Using a patchbay with a mixer good

At first, knowing how to use a patchbay seems like it would require a. Can i simply run an 8channel snake from the rear jacks to 8 channels on the mixer and have the front 8 jacks work as inputs. I jst realized that my behringer x32 digital mixer with the new 4. So, if you want to normally send something out of the mixer, then on to a piece of gear, then out from that to another piece of gear, then back to the mixer, you can do all of that with a patchbay, without having to hook up any wires in the front. If a mixer is recommended, is it possible to still use my mackie 1202 original from. How i use patchbays in my synth studio the perfect home. Usually, youd want to connect from the mixer outputs to the dat inputs, and from the dat outputs to the mixer monitor returns. Patchbays not only save time and headaches, they allow you to easily perform a number of mix tricks that would take serious headscratching otherwise. In fact, with the mackie board, compared to a good quality audio interface youll actually gain quality not using a mixer but recording directly to your interface or preamps. Feb 18, 2019 in that case, the patchbay will be much more elaborate. Its fully pc boardwired 24 vertical pc boards without nut fasteners so you can open the front panel without taking the unit out of the rack to flip cards for halfnormalled.

I have a separate desktop, with several racks of equipment, mixer, synths, and midi patchbay, but i largely prefer to leave the laptop to be the work horse. I think the benefit of a summing mixer and good analog preamps is that you dont have to makekeep session sheets. In that case, the patchbay will be much more elaborate. Getting started with analog outboard gear sweetwater. Configure the first n positions on the patchbay as halfnormal. I guess if i combine it with a bay, i can plug everything on the bay, route all the inputs in the mixer and the master bus. The smallest patchbay youll use is likely a 48point panel, meaning you have that many jacks to try to remember.

If you were to connect all of your daw outputs to the top row of a patchbay and all the line inputs of your mixing desk to the bottom row with the patchbay in half normal mode your daw outputs will be connected to the mixer automatically without plugging anything into the patchbay. To explain my current layout, i feel i really need to explain the layout i had before and the needs i had that led me towards a mixerless patchbay configuration. The loop is only broken when you plug in a patch cable. There is also a virtualizer pro in my setup with appearances on the patchbay for all its insouts. What you need to accomplish this is a line level mixer that had pan pots and. A patchbay is a central audio connection area for all the gear in a studio that allows any connection to or from equipment to be made in one location with a standardized cable and connector. In terms of ports, you get four input hdmi devices and two output, which should be enough to handle consoles, streaming boxes, bluray players, and other devices. Half normal refers to a patchbay mode in which when nothing is connected on the front of the patchbay the top rear connector is automatically connected to the bottom rear. The multifunctional px3000 is the ideal way to gain control over the cable runs in your studio. The patch bay is often a great mystery for engineers just starting off and to any. Nearly all inserts are unbalanced connections using trs jacks with the send output connected to the jack tip contact and the return input connected to the jack ring contact. I read that insert cable can be used as a stereo cable. You wont be able to remember, so you need a labeling system. Aug 05, 2009 how to connect external equipment to your mixer.

I guess if i combine it with a bay, i can plug everything on the bay, route all the inputs in the mixer and the master bus back into the soundcard ins via the patchbay. On our jackstrip, it is convenient to arrange the connectors as in figure 1. You would normally send to the compressor using a y cable, so i would presume that the same would apply if you want to set up an insert point on a patchbay. The solopreneur hour podcast with michael oneal 144,198 views. I also have a mackie sr324 bus mixer but i was told, seeing i track and mix in the box it would be easyer to bypass the mixer and set the patchbay up this way. Aug 02, 2016 kitchen aid mixer are using for blend anything like mas alas. The sole purpose would be to make my mixer s inputs more easily accessible on my desk.

Hi everyone, i come from a dj background but over the last year and a half have been steadily amassing some hardware synth equipment. Tascam mm200 is a combined mixer and midi 4in8out manual patchbay. Choosing a great laptop for running studio one presonus. Usually its the digital signal processing that they get somewhat right. Different types and how i use the ones i have for my synth setup. At first, knowing how to use a patchbay seems like it would require a textbook, a doctorate in electrical engineering, an iq of 300, and some magical incantations. Choosing a great laptop for running studio one presonus forums. I have a behringer ultrapatch pro 24port patchbay and have been thinking about using it to patch signals to 002r.

Some lesser models than the xenyx2442fx have different features such as surround sound enhancement and voice removal as well as a graphic eq, i like the parametric eq on the individual channels. Behringer ultrapatch pro px3000 multifunctional 48point 3. For example, a preamplifier is used for boosting microphone or. Multimedia audio course the recording studio patchbay. You can connect new outboard gear to the patchbay by sticking your hand through the empty rack spaces as you go. After that section on the patchbay s toprow to the right of your mic pre outputs can be the daw outputs. The sole purpose would be to make my mixers inputs more easily accessible on my desk. If your dont need the signal where ever your consoles insert point is then just use the inputs and outputs. Oh, if the channel input is in the patchbay then you can just use the patchbay instead of the insert socket. So you need to think about how you work most of the time because this will determine what you half normal into what. It looks sleek and stylish, unlike the black plastic boxes that make up most other switchers.

Cheaply built, but its almost as good as a dbx driverack 260. People say that mixing in the box will never sound as good as using analog summing. Connect the rearpanel outputs of the first n positions of the patchbay to the n track inputs on the multitrack recorder. At its most basic, a patchbay brings the connections from the rear panel of your gear be that outboard racks or your mixing console onto a panel where using what we now call patch cables or cords we can link all our units together without the need to fumble around the back of the racks to connect the gear, keeping it all nice and tidy. For example, a preamplifier is used for boosting microphone or instrument signals during tracking. Most proquality sound cards include a software control panel to set sample rates, operating levels, internal patchbay routing, and so forth. Crawling around under your desk searching for cables will become a thing of the past.

That makes it easy for you to get your patching jobs done right. I have 4 preamps 2 compressors, 1 reverb unit and a few guitar and vocal effects, and my monitors. So what is summing, and why is analog supposedly better. Today i want to briefly explain the issues at hand and help. The connections are permanent and pass through the patchbay. Suppose we have a mixer with 8 groups connected to an 8track recorder.

Outputs and inputs are connected to each other inside the patchbay output 1 is matched with input 1, etc. You can have more recording equipment than inputs on your mixer or audio interface and still use it all by rerouting the signal on the fly. With good microphones and good cables the pres on this mixer are very quiet. Lets take as an example the outputs of the groups that are permanently connected to the recorders inputs. To explain my current layout, i feel i really need to explain the layout i had before and the needs i had that led me towards a mixer less patchbay configuration. Patchbay setup for micd inputs home recording forums. Feb 14, 2020 you can connect new outboard gear to the patchbay by sticking your hand through the empty rack spaces as you go. The important part is that when using a patchbay this way, you have to keep the in and out patchbay points normaled to mimik the closed loop that exists within the actual insert point on the mixer. A patchbay is a decidedly nonglamorous investment, but its an investment in efficiency, mental health and stability.

Connect each submaster bus output on the mixer to a rearpanel input on a patchbay position. What is a patch bay and why do you need one vintage king audio. If youre set up for mixing, youll probably use inserts and outboard compressors. Connect the rearpanel outputs of those positions of the patchbay to the track inputs on the multitrack recorder. Yes, great, this mixer has many features, not as much inputs as the older and better sl 2442fx. So get a reasonably very good laptop, so that you can enjoy years of solid use. The cable im using in the mixer return since its stereo is tr insert cable. Ive been having fun jamming away on it all with only a couple of things talking to each other no midi patchbay yet and every now and again swapping audio cables around. The problem is that you cant be sure if the mixer still works tomorrow. But really, once you know the fundamental rules and conventions the process is as easy as running cables from one piece of gear to the next. If you use a summing mixer, the bottomrow below the pro tools or other daw outputs is a perfect place for summing inputs. You can split signals for advanced mixing techniques by using halfnormal mode explained below.

In this guide, we will explain what a patchbay is, explain normalling, show examples of each, and also provide some tips to get up and running in no time. Keyboard to mixer or patchbay is it required to use a di box or can i just use an adapter to get my 14 out keyboard into the patch bay. Just be prepared to spend 1020% of your gear investment for all the cabling youll need. Hi all, im picking up a patchbay this week, and im looking to accomplish something that might be a bit on the unconventional side. Setting up a patchbay in your home studio by tweakheadz lab. Opinion patchbays and how i use them what do you do. If you wanted to create a channel strip without the use of a patch bay, you would. Analog summing and why you shouldnt care recording. The permanent connections inside a patchbay usually link the outputs to their corresponding inputs. And i am using it for the the 4 aux return channels. Even a little mixer can take up every point in a 96 jack patchbay, tho whether youd use all those points is questionable. The question is do you want a good sound, if the answer is yes then do not get this mixer feature. Similarly, cabling isnt free and the good stuff definitely aint cheap.

Once your outboard gear is set up, its time to start using it. If youve ever had questions about patchbays, this article is for you. The hdmi switch comes in a durable metal box with goldplated hdmi ports. The tips below will help you get started, but each piece of equipment is unique, so spend time learning how to best use it for any given application. That way the channel insert, being full or half normal, completes a loop going out of the send from the channel insert to the toprow of the patchbay then it normals to the bottomrow and back out of the patchbay to the channel insert return. At its most basic, a patchbay brings the connections from the rear panel of your gear be that outboard racks or your mixing console onto a panel where using what we now call patch cables or cords we can link all our units together without the need to fumble around the back of the racks to connect the gear. Fully balanced and extremely durable, our 48point patchbay makes all your connections easy. I only use this for recording, so i like to keep cables only as long as they need to be so i make my own. A patchbay is a hardware device that features ins and outs for analog audio gear. After that section on the patchbays toprow to the right of your mic pre outputs can be the daw outputs. A typical patchbay layout for connecting between a mixer and a master dat recorder.

They handle both input and output for each channel, which makes 48 points or connections. You are using the lowquality preamp of your mixer, you are transmitting the signal from the mixer and patchbay to your scarlett nonsymmetric which is bad when you use long cables or have interferences and should normally be avoided. Channel inserts, one of the most common connections that youll want to patch, can be a bit of a headscratcher. Kitchen aid mixer are basically made for cooking thats why its very good at. It would also be good to have the line outs going to the patchbay as well as the inputs to your daw also at the patch bay, the 2 could be halfnormalled behind the scenes which would allow you to cross patch any line out of console to any line in of daw. Neutriks nyssppl is a professional 48point 14 trs patchbay with 24 front pairs and 24 rear pairs. Ive been looking at getting a small patchbay to ease cable management. These things are not free, and the good ones arent cheap. But consumer grade pc sound cards rely on the windows mixer for level setting and input selection. Ive never used a patchbay for inserts, but the insert connection on a mixer is set up so that it sends and returns on the same plug, using tip to send and the ring to return usually. Most commercial studios use a patchbay especially those with a console. It allows you to easily patch the outputs of one piece to the inputs of another. Thinking about it, i think it would be a good idea to start a blogging feature for the website to explain and share such things and get feedback.

So it woudl be pointless to wire the insert into the patchbay. Im wanting stereo so that i can give the keyboard a stereo mix into his two monitors just because its cool sounding for. I want to feed three samplers through a patchbay out my interfaces subouts scarlett 18i20, then run those samplers outputs along with those of my synth collection into a patchbay, then run them all into my interface. Theres a big debate looming in the recording world and it revolves around analog summing. Configure those positions on the patchbay as halfnormal. I want to run stereo and would rather not tie up two di boxes. Some bays have dryerase strips you can write on across the front. Article covering the key features and benefits of patchbays, from connection types to. If you have a studio with analog equipment, youll benefit from a using a patchbay. How to set up a mixer for a podcast mix minus mixer setup duration.