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Author Topic: Parallel Mic lines? | yea-or-nay?  (Read 2928 times)

0dbfs

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Parallel Mic lines? | yea-or-nay?
« on: May 14, 2009, 12:35:29 PM »

I was wondering what the consensus is on wiring up parallel mic panel inputs to a single termination point for each record/input-path.

Something like this:
Two or three mic panels in the live-room each with XLR mic inputs 1-32.
Each of two or three panels has 32 (64 or 96 total) channel multi-core wired up to a single termination point (XLR or patchbay) in the control-room.

I know that I have seen this done before without apparent issue but have the opportunity to do it now and it would be rather convenient to have access to the same record-path from multiple locations in the live room.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
-jonathan
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Jonathan Burtner
Music is Everything!
Audio is Everything Else!

ssltech

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Re: Parallel Mic lines? | yea-or-nay?
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2009, 01:16:41 PM »

I 'overlap' mic lines regularly. -Usually not the ENTIRE panel, but say I'll put 1-48 mic lines in the main studio and perhaps 1-12 in a small booth, 13-24 in another booth and 25-48 in another room...

The client gets told about double-sourcing; -the possible pitfalls and possible creative opportunities of plugging two mics into the same input- and they usually dig the idea.

Assuming you're not using mondo-capacitive cable, there's essentially no drawback.

Keith
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MDM (maxdimario) wrote on Fri, 16 November 2007 21:36

I have the feeling that I have more experience in my little finger than you do in your whole body about audio electronics..

0dbfs

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Re: Parallel Mic lines? | yea-or-nay?
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2009, 03:05:06 PM »

Thanks Keef!

This installation is a cozy ~50 seat theatre + stage which has been treated and re-purposed as a live-performance / tracking room.

Space on the stage is at a premium so overlapping some mic-lines between stage-left, stage-right, and center-stage will keep the mic-cable clutter to a managed-minimum during sessions.

Cheers,
j
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Jonathan Burtner
Music is Everything!
Audio is Everything Else!

Geoff Doane

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Re: Parallel Mic lines? | yea-or-nay?
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2009, 10:31:21 PM »

The studio I work in has that sort of scheme, and it has worked very well.  There are four full panels in the main room, and two partials in the iso booths.  The only difference from what you described is that one panel is daisy-chained to the next, rather than bringing them all to a single point at the console.  That way there are no more than two wires on each XLR pin.

Don't lift any shields at the panels, but make sure that all pins 1 are isolated from the panels and any conduit or ductwork.  

As Keith said, as long as you use decent cable, and keep the length on each channel down to a couple hundred feet total, there should be no issues.

Here's an example of the inside of a wallbox from a recent install.

index.php/fa/12201/0/

There's lots of room in the solder cups of the female XLRs to double up the wires.

GTD
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0dbfs

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Re: Parallel Mic lines? | yea-or-nay?
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2009, 01:03:13 PM »

Geoff,

Thanks.

Maybe we can save a little money for other budget items by daisy chaining to one of the main stage panels as a star point and extending that panel back to the location of the mic-amps. That will reduce the total length of multi-pair mic cable required in this situation and still provide a good electrical connection to the pre-amp from each XLR-F.

I appreciate it.

Cheers,
j
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Jonathan Burtner
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Audio is Everything Else!

ssltech

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Re: Parallel Mic lines? | yea-or-nay?
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2009, 02:23:43 PM »

Since the electrical resistance is essentially insignificant, there's MORE than one benefit to making the cable length shorter: The parallel capacitance will also be lower, therefore a better way of doing it from that aspect also.

Keith
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MDM (maxdimario) wrote on Fri, 16 November 2007 21:36

I have the feeling that I have more experience in my little finger than you do in your whole body about audio electronics..
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