Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: place to buy audio switches

This is topic place to buy audio switches in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=010311

Posted by Jeff Else (Member # 4063) on 02-07-2010, 12:34 AM:

okay i'm having trouble finding this just googling for it so i thought i'd ask.. i'm looking for a place to buy a two channel, two input switch that switches signal AND ground, like this one... http://www.dact.com/CT3_data_sheet.PDF (although this one is for 5 inputs) but this one costs about $90! it doesn't need to be as fancy as this seems to be, just with signal and ground switching for two stereo inputs, and i'd like not to use some a/b rca box from radioshack. thanks

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-07-2010, 02:34 AM:

Well, don't knock "Rat Shack" too much. Go buy a project box and two DPDT switches and RCA female connectors so you can "A/B" both ground and signal with your own homemade box - if you know how to solder.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-07-2010, 06:12 AM:

First off...don't knock good switches. A 5 position 4 pole switch that is gold contacts is going to cost! With electromechanical today...I wouldn't switch ANY audio without gold contacts.

For what you are doing, a MTA406P04 might do the trick. It is a 4PDT gold flash mini-toggle switch.

Steve

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 02-07-2010, 06:54 AM:

these guys have it all.

http://australia.rs-online.com/web/

they also distribute in UK.

Posted by Jeff Else (Member # 4063) on 02-07-2010, 12:37 PM:

I do love the good stuff, but sadly it's out of my budget at the moment. the 4PDT should be perfect, thanks.

Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 02-07-2010, 04:57 PM:

Why do you want to switch the grounds? Sound like a good way to get pops and hum while switching.

Posted by Jeff Else (Member # 4063) on 02-08-2010, 12:49 PM:

i'm trying to avoid creating ground loops... i don't know much about the science of avoiding ground loops so i could be wrong...

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-08-2010, 05:16 PM:

Yea, for there are two basic kinds of ground usage - chassis and earth and you don't want to really mix the two. Thus doing ground switching is a good way to go.

..or, you could peek into ground loop isolators when it comes to audio input signalling.

-Monte

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-08-2010, 05:26 PM:

Here is a gold plated switch that only requires a breakout cable (DB25 to whatever your equipment requires). And they are not wildly expensive.

2 Port DB25 Switch at Cables-To_Go