Patchbay Suggestions Please

Markd102

Markd102

New member
Hi Folks

I'm looking at getting a patchbay, and need some suggestions for something of decent quality but not too expensive. ie a Nuetrik costs about $1200 here in OZ and is way out of the question.

Basically I want to send outputs from various preamps and sound modules to the inputs of a DIGI001 etc.

I'm still a little confused about the normalled, half-normalled etc.
I want to be able to have the top plugs normalled to their corresponding bottom plugs, but for the connection to be severed if I plug a patch lead into the top plug.
Is this normalled, half-normalled or un-normalled?

Thanks heaps
Mark
 
Markd102 said:
I want to be able to have the top plugs normalled to their corresponding bottom plugs, but for the connection to be severed if I plug a patch lead into the top plug.
Is this normalled, half-normalled or un-normalled?
Click to expand...

When plugging into either the front top or bottom jack breaks the chain from the top rear to the bottom rear jack, that's normalled.

Half-normalled means the connection is broken only when something is plugged into the bottom front jack -- plugging into just the top front jack causes the signal to be multed to both the bottom rear jack and the front top jack. Note that if for some reason you need to break the chain between the rear jacks and don't have anything to plug into the bottom front jack, you can just stick one of those 1/4" headphone adapters into the bottom jack.

Non-normalled means the top front jack goes to the top rear jack, and the bottom front jack goes to the bottom rear jack, and the rear jacks are never connected, no matter what is/isn't plugged in up front.

As far as a recommended patchbay, I can't recommend one (I'm shopping, too), but I can steer you away from one: the AP Audio patchbay. I (unfortunately) own one and when I rotate the modules for de-normalled mode, plugging all the way into the rear jacks causes problems -- I have to be sure to only push the plug in about 95% of the way or it doesn't work. :mad: When the modules are in half-normalled orientation, it works fine, since the front face of the patchbay keeps the plugs from inserting too far into the jacks.
 
Here is a link to a downloadable bulletin on Neutrik Patchbays. Some of the info is only for the their brand of Patchbay, but there is lots of other info on how a patchbay works and why it does what it does. You will need Acrobat reader to view it. These 3 pages where invaluable to me when I was first trying to understand a patchbay.

Good luck,
Scott
 
I'd rather stay ballanced if possible. I'd also like to solder leads to the back of the unit. Saves on connectors.
 
If you can find them, I'm using Switchcraft long frame Series 2600 patchbays. They're solid brass and the rear connections (and normaling/half normaling/un-normaling) are all soldered.
 

Attachments

  • back side of the pbs.jpg
    back side of the pbs.jpg
    23.9 KB · Views: 81
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top