Pedal Board Power Supplies?

[Steve Mavronis]

I got a Pedaltrain Mini pedal board (Guitar Center's plantinum version) for Christmas. It's pretty cool because I only have a few pedals (3 in use so far all 9V center negative polarity) and I never had a pedal board before. I'm tired of the wall warts so looking for a decent power supply in the $100 range to filter line noise, etc. I don't feel like DIY'ing one since it takes me months to develop what I'd want and don't like using other people's kits or layouts, LOL.

Right now I'm eyeing up the Dunlop DC Brick. It's going for $95 on Amazon and comes with all the cables needed to power pedals. I know it doesn't have isolated outputs and uses a common ground. Also I read it doesn't filter radio interference. I don't know if that is a big deal. What are other power supply candidates that are in my price range? I see other stuff like Voodoo Labs Pedal Power ISO-5 and T-Rex Fuel Tank Junior Pedal Power Supply V2. What do you think for a small rig like mine only used in my home for personal pleasure?

Thanks...

[AustinTx]

Just my 2 cents..

In the high $ range:

Voodoo Labs pedal power has proved to be very durable and
has never added any hum. The adjustable sag outputs are great
with fuzz pedals..very good product.

The Dunlop Brick's DC is very dirty and the ground problems are
not a good thing. I tried one and the ground loop hum was so bad
that I had to remove a couple pedals from the chain. The humming
pedals were not vintage, both were 2011 production from the same
manufacturer.

In the low $ range:

Try out the One Spot 9v and see if it hums with your gear.
If your pedals run on 9v, batteries are always great and you can build
up a collection of 5v, 6v, and 7v batteries for use in a fuzz pedal.

[Steve Mavronis]

Not sold on the DC Brick after looking into this more. If I go with a power supply box the T-Rex Fuel Tank Junior seems better although it's large for a Pedaltrain Mini. I kind of like the One-Spot idea if I can get a better surge protector power strip with noise/emi/rfi filtering since my amp is plugged into that plus our living room TV stuff and another potential noise issue to mitigate.

[Steve Mavronis]

After mulling this over all day I think that I'll just go with this Visual Sound One Spot Combo Pack for now and it's only $30. The Pedaltrain Mini is too small to mount a power supply box unit underneath the frame without doing mods. It's not their fault since they offer different sizes and ones that do. I got this as a Christmas gift so it just seems impractical especially for a home guitar hobby and it is a waste of space to velcro one on top with the effects pedals. I think this will be fine for my small needs:



Thanks for all of your thougts and opinions.

[Twistingcrow]

You should look at the CIOKS products as well. I have a CIOKS Schizophrenic and it's awesome. All separate outputs and no hum. Great products!

[Tone seaker]

After mulling this over all day I think that I'll just go with this Visual Sound One Spot Combo Pack for now and it's only $30. The Pedaltrain Mini is too small to mount a power supply box unit underneath the frame without doing mods. It's not their fault since they offer different sizes and ones that do. I got this as a Christmas gift so it just seems impractical especially for a home guitar hobby and it is a waste of space to velcro one on top with the effects pedals. I think this will be fine for my small needs:



Thanks for all of your thougts and opinions.

I use that and it works great

[Steve Mavronis]

After mulling this over all day I think that I'll just go with this Visual Sound One Spot Combo Pack for now and it's only $30.

I use that and it works great

Cool. Now that I've ordered it and waiting a few days I've started to hear nay-sayers but most out there seem to be positive on the 1-Spot for them. The others seem to want and push their favorite power supply which is nothing wrong with I suppose. Once I get my feet wet setting up and using a pedal board, eventually I may move to a isolated power supply and other outpout options. I only use 3 analog 9V pedals right now and a couple effects from my practice amp, until I either buy or DIY more pedals and go to a Class 5 type of amp with just 3-band EQ and gain controls.

[spaceace76]

hey there steve, I think the one spot is a great choice for several reasons.

first, the designer is a guitar DIY-er like ourselves, RG Keen, but with an EE degree. He keeps track of the faults and returns on the one spots. he's got it down by this point, and has systematically worked out most of the flaws. you can read about his endeavors by searching around the DIYSB forum

second, they are sold almost everywhere now and are cheap and easy to replace.

lastly, if you know about grounding (and how to prevent loops) you can build your pedals with those ideas in mind and have a clean, quiet sound for cheap.

so yeah, there are great choices out there that are more money, and have more options, but the one spot does the job perfectly well. they just need more options in terms of voltage output.

[Steve Mavronis]

hey there steve, I think the one spot is a great choice for several reasons. first, the designer is a guitar DIY-er like ourselves, RG Keen, but with an EE degree. He keeps track of the faults and returns on the one spots. he's got it down by this point, and has systematically worked out most of the flaws. lastly, if you know about grounding (and how to prevent loops) you can build your pedals with those ideas in mind and have a clean, quiet sound for cheap. so yeah, there are great choices out there that are more money, and have more options, but the one spot does the job perfectly well.

RG Keen really? The guy is a genius! Thanks for the info. I'm happy it comes today along with an extra 3' right angle ends cable. I goofed and should have ordered a 1' one too for when I add another pedal after the NS2 effects loop and have to route on past my comp and od.

[AustinTx]

Great ...hope it works for you.
My one spot works like a champ.
Good luck getting that pedal board together!

[908ssp]

VooDoo labs. Isolating the power supply works. You run into problems later with un-isolated PS you'll be kicking yourself.

[somethin'else]

VooDoo Labs PP2 Takes some real estate, but tuck in "under" if you can. They're like insurance for your tone.

[Steve Mavronis]

As far as an isolated power supply Voodoo ISO-5 is that the top of my list when the time comes. This is a gradual process for me growing my first real starter pedal board. As it stands the Pedaltrain Mini can't mount the ISO-5 or Fuel Tank Jr. underneath and I don't want to do surgery to the pedal board or have a PS look sloppy standing up vertical inside the back 'logo' slot. I'd still like to close the carrying case when not in use to act as a protective dust cover. I don't have collision insurance on my wife's vacuum cleaner, LOL. It really depends on how many pedals I'll end up with on my PTM to see if there will be room to velcro a PS next tot he last one. Right now my pedal chain is comprised of: noise gate to compressor to overdrive (inside NG send/recieve effects loop) with a delay pedal to come next. If I don't add a 5th or 6th pedal then there would be room left over for a dedicated power supply.

[JimiJames]

Interesting?
http://dcvoltage.net/p3/kits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JimiJames]

I'm rehearsing in the old Zeinith factory/building in Chicago. The power there is unstable (cloth wiring), epecialy when you notice the lights dim from time to time.
So, I built my pedal board with an all-in-one IEC lighted fuse switch :

Will this EMI filter be better to use ? Will it help get rid of more noise. Aslo was this designed to clean up "dirty" power?
I can replace it with this for $14.95


Also: I'm Using an ADA Rocket Power Batt-Man and a One-Spot.
It's similar the VL PP2 but, has 2-9v & 2-sag.