Full-normalling VS. half-normalling the mic lines in a patch bay.

  • Thread starter Thread starter ThatWasAwkward
  • Start date Start date
Most big studios do have their mic lines on a patchbay. Especially when you are dealing with multiple rooms, lines etc... They don't want you crawling around the back of the racks all the time. However, most of the big studios also have QUALITY paychbays and not some cheap $100 or less bay. They also use solder and punchdown patchbays to maintain a good connection. If a system is properly grounded, and proper precautions are takes a patchbay is just fine to have in line. It isn't any different than a wall panel or a snake box when it is done properly. XLR patches are an excellent way to do things because the connection is solid, but XLR plugs can still arc if there is a problem somewhere. In the end it boils down to how well the system was implemented and installed and not which style of plug you are using or whether or not you are using patchbays. The shortest path is still the best path, but is certainly not always the fastest path. If someone had to climb behind my console and racks every time they wanted to change a patch, then my cables would constantly get destroyed, plugs get unseated etc... That is never good for a session.
 
I guess I should perhaps be a little more specific about the patchbay I'm referring to. The top row is the outputs from the mics, and the bottom row is the channel mic inputs going into the preamps of an SSL G-Series console. The patchbay itself uses TT cables.

So, back to the original question: Would there be any compelling reason to avoid having those two rows half-normalled?
 
ThatWasAwkward said:
So, back to the original question: Would there be any compelling reason to avoid having those two rows half-normalled?
Click to expand...

You don't want those 2 two rows to be half normalled. They should be full normalled. The reason is, when you patch Mic Line 1 over to Mic Pre 2, if it is half-normalled your Mic Line 1 will be gonig to Mic Pre 1 & 2. In a fully normalled configuration, when you patch into the top row, it breaks the normal to the bottom row. In a half normal, the signal is split when you patch into the top row. You don't want your mic signal to be split into 2 mic pre's.

Mic lines from the studio should always be Fully Normalled to the Mic Pre's.
 
I've got the 2 main live areas, 2 booths and mic pres coming into XLR patch bays. Totally isolated no normalization at all, I've never had any problems.
 
Raw-Tracks said:
You don't want those 2 two rows to be half normalled. They should be full normalled. The reason is, when you patch Mic Line 1 over to Mic Pre 2, if it is half-normalled your Mic Line 1 will be gonig to Mic Pre 1 & 2. In a fully normalled configuration, when you patch into the top row, it breaks the normal to the bottom row. In a half normal, the signal is split when you patch into the top row. You don't want your mic signal to be split into 2 mic pre's.

Mic lines from the studio should always be Fully Normalled to the Mic Pre's.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you are correct. I finally figured it out. You shouldn't have one mic connected to two preamps because you could end up accidentally sending 96v of phantom power into a condenser mic, which would likely permanently damage it.
 
Phantom power wouldn't actually be the big problem here or anyone with passive monitor splits would constantly be blowing up mics when running monitor desks:)
 
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