John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Here is the scoop. Im getting ready to build a 30 x 64 garage in my back yard and around half of it is going to be set up as a recording/jam room. The jam area will be 30 x 29 and connected to it will be a 10 x 15 control room. Ive done some searching and found that I will need to install wall plates and run snake wire from jam room to the control room. My mixer is going to be a Mackie 1640onyx with the firewire card running into a pc. Here are my questions.

1. On the wall plate. I figure 24 xlr would suffice and use mogami 24 wire. But say I want trs connections also. Can I wire one xlr and one trs together and utilize just one 3 wire channel on the mogami wire? That way I have the option of what connector on that channel I want to use.

2. I may hold off on wiring through the walls and opt for just running a snake for connections. I currently dont have a snake and will need one. And due to costs, the snake may be a priority right now. Question is who make a good snake. With so many companies to choose from who would you pick? I can run the direct mogami wire later due to the fact I will have overhead access above the ceiling to run from control room to jam room. So the snake may be my best bet at this point.

3. If you know of descent cable (24 chan.) other than mogami that is less expensive and is suitable for recording let me know. I may be able to afford both the snake and direct wire.

Thanks for the input

Greetings and welcome to the site.

1. On the wall plate. I figure 24 xlr would suffice and use mogami 24 wire. But say I want trs connections also. Can I wire one xlr and one trs together and utilize just one 3 wire channel on the mogami wire? That way I have the option of what connector on that channel I want to use.

Yes, you can do this. The easiest would be to use the Neutrik XLR-1/4 TRS combo connectors. Run jumpers between Pin 1 & Shield, Pin2 and Tip, Pin3 & Ring.

2. I may hold off on wiring through the walls and opt for just running a snake for connections. I currently dont have a snake and will need one. And due to costs, the snake may be a priority right now. Question is who make a good snake. With so many companies to choose from who would you pick? I can run the direct mogami wire later due to the fact I will have overhead access above the ceiling to run from control room to jam room. So the snake may be my best bet at this point.

I usually wire all my own cables and snakes. So the question of best would be a question of budget for a premade snake.

3. If you know of descent cable (24 chan.) other than mogami that is less expensive and is suitable for recording let me know. I may be able to afford both the snake and direct wire.

There are less expensive alternatives. Click here for some more info: http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2086

Thanks for the info