Signal splitting

[just_ashley]

basically what im trying to do is send signal from buss outs to recorder, i'm getting an 8 buss mixer and i have a 24 track recorder and want to make it so that the out of channel 1 of the buss goes to tracks 1, 9 and 17 of the recorder, channel 2 to 2, 10 and 18 and so on and so on.

most efficient way of doing this?

thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

[David Kulka]

You didn't say, but I assume this is analog audio.

If you're using (or wish to use) a patchbay you can "mult" each of the 8 buss outs to 3 positions on the upper row, so that you wind up with 24 "quasi" buss outs, each of which normal to a recorder input.

If no patchbay the best thing would be a custom 8-channel cable, with each channel daisy chained to 3 inputs of the recorder.

[just_ashley]

could you further explain the first patchbay idea? sorry if i sound dense i just dont quite understand what youre recommending.

[David Kulka]

OK. Actually, there are 2 ways to do this.

With method 1, the patchbay looks from the front as if there are 24 busses connected to it. You have 24 jacks on the upper row for the busses, 24 jacks on the lower row for the tape ins, and a normal from top to bottom in each of those positions.

Where the 8-channel cable from the busses comes into the back of the patchbay the first channel (pair of wires) is wired to 1 and 9 and 17, the second pair is wired 2, 10, and 18, and so on.

With method 2, you connect the 8 busses to 8 upper jacks, and the 24 recorder ins to 24 lower jacks. However, you connect buss 1 to the normals of tape in 1, 9, and 17...and so on.

The advantage of method 1 is that the layout looks nice and makes sense, and is a little easier to use.

The advantage of method 2 is that 16 less patchpoints are needed.

I hope this is clear enough, it's a bit hard to explain with just words.

[just_ashley]

ai understand now .

although presumably for either of those methods i would need specialist cables (sorry if im sounding really stupid, i just havent had to address this sort of connectivity before), i dont suppose you could point me in the direction of said cables?

thanks for all your help.

[David Kulka]

Yes, for the patchbay scenario, special cables would have to be built. A lot of people could build them for you including (ahem) Studio Electronics.

By the way, I was going to mention that if you're not going through a patchbay and your recorder happens to have DB-25 connections for the inputs, you could probably get away with using computer type adaptors and ribbon cables at the recorder for the extra 16 inputs, which would cost next to nothing.

[just_ashley]

thanks for all the advice, the recorder is an alesis hd24 so the inputs are regular 1/4 inch jack. i already have a couple of patchbays so, looks like this is the solution.

could you provide me with a quote for the 3 "special" cables, please bear in mind im in the uk and any issues that brings into the equation.