XLR 1/4" combo patchbay

Post by **space6oy** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:57 am

edit: ok, scratch the XLR patchbay idea...gonna start a new thread about XLR and line inputs and the ADAT lightpipe complication w/ my digi002...

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trying to find a 16ch pre-assembled XLR 1/4" combo patchbay...basically so i can run it to my digi002 and m-audio octane and not have to switch cables around within my rack.

found this 8ch version on ebay, mentions that there's a 16ch version in their store but i didn't find it in there and am waiting to hear back from them.

here are the combo jacks i'm talking about, since of late i'm mosty running 1/4" straight from gear but i do mic live instruments sometimes.

doubt it'd be a good scenario for me to buy parts and try assembling and wiring a rig like that myself...anyone have suggestions on where i might find one? already checked MF & sweetwater, no luck.

have the feeling the whole thing's gonna be pricey, too...

Post by **Stab Frenzy** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:32 pm

On the Octane and the 002 the XLR inputs are for mic level signals and the 1/4" inputs are for line level. If you got one of those you'd end up either running line level signals into the mic pres or mic level signals into the line ins, neither of which would work properly. The XLR and 1/4" inputs are separate for a reason, don't combine them.

Post by **space6oy** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:21 pm

scratch that!
digi002 has four channels with selectable inputs, but they're not combo jacks, still separate. my bad.

sooo... more like i'd have to try to get together a bay with four XLRs and eight 1/4's... i think...i need some sleep.

Post by **Stab Frenzy** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:23 am

Have a look at the 002 again. It has separate XLRs for Mic and 1/4" for line ins.

You don't want to put mic level signals through a patchbay anyway, the connections are unshielded and you can pick up a lot of noise and crosstalk. Better just to get a 1/4" patchbay for line level stuff and just plug and unplug the mic leads as you need them.

Post by **space6oy** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:55 am

Stab Frenzy wrote:Have a look at the 002 again. It has separate XLRs for Mic and 1/4" for line ins.

you are totally right, don't know what i was thinking...must've just been because of how i'm used to hitting the switch to change inputs. now i can't think of what i have that DOES have a combo jack though...

Stab Frenzy wrote:You don't want to put mic level signals through a patchbay anyway, the connections are unshielded and you can pick up a lot of noise and crosstalk. Better just to get a 1/4" patchbay for line level stuff and just plug and unplug the mic leads as you need them.

ugh...aren't there shielded XLR patchbays as well? i'm most likely going to switch out my octane for another interface i can link to the 002 that has its jacks on the front, but i'll still need another. it's for a desk rack scenario, would completely suck to have to switch things around behind the rack.

Post by **Stab Frenzy** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:12 am

space6oy wrote:ugh...aren't there shielded XLR patchbays as well? i'm most likely going to switch out my octane for another interface i can link to the 002 that has its jacks on the front, but i'll still need another. it's for a desk rack scenario, would completely suck to have to switch things around behind the rack.

It's not actually a patchbay, but you can make a shielded patch panel with XLRs which just bring the inputs to a more convenient spot, like how studios will have a panel in the live room where you patch mics into, rather than the back of the desk. You don't get normalling or any of the other handy bits from a patchbay but at least you don't have to get to the back of your 002 all the time. Unless of course you want to switch the phantom on or off, that was a really dumb idea of Digi's to put the switches on the back, even on the rack.

Post by **space6oy** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:17 am

yeah, that's more of what i meant than the usual patchbay, even wrote a friend who runs a studio asking him for suggestions on it. just looking for accessibility.

xpander · Post by **xpander** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:32 pm

as a sidenote, i hate those neutrik combo jacks- my motu 896 is full of them. i would just build some xlr-to-trs cables as needed.

Post by **space6oy** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:48 pm

xpander wrote:as a sidenote, i hate those neutrik combo jacks- my motu 896 is full of them. i would just build some xlr-to-trs cables as needed.

why do you hate them?

xpander · Post by **xpander** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:26 pm

space6oy wrote:why do you hate them?

i feel like when i plug a 1/4" connector into them, it doesn't make as solid a connection. my most used combo jacks are noticeably more loose than the least used.

i tried my best to phrase that in a way that doesn't sound like a lame metaphor for sex.