Patch Bays

The Audio Accessories 96 Point Patchbay is a standard patch bay using TT style connections. We've got a few different 96 point patchbays at the studio where I work, and I'm not 100% sure that this is the exact model, but the one we have is indeed a 96 point patch bay that is just like this one. We have Switchcraft patch bays in our A room, but the B and C rooms both have patchbays made by Audio Accessories. I used to like using 1/4" size patch bays rather than TT, but those days are over as I'm not very used to and enjoy using TT based patch bays. This one in particular is built extremely well with D sub connections in the back for hooking it up to the proper audio snake. None of the jacks have become loose at all as they all make for clean connections all the way around. The top has 48 points, while the bottom has the same, and they split each of them up into two 24 point sections. This is very helpful for us as we are using this for outboard gear. It makes it really easy to split up the ins and outs properly and have everything in order the way we need it. I don't really know much background information about the Audio Accessories 96 Point Patchbay (TTAL96BB), but I do know that the one we used in the studio gets the job done very well. I wasn't at all involved with building any of the studios on site, but the minds that did are certainly very smart and wouldn't have used anything less than a great patch bay. Definitely check out Audio Accessories in general if you're looking for a patch bay for your professional studio, as they have all sorts of options to meet the needs of any studio...

The Switchcraft TTP96AS is a simple patch bay that is designed for routing purposes within a recording studio. A studio where I recently did a week long session at has a few of these in their patch bay configuration, along with a few of them from other brands as well. As stated in the name, this patch bay has 96 TT type connection points, with 48 on the bottom and 48 on the top. I like patch bays that have TT connections the best, as it's really easy to snap them in and out and they don't take up much space at all. From what I can tell, the TTP96AS is built extremely well and is a patch bay that should last a lifetime if treated properly. I didn't encounter any problems at all with the ones that we were using, and didn't hear of there ever having been a problem with them either. It's extremely important in all studios that you have a patch bay that will work at all time and make the connections you need securely and without any noise or anything else funky going on. Even though it might seem annoying to spend the extra money on better patch bay, if you are putting together a professional studio, this is definitely necessary. Switchcraft is a company that mostly makes pieces of gear of this type of nature, so they can definitely be trusted when it comes to their connections. There are definitley going to be patch bays out there that you can find for cheaper than this one, and those might be okay for smaller studios, but if you are putting together a larger or professional studio, I'd highly encourage you to get something like the Switchcraft TTP96AS, as it's an investment for the future and for making sure everything in your studio gets connected exactly as it should.

I've had my Tascam PB32-P for about a year now and it works great as a patch bay. Its as simple as they come in terms of a patch bay, 32 inputs and 32 outputs. For me, it is more than enough points for my small home setup. I love having it because I can simply patch my outboard gear rather than rewiring my whole set up. I didn't try any other models, but I'm really under the impression that all working patch bays can do the job. I looked into a Behringer patch bay but this was more easily accessible so I went with this one, although I'm sure the Behringer would have been great as well. The price is really cheap and I wouldn't bother spending more money on a nicer looking patch bay because this does the job. There aren't many features or anything, its just a standard 1/4'' patch bay. While it would be nice to have a few more inputs and outputs, since they are so cheap it really wouldn't be a problem to pick up a second one if and when I need it. I will continue to hold on to mine for as long as I need a patch bay.

The Rane SM82 S is an eight channel stereo mixer that will fit in a single space of a rack casing. There is a lot that you can do with the SM82 S, as it has a lot of versatility in terms of connection and routing options. Something like this is really designed for those who don't have a mixer and want something to run everything through for easy routing and convenience. It doesn't have any microphone preamps or anything like that. As far as connections go, each of the eight channels has stereo 1/4" inputs, in addition to a set of stereo 1/4" balanced outputs, and stereo 1/4" unbalanced loop returns and sends. It also has a TRS main expand unbalanced output and input in addition to a loop expansion input. In terms of the front panel, each channel has a pretty simple configuration, containing sliders for your send levels, pan, and a knob for your overall level. So really once you've got everything connected to the Rane SM82 S, there isn't too much that you need to worry about in terms of setting controls. You really don't need too many parameters with something like this, so it's definitely a good thing that it isn't too convoluted. Where the SM82 S makes it's money is in it's versatility in terms of connections and routing. It will make it a whole lot easier for those without a console or another mixer, as it conveniently puts everything in one place. The price of the Rane SM82 S will absolutely attract a lot of people to this, as you're getting a high quality eight channel mixer at a price you won't often see something like this at. Something like this isn't necessary for most home studio owners, but if you're looking for a compact eight channel mixer that will give you flexibility, don't overlook the SM82 S.

The Neutrik NYS-SPP is a 48 point patch bay that sits in a single space rack mountable unit. It has 48 1/4" TRS points on the front panel and 48 1/4" TRS connections in the back, and that is all there is to the patch bay. It doesn't require any power or anything since it is a patch bay, and there aren't any other features or characteristics here. Once you've made your connections in the back, the front allows you to make your connections easily and quickly. While many of the different patch bays that I've used are very similar, you definitely tell that the Neutrik is in a class of it's own in terms of quality. Since most of the time I'm patching with Neutrik cables anyway, having a Neutrik patch bay makes a lot of sense. There isn't too much more that you need to know about the NYS-SPP, as it is pretty self explanatory. While you're going to pay a few more bucks for the Neutrik NYS-SPP 48 point patch bay than you will most, if you're putting together a studio where you will be making a lot of patches with your patch bay, having a 100% reliable patch bay is a must. With the Neutrik NYS-SPP you can rest assured that none of the points will break or crap out, as it is made extremely well from a very reliable source. If you have a smaller home studio where you might not be doing too much patching, it probably isn't necessary to spend the extra money on a Neutrik NYS-SPP patch bay over let's say one made by Tascam, but if you're a professional looking for the best you can get, definitely go with this one, as it is definitely a purchase you will not regret when it still works perfectly years after you got it...

I've had 2 of these patch bays for a few years now, and at this point I have mixed feelings about them. First of all, they are pretty much the cheapest you are going to find for patch bays. They are selling new for $50 - you definitely can't beat that for a patch bay of this size. They are by Behringer, which unfortunately has a reputation for noisy, low quality equipment. However, in my experience, their products are usually just ruined by lousy power amps. The power amps they use in other products cause a lot of noise and distortion in your program material. Of course, this doesn't have any power amps, so you might be surprised to find that this Behringer piece is actually pretty quiet. So on the technical side, that's a plus, and it performs just like you'd hope it would. Then there is the issue of craftsmanship. After switching it between racks a couple of times, the faceplate on the patch bay came loose and eventually fell off. I ended up having to super glue it in place! In addition to that, at this point after a few solid years of use I am now experiencing connectivity issues with a select few of the jacks. This raises another question of low quality craftsmanship. Thankfully I don't have that many devices running through this, so I'm able to spare a few bogus jacks, but this would be a lot more annoying if I were using this patch bay to capacity. In summary, this piece is only $50, so even if the face plate falls off and after a while you get a dead jack, it is honestly still worth the money because the jacks that do work are working very well and are quiet. I'm also assuming that I've just been unlucky with mine falling apart a bit. That said, it's a good value. Considering others cost easily 2-3 times as much as this one, I'd get it again.