Yes, you can connect booth monitors to the KLEMENTZ Dub Mixer. To send the same mix to your main sound system and your monitoring speakers, Mode 3 duplicates the stereo output across Master 1 and Master 2. You can use one output for the main PA and the other for the speakers beside you.
Stage monitors, monitor speakers, booth monitors: here, we mean the speakers that let you hear your mix at your DJ setup. This guide explains how to choose the output mode, connect the right cables and set your monitoring level.
Booth monitoring and FX Return: what is the difference?
A monitor speaker plays the sound back to you. It helps you hear transitions and effects without relying solely on the speakers facing the audience. On a DJ mixer, booth usually refers to this local monitoring system, often with a dedicated volume control.
An effects return, or FX Return, serves a different purpose: it is an input that receives audio from a delay, reverb or another external effect. To feed a monitor speaker, use the Dub Mixer’s Master outputs with the appropriate output mode. The FX Return socket is an input and cannot feed a speaker.
Mode 3: connect the main PA and stereo booth monitors
In Mode 3, each Master socket carries both the left and right channels of the mix on a single 6.35 mm (1/4-inch) TRS jack. Master 2 duplicates the signal from Master 1. This works, for example, with a stereo PA system and a pair of active speakers beside the mixer.
- Turn the levels down and switch off the amplifiers or active speakers before changing connections.
- Select Mode 3 — Duplicated Stereo Output in the KZ Configurator. The Dub Mixer ships in Mode 1: check the mode actually saved on your unit before connecting the cables.
- Connect Master 1 to the left and right inputs of the main sound system.
- Connect Master 2 to the left and right inputs of your monitoring system.
- Switch the speakers or amplifiers back on last, then gradually raise the levels.
Example setup:
Master 1 → TRS breakout cable to two L/R inputs → main sound system
Master 2 → TRS breakout cable to two L/R inputs → pair of booth monitors
You can find the full output assignments in the Dub Mixer output modes guide.
Which cables do you need for booth monitoring?
In Mode 3, each TRS jack carries unbalanced stereo audio. Choose a breakout cable that separates the left and right channels:
- 6.35 mm TRS to two RCA plugs for an amplifier or system with separate left and right RCA inputs.
- 6.35 mm TRS to two TS jacks for two line inputs that accept unbalanced connections, such as one input on each active speaker.
Always check the inputs on your equipment. A single XLR or balanced jack input on a speaker normally carries one mono channel, even when the jack has three contacts.
Avoid connecting a Mode 3 output directly to a balanced mono input with a standard TRS–TRS or TRS–XLR cable. The input would treat the left and right channels as the two polarities of a balanced signal. The sound may become hollow or very quiet, with sounds placed in the centre of the mix disappearing. For more on this distinction, Yamaha explains the different uses of TRS connections.
One mono monitor: Mode 8 can be simpler
If both your main PA and your monitor run in mono, Mode 8 — Dual Balanced Mono Output sends the same mono mix to both Master sockets. You can connect Master 1 to the main PA and Master 2 to an active speaker, using balanced TRS–TRS or TRS–XLR cables suited to their line inputs.
Mode 8 also makes the main PA feed mono. If you want to keep the main PA in stereo using Mode 3 while feeding a single mono monitor, you need a device that correctly sums the left and right channels. This could be a small mixer, a compatible monitor controller or a speaker with two inputs that are actually mixed together. Check the device’s manual.
Do not join the left and right outputs directly with a simple Y-cable to make a mono signal. A stereo breakout cable and a summing device serve different purposes; Rane’s technical note on audio summing explains why.
How do you adjust the booth monitor volume separately?
Duplicating the outputs gives you the same mix. The Dub Mixer’s MASTER VOL knob controls the overall output level, so it affects both the main PA and the monitors. Mode 3 does not add a separate Booth volume knob.
To adjust only your monitoring level, use the level control on the active speaker, the monitor amplifier or a monitor controller placed in the monitoring signal path. You can turn down your monitors without changing the main PA level. However, changing the Master level will still affect both.
Start with a low monitor level, play a familiar track, set a clean level on the mixer, then adjust the speakers beside you. If the CLIP indicators light up, correct the level at the relevant stage: turning down a speaker will not remove distortion already present in the signal. The Dub Mixer controls and indicators are explained in the user guide.
Active speakers, passive speakers and headphones
- Active speaker: it has a built-in amplifier. Connect a Master output to its line input using the cable appropriate for the selected output mode.
- Passive speaker: it needs a power amplifier between the Dub Mixer and the speaker. A Master output provides a line-level signal.
- Headphones: the CUE controls let you preview a channel before adding it to the mix. A monitor connected to a Master output follows the main mix.
To see how headphone cueing and the main mix fit into the unit, read the Dub Mixer audio routing guide.
Dub Mixer booth monitors: frequently asked questions
Can I connect a monitor speaker to the mixer?
Yes. If you mean a stage or booth monitor so you can hear yourself playing, use Mode 3 to duplicate the stereo mix: one Master output feeds the main PA and the other feeds the monitoring system. For a mono PA and a mono monitor, Mode 8 is another option. The cable depends on the output mode and your speaker’s inputs.
Can I have a different mix in the booth?
Modes 3 and 8 duplicate the main mix. They can feed monitors, but they do not create a separate monitor mix. To hear a source on its own before bringing it into the main mix, use headphone cueing.
What if I am using the three-way or four-way output modes?
In these modes, the outputs are assigned to the system’s frequency bands. You cannot assume that a Master socket is still available with the full mix for a monitor. You need signal distribution suited to your installation; switching back to Mode 3 would also change the main PA routing.
I am not sure which cable my monitor needs
Check your monitor’s brand, model and input connections, along with the output mode selected on the Dub Mixer. Then contact us to check the wiring. A photo of the connectors and details of your main sound system will help us recommend the right connection.
