Patchbay question

[tgs]

I'm in the process of swapping my old, clunky TRS patchbay system to TT. I've got a few already but all are solder version and it would be good to have some with DB25 as well. I found these:

https://www.musicstore.com/en_SE/SE...6pol-TT-Phone-Sub25-silver/art-REC0008292-000
Very good price, really good for my particular setup to be able to chose between DB25 or solder per 8-bank, and seems very convenient to configure normalling. Has anyone used these? What's the verdict in that case, any good?

Neutrik are of course always great but around double price for their DB25 version. Plus, for my setup it would be best with DB25 only on bottom row, so that wouldn't really work anyway.

 

[Bo Deadly]

If you have some already, you might make a DB25 adpater PCB that solders directly to the solder tabs a set of 8. I don't have any of the plastic ones but the all metal switchcraft TT ones are probably sturdier. You would have to have some cad skills to get the through plated slots just right so that you can just slide the adapter PCB over the ends of the solder lugs and solder it on. And you would have to leave holes or some way for the screw driver to remove the middle row of screws holding the jack to the front plate. It would all be extremely tight for sure. But I think it should be possible.

But if you have money burning a hole in your pocket, those TT/DB25 bays would probably work just fine. Certainly for line level signals.

 

[tgs]

Thanks for your reply Bo. I'm fine with the cost, I just built a new studio so I'm investing in (read: throwing money into) the new place at the moment.

I'll run mic and line signal through them. The other ones I already have are Switchcraft, they feel very sturdy but a very different construction (and very heavy). I have come across Signex before, I've had one or two of their TRS patchbays, but that's many years ago. They were ok though.

 

[fragletrollet]

I have a couple of the Redco db25 bantam bays. Built like a tank and as compact as you'll get that many points. All normalling options easily jumpered on a channel basis on the top of the unit (just slide it out a few cm from the rack). And great price!

 

[Bo Deadly]

I have a couple of the Redco db25 bantam bays. Built like a tank and as compact as you'll get that many points. All normalling options easily jumpered on a channel basis on the top of the unit (just slide it out a few cm from the rack). And great price!

Redco is legit. Are you talking about this one?:

Redco R196-D25PG DB25 96pt TT Patchbay | Redco Audio

Definitely better being shielded. Probably required for mic level. I'm still not sure I would do mics through a TT bay but I must admit I never properly studied that scenario.

Another possibility would be to just solder short snake cables with DB25 plugs on the ends for a modular / adjustable solution. Make them just long enough to plug directly into something else on the same rack like a converter or maybe over to an adjacent device like a tape machine.

 

[fragletrollet]

Yup that's the one. I do mostly line level and when I use mic-pre's I usually use them for makeup gain for di's and not mics, so never use phantom power. Scary thinking about normalled patchbays and phantom power... I'd do a separate mic panel.

 

[tgs]

I'm running everything through Neutrik TRS patchbays today, including mic signal with phantom power through normalled patches. I've had it like that for ages, I'm just very careful with always turning off phantom before patching anything. and it's been working fine so far. I'm curious to know what other issues might pop up though?

Right now I have 48 lines coming from the live room. I'm building two booths so that's going to be a total of something like 24 more lines. I'd love to have a separate XLR panel just for mic lines and pre inputs but it would take up half the control room.

DB25 makes life easier for sure, but putting DB25 for example on the tie lines would be a big hassle, and mic pre inputs/outputs would mean either building my own or buying a bunch of quite expensive cables. Right now everything goes to the patchbay as TRS. I'll just remove these and solder directly to the bays. It's only for the AD/DA interface where I'm considering going DB25-DB25. But it only makes sense if it can be done like in the Signex, with different config on different rows. Otherwise I'll have to go with solder only.

 

[tgs]

A related question: on the patchbays I'm currently using, all grounds are separate. Some of the TT bays I have bought are second hand and have a ground wire soldered already across all contacts. Can/should I keep this configuration? Any potential issues?

 

[Seon]

A related question: on the patchbays I'm currently using, all grounds are separate. Some of the TT bays I have bought are second hand and have a ground wire soldered already across all contacts. Can/should I keep this configuration? Any potential issues?

I would not recommend it since It can be a real nightmare if there is any ground problem in the end. You wouldn’t know from which piece of gear it come from.

 

[tgs]

I would not recommend it since It can be a real nightmare if there is any ground problem in the end. You wouldn’t know from which piece of gear it come from.

That's a very good point. Then I'll remove the strips.

 

[Matt Syson]

Since the advent of rampant switchmode supplies the 'grounding problems' are more likely to be 'not enough' rather than too much ground, bearing in mind any conductor more than a few inches long is a convenient aerial.
I have worked with patches with mics and phantom power for 40+ years and not been notified of any actual problems. Longframe TT (or PO316) jacks are designed to minimise problems, unlike 'gauge A' TRS jacks (cheap).
Matt S

 

[tgs]

Now I have two opposing bids. I guess I'll remove the strip on half of the channels.

 

[reducer]

Now I have two opposing bids. I guess I'll remove the strip on half of the channels.

Get rid of the horizontal ground bussing. That’s from the olden days, when consoles used ground bussing. If you have an old console, disregard if you are using this bay with the console.

 

[tgs]

Get rid of the horizontal ground bussing. That’s from the olden days, when consoles used ground bussing. If you have an old console, disregard if you are using this bay with the console.

Got it. No old console here (anymore), just a bunch of various outboards.

I just realized that I'll have to make individual ground connections on each channel for the normalling, which is a bit of a chore. But it's doable.

 

[FIX]

I would suggest the Audio Accessories Mini Shorti patch bay. The make the strongest jacks alive, and they can be set up to normal both, normal down, independent ground or bussed. I've bought probably 25,000 of they jacks over the decades and have never had one fail.

Audio Accessories