patchbay? what is it?

[ericbonn]

i know that they are for routing but how? i really dont understand the concept. also balanced and unbalanced. can someone explain in real world terms?/ if i got a mic with a 1/4 inch plug on the end will it make a difference if i put an extension on it with a xlr on the end?

[Nilbog]

To my understanding, a patchbay is for orginazation. You plug everything into the back, and label the front accordingly. That way you have one place to plug everything in, and it's all together. I think I'm gonna buy one soon, because i hate reaching around behind all my stuff every time I need to plug something in.

The best way to go 1/4" to XLR is just as you described. I was told that those expensive transformers add color to the sound.
-Nilbog

[Cakey2]

Right, i'm, gonna have a go at a simple explanation of a patchbay. With pictures.
,,,,,, jack1,,,,,, jack1
,this ---------/---------
,,,,is ---------/---------
the,,,,,,,,,,,,,, /
back ---------/---------
,,,,,, ---------/---------
,,,,,, jack 2,,,,,, jack2

Just ignore the,,,, I've used them to make the diagram line up.
Now, if you imagine the pairs of dashed lines as jack sockets and the line of /s as a circuitboard thingy, then we'll be ok.

How it works,is, if your plug an out put, say from your multitrack (or soundcard) into the back jack 1, it'll come out automatically at back jack 2. This is called 'normalled' patching - you plug into rear jack 2 the thing that you would normally connect point-to-point to the multitrack output, eg a mixer input. Gottit?
Now, if you plug something into front jack 1, you will get the same signal again ie a listen-in - effectively you have a split signal. However, if you plug something into front jack 2, then you switch off the rear input from back jack 1! So you only hear the signal you've 'patched in' eg on the mixer. Clever, eh? But there's more. Image we have lots of these patch units, side by side. When you plug all the inputs and outputs from all your kit into the patch units, you can rout anything to anywhere with a little jack lead, patched from any front jack one to any other front jack two! You can listen in to any output sigan at any stage in the signal path!

I'm not sure this makes sense, but I dun my best.

Oh, I think I've actually described a half-normalled patchbay. Ask if you need to know what the other types are and what they do. And anyone should feel free to correct what I've said wrong.

Patchbays are a godsend, but you do need a _lot_ of cable.

G'luck,

matt

[This message has been edited by Cakey2 (edited 06-19-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Cakey2 (edited 06-19-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Cakey2 (edited 06-19-2000).]

Huh, diagrams are hard.

[This message has been edited by Cakey2 (edited 06-19-2000).]

[hixmix]

I love patchbays. I can reconfigure the signal path of all the components in my studio in seconds.

Basically it puts all the ins and outs of your components up front and at your fingertips.

[This message has been edited by hixmix (edited 06-19-2000).]

Testing. Glad to know what the Bay of Patches really means.

GH

[CJWalker]

PATCHBAY = LIFESAVER

Any Questions???