Audio signal flow: Synth/FX/Filter chain management

[Hawkeye]

Hola,

I was wondering how you manage the audio signal flow, if you have several synths... My recent MB-6582 added 4 more stereo output channels and I have two other Synths.... I have only one effects unit (a T-Resonator), but am thinking of adding another nice (but mono, another problem) analog filter like the Ebbe und Flut or Sherman Filterbank.

Now, how do you connect that, so that it can be reconfigured without hassle, allowing for a serial effects chain (e.g. filterbank into t-res) assigned to potentially multiple synths, or single effect assigned to single synths (e.g. filterbank to sid-channel-1, t-res to sid-channel 2)...

Using a mixer with effect channels? Using an audio patchbay? I´d like to go as PC-less as possible here, doing too much daywork with computers...

Thanks for your suggestions...

Peter

[Imp]

I have an Akai Tape Deck Selector, which is meant to chain several Decks, record from one to another etc.

I plan to connect my effect-units instead of tapes, so i can change their order.

For my sources, i have a little mixer.

[robotfunk]

A patchbay is ideal for this, especially in combination with a small mixer with at least 2 sends/returns.

[Hawkeye]

Thx :)

[julienvoirin]

patch : cheap, easy, visual (get short coloured cords), no supply

[latigid on]

I made a DIY patchbay with cables soldered directly to sockets and plugged into my synths. I then soldered cables to the switching (normalling) contacts on the sockets and plugged those into my mixer.

This way I have an uninterrupted signal going into the mixer, but if I want to "insert" an effect it is easily accessible and breaks the normalled connection. The returns go into more sockets on the patchbay.

But what about a stereo instrument (Voyager, Andromeda) going into a mono effect?

To accomplish this I added an extra DPDT switch, which provides a stereo signal on one throw and a passively mixed (2x 10k resistors) on the other. You do get 4 dB attenuation, but this can be compensated for on the effect or the instrument's master volume.

[Hawkeye]

Nice, thought about a passive summer in conjunction with a self-soldered patchbay, too. Thx!

[julienvoirin]

self-soldered patchbay,

it is really cheaper to get an already made (Neutrik, Behringer) and add the Sum circuits you need inside