I recently purchased a VMS4 from Guitar Center, Tempe, AZ. The output level from the RCA jacks is unacceptably low. It is 16 dB lower than a typical CD player output. The XLR output has sufficient power: it is 8 dB higher than the CD input.
Please respond soon because I am ready to return the unit to the store for a refund. Other than this issue, I love the unit.
This is how I made the measurements:
Setup;
Gemini CDJ-15X
Mackie 808s powered mixer
Procedure:
1. Plug Gemini output into Line 1 input of VMS4.
2. Plug RCA output from VMS4 into Mackie line level input.
3. Play song with constant sound output level. Set VMS4 Volume level per instructions (+4 dB on cue and main output meters).
4. Set input level on Mackie channel per Mackie instructions (signal level LED starts to blink). Record the input level.
5. Plug Gemini output directly into Mackie channel and repeat step 4.
6. Use XLR output instead of RCA output and repeat step 4.
Results:
a. VMS-4 RCA output: -8 dB
b. Gemini: -24 dB
c. VMS-4 XLR output: -32 dB
Thus, the RCA output is low by (24-8=)16 dB compared with the CD output.
Note: the Mackie input level is from -40dB (Low) to 0 dB (High), with 10 ticks; therefore each tick is 4 dB.
2nd (and very important) question:
As a workaround for the above problem, can I use the XLR outputs with a cable that has XLR on one end and 1/4" on the other, for line-level input into a mixer or speaker? That is, do I need to use a Hi-Z to Lo-Z transformer (which decreases gain considerably)?
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