half-normalled patching inquiry

[antofants]

I was getting myself confused (not hard to do) with trying to get a new outboard pre integrated with my set up until I realized that I could get what I wanted through using a patchbay (didn't concider it at first because I try to keep all my lines as direct and clean as possible) in half-normalled mode, sending one part of the signal to the recorder and the other to the board for monitoring. My inquiry is if this split of signal will degrade the quality of sound going to the recorder compared to a direct patch through the bay? In the past I have steered away from patchbays because in a short AB comparison with a direct signal to recorder and a patched signal there was an obvious differance in the audio quality between the two (tested with a Neutrik spp something or another). Is there is a bay that won't cost me $11000 enchanted with fairy dust and still have some integrty?

[regebro]

Well, splitting a signal can degrade sound quality, since the impedances change. With most modern electronic equipment it's not a problem. With microphones and pickups it defenitely is.

If you heard a sound difference when going through a patchbay, you were using crappy cables. Or, you were imagening. We all do that, and think we hear differences when there are none. It's normal, that's why you need double-blind testing to actually see if there is a difference.

For some decent looking patchbays (with no endorsing from me, as I only have tested one of these):
http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthr...ay#post1041705

There are many more patchbay brands out there...

[Big Kenny]

Neutrik Patchlink SPL is nice

[regebro]

What is bad with the Neutrik way is that you have to unscrew it and open it to switch the type. What is good with that is that you can actually buy new types of modules! And that of course also means that if you should wear one of the modules out you can replace it...

http://www.prosoundweb.com/install/n...neutlink.shtml

Can't find any info on this on their website, though..

[earworm]

another question,
my patchbay is unbalanced, all my equipment and cables is balanced.

so i guess that i'm running an unbalanced system cause everything goes trough the patch?

and isn't it so that a balanced signal is a bit louder than an unbalanced one?

[antofants]

Thanks for some quick responses and I'll take a look at the other neutrik. Just want to clarify with absolutely no disrespect that when I was checking out the first patchbay I was using gepco quadstar cables and they were rather blind tests. We checked a number of different patch points also. I've actually concidered that maybe it was because we have a nicer quality cable that we heard the obvious differance from direct to patched.

[Warhead]

Originally Posted by earworm

another question,
my patchbay is unbalanced, all my equipment and cables is balanced.

so i guess that i'm running an unbalanced system cause everything goes trough the patch?

and isn't it so that a balanced signal is a bit louder than an unbalanced one?

Essentially you are running unbalanced with this setup. I believe balanced would net you about +6dB hotter of a signal.

Seriously, spend a little bit of money and get a balanced bay and cables. It doesn't have to be too expensive.

War

[antofants]

thanks war,
I actually do use balanced chords and would opt only for a balanced patch bay. It wouldn't make sense to do otherwise in my current set up. I'm sorry EARWORM seemed to se running into this problem with an unbalanced bay.

[earworm]

believe it or not,
actually my patchbay is balanced,
its my mixers inserts that are unbalanced, auch !!