Patch cable

A patch cable, patch cord, or patch lead is an electrical or fiber-optic cable used to connect one electronic or optical device to another. These cables help send signals from one device to another, like linking a switch to a computer or a router.

Patch cords come in many colors, making them easy to tell apart. There are different types of patch cords for various uses, such as microphone cables, headphone extension cables, and Ethernet cables. Some are thicker and used for carrying strong signals like video.

The word "patch" started in old telephone and radio studios. It was used when they needed to quickly swap out broken equipment or make special connections between devices. These patch cords and panels made it simple to rearrange connections as needed. Today, musicians who play analog synthesizers use patch cables to link different parts of their instruments together.

Construction

A patch cord is made differently from regular cables. It uses thin, bendable wires, so it can be flexible but might lose signals if it gets too long. Patch cords should be kept short. They can be very short, like just a few inches, or up to about 50 meters.

Patch cords can be made from different materials, such as cables for radio or computer networks. Each end of the cord has a connector, so it can plug into devices like computers or switches. Some patch cords use banana connectors, others use BNC connectors, and some use modular connectors like RJ-45. There are also special patch cords made with optical fiber for use with certain scientific tools.

Music and sound recording

Many cables are used in music and recording studios to connect instruments and microphones to sound systems. Microphones are often connected to mixing boards with special cables called XLR cables. Electric guitars, bass guitars, and other electronic instruments usually use 1/4 inch mono patch cords to connect to amplifiers. Musicians use longer cables from their instruments to amplifiers and shorter patch cords to connect effects devices like pedals.

DJs connect their turntables to mixers using RCA cables. Sometimes they need to connect equipment with different types of cables, so they use adapters or special cables to make the connections work. Special thick cables called snake cables, which contain many smaller cables inside, help connect many microphones and instruments at once, making setup easier for sound engineers. Patch cables can also be used with video synthesizers.

Main article: PA systems
Main articles: Electric guitar, Bass guitar, Electric piano, Drum machine
Further information: Stomp box, RCA connectors, Instrument amplifiers, ¼" TRS phone connector, Snake cable, Patch panels, Video synthesizers