Patch Panel ... So confused. Need help.

I purchased a patch panel bay because I am fed up of removing stuff from the mixer to add other instruments.

After spending all day soldering the cables, I finally rigged it up, and I get no sound. So, I will explain how I have set it up and see if anyone can help.

I am using an UltraPatch Pro PX3000. It has 23 input pairs at the front and the rear. I am using the rear to connect inputs to the top and using half-normalized setting.

On 1-2 at the top I have my turntable going into it. I figured being able to route the turntable to the MPC 60, MPC 2500 or my computer will be helpful.

On 3-4 at the top I have my MPC 60. The outputs from the 60 into the inputs on the patch panel.

On 5-6 at the top I have nothing. At the bottom I have leads running to channel 1 on my mixer.

On the front, I have patch leads running from the top 3-4 to the bottom 5-6. So the sound be going into the mixrer .... if I'm correct?

I am using mono 1/4 jack leads that were tested after I soldered them. So they all work.

Am I doing it right or wrong? I have other inputs on there too but I've left them out as they are not connected to anything at the moment and wont affect the input or output.

Really confused and a little fed up at the moment.

I'm not sure how much help I can provide long distance, but my suggestion would be to try it one thing at a time. Forgive me, I've never like set up a patchbay like this, but I understand the concept and can provide some basic electronics advice.

Make one solder, and test it. Basically make one hard connection and then ensure that it works with all the other plugging and unplugging it's supposed to work with.

Point being, you might have done the first one incorrectly and then done all the others the same way. If you can make the minimal amount of soldered connections, and make it work, then you know how to do it and can replicate.

And it would help if you used some kind of continuity tester to make sure your connections are right.

Thanks for the replies.

I got it to work. I must have got lost in the maze of wires somewhere because I took out all the connections, stuck a color marker on each pair and plugged them back in. All works fine now.

Thanks anyway.

science to the rescue

good job

Marking your cables saves so many headaches

Glad you got it sorted. I have the PX3000 also. Solid piece.

One small suggestion to simplify things is to run all the channels in 'full normal' mode instead of half normal. That way, if you for example connect outputs 3-4 (top row) to inputs 5-6 (bottom row), the signal gets disconnected from inputs 3-4 (bottom row). Half normal mode allows you to connect a source signal to two different destinations simultaneously, which is much more flexible but much more confusing. Full normal mode allows you to connect a source to only one destination.

Another suggestion is to make all your usual connections using the back panel of the patchbay. In other words if you normally have your tt connected to your MPC's inputs, and your MPC's main outs connected to your mixer inputs 1-2, then make those connections on the back of your patchbay. That way everything is already connected like it usually is, and you don't have to use patch cables to make your usual connections.

JamesJeffery wrote:I am using an UltraPatch Pro PX3000. It has 23 input pairs at the front and the rear.

I have a px2000 and it's not much different from the 3000, except it's 4 mode instead of three. But I see you mentioned 23 pairs and I took it you meant 24.

Just checking to make sure you wasn't shorted one pair or something.