19" tube amps, patch panels and shielding.

Tube or solid-state, this section goes to eleven!
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Cub
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Post by Cub »

I've decided to split up my big heavy rack and divide the units into smaller cases with a more manageable weight. The downside is that I have to connect more than just the speakers, MIDI cable and a power cord whenever I play somewhere and that's where I could use some advice from you.

Panels like these would make for a very elegant solution and it shouldn't take too long to connect everything.
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But it's the view from the back that makes me scratch my head. Bits of exposed, unshielded wire only centimeters away from glowing tubes. Isn't that going to introduce noise?
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Am I worrying over nothing here, or would it be better if forget about the Neutrik D-size panel connectors I went with these shielded jacks from Switchcraft instead?
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Pruttelherrie
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Post by Pruttelherrie »

I think you worry too much :wink:

I assume 'glowing tubes' refers to audio tubes of your amps? In that case there's only worrying about 6.3V AC filament supply wires, which are most of the time twisted and *inside* the cases anyway!

Just my €0.02

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phatt
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Post by phatt »

Cub wrote: Isn't that going to introduce noise?
NO,, not if the circuit(s) is made well.
IF you have a crap Ground plane wiring and earth loop issues then it may present some extra headaches.
Phil.

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Cub
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Post by Cub »

Thanks lads! :thumbsup

The preamp and power amp together have a dozen of tubes sticking out the back already, but it's not just that had me worried. There's wires with power, MIDI, a power supply for a couple of stompboxes, antennas for the wireless receiver and transmitter for the in-ear-monitor.

With all of that going on, I figured I really needed to shield off everything. But if you say it's all right, I trust I can go ahead and make some neat looking panels with those posh Neutrik connectors.
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Pruttelherrie
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Post by Pruttelherrie »

You could always bend a bit of sheetmetal around the back of that panel should it turn out to pose problems in your case, but I don't expect that to be necessary.

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