are TT patch cables ok to go into Samson s-plus patchbay?

mofat

New member
I know ideally trs patch cables should be used but I already have some XLR to TT bantam cables of great quality.
 
Well...TT/Bantam cables ARE also TRS (at least I've never seen any that were just TS)...so the only question is, does your Samson take the TT/Bantam size or the 1/4" phone size TRS...?

All my bays are TT/Bantam type...so that's all I've been using for years.
 
Ok so I tried the TT cable into the Samson patchbay. At first I wasn't getting any signals. Then I pull the TT end out a little bit from the patchbay socket and viola! We have contact. Could be that the TT tip is a little longer than TRS.
 
Again..."TRS" stands for Tip/Ring/Sleeve...and ALL TT/Bantam cables that I have ever seen are "TRS". :)

Instead I think your Samson patchbay may not be a TRS/Balanced bay...and by pulling the cable out "a little"...your letting the Tip make contact with whatever should be on the Ring.

I guess the question is...who/how was the Samson patchbay wired on the back side/internally...?
What is the model Samson bay is it?

<EDIT>

OK...if you are using the Samson S-Plus patchbay...this bay:
Samson — S-patch plus

It's **NOT** a TT/Bantam patchbay...it's a 1/4" patchbay.
You keep saying "TRS"...but TRS applies to both TT/Bantam and 1/4" type cables and jacks...it just means Tip/Ring/Sleeve.

So...TT/Bantam cables will NOT work in a 1/4" jack. You fiddling them around to make connections, is not the way to go.

Not trying to preach hear...but you really should RTFM...where it tells you it is a 1/4" jack patchbay.
I have no idea why/how you went down the TT/Bantam path or where/why you have XLR-to-TT/Bantam cables.
 
Bantam connectors are made to a different spec to the standard jack, therefore the reason you are not getting a good connection is that the end is a different diameter snd the Ring Sleeve Tip (TRS) spacing is slightly different. Even a mono Tip Sleeve (TS) jack would have problems due to the tip being a smaller diameter.

I would not mix up bantam and standard jacks.

Alan.

main-qimg-498e688d9868c0d61520814534b2c37f-c.jpeg
 
Those both are 1/4" TRS jacks, just not the same style and not compatible, one is the "B-Gauge" and the other is the standard 1/4" style...
...but neither of them is a TT/Bantam connector...which is much smaller.

---------- Update ----------

Bantam connectors are made to a different spec to the standard jack, therefore the reason you are not getting a good connection is that the end is a different diameter snd the Ring Sleeve Tip (TRS) spacing is slightly different. Even a mono Tip Sleeve (TS) jack would have problems due to the tip being a smaller diameter.

I would not mix up bantam and standard jacks.

Alan.

View attachment 101738

Those are both 1/4" TRS jacks, just not the same style and not compatible, one is the "B-Gauge" and the other is the standard 1/4" style...

...but neither of them is a TT/Bantam connector...which is much smaller.

This is the TT/Bantam...a .173" diameter...only a little more than half the diameter of a 1/4" connector, but they do look similar in style to the 1/4" "B gauge".

0.173'' Bantam Type Miniature Plug - Neutrik
 
Yes I was thinking if he had the smaller one it would not work at all, but I have come across the larger 6.5 Bantam which gets mixed up with standard jack plugs.

I have a couple of the 6.5 Bantam patch bays out of a phone exchange that work all right with standard jacks, but bantam jacks in a standard 6.5 patch bay don't work as well.

Alan.
 
I think the 1/4" B-gauge is not a very common one in studios. It's like weird a military spec size.

Anyway, I think the OP actually has XLR and TT/Bantam cables...but hey, maybe he got them from a military surplus store and they are the B-gauge. :D
 
Admittedly, I got like 10 xlr to trs bantam cables on eBay for cheap long time ago thinking it would work ok with a trs patchbay. I was putoff with the complexity of a patchbay that it took me this long to order a legit patchbay to try it out. Yes, the TT bantam cable feels a bit loose going into the Samson patchbay. Im ordering proper cables this time around. Thanks guys. Just a poorman trying to save a buck. Lol
 
You know...you could also get a TT/Bantam patchbay, and still use those XLR/TT cables. :)

I run all TT/Bantam patchbays in my studio, mainly because I have a lot of things that need connecting...and the TT/Bantam bays also give you more connection points per bay than the 1/4" size bays. Only down side is, there's more things crammed in together on a TT bay...but they are the standard type used in most bigger studios, for the same reason...lots of things to connect, and they would need a lot more bays if they used the 1/4" size.

Now the interesting thing...in the TV/Audio world...they mostly use the 1/4" size (along with the BNC/coax type for the video patching) for the analog side of things...though video/TV is all digital now when they broadcast, they still run racks and racks of analog bays in their studios.

Anyway...the 1/4" patch cables tend to be cheaper than the TT/Bantam, so you save some money there...why, I don't know, 'cuz you would think bigger connectors and cables = higher cost...but no, the smaller TT/Bantam cables and connectors cost more. :D

You could sell your XLR/TT cables on eBay and get your money out of them no problem...and cover your cost of the new 1/4" patch cables. ;)
 
The top plug (a jack is the socket. Pedantic maybe but might as well be right!) is what we call a 'GPO'* jack plug and a patch bay using those jack can have the switches damaged if standard 'stereo' jacks are used.

It is also a fact today that mechanical tolerances are not what they once were. I have bought XLR plugs that were a right sod to get out of (50 yr old Cannon) 3 pole sockets. In one case I had to resort to gas pliers!

As we are buying stuff from all over the world now it pays to be careful lest you get a plug jammed in the bay.

*back when there were learned and very helpful people there!

Dave.
 
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