Patchbay Splitting => Quality loss?

[vls]

Hi!

Will splitting signals using a patchbay decrease the signal's quality due to the impedance change?

Volker

[aussie_techie]

on a mic signal the loading will change the sound of the mic, on a line level signal it should be fine. chanck the rated loadings of your gear if you are un sure.

[dbbubba]

Generally and almost always... no.

As long as the device feeding the next two devices in the chain sees a net impedence that is high (most devices these days have high impedence inputs of around 10K) everything is fine.

This is why patchbays have MULTS which are nothing but "Y" cables or a parallel.
Did spell that correctly?

However, you can't go the other way (two devices feeding one device.)
This is why mixers have summing busses.

Danny Brown

[dbbubba]

Aussietech is correct about the mic situation... best not to do that.

I used to do remote broadcasts of major label rock acts where I'd mix the show live to a network feed.
For several shows where the budget was rediculously small I used a rig I assembled from my studio's gear and a rented Soundcraft 800 console.
I DIDN'T OWN A TRANSFORMER SPLIT SNAKE... I did have a 16 channel NON-TRANSFORMER split snake.
It was interfaced with some substantial live rigs, but no-one ever complained!

It was live rock bands... in a club... it rocked.

Sometimes you have to make what you have work!

Come to think of it... one band was Soundgarden.

Danny Brown

[vls]

(Line signal): So just a 1-to-2 split would be *unhearable*? Or should i buy a splitter (but i think the splitter would bring more quality loss) ?

Volker

[aussie_techie]

on a line level signal there is no need for a splitter unless you need to isolate one piece of gear and introducing anything extra into the signal path is going to degrade the signal in some way

[vls]

i want to split the master output of the mixing console to RECORDER and MONITOR.

Volker

[aussie_techie]

use a Y-Split or a half normeled patch bay

[fross]

I do what you're describing all the time with my patchbay. It works fine with no signal loss.

[vls]

perfect

[laser]

Originally Posted by fross

I do what you're describing all the time with my patchbay. It works fine with no signal loss.

I'm sure you meant that there is no degradation in the "quality" of the signal.

Anytime you split a signal, through a passive splitter, half-normalized patch bay or any other passive device, you are going to have a 6dB drop in signal. I'm sure whatever you are sending the signal to has make-up gain to compensate.

Please excuse my anal retentiveness, but didn't want to mislead the guy asking the question.

Laser

[aussie_techie]

Originally Posted by laser

I'm sure you meant that there is no degradation in the "quality" of the signal.

Anytime you split a signal, through a passive splitter, half-normalized patch bay or any other passive device, you are going to have a 6dB drop in signal. I'm sure whatever you are sending the signal to has make-up gain to compensate.

Please excuse my anal retentiveness, but didn't want to mislead the guy asking the question.

Laser

3db actually

always keep both sides balanced

[vls]

hi!

i thought the input impedances of the devices were so high that there wouldnt be a level drop ???

Volker

[PheelTheMusic]

Although I do it all the time, and everything sounds fine, whenever I mult a signal via the patchbay I feel as if I'm committing an impedance sin of some kind.

There's really NO issue whatsoever (besides level drop) in multing a line level signal (via a half normal) in the patchbay?