ART P16 Patchbay

XLR patchbays aren't exactly particularly complicated items, but this one is fine for my home studio needs. Seems sturdy and enough inputs for my preamps & mics, which is the reason I got it. Was in the rack quickly as the unit body is a little bit less that 19" so no squeezing was necessary. Enough room below the XLRs to put labels which is good (I do this so that I know which XLR connects to which preamp otherwise I forget!).

I don't use it for anything else than patching mics to preamps, as other non-phantom powered patching is done with a 1/4" TRS jack patch bay (don't use 1/4" TRS jack patchbays for patching mics as the phantom power will make contact with the TRS bits as the jack is inserted).

Anyway, not exactly a heavy duty user, but pretty sure it will get the job done...all for a reasonable price! ;-)

Not many XLR patchbays to be found around... and this one is really well made, with the added bonus of allowing it to be flipped over, front/backwards, as to cater for M or F front panel connections.

Only minuses are that the latching of the XLR connectors themselves could be a bit better, and that when flipped, the "Designed in USA / Made in China" decal becomes your front panel, while the company logo & model name become hidden in the back of your rack - they should have put them on both front & back, and moved that "Designed/Made" thing somewhere on the sides, or on the bottom of the unit.

Anyway, using a couple of these it in the studio and in several outboard racks, does the job perfectly, and for a friendly price!