Looking for a way to alternate one mic between 3 preamps

[jesse g]

Hey forum mates,

I previously had two mic pres and was given another by a friend  who totally gave up  on home recording.  All three are sitting in a rack wired to a patch bay, but I need an easy way of switching one mic between all three mic pres easily and compressors when a vocalist comes to my studio to sing, so I  give them the best Vox signal possible.

I can patch the different mic pres to the two different compressors I have  via the patch bay with no problem.  My problem is getting the mic I choose  plugged into the chain quickly, and NO,  I don't have an XLR patch bay.  

I saw the Radial Cherry Picker which would be exactly the item to use,  but the price is,( cough, cough), ridiculous.  Are there any other cheaper alternatives that you know of?  

  Radial Cherry Picker $439.99

[Sheens]

When I still had analog outboard gear I used this box (worked just fine, solid constructions/switch)

But it's balanced/2 channels,  not sure if that works for your mics..

https://www.amazon.nl/Nobsound-Balanced-Converter-Passieve-Selector/dp/B07QVKPR2V/ref=asc_df_B07QVKPR2V/?tag=nlshogostdde-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=572439214943&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10718456041718613581&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9102937&hvtargid=pla-1409768888559&th=1

Found something simular on Aliexpress:

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/4000835342106.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000060.1.3f3f2041sGOnsO&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.274681.0&scm_id=1007.13339.274681.0&scm-url=1007.13339.274681.0&pvid=9da0bbe4-979f-4fb7-8fdf-9b53cd973c8b&_t=gps-id%3ApcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller%2Cscm-url%3A1007.13339.274681.0%2Cpvid%3A9da0bbe4-979f-4fb7-8fdf-9b53cd973c8b%2Ctpp_buckets%3A668%232846%238109%231935&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id"%3A"12000027918358178"%2C"sceneId"%3A"3339"}&pdp_npi=2%40dis!EUR!!76.51!!!!!%40211b5e2416576718478263932efd7a!12000027918358178!rec&gatewayAdapt=glo2nld

Or even cheaper and smaller

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/4001029735892.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2nld

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sheens

[RBH]

Hosa makes a low cost 12 channel XLR patchbay.  I think you get a used  or maybe even new one for around  $50.00 . I think I bought one used for around 30.00 a few years ago. The tricky part might be remembering to switch off phantom power before switching things around ( if you're using Phantom ). I used it in a rack just so avoid the headache of tunneling behind my mixer.

Edited July 13, 2022 by RBH

[jesse g]

2 hours ago, RBH said:

Hosa makes a low cost 12 channel XLR patchbay.  I think you get a used  or maybe even new one for around  $50.00 . I think I bought one used for around 30.00 a few years ago. The tricky part might be remembering to switch off phantom power before switching things around ( if you're using Phantom ). I used it in a rack just so avoid the headache of tunneling behind my mixer.

RBH,

I found three possible solutions:

1. Radial HotShot DM-1 Dynamic Microphone Output Selector / Mute Switch

2. Hosa Technology MXL-369 Patch Module - 3 Point Straight Through Patchbay with Balanced XLR Connectors
 
3. Radial HotShot 48V Condenser Microphone Switcher
A/B Microphone Signal Router for Condenser and Dynamic Microphones, with Relay-based Silent Switching

[jesse g]

2 hours ago, RBH said:

Hosa makes a low cost 12 channel XLR patchbay.  I think you get a used  or maybe even new one for around  $50.00 . I think I bought one used for around 30.00 a few years ago. The tricky part might be remembering to switch off phantom power before switching things around ( if you're using Phantom ). I used it in a rack just so avoid the headache of tunneling behind my mixer.

There is a Hosa 3 channel one I found in the post above this one.

Thanks