Is it better to use 1/4 to XLR or 1/4 to 1/4 in a patch bay?

[RFrecordings]

I just recently bought a patchy bay (Behringer ultrapatch) and was wondering if it would be better to patch outputs from my compressor and other rack things using a 1/4" to XLR female plug instead of just using a 1/4" to 1/4" cable. Will there be a difference in quality by doing either of these?

[sweetnubs]

The ones I prefer are 1/4" front panels with solder points in the back. The plastic pcb wingdings are a drag. They wear out quickly for one thing and the 1/4" jacks in the back suck. They come loose plus you have to pay for a jack for each connection on the back side. (48x a coupla bucks) Solder points, if you are good at it, stay solidly connected. You're definitely going to need something to release stress on your cables or they are going to come out. They'll probably come out only one "click" so you will hear signal, won't know the problem then everything will be out of phase and you won't understand why everything sounds shitty. Personally I use ADC and Neve longframe patchbays. Once again dear nubs tells the cold hard truth, and my rep points will suffer for it! I guess on the other hand the PCB neutrik patchbays are totally awesome and samson compressors are the bomb! There, now everyone loves me!

[Track Rat]

I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with Nubby.

[daav]

To actually answer your question, if you have a balanced patchbay and use balanced cables (TRS 1/4 inch or xlr to 1/4 TRS are both balanced) then they are equivalant.This is probabaly the best answer, but i don'tknow they stats on the patchbay or your XLR-> 1/4 cable.

If your patchbay is not balanmced, it doesn't matter, the XLR or TRS will both lose the value of the balancing.

If your XLR to 1/4 inch cable is not balance TSR (tip ring sleeve), that is if it "converts" the xlr signal to unbalance 1/4 inch you lose any value from the balanced cable (and probably have an impedance issue if it is not the right cable).

Daav

[riffy]

No. Just use 1/4" to 1/4" unbalanced or balanced (whatever the patchbay is)

[MOFO Pro]

I'm assuming he's talking about the cable connecting the compressor to the patch bay...
Many devices with both output options will offer a balanced output on the XLR, and unbalanced on the 1/4". but read your documentation... that's not always the case.

I'll almost always use an xlr over a TRS connector, much better connector.