Could you use insert jacks for a multi-loop pedal switcher?

[Elegost]

I’m designing an 8 loop relay based programmable pedal switcher.

16 jacks plus other i/o takes up a huge amount of enclosure real estate.  It occurred to me that perhaps I could use a single stereo jack for and a "y" cable for each loop instead of two ts jacks and regular ts cables since this would cut in half the number of jacks I have to fit into the enclosure.

is the reason you don't see this approach because having the send/return share a ground causes a ground loop?

I see that Disaster Area did something like this with the SmartLoop, but the recommended setup shows the Y cable split between two pedals, am I right that that is to separate their grounds?
https://www.disasterareaamps.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/SMARTLoop-Manual-v1.0.pdf

Thanks for any advice.

[willienillie]

is the reason you don't see this approach because having the send/return share a ground causes a ground loop?

I would expect it's because you would need a bunch of Y cables, and most consumers would want to use regular instrument patch cables.  If you do go with stereo jacks and Y cables, you can avoid ground loops in the way you build the Y cables.

[GGBB]

You can absolutely do that. The probable reason you don't see it is the "uncommonness" of guitarists having TRS Y cables (and added expense). The Disaster Area unit is meant for supporting stereo loops where it would be weird to have separate channels on separate Y cables - more sense to have in L&R on one Y cables and out L&R on another. It's not about grounding.

[Elegost]

I would expect it's because you would need a bunch of Y cables, and most consumers would want to use regular instrument patch cables.  If you do go with stereo jacks and Y cables, you can avoid ground loops in the way you build the Y cables.

Should i just leave the ground on one side of the Y cable floating?

[willienillie]

You could, but ground loops are rarely a concern with pedal circuits.

[slacker]

Generally, if you were using separate send and returns the grounds of all the jacks would be connected together, so as far as ground loops are concerned I can't see any difference compared to a combined send/return and Y cables.

[Elegost]

Awesome, thanks folks. I’m doing it with insert jacks then. I have to make custom cables anyway anyway and cutting the number of jacks in half will make the enclosure much less of a rat’s nest!