Hi, I found your site via ‘Gearslutz.’ I’m almost finished on the build of my new studio. I’m looking to use a patchbay but have been given tones of different advice on which would be best etc.
What I want to do is; Carry signals (both line level and mic levee inc. phantom power) from my live room, to my control room via my 16 channel multicore (12in - 4returns) Then have the option to patch into one of my pre’s or direct into my interface.
My interface only accepts 48v’s via XLR. ( I have the focus rite safari pro 40)
Below is a list of my gear. Could you possibly give me the best solution for what I would like to do and also give me a price on what I need etc??
Gear:
Focusrite saffari pro 40 Golden Age pre 73 Joe Meek Three Q ART Voice Channel ART MPA ii Golden Age Comp 54 ART HeadAmp Pro 6
Thanks in advance
Oliver
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Hey Oliver,
There are a zillion ways to do this. Please understand that I do NOT sell 1/4" TRS patchbays that have standard 1/4" jacks on the front and the back of the patchbay. All those units are semipro and music stores sell them, not me. I only sell 1/4" TRS military-style, long-frame, B-gauge patchbays and TT ( tiny telephone) patchbays. TT patchbays are the same as the 1/4" TRS military-style, long-frame, B-gauge patchbays but are 1/8" jacks & plugs. So with the TT bays you get twice as many patch points. A standard TT patchbay has 48 holes on the top and 48 holes on the bottom for a total of 96 points. Most of the 1/4" TRS military-style, long-frame, B-gauge patchbay jacks have a duty-cycle of 50,000 inserts. And nobody puts a patch cable in a patchbay 50,000 times. Or if they do, those patchbays are not sold by me. Most of my patchbays are used but, still have decades of life left. I check & service all products I sell. Another item of thought is long-frame 1/4" TRS B-gauge cables cost lots of money: http://audio-video-supply.markertek.com/search?w=1%2F4+long+frame+patch+cables I have new 1/4" long-frame patch cables that will be Mogami copies like the TT cables I sell and will be priced at about half what the Pro Audio dealers are selling for. However, the molds for the tips are just now being made and those cables are a month or two away from be here. My Mogami copies: http://www.misterpatchbay.com/patchbays/patch-cables.html Looks like you could get this all in one 48 point long-frame 1/4" TRS patchbay but, one day as you add more new gear, you will run out of patch points. If you want to stay 1/4" there are three models I would suggest: 1. Used ADC custom wired plug & play that has whatever connectors and normaling you need soldered to four-foot cables. The connectors can be standard 1/4" TRS or 1/4" TS (MONO), XLR or DB-25: http://www.misterpatchbay.com/patchbays/adc-48-trs-db-25-patchbay.html 2. Used Audio Accessories Mini Shorti Quick Switch TRS patchbay. This is shown with only DB-25 connectors but could have XLR & 1/4" TRS for $20 more. This style patchbay lets you change the normals with plastic shunts on each channel. http://www.misterpatchbay.com/patchbays/audio-accessories-52-pt-TRS-patchbay.html 3. Used ADC Punch-Down style long-frame 1/4" TRS patchbay. This is a do it yourself patchbay. It ships with no cables and you attach the cable to the rear of the patchbay on your own. Not hard to do but you will have to cut the ends off all the cables you war to use with this type patchbay. Nobody likes cutting their cables up. I always suggest clients buy one cable twice as long as they need and cut it in half and pouch the bare ends: http://www.misterpatchbay.com/patchbays/adc-pps3-18mkiino-patchbay.html or http://www.misterpatchbay.com/patchbays/adc-ppa1-14mkiins-patchbay.html
TT patchbays: These are more patching than you need at this moment. But as I stated above, the cables are less costly and you can grow into this type bay. The cables, at least from me, are about half the price of the 1/4" TRS but the patchbays cost twice as much because they have twice the number of patch points. What I would suggest in the TT line: 1. Used ADC custom wired plug & play that has whatever connectors and normaling you need soldered to four-foot cables: http://www.misterpatchbay.com/patchbays/custom-50-50-patchbay.html 2. Used ADC Punch-Down style http://www.misterpatchbay.com/patchbays/adc-ppb3-14mkii-patchbay.html
As for how to hook a patchbay to your gear: I would bring all the studio lines into the first 16 channels of the top-row. The first 12 channels will need XLR-Females attached to the rear of the patchbay. Under those 12 mic lines on the bottom-row I would suggest having your Mic Pre's. That way the mic lines could be normaedl to the pre inputs so you don't need a patch cable to make the connections but, you could use a patch cable to make changes such was if you wanted to send say mic #1 to pre #8 etc. Then you compressors and other outboard gear can have their outputs on the top-row after the mic lines and the inputs below the outs. On your effects and comps you do NOT want any normals because this would send the outputs back to the inputs.
So that is kinda the main stuff, and I can answer more question or whatever you need after you get up to speed on the basics.
