Patchbay Stuff

[TascMan]

Maybe it was too much coffee, or maybe it was the fact that I was jamming to Steel Panther all day, but I decided to rewire my patch bays. Adding new things and changing things around over time has made a mess of my wiring under the hood. We all have great shots of our console setups, but what lurks beneath can get a little scary. Especially when you are running almost 96 1/4" plugs into a small space behind your rack.

The forums seemed a little quiet, so I figured I would take a couple of pictures of my mess, and post them, as well as a pdf of my newly rewired setup. If you are new to patch bays, maybe my PDF file can help. After rewiring, the whole thing doesn't look much better. I don't have perfect, custom length, color coded cables, nor do I wish to take the time to solder 100 new cables to custom length. I like options. Tomorrow, I may want to move a pre, and I don't want to find that my custom cable is two inches to short. So I went for the basic philosophy of "Keep analog, digital and power as separate as you can. Clean all contact points, plugs and jacks, (yes, all of them) with DexIT D5. Try to organize cabling lengths to the proximity of the unit to the patchbay." With that plan I went in...and I'm thrilled that the bays make more sense now. I even found a reason for 1/2 normal mode. Sweet... I've got to much time on my hands!

 

[nabberigu]

That looks crazy. Mine looked similar. Every time I changed something I had to go through all the cable and it was driving me nuts and eating up so much time.

Recently I have organized everything and bundled/color coded it together as you can see in the picture. I also found it helpful to have a schematic of the signal flow between the components so I made a flow chart.
Things are much easier and less time consuming now.

 

[TascMan]

I like the signal flow chart. I don't label anything which is why I keep a printed copy of that PDF file hidden, but handy.

 

[captdan]

what lurks beneath can get a little scary.

I don't think your wiring is that bad at all. Seems pretty organized to me. My 'engine compartment' looks about the same, maybe with a few more ZipTies. To a casual observer, it looks like a nest built by a bird on drugs. But I know where everything is and, like you, left room to access it.

CaptDan

 

[TascMan]

Thanks Dan. I haven't really had anything to compare it too, so glad I'm in the ballpark. It is a little better now, but I am more happy that the bays are set up better.

 

[Labrynth]

Im wiring my 2 DM4800s last week in May when my custom argosy desk gets here. I do love a good wiring system day or two. Planning and replanning. I'll post pics when it's all set up

 

[Drumstruck]

Affectionately known as the patch-bane?

In the endless circle of patching I reduced my setup from 5 patchbanes to zero - using direct cabling and DM routing instead. Now, with some additional outboard I'm also on the patchbay trek..... thinking of one 96pt TT / DB25 unit.

 

[Labrynth]

Fun, I have way to much outboard gear to not use patch bays. It's a love hate.

 

[TascMan]

Since I only have a 3200, I only have one slot available for an analog card. So, patch bays make sense to me. It's been very convenient having them. I almost never have to actually use any patch cords, with the way they are set up.

 

[Labrynth]

Nice, I don't have any analog cards. Am I shooting myself in the foot?

 

[TascMan]

Depending on your setup, I think everyone here can attest to the great convenience that an analog card (or 3 if you have a 4800) brings. In general, more ins and outs. Highly recommended.

 

[Labrynth]

With two 4800s I have plenty of ins. I posted this earlier today. Hopefully you might have some insight.

http://www.tascamforums.com/threads...-studio-banging-head-against-wall.2369/unread