Pops on turn off - is it just me

[Fluddman]

My DL1608 is a noisy bugger. Makes a loud pop everytime I turn it off - does everyones do this?

I know it is good practice to turn all the amplifiers off before the mixer but it doesn't always happen. I wonder if Mackie saved a few bucks on a supression circuit.

Cheers

[ijpengelly]

Mine does as well. I have sometimes had an issue with the wireless link and restarted the DL1608 in order for it to re-register with the router and got a lovely pop. Doesn't sound great, but not sure it is doing any actual damage. As you say, the best thing is to get all the amps / powered speakers turned down or off first. (sometimes, that is just a PITA  )

[Fluddman]

It's reassuring to know I am not on my own. Still I don't there is any excuse for this to happen.

Cheers

[prosoundco guy]

You'll get a pop on power down with most mixers. Amps off first. No exceptions/ excuses for not following proper procedures.

[sam.spoons]

My experience too.

[Greg C.]

You'll get a pop on power down with most mixers. Amps off first. No exceptions/ excuses for not following proper procedures.

I had a huge PTouch label on my processing rack at FOH for a while, "AMPS ON LAST. AMPS OFF 1st!". Then at a show on Saturday I bungled and had the amps powered up by mistake when I powered up the mixer. Normally the Avid Venues don't make noise powering them on or off. But this time it did, probably when the AES clock on my XTA speaker processor locked up to the desk. BOOM! Thank goodness I have the look-ahead limiters set correctly on the XTA or the horns probably would have blown. It was loud like a gun shot. Last year a mistake like that would have cost me ~ $2400 bucks as it could take out the TAD 1" compression drivers in my mains (4x $600 each). I swapped those 1" drivers this year for less costly and stronger 18 Sound 1" drivers. The 2" JBL drivers in the tops are far less fragile, but board power-on pops can certainly reduce their life expectancy

[CyberHippy]

Yep, standard operating procedure for all setups - I've never met a mixer that doesn't pop on power on/off.

[Fluddman]

Yep, standard operating procedure for all setups - I've never met a mixer that doesn't pop on power on/off.

Agreed, but I've never had one as loud as the DL1608 and I can't believe it couldn't have been reduced. By comparison my Studiolive is amost silent.

[Greg C.]

Yep, standard operating procedure for all setups - I've never met a mixer that doesn't pop on power on/off.

Agreed, but I've never had one as loud as the DL1608 and I can't believe it couldn't have been reduced. By comparison my Studiolive is amost silent.

A mechanical muting relay is usually required to for prevention of pops on power on/off of devices. The upside is relatively silent power cycling. The downside is potential failure and extra cost of manufacture. Before I made the jump to digital gear, I had a couple of Yamaha SPX90s where the muting relays failed and they wouldn't pass signal. They were pretty old though. I just removed the relays and put jumpers in to get them going. Just had to make sure the return channels on my mixer were muted before powering it on or off with a hot system. If I powered up my processing rack before the amps and/or mixer, it was never a worry at all.