Tired of moving the rack to reach the back of the preamps !!

[Colwarter]

I think that some of you are in the same situation as me. In my rack, I have a lot of preamps, but all the inputs where I plug the mic are behind the units, so I always have to move the rack to reach the back and then plug the mics. Is anything exists to run all the inputs in front of the rack ? like a patch-bay, but for mics ?? I don't know if you understand, but if you do, thanks for your answers!!

[Farview]

I do it with a snake. You just plug the snake into the preamps and every time you want a certain preamp, you plug into that channel on the snake.

[Colwarter]

sorry but I don't really understand :S

[Farview]

If you have 16 channels of mic preamps, you get a 16 channel stage snake. Plug the male ends into the mic preamps. The other side is a box with female xlrs. Plug your mics into that. You just have to remember what channel on the snake is what preamp.

[ez_willis]

One of these guys-

[ez_willis]

Not one of these-

[Stefan Elmblad]

I just use an XLR patchbay to get all my inputs at the front of the rack.

[SonicAlbert]

What I do is patch the preamp outputs to my patchbay, but I have a couple loose XLR cables that are plugged into the preamp inputs. The female ends are out within easy reach. The cables are about three feet long, which is just enough length to pull them around to the front o f the rack. These are also labeled, which is essential. If you need more than two cables, a stage box and snake would be the perfect solution for you.

[reshp1]

The jury's still out on this, but a lot of people will say that you shouldn't plug and unplug mics with the phantom power on. Something to consider if you go the XLR snake or XLR patchbay route. My 002 Rack has the phantom switches on the back of the unit so I still have to reach around each time.

[notbradsohner]

I bought a pre punched panel and added connectors, then soldered cable to the back of each connector, and added another xlr connector to the back of that.

something like this........
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

or you could go with one of theses.........

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

[acorec]

Originally Posted by SonicAlbert

What I do is patch the preamp outputs to my patchbay, but I have a couple loose XLR cables that are plugged into the preamp inputs. The female ends are out within easy reach. The cables are about three feet long, which is just enough length to pull them around to the front o f the rack. These are also labeled, which is essential. If you need more than two cables, a stage box and snake would be the perfect solution for you.

I just use the same pre-amps. Saves alot of time.

[acorec]

Originally Posted by reshp1

The jury's still out on this, but a lot of people will say that you shouldn't plug and unplug mics with the phantom power on. Something to consider if you go the XLR snake or XLR patchbay route. My 002 Rack has the phantom switches on the back of the unit so I still have to reach around each time.

There is no jury to be out on this. You should not unplug any mic with phantom power on , period. If you won't listen to a sound engineer, listen to an electronic engineer (I am one, fancy that!)

The phantom power is connected to BOTH signal carrying lines and referenced to ground at the input of the pre-amp.The mic diaghram does not "see" this +48v as the sum difference between the two signal carrying lines is 0V (in relation to each other) If you pull out the XLR and accidently pull 1 signal carrying line out, with the other signal carrying line attached AND ground attached-Poof! By By mic diaghram. This can happen when you "rock" the xlr connectors before pulling out. As the XLR inputs wear, it becomes easier. It can also happen with a bad cable (broken wire).

Same with dynamics and ribbons. I always turn off phantom power and wait 1 minute to be sure. I power up after plugging in also.

People can tell you this, and that but if you do it the way I tell you, you will not see a day when you burn a mic.

It is easy to say "I'm sorry" AFTER you destroy something. WHat is much harder is to seek out and learn the "whys" of things from reputable sources, and maybe you will never have to use the ever popular "I'm sorry"

Good Luck.

[Farview]

Originally Posted by reshp1

The jury's still out on this, but a lot of people will say that you shouldn't plug and unplug mics with the phantom power on. Something to consider if you go the XLR snake or XLR patchbay route. My 002 Rack has the phantom switches on the back of the unit so I still have to reach around each time.

I have my console in a housing that prevents me from turning the phantom on and off (without a big hassle) I have had the phantom on for almost 10 years. I was told that this is safe by a studio tech that normally works on Neves and SSLs.

[earworm]

additional question:
so its not good to plug/unplug the xlr's of condensers while phantom is still on,
but i thought (just my thoughts of course) that its even worse if you have the mic connected, phantom is on, channel on mixing desk is 'open', and then you turn the phantom on, then you hear a loud POOOF,
now whats worse, the pooof or just plugging the cable out?
(don't worry, i turn all volumes down before i unplug or turn phantom down, but as you might guess, i haven't always done it that way....)

[reshp1]

Originally Posted by acorec

The phantom power is connected to BOTH signal carrying lines and referenced to ground at the input of the pre-amp.The mic diaghram does not "see" this +48v as the sum difference between the two signal carrying lines is 0V (in relation to each other) If you pull out the XLR and accidently pull 1 signal carrying line out, with the other signal carrying line attached AND ground attached-Poof! By By mic diaghram. This can happen when you "rock" the xlr connectors before pulling out. As the XLR inputs wear, it becomes easier. It can also happen with a bad cable (broken wire).

The diaphram IS biased by 48V across it under normal operation and NEEDS to "see" the voltage in order to work. Disconnecting either pin2 or pin 3 without the other two pins will not cause the diaphram to "see" a voltage and go bye bye. If you were to short pin 2 or 3 to ground somehow, then yes there is a potential to damage something in the mic, but most phantom power supplies are current limited anyway. XLR are designed so that this is very unlikey, TRS is a different story. The loud pop that results is probably more reason to turn off phantom first than anything else. (I'm an electrical engineer too.)

[wheelema]

This is a little late to the party, but you might consider this.

[sweetnubs]

wall plates anyone?

[Stefan Elmblad]

Originally Posted by reshp1

The jury's still out on this, but a lot of people will say that you shouldn't plug and unplug mics with the phantom power on. Something to consider if you go the XLR snake or XLR patchbay route. (

It's true you shouldn't switch mics when the phantom power is on, but I don't see how it's got anything to do with XLR patchbays and snakes when used to move the physcial location of the input. I hope no one is stupid enough to hook it all up that way and then pull out the XLR's from behind the preamp since that was what we wanted to get rid off in the first place.

[acorec]

Originally Posted by reshp1

The diaphram IS biased by 48V across it under normal operation and NEEDS to "see" the voltage in order to work. Disconnecting either pin2 or pin 3 without the other two pins will not cause the diaphram to "see" a voltage and go bye bye. If you were to short pin 2 or 3 to ground somehow, then yes there is a potential to damage something in the mic, but most phantom power supplies are current limited anyway. XLR are designed so that this is very unlikey, TRS is a different story. The loud pop that results is probably more reason to turn off phantom first than anything else. (I'm an electrical engineer too.)

I typed rather fast, The diaphram of a dynamic will fry if one of the pins is open or shorted. The condensor mic will fry if you insert the XLR and connect ground LAST (like any powered component, that is why pc cards are designed with longer ground contacts so that you can't do this).You can take a gamble, but I would in no way put a $1000 mic in any pre-amp or board with Phantom power on.

I have also seen many electricians wire in lights and ac junction boxes with power on to the lines. Do they die? Not yet. But,all it takes is 1 time. I shut off the power when I wire a light fixture.

[The Axis]

Look for PATCHBAYS

[reshp1]

Originally Posted by acorec

The condensor mic will fry if you insert the XLR and connect ground LAST

That still doesn't sound right, if your ground pin 3 isn't connected first, the 48V would bias your microphone ground up to the same potential, resulting in no charge across the capsule (or any other component).

[acorec]

Originally Posted by reshp1

That still doesn't sound right, if your ground pin 3 isn't connected first, the 48V would bias your microphone ground up to the same potential, resulting in no charge across the capsule (or any other component).

The worst possible scenario is when a mic lead is connected to a mic while phantom power is on. The cable is effectively a capacitor, and the sudden discharge of the cable and coupling caps can create a high current through the zeners, which must be capable of withstanding the surge without failure.

Now, these zeners (as most zeners tend to be) have a rather large tolerence and can allow quite a jump in current. The end product is that you stress your mic everytime you plug it in, or pull it out just a little. Like ESD discharge, the unit does not fail the 1st, 2nd, or who knows? But, sooner or later you could be the owner of a useless mic costing $100-2000.

Why risk it? Any pro would kill you if you ever did this in their studio.

And, I am quite aware that old consoles did not have phantom power switches and old engineers did this for years............

But.............

Old engineers blew up mics and everything is invented to solve a problem.

Guess what? Phantom Power switches on every channel were introduced.

Why?

[reshp1]

Originally Posted by acorec

The worst possible scenario is when a mic lead is connected to a mic while phantom power is on. The cable is effectively a capacitor, and the sudden discharge of the cable and coupling caps can create a high current through the zeners, which must be capable of withstanding the surge without failure.

Now, these zeners (as most zeners tend to be) have a rather large tolerence and can allow quite a jump in current. The end product is that you stress your mic everytime you plug it in, or pull it out just a little. Like ESD discharge, the unit does not fail the 1st, 2nd, or who knows? But, sooner or later you could be the owner of a useless mic costing $100-2000.

Where does the current come from? the cable has very little capacitance, 50pF/feet on average, not enough to store large charges (not to mention it also has inductance that limits sudden current surges). The mic zener is current limited by a resistor in the kilaOhm range, same on the phantom supply side. Which coupling capacitors (and zeners) are you refering to?

[acorec]

Originally Posted by reshp1

Where does the current come from? the cable has very little capacitance, 50pF/feet on average, not enough to store large charges (not to mention it also has inductance that limits sudden current surges). The mic zener is current limited by a resistor in the kilaOhm range, same on the phantom supply side. Which coupling capacitors (and zeners) are you refering to?

OK. It is a great idea to plug and unplug with phantom power on.

I highly recommend it always.