dr.colossus
New member
this is a very silly/simple question, but i can't seem to figure it out, are the ins and outs on the behringer patchbay balanced? if not can you get balanced patch bays and are they a lot more expensive?
V
vicevursa
New member
They are unbalanced...
Vice
Vice
dr.colossus
New member
i was under that impression, just giving myself some false hope i think 
the question about balanced p/bays still stands, but does anyone think a balanced patch bay would make that much difference to sound quality?
the question about balanced p/bays still stands, but does anyone think a balanced patch bay would make that much difference to sound quality?
V
vicevursa
New member
I am not 100% sure, but I believe that balance jacks and cables alow for longer cable runs. I am uncertain about sound quality though. Good question.
Vice
Vice
S
scodu
New member
Yes you can get a balanced patchbay. They usually cost a little more.
scodu
scodu
CMiller
New member
I went through something similar recently and decided that I'd spend the extra cash and go with the balanced. To be honest, I bought a used AP Audio bay through Ebay, and it only cost me $44 (including shipping), so I guess technically I didn't spend the extra cash, but you get my point.
JUSTTIGHT
New member
Which Bay are you using
I have The Ultrapatch Pro PX2000. I guess now would be a bad time to ask. Anyway how does this stand up compared to other Bays
I have The Ultrapatch Pro PX2000. I guess now would be a bad time to ask. Anyway how does this stand up compared to other Bays
MISTERQCUE
Not Just Anutha Brutha
The Behringer is your basic everyday patchbay that can be controlled in 4 postions; open, normal,half-normalled and closed.
You can configure it into boards inserts by using send/rec/ret Y cables and can change each channels position by incorporating the switches in the back.
It's nothing special, but simply does what itis intended to do and that's to simply patch your gear .
You can configure it into boards inserts by using send/rec/ret Y cables and can change each channels position by incorporating the switches in the back.
It's nothing special, but simply does what itis intended to do and that's to simply patch your gear .
CMiller
New member
I'm actually impressed by the way the Behringer seems to be built. It looks pretty solid. I wanted to keep my gear balanced when possible, so that was an important feature to me.
That said, if you're using crap cables, then being balanced is probably the least of your worries.
That said, if you're using crap cables, then being balanced is probably the least of your worries.
CMiller
New member
One last thing about the Behringer. Another thing I was worried about, and this might be total crap, is the switches for normalling. I live in an area that has a fair amount of dust, and the idea of these switches shorting out on me had me worried a bit. The AP, and others like it, have that "tilt-a-card" approach to normalling that I thought might be more reliable in the long run.
Again, I might be totally wrong and my worries might be totally unfounded, but that thought had run through my mind when I was shopping around.
Again, I might be totally wrong and my worries might be totally unfounded, but that thought had run through my mind when I was shopping around.
MISTERQCUE
Not Just Anutha Brutha
Also note that the PX2000 uses un-balanced, 1/4" female
inputs.
inputs.
P
Patrick (B)
New member
NEUTRIK & BEHRINGER
I ordered at a time 3 "balanced" BEHRINGER PX 2000 ... and discovered that they were unbalanced. The dealer told me that he installed them in many pro studios and was really reluctant to believe me ...
Under my pressure, he then accepted to replace them by NEUTRIK 24 ch balanced patchbays.
Today, I use both NEUTRIK (balanced) and BEHRINGER (unbalanced).
Let's say that the Behringer is (once again) superior for functionnalities : 4 positions switch per channel to select bewteen Open/Half-normalled/Normalled/parallel, while you have to open the Neutrik box and invert the cell if you want to switch between (half-)normalled and parallel configurations.
I use the Behringer for unbalanced signals (inserts & aux send/returns connections, ...).
But for the main recording path, I use the balanced Neutrik (i.e. channel or subgroup direct outs to the MTR and MTR outs to mixer Mix-B inputs).
Cheers,
Patrick
Brussels
I ordered at a time 3 "balanced" BEHRINGER PX 2000 ... and discovered that they were unbalanced. The dealer told me that he installed them in many pro studios and was really reluctant to believe me ...
Under my pressure, he then accepted to replace them by NEUTRIK 24 ch balanced patchbays.
Today, I use both NEUTRIK (balanced) and BEHRINGER (unbalanced).
Let's say that the Behringer is (once again) superior for functionnalities : 4 positions switch per channel to select bewteen Open/Half-normalled/Normalled/parallel, while you have to open the Neutrik box and invert the cell if you want to switch between (half-)normalled and parallel configurations.
I use the Behringer for unbalanced signals (inserts & aux send/returns connections, ...).
But for the main recording path, I use the balanced Neutrik (i.e. channel or subgroup direct outs to the MTR and MTR outs to mixer Mix-B inputs).
Cheers,
Patrick
Brussels
dr.colossus
New member
-patrick, can you notice any/much sound difference between the two units? and what was the price difference between the two?
Rochey
New member
I think your bound to notice a difference between balanced and unbalanced!
The whole point of balanced is that all noise on the cable is cancelled out. An unblanced cable has nothing but the earth to compare itself to.
If you tried running an unbalanced cable through a balanced patchbay, then i think you'd find there wasn't much difference. There may be a difference by the track layout of the individual 'cards' in use (within the patchbay)
Hope that helps,
d
The whole point of balanced is that all noise on the cable is cancelled out. An unblanced cable has nothing but the earth to compare itself to.
If you tried running an unbalanced cable through a balanced patchbay, then i think you'd find there wasn't much difference. There may be a difference by the track layout of the individual 'cards' in use (within the patchbay)
Hope that helps,
d
MISTERQCUE
Not Just Anutha Brutha
I also use 2, and there is no noticeable sound artifacts using balanced cables to the unbalanced 2000.
P
Patrick (B)
New member
Dr. Colossus,
You should find the Neutrik 24-ch patchbay at the same price as the Behringer PX2000 (< 70$).
In fact, I did not notice yet difference between the 2 models BUT what I sometimes find is a significant difference between balanced and unbalanced outputs !
On the one hand, I do not experience major problems with unbalanced outputs from my Korg keyboards, even if they are connected to my Mackie Anolog 24*8 through 3 metres long TS cables plugged into a Behringer PX2000 (used as a wall box !) which in its turn is connected to the Mackie via a 5 m long HOSA 8-pair balanced snake !
On the other hand, I do experience noise problems with the unbalanced outputs of the TD10 sound module of the Roland V-DRUM which are connected through a 5 m long balanced 8-pair snake to a Neutrik balanced patchbay which in its turn is connected by another 8-pair snake to the Mackie mixer.
I'm considering a multichannel preamp to "balance" the signal of the TD10 before sending it to the mixer via a balanced patchbay. By the way, I hate to invest in this kind of stuff (I'm singing and playing guitar in my band, I'm not playing drums !).
Cheers,
Patrick
You should find the Neutrik 24-ch patchbay at the same price as the Behringer PX2000 (< 70$).
In fact, I did not notice yet difference between the 2 models BUT what I sometimes find is a significant difference between balanced and unbalanced outputs !
On the one hand, I do not experience major problems with unbalanced outputs from my Korg keyboards, even if they are connected to my Mackie Anolog 24*8 through 3 metres long TS cables plugged into a Behringer PX2000 (used as a wall box !) which in its turn is connected to the Mackie via a 5 m long HOSA 8-pair balanced snake !
On the other hand, I do experience noise problems with the unbalanced outputs of the TD10 sound module of the Roland V-DRUM which are connected through a 5 m long balanced 8-pair snake to a Neutrik balanced patchbay which in its turn is connected by another 8-pair snake to the Mackie mixer.
I'm considering a multichannel preamp to "balance" the signal of the TD10 before sending it to the mixer via a balanced patchbay. By the way, I hate to invest in this kind of stuff (I'm singing and playing guitar in my band, I'm not playing drums !).
Cheers,
Patrick