Behringer PRO MIXER VMX200 User manual

Version 1.0 July 2001
Users Manual
www.behringer.com
PRO MIXER VMX200
ENGLISH

2
PRO MIXER VMX200
This symbol, where er it appears, alerts
you to important operating and
maintenance instructions in the
accompanying literature. Read the
manual.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remo e
the co er (or back). No user ser iceable parts inside;
refer ser icing to qualified personnel.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not
expose this appliance to rain or moisture.
DETAILED SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
All the safety and operation instructions should be read before the appliance is operated.
Retain Instructions:
The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
Heed Warnings:
All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
Follo instructions:
All operation and user instructions should be followed.
Water and Moisture:
The appliance should not be used near water (e.g. near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet
basement, or near a swimming pool etc.).
Ventilation:
The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper entilation.
For example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the
entilation openings, or placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the
flow of air through the entilation openings.
Heat:
The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, sto es, or other
appliances (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Po er Source:
The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions
or as marked on the appliance.
Grounding or Polarization:
Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated.
Po er-Cord Protection:
Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed
upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, con enience receptacles and the point
where they exit from the appliance.
Cleaning:
The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.
Non-use Periods:
The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.
Debris and Liquid Entry:
Care should be taken that debris and/or liquids do not enter the enclosure through openings.
Damage Requiring Service:
The appliance should be ser iced by qualified ser ice personnel when:
- The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or
- Debris or liquid has entered the appliance; or
- The appliance has been exposed to rain; or
- The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or
- The appliance has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.
Servicing:
The user should not attempt to ser ice the appliance beyond that which is described in the operating instructions.
All other ser icing should be referred to qualified ser ice personnel.
This symbol, where er it appears,
alerts you to the presence of
uninsulated dangerous oltage inside
the enclosure oltage that may be
sufficient to constitute a risk of shock.

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PRO MIXER VMX200
FOREWORD
Dear Customer,
Welcome to the team of PRO MIXER users and thank you for demonstrating your faith in us by purchasing the
BEHRINGER VMX200.
Writing this foreword to you is an extremely pleasant task. After se eral months of intensi e brainstorming and
the subsequent realization of their ideas, our engineers finally achie ed an ambitious goal: the construction of
an outstanding DJ MIXER, which, due to its remarkable functions, pro ides maximum flexibility and impressi e
performance. As with any new product, the de elopment of this new PRO MIXER also meant a great deal of
responsibility. Throughout the entire planning and de elopment phases, we kept youthe discerning end-user
and DJ, your requirements and your requests at the focal point of our considerations. Meeting your professional
expectations required a lot of effort and more than a few night shifts, but this is exactly the kind of challenge
that keeps us ali e and kicking. De eloping a new product always brings a large number of people together,
and its a great feeling when all in ol ed can take pride in the results.
It is an important part of our philosophy to share our gratification with you, since youre the most important
member of the BEHRINGER team. With your highly competent suggestions for new products, you e contributed
immensely to the de elopment and success of our company. In return, we bring you uncompromising quality,
guaranteed by the stringent BEHRINGER quality control system, as well as excellent technical and audio
specifications, at an extremely fa orable price. We hope that this will enable you to fully unfold your creati ity
without being hampered by budget constraints.
We are often asked how we manage to produce such high-grade de ices at such unbelie ably low prices. The
answer is quite simple: its you, our customers! Lots of satisfied customers means large sales olumes, which
in turn enables us to reduce production and logistics expenses. We belie e its only fair to pass this benefit
back to youafter all, your success is our success!
I would like to thank e eryone who helped make our new PRO MIXER project possible and successful. Each of
those people made ery personal contributions, from our engineers and designers to our numerous staff members
and finally to you as a BEHRINGER user.
My friends, its been worth the trouble!
Thank you ery much,
Uli Behringer

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PRO MIXER VMX200
VMX200
PRO MIXER
Professional 2-channel ultra low-noise DJ mixer
sIntelligent dual auto-BPM counter with time and beat sync display
sSuper-smooth Ultraglide faders with up to 500,000 life cycles
s Awesome QRS 3D surround effect
s Dedicated cur e control for all faders
sVCA engines for utmost reliability and smooth audio performance
s Gain and 3-band kill EQ (-32 dB) per stereo channel
sAuto-talko er function with separate depth control
s Extremely precise assignable le el meter with peak hold function
sProfessional crossfader re erse switch
sExtremely low-noise ULN-(Ultra-Low Noise) design, like those on professional studio consoles
sGold-plated cinch sockets for excellent audio qualities
sSuper-rugged construction ensures long life, e en under the most demanding conditions
sManufactured under ISO9000 certified management system

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PRO MIXER VMX200
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Before you get started ..................................................................................................................... 5
2. FRONT PANEL ........................................................................................................................ 6
2.1 Input channels 1 and 2 .................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Mic channel .................................................................................................................................... 7
2.3 PFL section (Pre-Fader Listening) ................................................................................................... 7
2.4 Main out section ............................................................................................................................. 7
2.5 QRS-3D surround function ............................................................................................................... 8
2.6 Beat counter ................................................................................................................................... 8
2.7 Crossfader section .......................................................................................................................... 8
3. REAR PANEL ........................................................................................................................... 9
4. SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................................. 11
5. WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................... 12
1. INTRODUCTION
With the BEHRINGER PRO MIXER VMX200, you ha e purchased an absolutely state-of-the-art DJ mixer. Its
extensi e features, i.e. beat counter and effects loop, open the door to new and creati e ways of working, while
making it suitable for a ariety of professional applications. At the same time, the VMX200 is extremely easy
to operate, allowing you to completely unfold your creati ity.
Time waits for no one, and neither you nor we want to be left behind. Thats why we in ested months of
research and de elopment into creating a DJ mixer that offers up-to-date features and technology to gi e you a
true cutting edge for your performances. Fully optimized for dance club applications and DJ systems, the
VMX200 promises full-blown DJing funand success.
Lets be honest: nobody likes reading users manuals. We know you want to plug in and get jammin, but
please take the time to read the following instructions. We e kept them as short as possible, and it will be well
worth the few minutes it takes you. Armed with a thorough understanding of the VMX200s features and
functions, youll be able to get the most out of this exciting product.
+The follo ing instructions ill give you a brief run-do n on the terminology and functions of
the VMX200. After reading, please store this manual in a safe place for future reference.
1.1 Before you get started
Your PRO MIXER was carefully packed in the factory and the packaging is designed to protect the unit against
rough handling. Ne ertheless, we recommend that you carefully examine packaging and contents for any
signs of physical damage which may ha e occurred during transit.
+If the unit is damaged, please do not return it to BEHRINGER, but notify your dealer and the
shipping company immediately. Other ise, claims for damage or replacement may not be
granted. Shipping claims must be made by the consignee.
Please take care to always ensure adequate entilation. Do not place the PRO MIXER near heating units or
heat-generating de ices in order to a oid o erheating.
CAUTION!
+We ould like to point out that high volumes can permanently damage your sense of hearing
and/or your headphone or speaker systems. Therefore, please turn the MAIN control in the
MIC/MAIN section all the ay to the left before turning on the mixer. And please exercise
caution and common sense hen setting volume levels.
1. INTRODUCTION

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PRO MIXER VMX200
2. FRONT PANEL
2. FRONT PANEL
Fig. 2.1 Front view of the PRO MIXER VMX200

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PRO MIXER VMX200
2. FRONT PANEL
2.1 Input channels 1 and 2
1The PHONO-LINE/LINE switch selects one of the input pairs on the respecti e channel. The PHONO
setting (and inputs) are intended for turntables; for all other signal sources, i.e. a CD or MD player, use
the LINE setting and inputs. A second switch on the rear panel (see ) enables the phono input pair
to be switched to line le el, allowing 2 line-le el units to be connected and selected ia the PHONO-
LINE/LINE switch.
+Never connect line-level equipment to the highly sensitive phono inputs! The output levels of
phono cartridge systems are in the millivolt range, hereas CD and MD players, as ell as
tape decks, provide outputs levels in the volt range. In other ords, the level of line signals is
up to 100 times higher than phono output levels.
2The G IN control is used to adjust the input signal le el.
+The overall level of your signal is also effected by the EQ settings. Its a good idea to adjust the
equalizer before you set the level ith the GAIN control.
3Each of the two input channels is equipped with a 3-B ND EQU LIZER with kill characteristic. The
maximum amount of attenuation (-32 dB) is much higher than the maximum boost (+12 dB), allowing
entire frequency spectrums to be remo ed from a track.
4The CH NNEL fader adjusts the final channel olume. The ULTRAGLIDE fader is VCA-controlled (VCA
= Voltage-Controlled Amplifier) to ensure smooth operation and long life.
5The CURVE switch underneath the channel fader enables you to select between three fade modes:
SOFT, MID and SHARP. In SOFT mode the fader controls the olume in a linear, continuous manner.
Run a track through on of the VMX200s channels and pull the fader down slowly: the olume will
decrease gradually. In SHARP mode the fader takes on a more logarithmic effect, reducing the olume
faster towards the lower end of the fader range, e en if you mo e the fader smoothly. MID mode is a
combination of the SOFT and SHARP modes.
2.2 Mic channel
6The mic section is equipped with a 2-B ND (HIGH and LOW) EQU LIZER with standard (not kill)
characteristics, allowing you to fine-tune your microphone signal and adapt it to your o erall sound.
7The LEVEL control adjusts the olume of the microphone signal. The ON switch puts you on air (or off).
2.3 PFL section (Pre-Fader Listening)
The PFL signal is a pre-fader headphones signal, enabling you to pre-listen to a signal source without effecting
the main signal.
8The LEVEL control determines the olume of the headphones signal.
9The MIX control lets you fade between channels 1 and 2 when the MODE switch (see below) is set to
STEREO.
10 It the MODE switch is set to SPLIT, the channels are strictly separated: channel 1 will be heard on the
left side, channel 2 on the right. In this mode, the MIX control has no influence on the PFL signal.
11 The LEVEL METER displays the le el of the signal selected ia the MAIN/PFL button.
12 The M IN/PFL button allows you to route either the main or the PFL signal to the display. Remember:
PFL is your pre-listening or headphone signal and MAIN is the signal assigned to the outputs of the
VMX200.
+In PFL mode, the channel 1 signal is displayed on the left side of the LEVEL METER, and
channel 2 on the right.
2. Main out section
13 The main out section also has a LEVEL control to adjust the output le el.

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PRO MIXER VMX200
2. FRONT PANEL
14 The PRO MIXER VMX200 is equipped with a talko er function, which works ery simply: if you speak
into the microphone while a track is running, the olume of the music is automatically reduced, so that
your oice is always in front. The T LK control allows you to determine how much the music olume is
lowered (max. -24 dB).
2.5 3D surround function
The built-in QRS effect widens the stereo image and adds life and transparency to your soundan easy way
to put a unique final polish on your music and turn your performance into an incomparable experience. The
SURROUND control determines the intensity of the effect, which can be turned on and off ia the ON button.
2.6 Beat counter
The PRO MIXER VMX200s built-in beat counter is an extremely useful feature, allowing smooth crossfades
between two tracksan important key to the success of your performance. The beat counter analyzes and
displays the tempi of your tracks in BPM (Beats Per Minute). The beat counter sections of channel 1 and 2 are
identical.
The tempo of the track is shown in the respecti e channels DISPL Y . In the case of multiple tempo
changes, the display would change continuously, causing unnecessary confusion and rendering the function
irtually useless. Enter the SYNC LOCK button : with it, you can limit the range of possible tempo alues
within a song. Pressing this button once the counter has caught and displayed a realistic alue will simplify
things. The BE T SSIST button allows you to set the beat counters tempo manually, similar to tap
tempo. Pressing the button three times in time with the track will set the beat counter and its display at that
tempo. The BEAT ASSISST and SYNC LOCK buttons are each equipped with an LED to show that the
respecti e function is acti ated.
Once the tempo of the two tracks ha e been determined and locked with the SYNC LOCK or BEAT ASSIST
buttons, the tempo difference between channel 1 and 2 will be depicted ia the 9-segment TEMPO DIFFERENCE
LED display . It shows the degree of the tempo difference by a respecti e deflection to the right (channel 2
track is faster) or to the left (channel 2 track is faster). The center LED lights when the tempi are equal. The
synchronization of channel 1 and 2 is shown in the TIME OFFSET LED display below the TEMPO
DIFFERENCE display. When the center LED is lit, the tracks are in sync with each other. When the display
mo es to the left or right, the corresponding channel is running out of sync. The TEMPO DIFFERENCE and
TIME OFFSET displays are only acti e when the tempi of both channels ha e been locked as explained abo e.
To exit the SYNC LOCK or BEAT ASSIST mode, simply press the SYNC LOCK key in both channels again.
2.7 Crossfader section
21 The CROSSF DER is used to fade between channels 1 and 2. Like the channel faders, the crossfader
section is equipped with a 45-mm VCA-controlled ULTRAGLIDE fader.
22 The REVERSE switch enables you to in ert the direction of the crossfader, so that you can quickly
switch from channel 1 to channel 2. This effect is created by simply pushing the REVERSE switch down
(T P)as soon as it is released, it returns to its original position and your crossfade setting (and your
music) is at it was before. Pressed upwards, the switch locks into the re ersed position (HOLD). To
reset it, simply push it downwards.
23 The CROSSF DER CURVE control in the crossfader section is similar to the CURVE switches in
channels 1 and 2 (see ). The control allows you to fade between the arious crossfader cur e modes.
24 The MIC INPUT connector is a balanced ¼" TRS socket for microphone connection.
+We strongly recommend the use of high-grade cables and connectors for the transmission of
audio signals. Inferior quality materials cannot supply acceptable audio quality or corrosion
protection.
25 The HE DPHONES socket allows you to connect your headphones for pre-listening (PFL signal). For
best results, use headphones with an impedance rating of at least 32 Ohms.

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PRO MIXER VMX200
3. REAR PANEL
3. REAR PANEL
With the exception of MIC INPUT and HEADPHONES, all of the VMX200s audio connections are located on
the rear panel and supplied as RCA connectors.
Fig 3.1: Rear view of the PRO MIXER VMX200
26 The PHONO inputs for channel 1 and 2 are primarily intended for turntable connection (see PHONO/
LINE switch below).
27 The LINE inputs may be used for connecting tape decks, CD or MD players etc.
28 The GND connection allows grounding of a turntable.
29 The PHONO/LINE switch allows you to set the input sensiti ity of the PHONO inputs to line le el, so
that they can also be used for connection of tape decks, CD or MD players etc.
30 The VMX200 is equipped with an effects loop for external effects de ices. The SEND output sends the
PFL signal to a connected de ice, e.g. a re erb unit.
31 The resulting effect signal can be input to the MAIN OUT section ia the RETURN input. The effect le el
must be adjusted on the external effects unit. The RETURN input can also be used as an extra input for
connection of an additional signal source (e.g. sampler)also in this case the le el must be set on the
external de ice.
+If an external effects unit is connected via the VMX200s effect loop, the selected PFL signal is
sent to the unit. If you change the PFL section setting, e.g. to pre-listen to another channel,
that signal ill be sent to the effects unitthe effect signal of a different track ill be mixed to
your MAIN OUT signal. Remember: the effects unit gets its signal from the PFL section (see
).
32 Use the MP output to connect the VMX200 to an amplifier. The le el is controlled by the LEVEL control
in the MAIN OUT section.
+In order to avoid po er-up thumps, hich can damage your loudspeakers, please po er up
your amplifier last. There should be no signal present, e.g. no music playing, hen you turn
on your amp. In addition, e suggest that you set all volume-related controls to zero (do n)
before po ering up your system. Follo ing these precautions ill save you from unpleasant
and potentially dangerous surprises.
33 The T PE output enables you to record your performance by connecting a tape deck, DAT recorder etc.
Unlike the AMP output, the TAPE le el is fixed, so that you ha e to adjust the input le el on the recorder.
34 The POWER ON switch turns on the PRO MIXER.

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PRO MIXER VMX200
3. REAR PANEL
35 FUSE HOLDER/VOLT GE SELECTOR. Before you connect the equipment to an AC outlet, please be
sure that the oltage displayed corresponds with your local AC oltage. If you should need to replace the
fuse, be sure to replace it with one of the same type and alue. Some units allow you to switch between
230 V and 115 V by rotating the fuse holder.
+Note: To operate the unit at 115 V, you must install a fuse ith the double ampere rating.
36 This is the socket for the power cable. The impulse beha ior of any gi en amplifier circuit depends
largely upon the power supplys inherent reser es. All mixers contain numerous operational amplifiers
(op-amps) for processing line-le el signals. Due to the restricted performance of their power supplies,
many mixers show stress symptoms when used under extreme conditions, resulting in inferior audio
quality. Thanks to its generously proportioned power supply, this will ne er happen to your VMX200: The
sound will always be clear, transparent and powerful.
37 SERI L NUMBER. Please take the time to fill out and return the warranty card within 14 days after the
date of purchase. This will entitle you to all the benefits of our extended warranty. Alternati ely, you can
register online at www.behringer.com.