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Product Description
The Flock Audio Patch is the world’s most advanced digitally controlled, 100% analog patch bay routing system. It replaces cables, labels, and patch charts with drag-and-drop routing from your computer, while your audio stays entirely in the analog domain. There’s no A/D or D/A conversion anywhere in the signal path. The Patch System handles 32 paths of analog routing in a 19" rack-mount unit. Store and recall complete routing setups in seconds, mult signals with a click and no impedance load or loss of signal quality, and audition new outboard gear without unplugging anything already in your rack. It communicates with your computer over USB 2.0 or later and uses very little CPU, so your processing power stays focused on your interface and DAW. Multiple Patch Systems can be linked for expanded I/O, with as many or as few connections between units as your setup requires. Whether you’re tracking, mixing, or experimenting with new signal chains, the Patch System makes your analog gear as flexible and recallable as your plug-ins.
CONNECTIVITY AND PHANTOM POWER
Rear-panel DB25 connections use the standard Tascam pinout, so any DB25 cable wired to that format integrates cleanly with your existing setup. On the front panel, two XLR/TRS combo inputs and two XLR outputs let you quickly bring in outside equipment or instruments. You can turn them on or off in the Patch App, and when they’re active, I/O channels 31–32 switch from the rear panel to the front. Flock built 48V phantom power into the Patch System, available on any of the 32 input channels as well as the front combo inputs, because many traditional patch bays either can’t pass phantom power or underpower condenser mics. Three front-panel LEDs keep you informed: one confirms the hardware is communicating with your computer, one shows when front-input phantom power is on so you know not to plug or unplug anything, and a red warning lights up if a connected preamp has its own phantom power switched on, since the Patch System’s onboard 48V makes that unnecessary.
THE PATCH APP
The Patch App puts complete control of your analog routing into a familiar, DAW-style interface organized into four sections. The Hardware Index stores all your outboard gear in a searchable library, ready to drag and drop. In Active Routings, you build signal flow by dragging gear into Paths that run top to bottom, such as Mic > Pre > Comp > EQ > Interface, and swap processors simply by dropping a new piece over an existing one. Clicking the directional arrow on any device mults its signal to another path, with no impedance loading or loss of signal quality. The Stored Routings menu saves and recalls complete configurations in seconds, and you can move saved routings straight into your DAW session folders to keep projects organized. The Controls & Toggles section lets you bank through 32 Paths, 8 at a time, add digital rack spaces beyond the default 10, clear paths, and enable the front-panel I/O on the fly. The Hardware Setup menu replaces printed labels and templates, letting you name and arrange your gear in one place. When multiple Patch Systems are linked, each unit is identified by a color you choose, so routing between them stays clear.