Patchbay...... help which one????

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bfoundation81

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ok im starting to get a bit of outboard gear and it is no longer any fun reaching around back of my rack and pluging and unpluging stuff.

But im new to the whole patchbay thing.... So any help on maybe which one to buy or what might i need for certin seup. Please any help on this subject would be great!!!!!
 
I use DBX PB-48's. You can connect balanced or unbalanced gear to them, switch them from normalled to denormalled operation, and the connectors hold the jacks nice and tight.
 
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In the $100 and down category I would go with either the DBX or the Neutrik patchbays.

However, I do have a Behringer one also that seems to work just fine. It offers even more normalling options than the others, at half the cost. It is also encased which may protect it from dust damage (which can actually be a lot worse than people realize). On the other hand, it also makes it harder to swap a card out, and the normalling switches could eventually present a problem. I have also noticed that cables plugged into it are very loose and come out too easily which does concern me a bit. I can't say too much about the Behringer because since I plugged it in, it has only been patched in the back maybe three times, and never in the front. I did meter it once. It semmed like it added about .5db of noise, which seems pretty respectable. Just a thought. As a side note, my next patchbays probably will not be Behringer anyhow:)
 
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A patchbay shouldn't add any noise, it should basically function as an extension of wire.

I've found patchbays that hold the jacks loosely to be a problem and should be avoided. The Furman Model PB-48 is like this as well. I had my studio full of the Furman's and have gradually replaced them with DBX's as finances have allowed. I got very tired of going around to the back of my patchbays hunting for jacks that pulled partway out or had a loose connection. I now use patchbays that hold the jacks tight, the ones where you can hear and feel the clicks as you insert the jacks. REAN also makes patchbays like this I believe.
 
I believe that the Behringer patch bay that you are talking about is not balanced. In my very very very humble opinion that would make that patch bay a complete and utter waste of money, time and gain. Because you can always go unbalanced gear into a balanced patchbay get unbalanced sound but when you go balanced gear into an unbalanced patch bay you are always at a loss for DB. Why waste headroom ever ever ever ? Why waste money ? Why waste time ?

I posted this same question before I went out and wasted money on the Behringer crappy ultrapatch pro or something like that. Did not get anybody smart like Sonic Albert to answer and now those patchbays are in a box somewhere and I have neutriks in the rack. That's what ahm talkin bout brother.
 
I believe the Behringer I am referring to is balanced, but I don't have it anymore so I can't really check. As far as patchbays making noise, I would imagine if you metered it, that there is a small change in signal on just about any patchbay. Especially if there is some sort of normalling card in line.

As far as the Behringer itself goes, I did not mean to sound like I was reccomending it or that someone should run out and buy one. I merely left it out there as an option and gave the pros and cons that I found with it:D

PS. My studio is all done with military ADC patchbays so I don't really need any Behringer ones:D
 
Behringer used to make only the unbalanced patchbay, but they have since added a balanced patchbay to their product lineup.
 
I've got a couple of the Neutrik ones and they seem pretty good ... I know I can be confident they're not pissing about with my signals, and that they'll carry on going for a good amount of time.

The little switches on the Behringers are cool, and they look good (as all Behringer rack gear does IMO), but obviously there are potential issues and problems down the road with them. :)
 
I had some 'used' Furmans that I got from a local pro audio shop, and they were JUNK. Went to the local GC and bought Neutriks, and haven't looked back.
 
noisedude said:
The little switches on the Behringers are cool, and they look good (as all Behringer rack gear does IMO), but obviously there are potential issues and problems down the road with them. :)
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If you like easy switching of normalling check out the Samson S Patch Plus. Very easy to use, excellent bay for the $$$. I use one every day.

War
 
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Warhead said:
If you like easy switching of normalling check out the Samson S Patch Plus. Very easy to use, excellent bay for the $$$. I use one every day.

War
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads-up, Warren, I'll try one of those next time I need some more. At least you can flip the cards in the Neutriks without having to take the whole damn things to bits (with the front panel just unscrewing). I never know what to make of Samson stuff but I'l bear it in mind for the future. :)

Nik
 
just out of interest, how many channels of 'patchbay power' (sorry, i don't have a clue what you'd call them, so i thought i'd make something up :p) would you normally need, with just a few pieces of outboard gear, a Delta 66 and a Yamaha MG12/4? i've been looking into getting one for a while now, but can't decide if i need more than one 24 channel patchbay... i can't imagine them being that helpful if you've got half your stuff plugged into one, while the other half you still need to mess around behind the back of equipment... can anyone give me a rough estimate...?

thanks, and sorry for hijacking :rolleyes: :p

Andy
 
I have a mic line in on all my pres, a dedicated cord just for that preamp so I can change mics easily. I hook the outs from the preamp into the bay along with all effects ( verb, compressors, eq's, sonic maximizers [lol, just kidding], and such so I can access them without much ado.
That way I never mess with phantom power or changing out a "hot" line.
OOps, to answer your question, if you have a lot ot effects and add ons then, ya , get one. If not, just get a couple more xlrs and leave 'em hooked up.
 
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