patchbays..... it's almost time to put some together

[harry]

Hi Guys,

i have been running a simple home setup with a mackie 8 bus into stereo soundcard (just updated to 16 in/out) and heap of hardware samplers, synths and a few bits of hardware effects and comps.

not having a patchbay has really been frustrating so now i have decided to setup and wire some patchbays...

so in your wise and learned opinions....

1. Do i go the cheapo neutrix 1/4 patchbays
PROS -
-No soldering - 1/4 amphernols from serge are good and cheap and i already got a stack of patch cables (like dozens)
-I can plug in alot of my exsisting outboard straight from the front if i need to - like when one of the fellas drops in with a tr 808 for a jam
CONS -
-They seem to have really loose crappy connetors.... do they degrade the signal and can i expect to have a buzzy intermittent patchbay within a year?

2. Or should i just bite the bullet and get a couple proper neutrix 96 point mini bantam or cheap ($200 usd) switchcraft near new 96 point bay. question being - solder type? which brands are easy to solder?
or a punch type? ADC? does the punch thing work properly or is it really dependent on specific brand / guage of wire and ADC tool?


3. is there a special way to ensure u dont get ground loops when wiring this stuff -

i've convinced myself that i will sit down and actually music with all this gear once i have the luxury of a patchbay...

[Henry]

Hey Hazza! I use the 1/4 inch nuetrix here at Home. I'm glad I did because I've moved stuff around twice and 1. It's easy to unplug and replug and adjust lengths 2. I don't have fixed length looms that are either too short or too long. If your room is fixed then I guess its better to bite the bullet and go bantam.

[Virtual Aaron]

I have a neutrix one that is not very old and gets a thrashing and, yep, they are crap as it's already having signal drop outs and such. It's a shame because I prefer 1/4" ones because I'm always pluging in guitar pedals or guitars or amps or drum machines etc directly into it, 1/4" leads are TONS cheaper to buy, and NO soldering (A massive advantage because I'm always removing or adding gear to it). I haven't noticed any sound loss (when it works) and besides, I seen countless bantam patch bays crackle and shit themsleves.

I would recomend a 1/4" one IF you can find a good quality one (and let me know if you do). The neutrix ones just have a very poor build quality, the pots wobble around a lot, even the beringer ones a built better, but they aint balenced...

[astrovic]

Isn't the Beringer PX3000 balanced?

Your post is a timely one for me as I've been using the Beringer PX2000 (which is unbalanced) here for about 8 years. It occasionally craps out on me, but in 8 years it really has been pretty faithful.

I was actually looking to pick up a Neutrik balanced bay and am interested to hear that its build quality may be no better than the Beringers.

Harry, I've had the same internal debate as you recently and came to the same conclusion as Henry that as my little home studio is growing (slowly) and gear rarely stays in the one spot for long, I need the flexibility that the 1/4" option provides.

Either way, once you get a patchbay in you'll wonder how you ever worked without one before...

Sidenote - it's fascinating that if you spell Beringer correctly, the forum software automatically scrambles it so instead it says: be!@#$%^& Priceless!

[chris p]

FWIW, I bought a few of those blank panels pre-drilled for XLR sockets, and made up my own patchbay of XLRs rather than TRS. Not that its hugely different, its just that most of my stuff is XLR and so it just looks right, as well as being able to plug mics in directly.

[Jeremy H]

FWIW, I've been using a be!@#$%^& patch bay for a couple of years - never had a problem with it.

I use cheap molded patch leads (upgrading slowly to better quality ones)

the molded leads fail pretty regularly - but the bay itself seems sturdy and reliable.

[Chris H]

I have avoided using a patch bay so i can have minimum signal parth in all my applications, tracking, mixing etc. This works well at lower track counts, so as you have 16x8, i'd only go the patch bay option if it is a significant improvement in workflow, and you choose the option with minimum sonic loss, ie good quality. As a few often come up at auction , i'd look out for one if you decide to go that way. Just my 2c.

[mfdu]

i have two neutrik 1/4" patchbays, and have not had a single fault in the 4 years i've been running them.

well, no. occasional user-error in not inserting the jack fully.

for a long time, my patchbays were only for console instrument ins, inserts and outboard gear. i never used to run through the patchbay on the way to HDD, and never through patchbay on playback.

but now i want to run a split to my 002 as well as my 8track reel to reel, so i can track to both without repatching. my only gripe is that they don't do 'open' - only half normalled or parallel.

i did try a be(*&#*%er balanced unit - the sockets were too smooth and loose, and i found it too easy to dislodge a jack accidently.
the neutrik patchbays are tight as a fishes asshole at first - it takes a bit of use before the sockets ease up.

hope that helps . . .

chris.

[Martin]

bought a balanced be!@#$%^& patch bay and never had a problem with it in 2 years... i made up all the connecting leads (multicores) and patch leads myself..

went that way cause wasn't able to buy 2nd hand (school accounts...) and got bulk discounts on the amphenol connectors

worked fine for the basic tools rig that it was....

[adamcal]

It depends how much patching you do daily, and how often you can be bothered chasing problems, buying new patchbays, and rewiring.

I'm more the do it once, do it right kind.

id recommend ADC bantam or long frame patchbays, they are very cheap on eBay, (as compared to new) built like tanks, and are what you will find in most pro studios.

in 20 years you will still have them, they will still work. (assuming you are still recording) and most likely cost less in the long run.

[Linear]

It depends how much patching you do daily, and how often you can be bothered chasing problems, buying new patchbays, and rewiring.

I'm more the do it once, do it right kind.

id recommend ADC bantam or long frame patchbays, they are very cheap on eBay, (as compared to new) built like tanks, and are what you will find in most pro studios.

in 20 years you will still have them, they will still work. (assuming you are still recording) and most likely cost less in the long run.

I use longframe patchbays, and yes they are great.

One thing to keep in mind though, the longframe connectors are different to normal TRS jacks and cannot be used interchangably with any sort of reliability.

And importantly, longframe connectors are e x p e n s i v e. I spent over $1200 on just buying the connectors, and making my own patch leads.

This should be considered if you're going to buy a cheap longframe patchbay.

Chris