How do I make an insert loom?

The Renegade · Post by **The Renegade** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 5:07 am

Now I’m a bit of a novice at this so please bear with me.

I’ve got a 24 way insert loom from my old studio which was supplied as part of the studio installation. It was originally attached to an insert patchbay but when I dismantled the studio several years ago someone bought the insert patchbay off me, however I still have the insert loom. Now that I have finally got around to buying a new desk I am trying to use this loom for my inserts, but I can’t afford to get it done professionally this time so I’m doing it myself.

My question is this:-
The insert loom is a Y loom with 2 sets of wires going into each jack plug to form the send and return connections (ie 1+2 into the first jack, 3+4 into the second, and so on) which effectively makes it a 24 way into 12 pair loom.
How do I wire the plugs to the other end, ie what colours to what part of the plug?
I’ve attached a photo showing the twin red cables going into a jack (the fact that they are both red is confusing), but I’m unsure how to wire the opposite end, as the red, black and earth are all showing at the other end (see pic).

And does it matter if I use mono or stereo jacks? (I have an abundance of stereo jacks but very few mono jacks)

I really need help with this as its doing my head in and I don’t want to do it one way only to find I have to de-solder them all because I’ve done it all wrong.

Please help.

PS - sorry about the picture quality, its a crap camera, I've stuck loads up so you can see everything you need to between the lot of them

Click link below for picture

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8233/1011750vn2.jpg

Post by **Aaronw** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 2:01 pm

Greetings and Welcome to the site.

Typically on the insert cables, the pinout on the TRS connector that has 2 pairs going to is: (Tip=Send, Ring=Return, Sleeve=Common or Ground). The picture is hard to see, but it looks like on the jack you have 2 pairs. The Red wire on each pair is the Positive/Hot (One for send and one for return.) and I can't see in the pic, but I'm guessing the black from each pair is connected to the sleeve. Typically on the other end it would be just a TS connector (Unbalanced).

The Renegade · Post by **The Renegade** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:12 pm

Many thanks for the prompt reply.

Yeah, the wiring config on the jack in the picture is 2 pairs, with 1 red wire going to the tip and 1 to the ring. The black wires and earth wires are all soldered to the sleeve.

With regard to the loose wires at the unconnected end of the loom, do I use mono plugs or stereo? (does it matter as I have loads of stereo plugs and very few mono plugs? I'm guessing that I can use stereo plugs as long as one of each pair is wired only to the tip and the other only to the return?)

And when soldering the send and return plugs, I take it that I only wire up the red wire and the sleeve? (albeit plug number 1 wired with a red wire connected to the tip (send) and plug number 2 with a red wire connected to the ring (return)?)

Do I make sense, as I'm starting to confuse myself?

I could do with a complete idiots guide, if thats at all possible!

Post by **Aaronw** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:03 am

On the other end, it would be easiest to use just mono plugs, but if you have an abundance of stereo plugs, wire them as: Red Wire= Tip, and the Black/Shield to Sleeve. If needed, you may run a jumper between Ring and Sleeve to make it all one connection.

It is an unbalanced wiring configuration.

The Renegade · Post by **The Renegade** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:07 pm

Thanks for your help.