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[doug johnson2]

These days, for common usage, the isn't a compelling reason to have an isolated split.  I do run across the Seismic splitters fairly often and many times there is a bad channel or two.  These are band owned splits and don't see much maintenance.  I think they can be okay is they are handled with care and see maintenance as needed.  I would probably switch out the connectors for better quality as the need repair.  My first spilt was a 10 ft long, 16 channel snake cable, males on one end and a pair of wyed females on the other.  It served me well for many years and as far as I know a friend is still using it.   

[boburtz]

At the risk of being called ultra pedantic, hardwired and transformer isolated splitters are both "passive" ;-)

I got called out on the terminology some years back...!

Fair enough. I've always referred to the "Y" splits as passive for some reason, though I've never thought of or referred to a transformer split as "active", so I guess it's a meaningless descriptor in that context.

[Russell Ault]

Fair enough. I've always referred to the "Y" splits as passive for some reason, though I've never thought of or referred to a transformer split as "active", so I guess it's a meaningless descriptor in that context.

..except that it's not meaningless: as Tim mentioned, active splits (i.e. audio splitters that involve an amplifier stage) are absolutely a thing, but the use-case for them is vanishingly small (although not nonexistent; for example, they're exactly the sort of "reliability through frivolity" that broadcast loves to throw its money at).

-Russ

[Steve Eudaly]

CBI "Ear Splitter" is what I've sold the most of. They will do whatever level of customization you want.

+1 for CBI. Well made, cost effective and you can spec it however you want.

We've got a couple of 48 channel CBI splitters both with LK150 connectors on the ferniest. Both are "wye" splitters without transformers. One has ground lifts but I've never needed/used them in 8 years, so I wouldn't bother. Most recently I purchased a 32 channel hard-wired (no multi-pin disconnects) CBI splitter with 10 and 25 foot tails. Compact and lightweight.

[Spenser Hamilton]

I agree.

The biggest issue I've seen with *some* Seismic snakes are faux-neutrik male XLR connectors that have slightly larger than standard outside diameters and can get stuck. I rather like the flexibility of their cables and, as noted, provided they're pampered, they'll do the job.

Dave

Can confirm, dealt with this just last night.

A minor issue until you are unpatching the openers tails in a hurry, in a cramped backstage, in the dark...

[Peter Kowalczyk]

Thanks All.

I'll look into EWI (Audiopile), CBI, and Rapco.  My Rapco guy indicated that they don't have standard split snakes as a product... 

My preferred form factor would be a Rackmount with relatively short tails.  But EWI's box style ones could work fine too.

Thanks for confirming my suspicions about Sesimic.

And sounds like a straight 'Wye' splitter is adequate for most uses. 

Rock on!

[Rick Earl]

Thanks All.

I'll look into EWI (Audiopile), CBI, and Rapco.  My Rapco guy indicated that they don't have standard split snakes as a product... 

My preferred form factor would be a Rackmount with relatively short tails.  But EWI's box style ones could work fine too.

Thanks for confirming my suspicions about Sesimic.

And sounds like a straight 'Wye' splitter is adequate for most uses. 

Rock on!

I was running 48 channels of EWI splitters  for about 10 years with no issues.  I still keep them around for occasional interface if needed.  Never had an issue, did multiple  2 and 3 ways splits not just on stage, but also for broadcast trucks with no complaints.

[Chris Hindle]

In my experience, i went active for one show.
4 way split. Front of House, Monitors, Broadcast truck (CBC), and Recording truck.
Interesting guy, the CBC fellow. After seeing he was on an active split, he un-soldered each pin one.
After the show, he restored everything.  I'm pretty good with a soldering station, but this guy was something else.

I've never had a problem with passive splits to my Yamaha boards, on the same leg of the Distro.
When i built my splitter, i put in 4 x-fmrs for "Money Channels", just because.

Chris.

[Jeremy Young]

I use the Earsplitter, with ground lifts and transformers.  Do I need transformers?  Who knows, but if I didn’t have them, what’s my backup plan? Carry a second one with transformers?  In a rack with the tails it’s not particularly heavy.  No regrets, used all the time to split signals between a mixer system I have complete control over, and whatever shows up from the artists.  Unless you’re on a super tight budget, just go with the transformers.  The CBI unit is well built and was quite a bit less expensive than Whirlwind offerings while not being a throw-away like the SA stuff.  SA might work for some, but I’ve read about 600 too many bad stories about them to risk my reputation over a couple hundred dollars of savings.

[Helge A Bentsen]

I have a 48 channel trafo system based on 12 channel modules from Link. XLR/LK37 input, 3x LK37 + 1x XLR output and input patching.
These are handy for splitting for guest consoles.
One of my stage racks have a simple Y-split built-in, I deploy the split solution most suited for the gig.
IF it's a simple 1:1 split I can do that in the rack, but if I need custom patching on inputs I use the trafo based system.
Attached is a picture of a pair of racks.

[ProSoundWeb Community]