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I have a new Xenyx 802 mixer and am trying to set it up to mix audio for some video projects (for input into my cannon camera).

I'm having trouble getting a clean sound however and even when there are no inputs into the mixer, my headphones are registering static.

The static happens regardless of whether the mixer is getting power directly from the wall socket or an extension chord.

The static increases whenever any of the input levels or gains are increased, even when no inputs are attached.

I'm new to this and don't know if this is the mixer, my headphones, my adapter, nearby EM interference, or what?

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

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This is Behringer equipment. It's perfectly suited for learning about gain-staging your signal, making use of every amplification stage's maximum capability because, well, you'll need it. Make no mistake: turning up fader and gain on an unconnected input will be noticeable on almost any equipment but the overall effect will rarely be as educational and obvious than what you get to hear.

Turn down what you don't use, and turn up each stage starting from the input as far as it will comfortably go without distortion. Actual control of the loudness of the end result starts with the fader. Everything before that should be working close to maximum capacity.

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  • Is it common/normal for this to happen when NO inputs are plugged in? Clearly I have little understanding of the mixer internals. It seems that having gains turned up on inputs I'm not using sends static down the line. I'm just circling back to this, but it seems that may have been my issue. I was so frustrated at the time that I haven't recorded much audio since then.
    – pixelearth
    Mar 17, 2020 at 20:11
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Don't know what you define as static but even professional mixers will output static with no connection and the gain turned up super high. what matters is how loud it is compared to the input signal you want to record. You need to also make sure that the input into your camera is going to a line input and not a mic input.

You could try to increase the input level by buying a more sensitive microphone or having it closer to the source.

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  • There seems to only be one input for the camera (mic in) and it's a minijack. Is it common for cameras to have separate inputs like this?
    – pixelearth
    Jul 18, 2018 at 16:48
  • @pixelearth it depends on the type of camera. It’s very coming for professional cameras to have a line input to take a feed from a mixer. It will work how you have it but it won’t be optimal and there will be unwanted noise.
    – Timinycricket
    Jul 18, 2018 at 18:45
  • well the hiss I'm hearing now I getting directly from the headphones out on the mixing board. So if there's hiss after that added by the camera jack then that's a separate issue, but right now I'm just focused on the board. Still not sure how to avoid it. Or how to set my levels and volume best to reduce it. Or what the proper way to set levels etc.
    – pixelearth
    Jul 18, 2018 at 19:13
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    Right. Have you tried to get sound out of the other outputs to see if it is just the headphones that have the buzz? If you touch any of the metal jacks does it lessen the noise?
    – Timinycricket
    Jul 18, 2018 at 22:01
  • True, static/noise/hum is very relative. One person's unbearable hum is another's "what i don't hear anything" I just got a Xenyx 1202 and it has a noise level loud enough for me to google for similar issues and wonder whether the amp is faulty.
    – a5af
    Jul 20, 2021 at 19:41

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