Patch Bay Ordeal - Happy Ending

[nsureit]

Over the past couple of years, I have been upgrading my DAW, mics, preamps, etc. I did a lot of research, and through trial and error, have learned how to do more advanced recording. Logistically, the physical configuration of the hardware had become unwieldy - cables, patch cords, power supplies...junk everywhere!

So, I got a burr up my a$$, and decided to get a patch bay. It will simplify my life, right? Oy, vey. I was in for a huge learning curve.

The theory is simple. Route everything - mics, preamps, audio interface, outboard effects, recorders - through a centrally located switch box. Then, if you want to run your Røde 121 through an ISA One preamp then into a compressor and into your recording interface, all you have to do is link them together with a few patch cords on the front of the patch bay. Yes, it works, but getting all this gear routed properly was an exercise of epic proportions. The front of my work station looks pretty clean, but behind the desk are more cords and cables than Carter has liver pills! My biggest challenge was getting my preamps staged so I could run them through an outboard compressor/EQ. The patch bay makes this possible, but it requires visualization and lots of cables.

All-in-all, it took about a month to put it together.

Here's a few shots of the project which I just finished tonight.

 

[RFR]

Looks good. Good for you!
As simple and beneficial as patchbays are, they take some work.
You have to fully know your signal path and envision any and all changes to that normal path .
That takes some thought and preplanning.

 

[nsureit]

RFR, I had to draw my signal paths on graph paper to make any sense of it. The patch bay was a new venture for me, and I sought advice from a few audio pros.

I will admit that this was a very expensive project, but it will pay dividends in the future as I expand my use of hardware, and get more creative with my signal routing.

 

[miroslav]

Well...the first time always seems a bit... ahhh..."involved".
I remember losing my mind the first time I got a couple of patch bays and tried to figure out how best to wire them up.

Try it with more than a half-dozen patch bays, and several racks full of gear, and miles of cable.





More patch bays went into the empty slots.





Oh...you've got some nice pieces there.
How do you like the 80B strip?

 

[RFR]

It's hell, or can be.
Right now I have 5 bays and two big plastic tubs full of cabling, and countless connectors in need of soldering.

All sitting idle because I haven't figured out all the routing yet.

Sometimes it's just easier to come on to HR and shoot the shit. Lol

 

[Robus]

That's a spiffy looking arrangement. When I set up a patch bay, I simplified things by using the patch bay for inputs only. Every piece of gear that is hooked in gets an xlr cable from the patchbay to its input. Every piece of gear has an xlr cable attached to its output on one end. The other end hangs over my rack. I've got them labeled and color coded. Making connections just involves grabbing the loose end of the right output cable, and plugging it into the right input on the patch bay. It's not as pretty as a full set of patchbays for inputs and outputs, but it was cheaper, simpler to understand, and works well at the level of simplicity where I operate.

 

[Ponder5]

Pay me now or pay me later.
Either go through the pains of a patchbay -- which can take a LOT of time -- or monkey with cables every day.

Ponder5

 

[miroslav]

It's hell, or can be.
Right now I have 5 bays and two big plastic tubs full of cabling, and countless connectors in need of soldering.

All sitting idle because I haven't figured out all the routing yet.

Sometimes it's just easier to come on to HR and shoot the shit. Lol

Get some paper and a pencil and lay it all out...stop procrastinating.

It's not as pretty as a full set of patchbays for inputs and outputs, but it was cheaper, simpler to understand, and works well at the level of simplicity where I operate.

Mmmm...you really just one patch bay for both inputs and outputs....you don't need a "set" of patchbays.
Usually, the gear outputs are hooked up to the top row on the patchbay, and the gear inputs go to the bottom row.
Then you just patch between them.
Heck, with some stuff, you normal the bay's I/O so you don't even need a patch cable...and you only use one to break that normal when you want to patch in something different.

I understand what you did...but I don't see how it's simpler or easier than just using the patchbay for both the inputs and outputs...not mention, you have all those XLR cables hanging over everything.

*shrug*

 

[nsureit]

Well...the first time always seems a bit... ahhh..."involved".
I remember losing my mind the first time I got a couple of patch bays and tried to figure out how best to wire them up.

Try it with more than a half-dozen patch bays, and several racks full of gear, and miles of cable.

View attachment 98324



More patch bays went into the empty slots.


View attachment 98325


Oh...you've got some nice pieces there.
How do you like the 80B strip?

WOW! That looks like A LOT of work and very professional.

The 80B rack reissue is more than I need, but I hope to grow into it. I did much research, and I knew that the Trident strips are among the top in the analog world. I'm actually more excited right now about my recent acquisition of the Ted Fletcher P10 preamp/comp/EQ strip. Got a bargain for it, and it was recently serviced by Mr. Fletcher himself.

 

[nsureit]

It's hell, or can be.
Right now I have 5 bays and two big plastic tubs full of cabling, and countless connectors in need of soldering.

All sitting idle because I haven't figured out all the routing yet.

Sometimes it's just easier to come on to HR and shoot the shit. Lol

Took me a month to get this far.