donsonic wrote:
We have a 20 year old patch bay wired to our console and wanted to know
if it would impact maintaining optimum signal quality? The patch bay
has not been used much. Everything is working fine. The console's
inputs and inserts are wired to the patch bay using Belden 8450, 22
gauge, solid core instrument cable. Maximum signal travel, instruments
to console, is 50 feet. Was wondering what's best? Going from each
instrument directly into the board or using the patch bay? We have lots
of keyboards and drum machine modules to connect. Burnishers can only
clean the patch bay's phone plug contact surfaces, and not the insert
point contacts. Is this anything to be concerned about? Thanks everyone!

So, clean the contacts with Cramolin or DeOxit, and some Q-tips. It's
some work but it's worth it, and I think the burnishing tools do more
harm than good.

If the cable starts to get brittle, replace it. But if the cable is
still flexible and the contacts are clean, you should be fine.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."