I hate patchbays

  • Thread starter Thread starter xpesrx
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xpesrx

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Ok, simple - I want to plug in equipment that is all over the place into a patchbay so I dont have to craw around of the floor.... I dont want to worry signal flow within my patch bay, if I plug it in the top it will reroute to the bottom, etc.

Here's what I want:
If I plug it in the top front, it goes to OR from the top back
If I plug it in the bottom front, it goes to OR from the bottom back

What is that called? Is that "de-normalled"

Unit In or Out <--> Pbay Top Back <-->Pbay Top Front <--> Patchcable
Unit In or Out <--> Pbay Bottom Back <-->Pbay Bottom Back <-->Patchcable

I'm wasting patchbay points worrying about signal flow in and out of the Pbay.
 
yes, it's denormalled or thru...

and you can set up the bay to just pass front to back with no connection to top and bottom...
 
I'm not sure if this will help, but here's what I'm doing. (And it sounds like it's what you want to do.)

I have a single patchbay with 24 A/B inputs, for a total of 48.

I de-normalled (isolated) each channel. What this does is, when there is something plugged into the rear A and B inputs, those signals are routed directly to the corresponding front connector, and are not split.

So I have all my system inputs and outputs (8 inputs for the recording deck, two stereo outputs each for the Pod XTL modeler, the Fantom X8 sampling workstation, and the DR-670 drum machine) routed to the back panel, and when I want to patch the outputs of the devices that make sound to the recording deck, I can use a patch cord on the front of the panel.

I also have both the balanced and unbalanced inputs to my active monitors routed to the rear of the patch strip, and normally keep the recording deck's monitor outs connected to the balanced input, leaving the unbalanced input available if I want to use the monitors for the sampling workstation without having to fire up the recording deck.

Make sense?
 
xpesrx said:
This is suggesting that what I am looking for is not possible. That ALL patchbays are signal flow oriented.:confused:
Click to expand...
Go back and read the part
"The 3 modes, NORMAL, HALF-NORMAL and THRU defined" Pay special attention to THRU, it's what you want.
 
Zaphod B said:
I'm not sure if this will help, but here's what I'm doing. (And it sounds like it's what you want to do.)

I have a single patchbay with 24 A/B inputs, for a total of 48.

I de-normalled (isolated) each channel. What this does is, when there is something plugged into the rear A and B inputs, those signals are routed directly to the corresponding front connector, and are not split.

So I have all my system inputs and outputs (8 inputs for the recording deck, two stereo outputs each for the Pod XTL modeler, the Fantom X8 sampling workstation, and the DR-670 drum machine) routed to the back panel, and when I want to patch the outputs of the devices that make sound to the recording deck, I can use a patch cord on the front of the panel.

I also have both the balanced and unbalanced inputs to my active monitors routed to the rear of the patch strip, and normally keep the recording deck's monitor outs connected to the balanced input, leaving the unbalanced input available if I want to use the monitors for the sampling workstation without having to fire up the recording deck.

Make sense?
Click to expand...

Thanks.. De-normalled sound like what I want, but I'm trying to make sure teh signal can flow both ways... front to back and/or back to front

Found example, the Roland TD-20 had 15 inputs, but only 10 outputs. On a 24 point (48) patchbay, that would leave 9 inputs unused and 14 outputs. I want to be able to use them as either inputs or outputs - -so I can attached another DM-5, for example that has 12 inputs and 4 outputs without having to get another patchbay....since the points are there (23 available ports) but the "top for output", "bottom for input" is off
 
It should work, just make sure the patch bay is bi-directional... it should be noted in the white sheet...;)
 
MOFO Pro said:
It should work, just make sure the patch bay is bi-directional... it should be noted in the white sheet...;)
Click to expand...

it would have to be bidirectional to work, wouldn't it?

We had a fire so I can't play around with the units to try and figure it out..but I want to make sure I replace them with the right things
 
NL5 said:
Yes .
Click to expand...

It will? To confirm, in "de-normalled" aka "thru", you can go 'topfront' to 'topback' or 'topback' to 'topfront', the direction of signal doesn't matter?

Same thing with teh bottom.. you can go bottomback to bottomfront

or

bottomfront to bottom back

the signal flow direction doesn't matter?
 
It doesn't matter if what is plugged into the back is an "input" or "output." As long as you have a channel "denormalled" - which on my Neutrik patch strip involves physically reversing the assembly for that channel - and some kind of jack is plugged into both the A and B rear connectors, there will be signal continuity between the rear A and the front A, and the rear B and the front B.

Here's how mine is set up, with each of these signals "permanently" plugged into the back of the panel strip:

1A - Tascam 2488 input A
1B - Tascam 2488 input B
2A - Tascam 2488 input C
2B - Tascam 2488 input D
3A - Tascam 2488 input E
3B - Tascam 2488 input F
4A - Tascam 2488 input G
4B - Tascam 2488 input H
5A - Not used
5B - Not used
6A - Not used
6B - Not used
7A - Not used
7B - Not used
8A - Wharfedale active monitor UNBAL L
8B - Wharfedale active monitor UNBAL R
9A - Wharfedale active monitor BAL L
9B - Wharfedale active monitor BAL R
10A - Tascam 2488 Monitor Out L
10B - Tascam 2488 Monitor Out R
11A - Unused
....through...
21B - Unused
22A - Pod XTL Output L
22B - Pod XTL Output R
23A - Boss DR-670 Output L
23B - Boss DR-670 Output R
24A - Fantom X8 Output L
24B - Fantom X8 Output R

As you can see, there is a combination of inputs and outputs being plugged into the back. I normally keep 10A/10B plugged into 9A/9B via front panel patch cords. Everything else depends on the situation.
 
xpesrx said:
It will? To confirm, in "de-normalled" aka "thru", you can go 'topfront' to 'topback' or 'topback' to 'topfront', the direction of signal doesn't matter?

Same thing with teh bottom.. you can go bottomback to bottomfront

or

bottomfront to bottom back

the signal flow direction doesn't matter?
Click to expand...

LOL. It would be electrically impossible to have the signal flow one way, unless there was a diode in the path or something similar. That would be pointless to add into a patchbay.

Get a Neutrik NYS-SPP patchbay. Just reverse the cards you want to be set to "thru", and leave any you want nornmalled the way they are.
 
xpesrx said:
Thanks.. De-normalled sound like what I want, but I'm trying to make sure teh signal can flow both ways... front to back and/or back to front
Click to expand...
All the patchbay is when it is set up denormalled is a female to female adapter. Like you would use to hook two guitar cables together to make it longer. There is no magic in there, it's just two jacks hooked together.
 
MOFO Pro said:
It should work, just make sure the patch bay is bi-directional... it should be noted in the white sheet...;)
Click to expand...
Explain to me how a patchbay would not be bi-directional. That's like saying "make sure your patch cable is bidirectional"...
 
Farview said:
All the patchbay is when it is set up denormalled is a female to female adapter. Like you would use to hook two guitar cables together to make it longer. There is no magic in there, it's just two jacks hooked together.
Click to expand...
Exactly! It's just set up to be an extension of all the stuff you want frequent access to, all in one spot.
 
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