Patch Bay

  • Thread starter Thread starter TelePaul
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TelePaul

TelePaul

J to the R O C
I hear alot of refernce to this, but I don't know what it is....I should say I know very little, if anything, about outboard gear. I have a compressor which I connect to my sound card via an input TRS jack. I've been thinking of making the leap to rack equipment because I'd like to upgrade to a few basic pres - M-Audio DMP3 for example. But I have been reading about the Joe Meek gear and basically need an overview of rack equipment.
 
A patch bay basically takes all your I/O and centralizes it into 1 location. This way you can easily hook up your compressor without having to go to the back of the compressor and work there. a whole lot less hassle.
 
The thing that's so wonderful about patchbays is when you have more than a few analog devices that you need to patch or re-patch on a regular basis. It brings all their gozintas and gozoutas up to one central point that easily accessable rather than crawling behind the rack or console to make those changes. The more your system grows over time, this luxury ceases being a luxury and becomes more of a necessity. I'm currenly running three 52 point and three 48 point patchbays and they're stuffed.
 
Oh okay...so it's purely for convenience....so outboard gear connects to my soundcard/mixer auxilary input right?
 
Conventional wisdom is that time based effects (reverbs, delays, flangers, chorus, etc) are sent via AUX sends and recovered either by AUX returns or a couple of empty channels on the mixer. Processors like compressors and EQs are usually patched to a channel insert. But all rules are made to be broken. :D
 
Track Rat said:
Conventional wisdom is that time based effects (reverbs, delays, flangers, chorus, etc) are sent via AUX sends and recovered either by AUX returns or a couple of empty channels on the mixer. Processors like compressors and EQs are usually patched to a channel insert. But all rules are made to be broken. :D
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Thanks for that Mike!
 
I've been mulling over the best way to bring my board insert points up in my patching setup, and I'm trying to decide between two approaches that I've narrowed it down to.

My first thought is the traditional approach, insert sends to the top row and insert returns to the bottom. The biggest con I see is cost. My board is 24x8x2 with insert points on all channels, busses, and across the 2-mix, for a total of 34 insert points. This means two 1/4" or longframe bays, or one bantam/TT bay (I would most likely opt for a 1/4" or longframe). Additionally, to wire it up I'm looking at 34 TRS connectors (my inserts are unbalanced on TRS jacks) and either 68 TS connectors or getting a more expensive bay with punch or solder points. The benefits are that I will be able to use traditional patch cables, and half-normal the points so that I can send to multiple points on my bay (I know these seem glaringly obvious...hold on just a second).

My other approach would be to, in effect, "extend" my inserts to my bay. What I mean by this that I could construct cables that have a TRS plug on one end, and a TRS jack that allows me to normal the Tip to the Ring when nothing is inserted (just like those found on a board's insert points); these would be, in effect, extension cables. The biggest benefit is that it would be much less expensive...I would only need the 24 TRS connectors and 34 TRS jacks (Neutrik makes one that is quite affordable). I would mount these in the frame of a cheap patchbay with switchable modules that I already have. I would be able to bring up all 34 points on one bay, and I would have 7 more sets of points for some effects, Aux sends, mults, or whatever else. The biggest drawback to this approach is that it would still require the use of insert cables (TRS at one end, dual TS on the other), meaning that I would either have to use premade cables by someone like Hosa, or make my own, which is quite a bit more costly and time consuming than making simple patch cables.

Does anyone have any insight to either of these approaches?

Also, if I go with the first, can I use a standard 2 conductor plus shield cable, with the Tip and Sleeve of the TRS to one TS, and the Ring to the other TS, with the Sleeves of the two TS tied together?

Thanks.
 
Adam P said:
What I mean by this that I could construct cables that have a TRS plug on one end, and a TRS jack that allows me to normal the Tip to the Ring when nothing is inserted (just like those found on a board's insert points);
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If you are going to go through the hassle of soldering 32 switching jacks on the end of TRS cables, you may as well just build yourself a patchbay. You might be out-smarting yourself, there is probably a reason no one makes a cable like that.

Once you consider the cost of parts and your time (even at $0.50/hr) buying a patchbay and all the cables is worth it.
 
TelePaul said:
Oh my god..this is why rack stuff is so scary :o
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You don't need a patchbay to have rack stuff, it doesn't even make sense to have one until you have more than a few things and a mixer. (or interface with a lot of inputs)
 
Farview said:
If you are going to go through the hassle of soldering 32 switching jacks on the end of TRS cables, you may as well just build yourself a patchbay. You might be out-smarting yourself, there is probably a reason no one makes a cable like that.

Once you consider the cost of parts and your time (even at $0.50/hr) buying a patchbay and all the cables is worth it.
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Yeah, I figured I was probably trying to outsmart myself, as you put it, and save a buck up front as well.
 
Yeah, your setup is awesome. Looking at your custom-made desk is what makes me want to make my own.
 
Do it bro. Sweat equity is where it's at.
 
Track Rat said:
The thing that's so wonderful about patchbays is when you have more than a few analog devices that you need to patch or re-patch on a regular basis. It brings all their gozintas and gozoutas up to one central point that easily accessable rather than crawling behind the rack or console to make those changes. The more your system grows over time, this luxury ceases being a luxury and becomes more of a necessity. I'm currenly running three 52 point and three 48 point patchbays and they're stuffed.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I used to have enough stuff in service to use a bunch of bays. Now that I track to the DAW and mix in the box most of the time, I'm down to using (most of) one 48 point modular TRS bay and glad of it. I have a second old TS hardwired bay that I use for fixed pads and multiples.

For anyone who plans to wire up an extensive, hardwired patchbay for their studio, I highly recommend Philip Giddings' book on audio interconnections: "Audio Systems: Design and Installation." He has a very in depth section on patch bays, including a section which lays out the various choices for jackfield shield grounding schemes in hardwired bays. Besides, it's a very in-depth reference on just about everything you'd want to do with audio and power: AC power, grounding, interconnection types, signal parameters, connectors, patching systems, wire and cable, etc.

For home recording folk with a few pieces of gear, I think it is entirely reasonable to start off with one of those modular TRS patchbays that sell for $50 or so, rather than wiring up a hardwired bay. The modular bays take standard 1/4" TRS patch cables both front and back, meaning that you don't have to do lots of soldering and can easily change things around or tear down, if need be. You also don't need to spend extra money and time trying to track down the 1/4" telephone plugs and cables, which are also more of a pain to wire up yourself. Also, those modular bays switch all three contacts when you patch into them, which can help avoid some of the grounding problems that can arise from unswitched shields in hardwired bays.

It is true that these bays and cables won't last as long as the telephone plug cables and hardwired bays, but usually they won't see day-in, day-out, all-day service and will last a long time in a home studio.

Cheers,

Otto
 
My other dilemma is whether to spring for some nice ADC bays from Mr. Patchbay, or just got for a couple of those modular Neutrik bays. I've gotta believe that the Neutrik is probably the best quality I'll find in a modular bay.

Track Rat said:
Do it bro. Sweat equity is where it's at.
Click to expand...

I've thought about seeing if I can commission my cousin to build me one. He's a hell of a carpenter. We'll see...
 
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