FLX4 Headphone output not working w/ Bluetooth speaker

Questions
1
  • Device model: Apple iPad Air 13 M3
  • Version of operating system: iPadOS 18.5
  • Version of djay: djay 5.3.3 (with Pro subscription via Apple App Store)
  • Hardware/controllers used: Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 (firmware v1.06)

Your question:

Hi everyone,

Long term djay user here but new to the world of additional hardware, having just bought a new DDJ-FLX4 :smiley:

I’m struggling trying to get audio out of the headphone port using the Cue buttons on the mixer.

Currently set up as:

  • Mains outlet > USB-C cable > FLX4
  • FLX4 > USB-C cable > iPad Air

(using the correct ports on the back of the mixer)

This successfully powers the FLX4 and also passes the power through to the iPad and charges that too. The djay app is also accessing the FLX4 via the USB-C cable, not via bluetooth.

I then have my iPad connected to a bluetooth speaker (an LG sound bar in this instance).

This all works great, no issues to report.

However :grimacing:

I’m unable to get any audio out to headphones, no matter what combination of things I try.

Still with me? :slight_smile:

Here’s what I’ve tried so far!

In the djay audio settings:

  • Main output:
    – LG soundbar (via iPad bluetooth connection to soundbar)

  • Pre-cueing:
    – None
    — (options available: None / Split Output)

  • Result:
    – Cue buttons don’t do anything
    – Cue buttons don’t light up when pressed
    – No sound coming out of headphones port on front of FLX4
    — (either with with, or without, the dedicated 3.5mm splitter cable)

  • Main output:
    – LG soundbar (via iPad bluetooth connection to soundbar)

  • Pre-cueing:
    – Split Output
    — (options available: None / Split Output)

  • Result:
    – Cue buttons now appear to work
    – Cue buttons light up correctly when pressed
    – No sound coming out of headphones port on front of FLX4
    — (either with with, or without, the dedicated 3.5mm splitter cable)

  • Main output:
    – DDJ-FLX4 ch 1-2
    — (options available: DDJ-FLX4 ch 1-2 / DDJ-FLX4 ch 3-4)

  • Pre-cueing:
    – DDJ-FLX4 ch 3-4
    — (options available: DDJ-FLX4 ch 1-2 / DDJ-FLX4 ch 3-4)

  • Result:
    – Cue buttons now appear to work
    – Cue buttons light up correctly when pressed
    – Sound is now coming out of the headphones port on front of FLX4 :partying_face:
    — (no splitter cable required )
    – No sound coming out of anything except the headphones port :pensive_face: :person_facepalming:

I think what might be happening here is that when the iPad is outputting its audio via bluetooth, it can no longer see or access the DDJ-FLX4 audio channels via the USB-C cable for some reason, so they’re not showing in the menus :confused:

Can someone confirm my understanding of the issue? :thinking:

Similarly, when trying to output to the DDJ-FLX4 audio channels, the bluetooth speaker is now inaccessible and has vanished from the djay audio menus.

I somehow need the available combination of options in the djay app to be:

  • Main output:
    – LG soundbar

  • Pre-cueing:
    – DDJ-DLX4 ch 3-4

Does anyone have any suggestions as to a workaround? :thinking:

Is there such a thing as a RCA line-out -to- Bluetooth transmitter? So I can send the audio from the FLX output via bluetooth to the soundbar? Sounds messy though!

1 Like
3

Hi @TheSouthernDJ, welcome to the Community! Please note that on iOS it’s currently not supported to split the output across a Bluetooth source and a wired source within djay. To make this setup work, you will need to connect your speaker to the FLX4 with an audio cable.

2 Likes
4

Thanks for the confirmation, I was just making sure I was understanding the limitations of my desired setup :slight_smile:

My Bluetooth soundbar also has a HDMI-input so I’ve ordered a cheap yellow/red/white RCA AV -to- HDMI cable to test if I can just use the RCA connectors on the back of the FLX4 to the HDMI-in on the sound bar.

Still a bit messy, I should probably just buy a new sound system really :grin:

Thanks again for the confirmation!

5

You’re welcome @TheSouthernDJ. You don’t really want to use Bluetooth for DJing anyway as there will be noticeable latency which makes manual beat matching very challenging.

1 Like
7

Ohhh?

Interesting point, and good to know.

It might have been the case that even if I had got this unusual combo to work, it’d have then all fallen apart once I heard the lag from the headphones to the loudspeakers :person_facepalming:

Thanks for the insights :person_bowing:

8

Exactly! Current Bluetooth tech is really not suitable for serious DJing. You’re welcome.

There are some new wireless technologies with low latency though that are being implemented for DJing.

1 Like