Patchbays explained - Part 2
In part 1 We went through what a patchbay was and what types there are. Now we are going to concentrate on how they work and how to configure them for certain tasks.
Configuring your patchbay
There are 4 ways most patchbays can be configured to work; open, normalled, half-normalled and parallel. The option you choose for your patchbay will depend on the equipment you have and how you like to work, but there are certain rules you will need to follow – more on that later.
Different patchbays are configured in different ways – some will have switches to flip between the different modes, some require you to take out each module and reverse it and some need to have jumpers soldered in place.
Open
This is the default setting and basically means no signal will flow through the patchbay without inserting a patch cord. This is essential if you have outputs of a unit placed above the inputs of the same unit e.g. a multitrack.
Normalled
This is where patchbays start getting clever. A normalled section automatically routes whatever is plugged into the top output of the patchbay to the input directly beneath. This is ideal for connecting equipment that you use together regulary (e.g. an aux output to an FX unit’s input.) as you don’t need to insert a patch cable every time you want to use it. You can still break the connection by inserting a patch cord enabling you to re-route the signal.
There can be problems with normalling though. Imagine you have connected a compressor. The usual way of laying it out on a patchbay would be to have the outputs above the inputs. If these were normalled this would create a feedback loop as the output feeds the input, which feeds the output, which feeds the input….... You can cause damage to your equipment if you leave it like this for too long!
Half-normalled
This is essentially the same as normalled but means you can insert a patch cord into the output without breaking the signal flow to the input. This is sometimes called “sniff” as it allows you to try out other routing without changing the original signal.
Parallel
A patchbay set up in parallel allows you to split the signal. Whatever goes into the back input will be routed out of the front top and bottom and rear bottom.
Part 3:
Continue to part 3 >>>.
Recommended reading:
Recording and Producing in the Home Studio
Home Recording Made Easy: Professional Recordings on a Demo Budget
Jon Maskrey
21 February 06
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