4mm or 1/4"

[Tony Allgood]

Hi all,

I know this has been done to death... I checked the archive; but I am
about to start my new modular set up this weekend. I am going to use the
same format as Paul's MOTM, at least as far as module size. But is it to
be bananas or 1/4" jack? I really cannot make my mind up. I won't
consider the 3.5mm option. So far I have sorted the arguments for each
like the below. All the arguments are comparing the two options
together.

4mm/ bananas

1. Cheap. About a quarter of the price for the sockets. About 3/4 of the
price for cables. GOOD
2. Easy to colour code wires, sockets and cables. GOOD
3. Stacking is possible. GOOD
4. No way to normalise... although this is not a problem if stacking is
allowed. BAD
5. No ground loops. GOOD
6. No shielding. BAD for low level signals, probably OK if kept hot
enough.
7. Not directly compatible with MOTM and stomp boxes... and lots of
other things. BAD
8. Concentration of sockets can be large. GOOD
9. Plugs smaller... less intrusive to panel use. GOOD

1/4" jacks

1. Expensive jacks, but cables are better value. VERY BAD
2. Difficult to colour code jacks and sockets. BAD but not the end of
the world
3. No stacking at all.  VERY BAD
4. Normalisation is easy. GOOD
5. Ground loops could develop in a badly designed system. N/A
6. Sheilding to RFI and crosstalk. GOOD
7. Compatible with MOTM, but levels do have to change with stomp boxes.
GOOD
8. Physically large. BAD
9. Looks very nice. I saw a Polyfusion modular in an addition of FM...
nice! GOOD

So common sense tells me to go for the banana option... but why do I
yearn for a 1/4" system.

Any thoughts to me privately, as I am sure everyone is totally bored by
this one... but maybe not.

Regards,

Tony Allgood  Penrith, Cumbria, UK

Rack mounted moog filter and the TB3030 SuperBassline projects:

http://www.techrepairs.freeserve.co.uk/