how much stock do you guys put in pedal power supplies?

  • Thread starter Thread starter AdamSH89
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AdamSH89

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I see a lot of power supplies out for pedals promising isolated power. However, with a lot of the pedals I own I have individual wall warts for any way. Do you guys feel strongly that a pedal power supply from one of these makers is strictly better than a simple surge protector?
 
Hooking up a separate supply to every pedal is a pain, and daisy chain supplies cause ground loop noise. If you don't mind plugging a separate supply into each pedal you have, there's nothing technically wrong with it. Otherwise, a supply with isolated outputs is ideal for having one power supply for all your pedals (cleaner pedal board with less mess of wires, ease of setup, etc).
 
My Dunlop brick worked great on everything, but an EP Booster
 
Voodoo pedal power, got a couple. I have zero complaints, no noise. Used to use wall warts and chains and kept ending up with ground loops\hum, went to the Voodoo labs stuff and never looked back.
 
4406cuda":2rjvki3v said:
My Dunlop brick worked great on everything, but an EP Booster
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity what was the issue you had with the EP Booster? I run my EP off a DC Brick and haven't experienced any issues. Thanx.
 
I take large milliamp wall warts (1000ma to 2000ma) from second hand stores, build a filtered regulated box for them and use them in the daisy chain fashion. Never had a ground loop issue in over 15 years. I guess the filter caps I use are stopping that from happening, I don't know.
 
thunda":xneors4q said:
I take large milliamp wall warts (1000ma to 2000ma) from second hand stores, build a filtered regulated box for them and use them in the daisy chain fashion. Never had a ground loop issue in over 15 years. I guess the filter caps I use are stopping that from happening, I don't know.
Click to expand...
Dude, I would love to see how you build that box.
 
thunda":2cayisi6 said:
I take large milliamp wall warts (1000ma to 2000ma) from second hand stores, build a filtered regulated box for them and use them in the daisy chain fashion. Never had a ground loop issue in over 15 years. I guess the filter caps I use are stopping that from happening, I don't know.
Click to expand...
Do you use this into a clean amp? Because you have ground loops for sure. Might not be hearing them.
 
I think the p/s you use is very important. Especially if your pedal board runs some FX into the front of the amp, and some FX into the amps loop. Best success Ive had is with Voodoo labs. YMMV.
 
fender126":adr8py16 said:
4406cuda":adr8py16 said:
My Dunlop brick worked great on everything, but an EP Booster
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity what was the issue you had with the EP Booster? I run my EP off a DC Brick and haven't experienced any issues. Thanx.
Click to expand...

I had my EP Booster connected to the 18V jack on my brick and it made a whistling sound when engaged, almost like a tea kettle. I contacted exotic and the recommended adding an inline resistor or use a individual power supply. I used the 18V, because I was out of 9V spaces. I just went with the individual power supply for the EP booster.
 
jsp":38mh9ujp said:
Hooking up a separate supply to every pedal is a pain, and daisy chain supplies cause ground loop noise. If you don't mind plugging a separate supply into each pedal you have, there's nothing technically wrong with it. Otherwise, a supply with isolated outputs is ideal for having one power supply for all your pedals (cleaner pedal board with less mess of wires, ease of setup, etc).
Click to expand...

Daisy chain power supply can cause ground loop noise, but not always. Most of the time there are just a few offending pedals, once you get those pedals on their own power supply, there is no noise. I usually find that digital pedals are most likely to be the offending pedal.

I have also found that it can make a difference the orientation you hook up a power-all or one spot. In one orientation there will be noise, in the other, it will be silent.

I have 2 pedal boards, one with a hot stone deluxe with isolated power supply and another with 2 power-alls and another to power my nova repeater. The biggest plus of the all in one supplies is simplicity and isolated outputs. But I still have too many pedals on my isolated hot stone deluxe, so I have some outputs on that in which I daisy chain. Those big 16 output power supplies are too big for my pedalboard, otherwise that is the way I would go.

I think the best solution is to buy an isolated supply that meets your needs and then buy a power-all or one-spot to throw in the gig bag as a backup.
 
ewill52":2uz6u6og said:
Voodoo pedal power, got a couple. I have zero complaints, no noise. Used to use wall warts and chains and kept ending up with ground loops\hum, went to the Voodoo labs stuff and never looked back.
Click to expand...


My voodoo pedal power 2 is fantastic. Plugged it in and it works. No noise at all. Does exactly what it's supposed to. I do keep everything plugged into a line regulator though.

-Alex
 
Had an SKB board I finally retired after 15 yrs. and went Pedaltrain/Fuel Tank Chamelion.....
All pedals in front....Much more quiet and I believe I hear a signal improvement akin to buying
better quality cords for the first time.....Also running the EP booster at 18v is very nice....
I liked the pedal before but even more at 18v....just my .02
 
billboogie":1nfdezzv said:
Had an SKB board I finally retired after 15 yrs. and went Pedaltrain/Fuel Tank Chamelion.....
All pedals in front....Much more quiet and I believe I hear a signal improvement akin to buying
better quality cords for the first time.....Also running the EP booster at 18v is very nice....
I liked the pedal before but even more at 18v....just my .02
Click to expand...


I like the EP booster more at 18v as well.


-Alex
 
bananaladonpcp":1lhp4ml4 said:
billboogie":1lhp4ml4 said:
Had an SKB board I finally retired after 15 yrs. and went Pedaltrain/Fuel Tank Chamelion.....
All pedals in front....Much more quiet and I believe I hear a signal improvement akin to buying
better quality cords for the first time.....Also running the EP booster at 18v is very nice....
I liked the pedal before but even more at 18v....just my .02
Click to expand...


I like the EP booster more at 18v as well.


-Alex
Click to expand...

Sure was a nice surprise......I have a Fulltone Fatboost I tried at 18v
and got the same great results.......
 
RACKSYSTEMS":2ahh4qzf said:
thunda":2ahh4qzf said:
I take large milliamp wall warts (1000ma to 2000ma) from second hand stores, build a filtered regulated box for them and use them in the daisy chain fashion. Never had a ground loop issue in over 15 years. I guess the filter caps I use are stopping that from happening, I don't know.
Click to expand...
Do you use this into a clean amp? Because you have ground loops for sure. Might not be hearing them.
Click to expand...

If they are not heard, do they exist? (tree falls...forest...LOL) If they are not audible, do they matter? My power supplies are quiet as a church mouse.
 
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