when you turn the mic on? It would be better to not even include a Mic input at all! Seriously? I'm nearly speechless.
So is this pop on the 4-Mx? What about the soon to be released 4play?
And by the way, I submitted a tech support ticket to Hercules with this same question the same time as posting my original post, WITH NO REPLY.
I'm preparing to buy a $500 4-Mx and THREE other controllers (either RMX or 4play)... so nearly $2000 worth of Hercules controllers, but nobody seems to want to reply to a support ticket, and I'm being told that the MICs POP when you turn them on?!!?
How the heck did THAT get past Quality Control?!??!
Hello,
1) I wonder whether you hear the same pop as I hear since I would call it a slight pop, not a loud pop. I hear a similar pop with the Rmx and the 4-Mx, the same slight pop as I hear when I activate a microphone input on an audio interface.
Can you make the following test:
- leave VirtualDJ,
- unplug your microphone receiver (and any microphone adapter, plug, 1/4" jack plug) from the Rmx microphon inputs on the top and the front panels,
- activate the mic On/Off button on the Rmx.
=> Do you hear the same pop or another pop?
2) Please confirm you have nothing connected on the other microphone plug of the Rmx when you use your receiver on the other microphone plug?
3) What is your receiver model?
Hello JeremyG,
Please precise if you have submitted a ticket support to Hercules here?
If you submitted your tech request somewhere else, please precise at which website address?
Hello,
1) I wonder whether you hear the same pop as I hear since I would call it a slight pop, not a loud pop. I hear a similar pop with the Rmx and the 4-Mx, the same slight pop as I hear when I activate a microphone input on an audio interface.
Can you make the following test:
- leave VirtualDJ,
- unplug your microphone receiver (and any microphone adapter, plug, 1/4" jack plug) from the Rmx microphon inputs on the top and the front panels,
- activate the mic On/Off button on the Rmx.
=> Do you hear the same pop or another pop?2) Please confirm you have nothing connected on the other microphone plug of the Rmx when you use your receiver on the other microphone plug?
3) What is your receiver model?
1. Not sure what you mean by the "same" pop, or "another pop". It's a pop. It's loud. It's annoying. Anyone hearing it while I do an event would look at me and wonder what the heck is wrong with my equipment. It's not acceptable. I guess I've always used good equipment that DOESN'T pop when the mic is turned on.
- I did all that stuff... it's still a pop. And the hiss is still there and very unacceptable.
2. Only plugged into 1 mic input at a time. But the pop and hiss happens no matter which plug I use.
3. Receiver for what? The Mic? Again THE MIC IS NOT THE PROBLEM. The mic makes NO noise whatsoever on THREE other systems. I've used it for YEARS, in over 400 events with NO hiss, NO pop, NO noise. Please, please stop questioning the mic.
Hello JeremyG,
Please precise if you have submitted a ticket support to Hercules here?
If you submitted your tech request somewhere else, please precise at which website address?
yes that site looks familiar. I'm 95% sure that's where I put in the support ticket.
Hello JeremyG,
1) I have posted a message to the tech support team who have answered me they have not received a message from a Jeremy. I understand you have posted a ticket, that it is not acceptable and so on, but can you please check if have you received an automated email telling you your request has been transfered to the tech support if you don't want to call the tech support?
2) If the pop is such a problerm for you, then you can mute the microphone sound, and turn the mic volume on when you need it. That is the way Numark DJ IO uses the microphone input: no on button, the microphone input is constantly on and you just set the microphone volume. On my side, the pop is covered by any music, much lower the noise of switching on the microphone. Most analog to digital converters makes a pop when the microphone preamp is activated, while an analogue input makes not pop.
3) The hiss noise means there is probably a saturation or an impedance issue with your receiver when plugged in the Rmx microphone input, it is not linked to the microphone, it is just a question of output level or impedance of the receiver.
Many wireless receivers have a line output level instead of a microphone output level, that is why I have asked your receiver model.
It would cause the hiss issue, while if you connect the microphone receiver output on a line input on the Rmx (set in line level, not in phono level), then activate the source button on the Rmx , you can see if it produces an adequate audio playback of the microphone (with no pop), and you have identified the issue comes from the output level of the receiver.
As in VirtualDJ 7 Pro you can mix more than 2 virtual decks, if you activate the line input on a deck C or deck D instead of deck A or B, then you can still mix computer tracks with the 2 virtual decks available while using the microphone.
A long term solution would be to read the receiver manual and check if there is a line/mic switch to set the output level and set it mic level if possible, ot to connect a line to microphone attenuator, as Shure A15LA between the microphone input plug on the Rmx and the output of the receiver.
I understand your equipment is good, doesn't pop but it is one of the differences between analog devices (as an analog mixer with analog attenuators), and an analog to digital converter, which makes a pop when activated with a microphone preamp, and which saturates as it has not the same attenuation as an analog microphone input.
Anyway, as you get furious when I ask your receiver model, I suggest you call the tech support at 18668895036, I think it is free in the US.
hi guys
can anyone reccomend a good sounding mic for the 4-mx cheers
Hi,
There are many good microphones, a very affordable handheld model is Stagg Music MD-500BK dynamic microphone, which is OK on 4-Mx.
Hi there,
I was having the same problem as well and upon a bit of investigation i found out that the virtual dj software have a digital knob that is supposed to control the mic but does not link to the RMX via the midi interface. So what you need to do is make sure that the volume digital knob on the mic in the virtual dj software as set to as low as possible and then on the RMX you can increase the physical knob slowly with he mic connected to it and this should solve your problem. This has sorted out my hissing on the mic. it is a bit difficult to explain. i have a crapy Sony mic that i have been using for 15yrs and now all works fine for me.
