Balanced vs unbalanced patchbay???

Evergreen · Post by **Evergreen** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:20 am

I did UTFSF I'm I still really confused.

I am at the point where I NEED a patchbay. I have a good mix of unbalanced(rnc, rnla, pedals, etc) and balanced gear (mic pres, distressor, speck eq, etc) that I want to run though the PB and in and out of my Tascam 388. I have read different points of view on how to this and I just don't know anymore. Balanced gear into unbalanced patchbay??? Vice versa??? I just want to be able to hook it all up and work. ???

???

I got a giftcard for Musician's Friend for Xmas so I was thinking the (cough) Behringer PX2000 or PX3000. The only difference is one is balanced and the other is unbalanced, right?

???

ugh

???

Any knowledge or experience you have would be GREATLY appreciated.

Tim

Doublehelix · Post by **Doublehelix** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 9:58 am

Well, you can run unbalanced cables through balanced patchbays, but not the other way around.

Buy balanced all the way. No reason to consider the unbalanced ones.

If you can stretch it, go with the Neutrik ones rather than the Behringer ones. You will be happier in the long run.

musikman316 · Post by **musikman316** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:38 pm

I will second the Neutrick patchbay... they are built much better than any of the other 1/4" patchbays I've seen and will work much longer without problems compared to a Behringer bay. Also, go balanced, no reason to go unbalanced at all.

Josh

dither · Post by **dither** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:57 pm

I think dbx PB-48 is a great PB as well...

Evergreen · Post by **Evergreen** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:21 pm

Thank you all. I'll get balanced.

SO....there with be no problem hooking up the unbalanced stuff up to the balanced PB...right???

As far as the Neutrick PB, I've read quite a few negitive reviews of it...I've actually read that the Behringer is built better than the Neutrick.....I dunno.

plus Musician's Friend doesn't carry the Neutrick and I have that giftcard.

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:52 pm

I've had great luck with the Behringer, and I believe InverseRoom is a user as well.

If you have a choice, get the one where there are normalling switches on top. Very handy!

the velour fog · Post by **the velour fog** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:59 pm

totally use the gift card and get the balanced behringer.
what else would you buy there?

a patchbay will make everything so handy too. i recently just got one for my 388 and it makes it so much easier to work fast. very beneficial.

oh. and hopefully you have a crap load of cabling. cause you're gonna need it.

Albert · Post by **Albert** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:58 pm

I've read *far* more positive reviews of the Neutrik than negative. That said, I use DBX PB-48 balanced patchbays.

Some patchbays don't hold the connectors tightly, and I've found these patchbays should be avoided. I had a rack full of Furman PB-48's and am finally almost done replacing them, as the jack connectors were so loose. That affects two things, you can easily have jacks falling out the back, and it becomes hard to do the "jack in to the first click" thing.

I don't know if the Behringers are the kind that hold the jack loosely. If they are I would say avoid them if possible.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:01 am

kayagum wrote:I've had great luck with the Behringer, and I believe InverseRoom is a user as well.

If you have a choice, get the one where there are normalling switches on top. Very handy!

Yeah, I just installed my Behringer balanced bay and am currently soldering up cables. Works great. really, if it's just for your home studio it's fine. If I was a professional engineer and was wiring up a studio that would be used 16 hours a day with clients, I'd get something really sturdy, but for what I do the Behringer stuff is fine.

Message Board

Balanced vs unbalanced patchbay???

Balanced vs unbalanced patchbay???

Who is online