Patch Cords?

[Magnus Danielson]

> I am building a DIY modular, and I am frugal, so I was thinking,What's the
> cheapest way to obtain mondo patch cords of all different lengths?  I don't
> plan on any patch normalization.
> 
> Type       Characteristics
> 
> 1/4"         Shielded. Great Quality, $4.00 per cable,  $0.70 per jack.  
> 1/8"         Shielded. Wear out, break easily, $3.00 per cable, $0.50 per
> jack.
> PIN          Unshielded,(I want shielded) $1.70 per cable, $0.60 per jack
> BANANA   Unshielded, ("), $1.70 per cable, $0.60 per jack
> RCA         Shielded, Unknown lifetime?, $0.75 per cable, $0.25 perjack
> 
> Costs above are estimated  in quantities of 50 pcs. each item, because you
> might build your synth over a long time span.
> 
>  Based on the above estimates, for each modular patch system for 200
> connectors and 100 cables the cost is:
> 1/4"          $540
> 1/8"           $400
> PIN           $290
> BANANA    $290
> RCA          $100

From this price example I see the RCA attracts you :)

> I got the low price on RCA because the cables are made by the billions and so
> are really cheap, and the jacks are available from closeout houses in all
> sorts of 8X8 and 9X9 type matricies,  with all the Jacks mounted on one PC
> board.  
> 
> Here are my ideas for Using this RCA system:
> 
> I think the PCBA mounted jack plate would be no harder to install than the
> same number of jacks....the PCBA feels pretty sturdy....If the matices are
> too tight for your fingers, you could remove every other Jack in high traffic
> areas.  
> You get stereo cable pairs from closeout houses in 3,4, and 6 foot lengths.
>  You gently "rip" the stereo pair apart (ask if this is possible before you
> buy!) to get two cables cheap. You could put colored electrical tape ($20 for
> 5 rolls?) on the area of the RCA Connector you grab, to ease grasping, and
> allow identification. 
>  I played with some of these items, and, by expanding the connector's outer
> ring and/or contracting the jack's inner ring, you could actally tailor the
> feel of the system to your comfort level.  Also, you could "tighten" the
> connections as they age. I think that quite a large surface area is present,
> so I have trouble imagining problems right away, but what about long term?
>  (Note: I'm just a hobbyist, the synth "repatching" will only be used at
> about 1/10 professional use level.)
> 
> Stop Laughing!!  I know what you're all thinking, but it is a big savings
> which you can spend on the active elecronics!
> 
> So what do you think?  Any RCA experiences? Anything wrong with my estimates?
> I know many of you would be throwing rotten cabbage at me if you could!

Well, I have seen really shitty RCA contacts that are virtually impossible to
use, things like bad plastic, bad soldering properties, bad physical 
stabillity.
These bad RCAs are also very cheap (supprised ?).

I for a long time hated RCAs... but a few years back I saw (and got) some 
really
good RCA contacts which had metallic houseing, good meachinc etc. But they
(of course) was more expensive...

This by the way also apply to all the other contacts that you mentions.

I think that you should consider things like physical stabillity, soldering
properties etc. In my experience picking to low quality connectors will 
eventually get annoying since they fall appart, soldering may start glitching
etc... I certainly advice you to get something at least from the middle of the
scale. When building things like synths, FX boxes etc. haveing physically 
stable
contacts, caseing etc certainly bring the effective value of the device up.
A cable or box which disintegrate and/or start act unpredictable as you use it
does eventually make you get a bad feeling about the cabel or device.

Cheap isn't allways best (nor is necessarly Expensive either... :) so a real
study of such things could actually save you money in the long run.

For cables I could also mention that the way they support the incomming cabel
is of great importance for how the cabel will survive (there may be no exess
physical stress applied to solderings if you want them to surivive).

If you get good contacts together with good cables you will get a long term
stability that you can live with. Also, recall that if you are going to make a
modular synth, then you will make manny connect/unconnect cycles during the
lifetime of the synth (and the cables going with it) so you want something 
which
will last.

Personnally I try to use XLR mainly in my private little studio, I of course
have 1/4", 1/8" and RCAs in there too...

The XLR contacts I have (Neutrik) are showing good over all properties. Neutrik
also makes a good 1/4" contact that you migth use.... Neutrik isn't the most
expensive you can get (with help of those HIFI people .. :).

I think the good RCA was from Lemo (can't find them rigth now), or at least 
they
where looking similar.

This is certainly one of those things that should be put in a DIY web page.

Magnus