Very useful and succinct tutorial, Chuck. Used to use patch bays all the time in my old pre-2000 analog and ADAT studio. However, stopped using them for past 20 years while just working "in the box.". Wow, this is a welcome refresher as I just bought a Focusrite 8 channel interface and want to incorporate some great analog equipment (compressors, reverbs, etc.) that I still own in to the signal chain. This tutorial was very straight forward and things came back to me quickly just listening. Thanks very much for taking the time.
Thanks for this video. I'm setting up my own studio and remembered its been about 5 years since I last used a patchbay. Another thanks because I'm getting the same Apollo and you just solved a bunch of thinking with the setup
I've watched over 20 patchbay videos and this is the first one where I followed everything. I'm thinking about using a half normalled patchbay to link synths and pedals and still be able to record the dry and wet signal paths.
Best video I've seen so far on how to set up a patch bay and I've watched many! I do have a question though. When no patch cables are connected, you essentially have all of your audio interface outputs connected to all of your audio interface inputs. Doesn't that create some sort of feedback loop?
It is possible to create a feedback loop, but the only time this would happen is when you set up a track to behave this way. By default, your DAW is going to route the output of tracks to the master channel, as opposed to your audio interface's line outputs. The same thing goes for track inputs-tracks are likely assigned line input 1 as the external input by default, but you need to either engage input monitoring or record to the track to hear the input signal. To create a feedback loop, you'd need to intentionally assign a track's output to line X, and then assign the same track's input to line X as well. If you wanted to be extra careful, you could just shift all your line inputs over to the right or left by one port on your patch bay so that there's no chance of creating a feedback loop. I like stacking them in this way to keep things organized, but to each their own!
@@BlackGhostAudio Thanks for your thoughtful reply! It took me a while to wrap my head around this patchbay concept. Your video made it finally click in my head!
Okay, nice! But one question: how do you get your mic 1 - 4 connected into the patchbay? At 5:32 you show in yellow Mic 1, 2, 3 and 4 which are constantly connected, but how are they connected? I can't imagine you're using XLR to jack cable right? Is there something I'm missing? Thanks in advance!
hey man thanks a lot for the video! I'm still confused tho.. could you maybe tell me pls where I put the outs of my compressor and the ins so I could connect to it from the front?
For sure. Start by picking a pair of jacks on the back of the patch bay (one top jack and its corresponding bottom jack). Connect the bottom jack to the input of your compressor, and then connect the output of your compressor to the top jack. Once you've done this, you can route a signal in and out of the compressor by connecting patch cables to the jacks on the front of the patch bay.
Thanks a lot for the video . I just got myself a Samson patchbay which I would like to connect to my two UAD Apollo’s . I usually next 1 mic Channel only . I heard mic channel shouldn’t go into a patchbay ? As of my UAD audio interface ( I need to switch between line or Mic input ) . Appreciated your advice 🙏🏻
My Apollo has separate mic and line inputs so I can connect them separately to my patch bay. If your Apollos use combo (mic/line) input jacks, you could connect the jacks to your patch bay but leave them set to mic mode or line mode. It all comes down to what you’re trying to do and how often you use the mic vs. line inputs. Another option is to dedicate two jacks on the back of your patch bay to a combo input jack, connect cables to the patch bay jacks, and then connect the other end of those cables to your interface on a need-to-use basis.
@@BlackGhostAudio Just a total newb piggybacking here :) I have an Apollo Twin with combo jacks. For mics and my captor x, is it worth buying some kind of mic-to-line level conversion box? For home recording purposes, can't the level difference between mic/line just be solved by turning the preamp up?
@@worldwidehoodoo if you’re not using a patch bay, there’s nothing to worry about. Just plug into your combo input jacks and turn up the preamps as necessary.
Very nice video and so happy you brought up mics and xlr connectors as that's all problematic to my understanding. Breaking the phantom connection can cause damage. Great to have you cover that in a video sometime. But yes, thank you. so much for a great video. 👏
There’s a simple solution! You can use XLR to 1/4” TRS cables like this: amzn.to/33yCySf (Affiliate Link) The patch bay that I use passes phantom power so I can still use cardioid mics. Not every patch bay passes phantom power so that’s something you should take into consideration when shopping around for a patch bay if you don’t already own one.
I am a very visual learner, and this video didn't help me. I need to see the process happening in real time. I need to physically see you plug in and route the patch bay to understand, I am more confused right now than when I started doing research on this...
heya man, came across your vid looking to set up my own patchbay. I wanted to patch my headphones from my interface into the bay so I can swap headphones easily but I read that could blow the patch bay because its an amplified signal. not quite sure what to think of that, could use some advic. thanks so much
From everything I've read, it's not recommended. One of the main issues is that you could accidentally connect to the wrong input on a piece of gear and fry it. I can't find any documentation on whether or not the patch bay is capable of handling the wattage so I'm not sure if you'd actually damage it. Instead of running an amplified signal through the patch bay, run your headphone mix through a pair of your audio interface's line outputs and to an external headphone amp with multiple outputs. You can configure this routing through the patch bay if you want since you'll be sending the headphone amp a line-level signal. If you decide to do this, invest in a quality headphone amp. A lot of the cheap ones drastically degrade sound quality. Super ultra cheapo option number two is to get a headphone splitter on Amazon for like $6, haha. I'm not sure what that will do to the sound quality but it's cheap and a low-risk experiment.
Very nice video, however, I have an Art P16 xlr patchbay pass thru, a Samson s plus 1/4” patchbay. I’m trying to figure out how to patch from my Fredenstein bento 500 rack with 8 mic preamps to the Samson pb also using the Art pb to plug my mics into at the front of my rack. Is this possible to correctly do this?
I always used to be curious about how commercial studios made use of all that analog gear, so I was sure someone else wanted to know the answer too. Thanks for checking out the channel 🤘🏻
Black Ghost Audio you are doing great man. Hey another thing if you don’t mind, I am planning to purchase my first pair of monitors within the budget of 600$ can I get any suggestions
Psycho that sounds great! Take a look at Kali Audio’s studio monitors. You can get a pair of LP-6s (6.5”) for $300 and then spend the other $300 on acoustic treatment. These speakers are some of the best you’ll find in this price range, and are competitive with many monitors in the $500+ range. If you’re looking for information on acoustic treatment, this guide I wrote covers all the basics: www.blackghostaudio.com/blog/the-ultimate-acoustic-treatment-guide-for-home-studios
Recording a completely dry signal and blending it together with a completely wet signal is definitely the right move. You can simply adjust the level of the wet signal to taste once you've recorded it into your DAW.
Informative video, thank you! The last time I used a patch bay was in 2005, and honestly, I sort of forgot how they worked. I could probably use at least a small one for my home studio.
@@BlackGhostAudio actually i'm thinking it might work great for my keyboard pedalboard -- put the patchbay on my sturdy stand, and plug cords from the board into it. that way if the board isn't plugged into it, the signal from the keyboard will just route back up to my mixer.
It's a desk made for music production by a company called Output. The quality is phenomenal, and it's surprisingly affordable. You can check it out here: bit.ly/3s4PSJL
Hey, great video breaking it down! in the diagram at 4.32 you have all 8 line ins connected but aren't the first four taken up by mics? or do you have seperate line ins on your interface? If so what Apollo are you using? Once again great video!
Good question! I'm using the Apollo x8, which has four dedicated mic inputs and eight dedicated line inputs. My Apollo lets me switch the first four inputs between mic and line mode so I can choose which inputs I want to use.
@@BlackGhostAudio Gotcha! that makes sense, I've got another question not really related to your studio but more big commercial studios, you know how they have wall mounts (multicore, or stage boxes to connect the mics too in the live rooms) how do they connect that to a patchbay? because the ones ive seen only have XLR outputs. Thanks for your time!
@@digitaltrackz Big studio patch bays often have DB-25 inputs on the back (example: bit.ly/3k3nULM) that you plug various types of snake cables into. To connect one of those live room mic tie panels to a patch bay like this, you would likely use a DB-25 to XLR snake cable (male or female depending on what you need). These snake cables look like this: bit.ly/2VmTIkj. You can get DB-25 to TRS snake cables (bit.ly/3xBs7dp) too so it's just a matter of getting your hands on the right snake cable for the gear you're connecting to your patch bay.
Excellent video although using a TRS for a phantom powered microphone wouldn't be my first choice. Although you can pass phantom power over a TRS cable plugging and unplugging TRS cables will create a momentary short circuit that could damage equipment.
I believe this is why pro studios prefer TT patch bays. The cable design helps prevent those momentary shorts but the patch bays themselves can be quite expensive. Nice bit of info you added here. Thanks!
Yo Charles, pls can you do a video on how to edit pre recorded audio with patchbay units?? From the box through the patch and back again. There’s no one really doing vids on that 😊
They shouldn’t, at least not in any noticeable way. If you’re experiencing noise, make sure the cables you’re recording with aren’t laying anywhere near power cables. Also, plug all of your power cables into a power conditioner. There are lots of reasons for noise, but electromagnetic interference (power cable proximity) and dirty power (fixed with a power conditioner) are some of the most common culprits.
@@BlackGhostAudio thank you. 🙌🏼 I bought an inexpensive daisy-chain power supply (9V, centre negative)...perhaps this is causing the noise. I have a Jim Dunlop power bank somewhere; I'll see if that helps keep the noise low.
The manual for the ART P48 says they definitely do not recommend attempting to pass phantom power through it, even though it is "possible" -- so you've had no problems with this?
@@BlackGhostAudio Thanks- I'm having trouble getting any signal from my mic - its connected to the back of the patchbay with an XLR to TRS cable. And then patched to my 2 channel interface on the front. Do I need an XLR converter instead? My interface (Apollo Twin) uses combo jacks which I'm routing with TRS to the patchbay.
@@aaronscore you need to connect to your audio interface with an XLR connector. If you’re connecting to it with a TRS connector, it won’t know that you’re trying to route a mic signal into it. You can connect to your audio interface using a TRS to XLR cable. Your signal path should look like this: Microphone > XLR to TRS cable > patch bay > TRS to XLR cable > audio interface.
hey not sure if you’re still answering questions but, microphones connect with an XLR cable so how do you connect a standard mic cable to a patch bay if they use 1/4 inch cables?
Thanks for the video! If you were running a mic to an XLR patchbay before a preamp, and then running the XLR patchbay to a TRS patchbay, and then used the TRS patchbay and a TRS cable to run the mic signal back out of the TRS patchbay into an outboard preamp, could you potentially run into any issues with noise floors, etc., when running a mic level signal through a TRS/line level patch bay and patch cable before the preamp?
These are all balanced connections so you shouldn’t have any issues with your noise floor. You can run a balanced mic level signal a fair distance without worrying about noise.
@@BlackGhostAudio thanks for your quick reply! I understand the balanced connection should be ideal when preventing any interference. I think I worded my question wrong. I am concerned with the impedance difference between mic and line levels. Preamps have different inputs to accomadate the impedance difference between a mic and say direct bass guitar or keys. If you connect a mic level signal to a line in (the wrong input) on a preamp, for example, you would drastically increase the noise floor. I saw some forum members saying that an XLR patch bay going directly to mic pres without passing through a TRS patch bay first would be ideal for this reason. They argued that changing to a TRS connection thru the patch bay could create an impedance/noise issue. But if it makes no difference, it could be because a patch bay is passive and not a powered piece of gear, so there would be no noise floor on it? So technically, the connections on a TRS patch bay aren't mic or line level, they are just passing signal through at whatever impedance that signal comes in at? I am not sure if this makes sense, lol! I appreciate your help though. Trying to plan how I will be wiring my next upgrade 🤔
@@Skateboardingcuber I see what you’re saying. Ya, as far as I’m aware, the connections themselves are just passing signal through so I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. My dbx 286s has a built-in preamp that I’ve made use of in the way you’ve described: XLR patch bay > TRS patch bay > 286s preamp. I haven’t noticed any noise issues as a result of this routing so I’m giving it my stamp of approval. If you wanted to be extra careful, you could contact the manufacturer of the TRS patch bay you’re considering purchasing to get an “official” response in regards to whether or not the patch bay affects impedance.
I am a bit confused after watching this video, you said you use the back Top row of the patchbay to connect your mics as well, these are all TRS connectors. so do you use XLR to TRS cables for connecting your mics ?
I do indeed! You can either get XLR to TRS cables or XLR to TRS cable adapters. The adapters are sometimes bulky and tricky to plug into the patch bay so I recommend the cables.
Sir i have a question I have a small setup in my home studio and I would like to know how to connect my external gears to my DAW (Pro Tools and abelton live 12 suite) My setup includes the following: - Wacx12 Microphone - Volt 476 Interface - Neve Rupert Preamp 500 - IGS One LA 511 Compressor - WA76 Compressor - Klark Teknik EQP-KT _ neutrik pathbay I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide me with a detailed explanation of how to connect these gears and integrate them into my DAW. Thank you for your time and assistance. Best regards.
Can anyone help?? So i have an apogee duet so it only has the set outputs, I want to run the outputs through external hardware ie compressor/Eq etc.. How can I do this, I was thinking of getting a patch bay but then how would I then feed the signal to my monitors? I would have a constant loop from Output to input any ideas?
The Apogee Duet has 2 combo inputs (mic/instrument/line) and 4 outputs (2 line outputs and a stereo headphone output). This means you can route signal out of your computer through the line outputs, process it using outboard gear, and then record it through the combo inputs. Doing this won’t create a feedback loop if you set it up correctly. For example, you can set Track 1’s output in your DAW to Output 1 of the Apogee (this is the track you want to process) and then set Track 2’s input in your DAW to Input 1 of the Apogee (to capture the processed signal). However, you’ll need to audition the signal using a pair of headphones because the line outputs are being used, meaning you can’t connect a pair of speakers as the same time. Unfortunately, a patch bay doesn’t extend the number of line outputs on your audio interface so a patch bay won’t fix this. You need an audio interface with at least 2 line inputs and 4 line outputs to work with outboard gear while listening through a pair of studio monitors, and not headphones.
Just to clarify, a patch bay won’t fix your issue. You need a different audio interface with more line outputs to use your speakers and outboard gear at the same time.
Can you break it down idiot style? Does the output of the effect go into the input of the patchbay? Are all top row input on the patchbay? I just bought a Samson patchbay for helping in pedal effects routing in my rack. Just confused if it wires like a send/return, or if it wires like an input/output.
You can treat your pedal effects like my dbx 286s from the video. Connect the input of your pedals to jacks on the bottom row (rear) and then connect the output of your pedals to jacks on the top row (rear).
Thanks! I actually captured a few shots with some cables plugged in, but it became a bit of a mess to look at. That's why I opted for the connection line graphics around 4:34 😁
Black Ghost Audio oh okay lol. When I saw those labels I reconfigured my set up like that. I have the same setup with more outboard gear. And my desk is slanted like an Argosy desk. New follower here
JC awesome! This setup works quite nicely and it’s easy enough to modify it once you understand how the patch bay functions. Overall, a patch bay is a real nice time-saver, even for people with just a bit of outboard gear like myself. I imagine a patch bay is quite a critical part of your setup if you’re working with even more outboard gear 😁
Is there any issue with having the input of you Dbx unit connected to the output of your Dbx unit ? In normal Mode the Signal would be passed through your patch bay in a Loop input to Output
HEY quick question man. Are you using TRS Patch cables on the front of your patchbay or just normal instrument patch cables with one ring? Can I just use TRS 1/4 cables on front and back of this unit? would be easier to order them all at once. What brand cables are you using? thanks
Yup, these are just 1/4” TRS cables. I recommend getting 1/4” TRS snake cables for the back of the unit; this can prevent a messy cable situation. For the front, a cheap pack of TRS cables from Amazon will work fine. Assuming all of the connections in the cables are solid, the brand doesn’t matter too much. You could also make your own cables if you want to save a little money and don’t mind the extra work.
so a question for the routing: I use a MacBook pro and a apollo twin x TB3. i also have a 500 lunchbox with compressors, EQ, Tapes,... is the routing correct? Outputs of the Apollo Twin x to the patchbay output 1+2, Input of the apollo twin x to the input of the patchbay 1+2. all other outputs of the lunchbox to the different outputs to the lunchbox, the same with the inputs. When I now want an eq and a compressor I have to go out from channel 1+2 to the input of the eq 3+4, than to the output 3+4 of the eq into the input 5+6 of the compressor and from the output 5+6 of the compressor to the input of channel 1+2. Is this correct? or is this wrong? never using a patchbay before.
Hey thanks for the video. I have a question… You show that mic 1 - mic 1 in goes to the interface when you want to bypass effects. I understand this. But then you route Mic 1 - DBX mic in - Dbx line out - line in 1. How comes it went to line out 1 and not back to mic in 1?
Hi, thanks for the video! I'd like to ask, whether you can simply connect a microphone to this kind of patchbay, and then you can route the mic to a mic preamp that has an XLR connector? IF so, are you doing this via a TRS Jack/XLR cable? Can you even give a phantom power to the mics if it has to go through a patchbay? Thanks!
Yup! I have microphones attached to the back of this patch bay using male/female XLR cables with XLR to 1/4” TRS adapters on the ends. This particular patch bay passes phantom power through it so you can record with condenser microphones.
@@BlackGhostAudio thanks for the super fast response! Great to hear that!! I would like to patch microphones as well not just line sources, but would not like to use an extra XLR patchbay for that if I don't necessarily have to. This is a great idea, thanks for that!! :)
@@idjpashka Yes, it can receive a balanced XLR signal. The patch cables I’m using in the video are TRS cables. You can get them in a pack on Amazon or Sweetwater👍🏻
@@ingvorosv Don't overlook the fact that 1/4 jacks come in two types, TRS which stands for tip, ring ,sleeve and just tip and sleeve. TRS are balanced like an xlr connector because they have three conductors as opposed to just the two conductors of the tip, sleeve.
Great video!! Very clear and easy to follow. I’m finally adding a 1/4” patch bay after many years and I’m stumped on the mic ins. I have an Apollo x8 which as you know comes with 4 xlr mic ins. I’d like access to those as well as my outboard gear for mics, but isn’t your only choice to have a small 4 channel snake to be able to plug into or are you simply getting a xlr/trs adapter and going right to patchbay? I just thought it was bad to use the trs adapter but I’m not sure. I’m not even using phantom power for the stock mic press anyway. I’ll take any advice:)
Ya, I’m just using XLR/TRS adapters. You shouldn’t experience any issues. If you use the same patch bay as me, you can pass phantom power through it too.
@@BlackGhostAudio awe ok.!! So use trs adapters from xlr to patch-bay and then you would also need adapters for the front too right? (To plug in a mic) Also I’m hoping u have a link to the patch bay labels. I’ll check
@@Hearthmusic you’ll plug your mics into the back of the patch bay using XLR/TRS adapters. The signal will cascade down into your audio interface’s mic inputs. This configuration allows you to tap the signal pre-interface and use standalone preamps if desired. I actually made a Reddit post a while ago that contains a link to a PSD file with P48 patch bay labels. You can customize it however you want: www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/edmproduction/comments/a5wg8a/art_p48_patch_bay_1u_label_template_free_download/
@@BlackGhostAudio I think I get it except for you still have to have cables into the actual XLR jacks on back of Apollo, no? 2nd question; I’ve got the Sampson 48 patch bay, Apollo X8, UA LA610, WA273-EQ , Yamaha monitors and a Mackie headphone amp. Pretty simple setup, nothing fancy but I’m so rusty that I’m a bit stumped. Before I purchase anything from your links what would u charge for a 1 hour consult. Just trying to get another studio guys perspective on how to set this up. I can send an excel file, etc. etc. happy to pay for help but is that something you do?
@@BlackGhostAudio Ok, I’ve got my TRS snakes for line in and out all set basically mirroring yours except I ran my monitors thru 1 and 2. Anyway, just stumped on 1 small thing. At 4:07 on your video you say I run my mics directly to interface so the mic IN’s on the bottom say Interface. That makes sense but still lost how you pull in both the interface and patchbay at that point. I’m sure this is much more simple but I’m missing one step. Sorry for all the questions.
Has usage of the word default in recording studios now gone the way of DEE-fence in football? If so, I've been saying it wrong. I'd like to know so I can get this right before I embarrass myself.
I believe there’s a difference between the typical American and British pronunciation. Either pronunciation is acceptable, unless you’re an undercover British agent living in the US, or vice versa.
TLDR; Connect the outputs of your gear to the top row of jacks on the back of the patch bay, and the inputs of gear to the bottom row of jacks on the back of the patch bay. Create custom signal routings by forming connections between jacks on the front of the patch bay using patch cables.
The patch bay I'm using passes phantom power through it so I can still record with condenser mics. Thanks for bringing up this concern though because not every patch bay passes phantom power, which is something to keep in mind when shopping around.
I am a very visual learner, and this video didn't help me. I need to see the process happening in real time. I need to physically see you plug in and route the patch bay to understand, I am more confused right now than when I started doing research on this...
Are these the “best” monitors out there? Nope! However, I’d take a pair of Rokits in a sound-treated room over a pair of Genelecs in an untreated room any day of the week. In conjunction with Reference 4, the frequency response of the Rokits isn’t much of a concern either. The real question is whether or not Rokits are capable of providing quality results that translate well to other playback systems. For me, the answer is yes, which is why I haven’t felt the pressure to upgrade to more expensive monitors 😁 A pricier pair of monitors would likely be a bit more revealing and provide more detail, but since I check my mixes on various playback systems to ensure consistent playback, the Rokits get the job done! For anyone reading this who wants to learn what makes a “good” studio monitor, this guide I wrote provides a great foundation: www.blackghostaudio.com/blog/studio-monitor-buyers-guide-how-to-choose-the-right-speakers
Get my music production course for beginners: bit.ly/3Dwmv83
Very useful and succinct tutorial, Chuck. Used to use patch bays all the time in my old pre-2000 analog and ADAT studio. However, stopped using them for past 20 years while just working "in the box.". Wow, this is a welcome refresher as I just bought a Focusrite 8 channel interface and want to incorporate some great analog equipment (compressors, reverbs, etc.) that I still own in to the signal chain. This tutorial was very straight forward and things came back to me quickly just listening. Thanks very much for taking the time.
So you don’t necessarily need a patch bay?
This is the best description of how to practically understand patchbay routing that I've seen yet! Great content!
Thanks for this video. I'm setting up my own studio and remembered its been about 5 years since I last used a patchbay.
Another thanks because I'm getting the same Apollo and you just solved a bunch of thinking with the setup
That’s super convenient. You’re going to love working with it!
I've watched over 20 patchbay videos and this is the first one where I followed everything.
I'm thinking about using a half normalled patchbay to link synths and pedals and still be able to record the dry and wet signal paths.
Just got a couple new (to me) compressors and needed a refresher on patchbay operation…this vid was perfect!
Super helpful! Just bought my first patch bay
Best video I've seen so far on how to set up a patch bay and I've watched many! I do have a question though. When no patch cables are connected, you essentially have all of your audio interface outputs connected to all of your audio interface inputs. Doesn't that create some sort of feedback loop?
It is possible to create a feedback loop, but the only time this would happen is when you set up a track to behave this way. By default, your DAW is going to route the output of tracks to the master channel, as opposed to your audio interface's line outputs. The same thing goes for track inputs-tracks are likely assigned line input 1 as the external input by default, but you need to either engage input monitoring or record to the track to hear the input signal. To create a feedback loop, you'd need to intentionally assign a track's output to line X, and then assign the same track's input to line X as well.
If you wanted to be extra careful, you could just shift all your line inputs over to the right or left by one port on your patch bay so that there's no chance of creating a feedback loop. I like stacking them in this way to keep things organized, but to each their own!
@@BlackGhostAudio Thanks for your thoughtful reply! It took me a while to wrap my head around this patchbay concept. Your video made it finally click in my head!
Okay, nice! But one question: how do you get your mic 1 - 4 connected into the patchbay? At 5:32 you show in yellow Mic 1, 2, 3 and 4 which are constantly connected, but how are they connected? I can't imagine you're using XLR to jack cable right? Is there something I'm missing? Thanks in advance!
This is what i’m wondering too
He's glossed over a lot of essential details.
thank you for the help! This cleared up some confusion especially the dbx compressor diagram showing signal flow. Simplified it for me.
Straight and to the point. Excellent job you deserve a much bigger channel.
Thanks! It takes time, but the channel is growing little by little every day 😁
hey man thanks a lot for the video! I'm still confused tho.. could you maybe tell me pls where I put the outs of my compressor and the ins so I could connect to it from the front?
For sure. Start by picking a pair of jacks on the back of the patch bay (one top jack and its corresponding bottom jack). Connect the bottom jack to the input of your compressor, and then connect the output of your compressor to the top jack.
Once you've done this, you can route a signal in and out of the compressor by connecting patch cables to the jacks on the front of the patch bay.
@@BlackGhostAudio tysm!:) could u pls tell me if my patchbay should be on "normal" or "half normal?" I got the neutrik spp l1 btw...
@@volcaniadread you can set the pair of jacks you're using to normal mode.
Awesome vid, how do you plug a microphone in, is it as simple as just buying a XLR to 1/4 inch jack cable, and that works with a phantom powered mic?
Yup. Not every patch bay passes phantom power but this one does. That’s a feature to keep in mind when you’re shopping around for patch bays 🤘🏻
Thanks a lot for the video .
I just got myself a Samson patchbay which I would like to connect to my two UAD Apollo’s .
I usually next 1 mic Channel only . I heard mic channel shouldn’t go into a patchbay ? As of my UAD audio interface ( I need to switch between line or Mic input ) .
Appreciated your advice 🙏🏻
My Apollo has separate mic and line inputs so I can connect them separately to my patch bay. If your Apollos use combo (mic/line) input jacks, you could connect the jacks to your patch bay but leave them set to mic mode or line mode. It all comes down to what you’re trying to do and how often you use the mic vs. line inputs. Another option is to dedicate two jacks on the back of your patch bay to a combo input jack, connect cables to the patch bay jacks, and then connect the other end of those cables to your interface on a need-to-use basis.
@@BlackGhostAudio thank you very much for your detailed information. Indeed my Apollo’s has separate line and mic input . Great ! :)
@@BlackGhostAudio Just a total newb piggybacking here :) I have an Apollo Twin with combo jacks. For mics and my captor x, is it worth buying some kind of mic-to-line level conversion box? For home recording purposes, can't the level difference between mic/line just be solved by turning the preamp up?
@@worldwidehoodoo if you’re not using a patch bay, there’s nothing to worry about. Just plug into your combo input jacks and turn up the preamps as necessary.
@@BlackGhostAudio I should have clarified: I am using a patch bay (or at least attempting to.) Thanks for the quick reply!
Very nice video and so happy you brought up mics and xlr connectors as that's all problematic to my understanding. Breaking the phantom connection can cause damage. Great to have you cover that in a video sometime. But yes, thank you. so much for a great video. 👏
I’ve never had someone explain the patch bay to me & it make so much sense. Thanks a lot! 🙏🏽
Great video! Thanks so much! Was curious how you're connecting the XLR patchbay to the TRS patchbay?
There’s a simple solution! You can use XLR to 1/4” TRS cables like this: amzn.to/33yCySf (Affiliate Link)
The patch bay that I use passes phantom power so I can still use cardioid mics. Not every patch bay passes phantom power so that’s something you should take into consideration when shopping around for a patch bay if you don’t already own one.
@@BlackGhostAudio great thanks!
look how much patience this guy has.
👀
Great video, Charles, thanks for explaining this so well and thoroughly!
Hey Ed! Thanks for the great feedback.
I am a very visual learner, and this video didn't help me. I need to see the process happening in real time. I need to physically see you plug in and route the patch bay to understand, I am more confused right now than when I started doing research on this...
heya man, came across your vid looking to set up my own patchbay. I wanted to patch my headphones from my interface into the bay so I can swap headphones easily but I read that could blow the patch bay because its an amplified signal. not quite sure what to think of that, could use some advic. thanks so much
From everything I've read, it's not recommended. One of the main issues is that you could accidentally connect to the wrong input on a piece of gear and fry it. I can't find any documentation on whether or not the patch bay is capable of handling the wattage so I'm not sure if you'd actually damage it.
Instead of running an amplified signal through the patch bay, run your headphone mix through a pair of your audio interface's line outputs and to an external headphone amp with multiple outputs. You can configure this routing through the patch bay if you want since you'll be sending the headphone amp a line-level signal.
If you decide to do this, invest in a quality headphone amp. A lot of the cheap ones drastically degrade sound quality.
Super ultra cheapo option number two is to get a headphone splitter on Amazon for like $6, haha. I'm not sure what that will do to the sound quality but it's cheap and a low-risk experiment.
Great coverage of this. Glad I watched this one.
The best and simplest explanation for me .. thank you so much
Finally a clear explanation of patchbays.
Very nice video, however, I have an Art P16 xlr patchbay pass thru, a Samson s plus 1/4” patchbay. I’m trying to figure out how to patch from my Fredenstein bento 500 rack with 8 mic preamps to the Samson pb also using the Art pb to plug my mics into at the front of my rack. Is this possible to correctly do this?
Ohh. finally, someone made the video which I really wanted to see & know about, thank you brother
I always used to be curious about how commercial studios made use of all that analog gear, so I was sure someone else wanted to know the answer too. Thanks for checking out the channel 🤘🏻
Black Ghost Audio you are doing great man. Hey another thing if you don’t mind, I am planning to purchase my first pair of monitors within the budget of 600$ can I get any suggestions
Psycho that sounds great! Take a look at Kali Audio’s studio monitors. You can get a pair of LP-6s (6.5”) for $300 and then spend the other $300 on acoustic treatment. These speakers are some of the best you’ll find in this price range, and are competitive with many monitors in the $500+ range. If you’re looking for information on acoustic treatment, this guide I wrote covers all the basics: www.blackghostaudio.com/blog/the-ultimate-acoustic-treatment-guide-for-home-studios
Would half normal be best for something like reverb so you can have a drytrack and a wet track?
Recording a completely dry signal and blending it together with a completely wet signal is definitely the right move. You can simply adjust the level of the wet signal to taste once you've recorded it into your DAW.
Informative video, thank you! The last time I used a patch bay was in 2005, and honestly, I sort of forgot how they worked. I could probably use at least a small one for my home studio.
Cool! It's definitely handy to keep one around if you have an assortment of gear.
@@BlackGhostAudio actually i'm thinking it might work great for my keyboard pedalboard -- put the patchbay on my sturdy stand, and plug cords from the board into it. that way if the board isn't plugged into it, the signal from the keyboard will just route back up to my mixer.
What’s the desk you’re using?
It's a desk made for music production by a company called Output. The quality is phenomenal, and it's surprisingly affordable. You can check it out here: bit.ly/3s4PSJL
Hey, great video breaking it down! in the diagram at 4.32 you have all 8 line ins connected but aren't the first four taken up by mics? or do you have seperate line ins on your interface? If so what Apollo are you using? Once again great video!
Good question! I'm using the Apollo x8, which has four dedicated mic inputs and eight dedicated line inputs. My Apollo lets me switch the first four inputs between mic and line mode so I can choose which inputs I want to use.
@@BlackGhostAudio Gotcha! that makes sense, I've got another question not really related to your studio but more big commercial studios, you know how they have wall mounts (multicore, or stage boxes to connect the mics too in the live rooms) how do they connect that to a patchbay? because the ones ive seen only have XLR outputs. Thanks for your time!
@@digitaltrackz Big studio patch bays often have DB-25 inputs on the back (example: bit.ly/3k3nULM) that you plug various types of snake cables into. To connect one of those live room mic tie panels to a patch bay like this, you would likely use a DB-25 to XLR snake cable (male or female depending on what you need). These snake cables look like this: bit.ly/2VmTIkj. You can get DB-25 to TRS snake cables (bit.ly/3xBs7dp) too so it's just a matter of getting your hands on the right snake cable for the gear you're connecting to your patch bay.
@@BlackGhostAudio Thanks man, much appreciated!
Excellent video although using a TRS for a phantom powered microphone wouldn't be my first choice. Although you can pass phantom power over a TRS cable plugging and unplugging TRS cables will create a momentary short circuit that could damage equipment.
I believe this is why pro studios prefer TT patch bays. The cable design helps prevent those momentary shorts but the patch bays themselves can be quite expensive. Nice bit of info you added here. Thanks!
That was a great lesson! I’m off to buy a patchbay. 👍🏾
How do I hook up an xlr mic to a 1/4 inch patchbay?
You can use a female XLR to male 1/4" TRS converter. These are the converters I use: amzn.to/2PW1yzc (Affiliate Link)
Amazing. Thanks
Yo Charles, pls can you do a video on how to edit pre recorded audio with patchbay units?? From the box through the patch and back again. There’s no one really doing vids on that 😊
Great explanation. Do patch bays add to the noise level in a signal chain?
They shouldn’t, at least not in any noticeable way. If you’re experiencing noise, make sure the cables you’re recording with aren’t laying anywhere near power cables. Also, plug all of your power cables into a power conditioner. There are lots of reasons for noise, but electromagnetic interference (power cable proximity) and dirty power (fixed with a power conditioner) are some of the most common culprits.
@@BlackGhostAudio thank you. 🙌🏼 I bought an inexpensive daisy-chain power supply (9V, centre negative)...perhaps this is causing the noise. I have a Jim Dunlop power bank somewhere; I'll see if that helps keep the noise low.
The manual for the ART P48 says they definitely do not recommend attempting to pass phantom power through it, even though it is "possible" -- so you've had no problems with this?
I’ve had this patch bay for years and have never experienced any issues with passing phantom power through it.
@@BlackGhostAudio Thanks- I'm having trouble getting any signal from my mic - its connected to the back of the patchbay with an XLR to TRS cable. And then patched to my 2 channel interface on the front. Do I need an XLR converter instead? My interface (Apollo Twin) uses combo jacks which I'm routing with TRS to the patchbay.
@@aaronscore you need to connect to your audio interface with an XLR connector. If you’re connecting to it with a TRS connector, it won’t know that you’re trying to route a mic signal into it. You can connect to your audio interface using a TRS to XLR cable.
Your signal path should look like this: Microphone > XLR to TRS cable > patch bay > TRS to XLR cable > audio interface.
@@BlackGhostAudio You're a legend thank you.
hey not sure if you’re still answering questions but, microphones connect with an XLR cable so how do you connect a standard mic cable to a patch bay if they use 1/4 inch cables?
Good question. You just need an XLR to TRS converter. They’re cheap and you can buy a handful on Amazon.
@@BlackGhostAudio thanks so much man!
Thank you man! Super dope I love learning
Thanks for the video!
If you were running a mic to an XLR patchbay before a preamp, and then running the XLR patchbay to a TRS patchbay, and then used the TRS patchbay and a TRS cable to run the mic signal back out of the TRS patchbay into an outboard preamp, could you potentially run into any issues with noise floors, etc., when running a mic level signal through a TRS/line level patch bay and patch cable before the preamp?
These are all balanced connections so you shouldn’t have any issues with your noise floor. You can run a balanced mic level signal a fair distance without worrying about noise.
@@BlackGhostAudio thanks for your quick reply! I understand the balanced connection should be ideal when preventing any interference. I think I worded my question wrong.
I am concerned with the impedance difference between mic and line levels. Preamps have different inputs to accomadate the impedance difference between a mic and say direct bass guitar or keys. If you connect a mic level signal to a line in (the wrong input) on a preamp, for example, you would drastically increase the noise floor.
I saw some forum members saying that an XLR patch bay going directly to mic pres without passing through a TRS patch bay first would be ideal for this reason. They argued that changing to a TRS connection thru the patch bay could create an impedance/noise issue.
But if it makes no difference, it could be because a patch bay is passive and not a powered piece of gear, so there would be no noise floor on it? So technically, the connections on a TRS patch bay aren't mic or line level, they are just passing signal through at whatever impedance that signal comes in at?
I am not sure if this makes sense, lol! I appreciate your help though. Trying to plan how I will be wiring my next upgrade 🤔
@@Skateboardingcuber I see what you’re saying. Ya, as far as I’m aware, the connections themselves are just passing signal through so I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. My dbx 286s has a built-in preamp that I’ve made use of in the way you’ve described: XLR patch bay > TRS patch bay > 286s preamp. I haven’t noticed any noise issues as a result of this routing so I’m giving it my stamp of approval.
If you wanted to be extra careful, you could contact the manufacturer of the TRS patch bay you’re considering purchasing to get an “official” response in regards to whether or not the patch bay affects impedance.
I am a bit confused after watching this video, you said you use the back Top row of the patchbay to connect your mics as well, these are all TRS connectors. so do you use XLR to TRS cables for connecting your mics ?
I do indeed! You can either get XLR to TRS cables or XLR to TRS cable adapters. The adapters are sometimes bulky and tricky to plug into the patch bay so I recommend the cables.
Sir i have a question
I have a small setup in my home studio and I would like to know how to connect my external gears to my DAW (Pro Tools and abelton live 12 suite)
My setup includes the following:
- Wacx12 Microphone
- Volt 476 Interface
- Neve Rupert Preamp 500
- IGS One LA 511 Compressor
- WA76 Compressor
- Klark Teknik EQP-KT
_ neutrik pathbay
I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide me with a detailed explanation of how to connect these gears and integrate them into my DAW.
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Best regards.
do you use XLR to T/R/S converters to bring the Mics in? (sorry for the dumb newb question)
I do indeed!
Can anyone help??
So i have an apogee duet so it only has the set outputs, I want to run the outputs through external hardware ie compressor/Eq etc..
How can I do this, I was thinking of getting a patch bay but then how would I then feed the signal to my monitors? I would have a constant loop from Output to input any ideas?
The Apogee Duet has 2 combo inputs (mic/instrument/line) and 4 outputs (2 line outputs and a stereo headphone output). This means you can route signal out of your computer through the line outputs, process it using outboard gear, and then record it through the combo inputs. Doing this won’t create a feedback loop if you set it up correctly. For example, you can set Track 1’s output in your DAW to Output 1 of the Apogee (this is the track you want to process) and then set Track 2’s input in your DAW to Input 1 of the Apogee (to capture the processed signal).
However, you’ll need to audition the signal using a pair of headphones because the line outputs are being used, meaning you can’t connect a pair of speakers as the same time. Unfortunately, a patch bay doesn’t extend the number of line outputs on your audio interface so a patch bay won’t fix this. You need an audio interface with at least 2 line inputs and 4 line outputs to work with outboard gear while listening through a pair of studio monitors, and not headphones.
@@BlackGhostAudio Thank you, this has been a problem for me for like 2 years, thanks for the reply i am going to get a patchbay this week 👍
Just to clarify, a patch bay won’t fix your issue. You need a different audio interface with more line outputs to use your speakers and outboard gear at the same time.
@@BlackGhostAudio Yer thats fine, Ill use headphone jack for now then get a UAD 👍 thanks again
Simple, smart and clear. Thank you.
thanks this was very helpful
Can you break it down idiot style? Does the output of the effect go into the input of the patchbay? Are all top row input on the patchbay? I just bought a Samson patchbay for helping in pedal effects routing in my rack. Just confused if it wires like a send/return, or if it wires like an input/output.
You can treat your pedal effects like my dbx 286s from the video. Connect the input of your pedals to jacks on the bottom row (rear) and then connect the output of your pedals to jacks on the top row (rear).
@@BlackGhostAudio thank you!
I like how you used a blank panel to label between bit. Why didn't you show that and the cables or snake patching all this?
Thanks! I actually captured a few shots with some cables plugged in, but it became a bit of a mess to look at. That's why I opted for the connection line graphics around 4:34 😁
Black Ghost Audio oh okay lol. When I saw those labels I reconfigured my set up like that. I have the same setup with more outboard gear. And my desk is slanted like an Argosy desk. New follower here
JC awesome! This setup works quite nicely and it’s easy enough to modify it once you understand how the patch bay functions. Overall, a patch bay is a real nice time-saver, even for people with just a bit of outboard gear like myself. I imagine a patch bay is quite a critical part of your setup if you’re working with even more outboard gear 😁
Is there any issue with having the input of you Dbx unit connected to the output of your Dbx unit ? In normal Mode the Signal would be passed through your patch bay in a Loop input to Output
HEY quick question man. Are you using TRS Patch cables on the front of your patchbay or just normal instrument patch cables with one ring?
Can I just use TRS 1/4 cables on front and back of this unit? would be easier to order them all at once.
What brand cables are you using? thanks
Yup, these are just 1/4” TRS cables. I recommend getting 1/4” TRS snake cables for the back of the unit; this can prevent a messy cable situation. For the front, a cheap pack of TRS cables from Amazon will work fine. Assuming all of the connections in the cables are solid, the brand doesn’t matter too much. You could also make your own cables if you want to save a little money and don’t mind the extra work.
so a question for the routing: I use a MacBook pro and a apollo twin x TB3.
i also have a 500 lunchbox with compressors, EQ, Tapes,...
is the routing correct?
Outputs of the Apollo Twin x to the patchbay output 1+2, Input of the apollo twin x to the input of the patchbay 1+2. all other outputs of the lunchbox to the different outputs to the lunchbox, the same with the inputs.
When I now want an eq and a compressor I have to go out from channel 1+2 to the input of the eq 3+4, than to the output 3+4 of the eq into the input 5+6 of the compressor and from the output 5+6 of the compressor to the input of channel 1+2.
Is this correct? or is this wrong? never using a patchbay before.
That seems like it should work. Test it out and see what happens.
Hey thanks for the video. I have a question…
You show that mic 1 - mic 1 in goes to the interface when you want to bypass effects. I understand this.
But then you route Mic 1 - DBX mic in - Dbx line out - line in 1.
How comes it went to line out 1 and not back to mic in 1?
The dbx produces a line-level signal, as opposed to a mic-level signal. As a result, the signal needs to enter a line input on the interface 🙂
@@BlackGhostAudio of course 🤦♂️ thank you 🙏
@@BlackGhostAudio also are you using a trs to trs or trs to Xlr for connection between mic in 1 and your interface?
@@Lordofbeings It’s a TRS to XLR connection. You need to plug into a mic input on your audio interface 👍🏻
@@BlackGhostAudio I got ya. Can an Xlr take a line level signal or do I have to use a trs?
Hi, thanks for the video! I'd like to ask, whether you can simply connect a microphone to this kind of patchbay, and then you can route the mic to a mic preamp that has an XLR connector? IF so, are you doing this via a TRS Jack/XLR cable? Can you even give a phantom power to the mics if it has to go through a patchbay?
Thanks!
Yup! I have microphones attached to the back of this patch bay using male/female XLR cables with XLR to 1/4” TRS adapters on the ends. This particular patch bay passes phantom power through it so you can record with condenser microphones.
@@BlackGhostAudio thanks for the super fast response! Great to hear that!! I would like to patch microphones as well not just line sources, but would not like to use an extra XLR patchbay for that if I don't necessarily have to.
This is a great idea, thanks for that!! :)
@@BlackGhostAudio So this patch bay can receive balanced XLR signal correct? Also, when routing mic signal, don't you have to use balanced TRS cables?
@@idjpashka Yes, it can receive a balanced XLR signal. The patch cables I’m using in the video are TRS cables. You can get them in a pack on Amazon or Sweetwater👍🏻
@@ingvorosv Don't overlook the fact that 1/4 jacks come in two types, TRS which stands for tip, ring ,sleeve and just tip and sleeve. TRS are balanced like an xlr connector because they have three conductors as opposed to just the two conductors of the tip, sleeve.
Cool video. Thanks man.
Clarity! I get it now and thank you!
Great video!! Very clear and easy to follow. I’m finally adding a 1/4” patch bay after many years and I’m stumped on the mic ins. I have an Apollo x8 which as you know comes with 4 xlr mic ins. I’d like access to those as well as my outboard gear for mics, but isn’t your only choice to have a small 4 channel snake to be able to plug into or are you simply getting a xlr/trs adapter and going right to patchbay? I just thought it was bad to use the trs adapter but I’m not sure. I’m not even using phantom power for the stock mic press anyway. I’ll take any advice:)
Ya, I’m just using XLR/TRS adapters. You shouldn’t experience any issues. If you use the same patch bay as me, you can pass phantom power through it too.
@@BlackGhostAudio awe ok.!! So use trs adapters from xlr to patch-bay and then you would also need adapters for the front too right? (To plug in a mic)
Also I’m hoping u have a link to the patch bay labels. I’ll check
@@Hearthmusic you’ll plug your mics into the back of the patch bay using XLR/TRS adapters. The signal will cascade down into your audio interface’s mic inputs. This configuration allows you to tap the signal pre-interface and use standalone preamps if desired.
I actually made a Reddit post a while ago that contains a link to a PSD file with P48 patch bay labels. You can customize it however you want: www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/edmproduction/comments/a5wg8a/art_p48_patch_bay_1u_label_template_free_download/
@@BlackGhostAudio I think I get it except for you still have to have cables into the actual XLR jacks on back of Apollo, no?
2nd question; I’ve got the Sampson 48 patch bay, Apollo X8, UA LA610, WA273-EQ , Yamaha monitors and a Mackie headphone amp. Pretty simple setup, nothing fancy but I’m so rusty that I’m a bit stumped. Before I purchase anything from your links what would u charge for a 1 hour consult. Just trying to get another studio guys perspective on how to set this up. I can send an excel file, etc. etc. happy to pay for help but is that something you do?
@@BlackGhostAudio Ok, I’ve got my TRS snakes for line in and out all set basically mirroring yours except I ran my monitors thru 1 and 2. Anyway, just stumped on 1 small thing. At 4:07 on your video you say I run my mics directly to interface so the mic IN’s on the bottom say Interface. That makes sense but still lost how you pull in both the interface and patchbay at that point. I’m sure this is much more simple but I’m missing one step. Sorry for all the questions.
Great video!! Simple and smart!! Thank you!!
All 5 people who disliked this video gave up on music 🤣
Patch bays are confounding for most of us.
thank you I think I get it now
Has usage of the word default in recording studios now gone the way of DEE-fence in football? If so, I've been saying it wrong. I'd like to know so I can get this right before I embarrass myself.
I believe there’s a difference between the typical American and British pronunciation. Either pronunciation is acceptable, unless you’re an undercover British agent living in the US, or vice versa.
I just bought a patch bay and you completely confused me. How do I do it simply.
TLDR; Connect the outputs of your gear to the top row of jacks on the back of the patch bay, and the inputs of gear to the bottom row of jacks on the back of the patch bay. Create custom signal routings by forming connections between jacks on the front of the patch bay using patch cables.
I dont understand how th is is useful if your mics require phantom power?
The patch bay I'm using passes phantom power through it so I can still record with condenser mics. Thanks for bringing up this concern though because not every patch bay passes phantom power, which is something to keep in mind when shopping around.
“…Jack in the back of your patch bay”😂
Great video in a sea of meh ones on the subject
Wow ...Boompity boom!! Finally a simple explanation on patch bays !!! 😏😏😏😏 TY Subscribed :)~
Haha, thanks brother 😂🙏🏻
top!
Got that?
I am a very visual learner, and this video didn't help me. I need to see the process happening in real time. I need to physically see you plug in and route the patch bay to understand, I am more confused right now than when I started doing research on this...
hoping it was more practical
In what way? I might be able to recommend something to help you out.
@@BlackGhostAudio i mean, you could've shown it more in a practical way then just talking about it.
@@ghalay882 I see what you're saying. Thanks for the feedback!
@@BlackGhostAudio it's an informative one otherwise , keep uploading such videos. all the very best.
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah that's all i'm hearing with almost every patchbay tutorial video!
Can’t take anyone serious that uses Rockits. Such terrible monitors.
Are these the “best” monitors out there? Nope! However, I’d take a pair of Rokits in a sound-treated room over a pair of Genelecs in an untreated room any day of the week. In conjunction with Reference 4, the frequency response of the Rokits isn’t much of a concern either.
The real question is whether or not Rokits are capable of providing quality results that translate well to other playback systems. For me, the answer is yes, which is why I haven’t felt the pressure to upgrade to more expensive monitors 😁 A pricier pair of monitors would likely be a bit more revealing and provide more detail, but since I check my mixes on various playback systems to ensure consistent playback, the Rokits get the job done!
For anyone reading this who wants to learn what makes a “good” studio monitor, this guide I wrote provides a great foundation: www.blackghostaudio.com/blog/studio-monitor-buyers-guide-how-to-choose-the-right-speakers
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out...
@@JUNO-69 It was a light tap, but I turned the other cheek ;)