the Goat wrote:

Furthermore the patchbay has four inputs. So I can have multiple PC's connected (currently I have two) and choose which PC's signal goes to which sound module. All that without rearranging any cables.

Do you have something like the Roland MPU-105? Does it let you blend/combine audio from different sound modules at the same time? I've read that some people have been able to play games while having different Roland sound modules play the game music simultaneously, creating a richer or fuller sound. I've never heard what it sounds like; I've just read people's descriptions of doing something like this. I might have the details wrong.

I would like to use a patchbay for convenience, but I'd also like to be able to blend the sound together from different modules, without having to fiddle with cables and cords when I wanted to use just one module or change settings to use several modules at a time. I want to have one physical setup that I can just leave in place and not have to mess with, other than to adjust volume or turn power on/off. Do you know if a Roland A-880 would allow me to do something like this and blend modules' sound together and still only have to use one USB port on my computer?

SierraGamer wrote:

the Goat wrote:

Furthermore the patchbay has four inputs. So I can have multiple PC's connected (currently I have two) and choose which PC's signal goes to which sound module. All that without rearranging any cables.

Do you have something like the Roland MPU-105? Does it let you blend/combine audio from different sound modules at the same time? I've read that some people have been able to play games while having different Roland sound modules play the game music simultaneously, creating a richer or fuller sound. I've never heard what it sounds like; I've just read people's descriptions of doing something like this. I might have the details wrong.

I would like to use a patchbay for convenience, but I'd also like to be able to blend the sound together from different modules, without having to fiddle with cables and cords when I wanted to use just one module or change settings to use several modules at a time. I want to have one physical setup that I can just leave in place and not have to mess with, other than to adjust volume or turn power on/off. Do you know if a Roland A-880 would allow me to do something like this and blend modules' sound together and still only have to use one USB port on my computer?

I do not have a MPU-105. But I think it only routs the signal to one output at a time. That would allow you to switch between various sound modules. But it will not allow you to blend modules' outputs like you describe.

My patchbay is a Akai ME30P. I choose it because it had the features I wanted -- four inputs, eight outputs -- and a reasonable price via ebay. I think there are more advanced patchbays that can do stuff like, intelligently rout midi messages to different outputs based on the packet contents. But I did not need extra features like that.

I can blend/combine multiple sound module outputs like you describe. The patch bay sends the MIDI signal to all the modules. Then I use the mixer to, uh . . . mix the outputs together.

I think the Roland A-880 would work well in a similar setup in place of my Akai ME30P. But I do not have one. So I can not say for certain how it works.

the Goat wrote:

I can blend/combine multiple sound module outputs like you describe. The patch bay sends the MIDI signal to all the modules. Then I use the mixer to, uh . . . mix the outputs together.

I think the Roland A-880 would work well in a similar setup in place of my Akai ME30P. But I do not have one. So I can not say for certain how it works.

midi patchbay.jpg

Thank you! You are very helpful. I am not very knowledgeable about mixers and such, so I apologize for the probably silly questions.

I was hoping to be able to avoid purchasing a separate mixer (like the Behringer Eurorack), if I could find a patchbay device that could do the job of mixing. But it sounds like having a separate mixer would be useful, since it would mean I could have all my stereo audio cables (not just midi cables) plugged in for all modules at all times, something a patchbay mixer (like Roland A-880) wouldn't let me do.

It looks like I'll get a patchbay of some sort in addition to a separate mixer.