MISC: TASCAM PB-32R Patch Bay (32 Channel)

[JonUrban]

I was looking for something like this and found this thing locally in a music store's used equipment section. Apparently it was part of someone's studio that got disassembled. It will work perfectly for me as I rebuild my upstairs "quad room". I am going to get a small 2U cabinet to put this in with my MOTU, and with my HK 8+, Quad Reel, Oppo and Cassette Deck (!)'s audio outputs routed to this patch bay, I will easily be able to connect whatever source I choose and patch it into MOTU channels 1-6.

This device is pretty basic. One in, One out. It's not as impressive as a Russound QT-1, but it will do the job. The TASCAM Patch Bays came in different configurations with regard to connectors. The 'R' model, like this one shown below, uses RCA connections - just what I needed.

Once I get the rack and all, I will post another picture, just to show how the PB can be used in real life. The AKAI Q4 is going to sit on top of the rack once I get it.
As they say, "Neat, sweet, and petite!"

FRONT

REAR

TOP (with MOTU)

SIDE WITH MOTU

 

[quadtrade]

Been using patch bays for decades. Russound is so clunky. This is much better way.

 

[M-D-Z]

This article is a good primer course in patch bay implementation.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/patchbays-modern-studio
I find rack mounted patchbays very useful, and there are several other signal path functionalities available for doing other clever and unexpected connectivity tasks. I’m not sure about normalled or half-normalled configurations in RCA only units, but for straight plug TRS variants, (1/4”, TT, Bantam, etc) there are many well built options.

 

[JonUrban]

This article is a good primer course in patch bay implementation.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/patchbays-modern-studio
I find rack mounted patchbays very useful, and there are several other signal path functionalities available for doing other clever and unexpected connectivity tasks. I’m not sure about normalled or half-normalled configurations in RCA only units, but for straight plug TRS variants, (1/4”, TT, Bantam, etc) there are many well built options.

Wow! What a great article. Thanks so much for that. There's a ton of good info there that will take me a few hours to digest. Never thought it was so complicated (if you want it to be)

 

[dabl]

Yep, I have a couple of those Teac RCA patchbays from back in 1980

I didn't know about 'normals' back then but these units don't have that capability sadly which is super useful.

 

[JediJoker]

Never seen an RCA patchbay before. Much more common to be TT (tiny telephone), which can be 3-conductor balanced (as opposed to 2-conductor unbalanced).