Digital or Analog Patchbays – what are my options in 2021?

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

Yo!

What are my options? Since most of the mixers out there don’t offer a huge amount of send / returns they don’t suffice my “needs” for my DAWless journey. I did a bit of research and this is what I found for 3000€:

Some people say it’s actually not hard to build:

Sadly this thread from 2008 died in 2013 … seems like it’s not so easy as the first answer in that thread suggests :smiley:

I really liked the DOCMatrix that was shown there – love that LED matrix!!

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Do you know anything like this? 24x24 or 32x32 matrix routing?

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Matrix Mixer from Erica Synths
2 stereo effects with a small live mixer / 2 stereo aux outs?
Your Setups (Part 1)
#2

Why not a regular analog patchbay ?

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#3

Because digital routing inputs to one or many or all outputs is not possible with an pure analog patchbay and this thread is called Digital Patchbays :smiley: But feel free to create one for Analog Patchbays – could be as interesting as this one (not kidding!). And I ask the same question :smiley: Good question!

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#4

I find a lot of interest in digital management, especially in terms of longevity and ease,
but I would never have thought of such a big difference in price. This is insane.
Under these conditions, a analog solution seems to me to be essential.
I make sound in my corner for my pleasure, I do not produce mariah Carey!

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#5

Don’t see why you couldn’t do what you want with an analog patchbay combined with an audio interface + good mixing/routing software (ex., analog bay + RME +Totalmix)

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#6

I think with half-normal mode you can duplicate the signal and with a bunch of cables you can route 1 inputs to many or all output.
Ok it’s a bit tricky but worth 3000€

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#7

Okay, you got me. Changed thread title and added analog as well.

Can you MIDI control analog patchbays? What I’d love to have: a digital matrix – I know MOTU has a nice one

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#8

I don’t know if “smart” analog patch bays are even a thing that exists. All I know is, using an audio interface, once the signal is in, the mix software can be used to mix and match whatever combo of inputs to whatever outputs. Outputs then go back to the patch bay, and there you have it. Not sure what software supports a matrix interface, but don’t you want to be able to set individual levels? A matrix without levels could lead to a channel overload very quickly.

#9

From the 3000€ Flockaudio digital (??!) patchbay: https://www.flockaudio.com/support

Is PATCH really 100% analog?

Yes - Because PATCH doesn’t ever convert your audio signal path from Analog to Digital, the system is truly 100% analog. The PATCH System does not have any form of A/D or D/A conversion built with-in it.

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#10

I’ve actually have a relevant question about RME Totalmix FX:

#11

I’d need to check this, not sure. It’s possible the pops are masked by some kind of automated volume fade. I’ll try it tonight.

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#12

Cool. Whatever tech it takes to actually do that in the analog domain is probably why that thing costs so much.

#13

Ok duly noted; thank you so much. :slight_smile:

#14

I was referring to digitally controlled analog patchbays in the other thread…

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StuPatch9625--switchcraft-studiopatch-9625-96-point-tt-db25-patchbay

You your showing is just a physical interface instead of software.

And honestly in this day and and, you’d be better off with 3-5 interfaces like a MOTU 16a and using what you are showing above and using AVB which will give you 1000s of audio channels to route over Ethernet.

I have MOTU stuff, unfortunately it’s not midi controlled

Edit: and to. E honest…the hardware of MOTU took a step forward, but I’m about to sell my MOTU stuff as I most run an iOS central rig, and that routing matrix is web based, which means on an iPad I can only access it via WiFi…which sucks when you’re trying to use it in a live mixing setting

#15

if you need more than the ~24 inputs something like a RME/Motu would provide you can look into starting a Dante network. You can add multiple soundcards that can be routed in any way between different computers if needed. Not sure what’s the max channel count but it’s a lot.

And you can control the routing on your computer using Dante controller

#16

Ok, I just tried this. RME Fireface UFX, latest drivers, Mac OS Mojave. No drop outs, popping, or clicking for me when switching between snapshots. Audio is continuous. Pretty cool find, seems like snapshot switching could be used in performance, no problem :grin:

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#17

Could you record a snippet? :sweat_smile:

Reason I ask is I’ve been using a few recently acquired CVilization modules + an Ebtech LLS-8 for this popless functionality —Though they emit slight fades which is a tad irksome, but yeah

You’re the first person who’s been able to get back to me about it. (Not even RME has)

I’m not entirely sure if I can still return the CVilizations, but it would just be nice to have absolute certainty that it’d meet my needs before going down that route (heh).

Many many thanks for checking it out in the first place tho. :heart:

#18

How to select on an analog patchbay which sound goes to which Machine ?
Can I organise a patchbay to have different rooting with my elektrons machines and some FX pedals ?
If I sometimes want to have different signal chain

#19

This is where normal, half normal and thru come in.

#20

sounds pretty basic / limiting to use an analog patchbay tbh. I want flexibility and not patching cables all the time. RME and Motu seem to be an okay‘ish alternative. Still waiting for other digital options! Preferably standalone (I think the older 828 MOTU have a menu/interface to do routings without a PC?)