Name some of your favorite power supplies (maybe ones that we didn't mention in this video)! BUY THE POWER SUPPLIES IN THIS VIDEO: Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2+: amzn.to/3mZWV2Y MXR Isobrick: amzn.to/3srHeCY Truetone CS6: amzn.to/2Qk1CZw Truetone CS7: amzn.to/3aov7Ad Truetone CS12: amzn.to/32rhxYH Cioks DC7: amzn.to/3sGv0ql Cioks 4: amzn.to/2QFAlAQ Cioks 8: amzn.to/3aoOgSV Strymon Zuma: amzn.to/3xc7jcD Strymon Ojai: amzn.to/3x96NME Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3: amzn.to/3n3ztln Voodoo Lab x4: amzn.to/2QGRTfD
@@christiancathcart4373 Linear supply with an aluminum chassis, not a match made in heaven for the purposes of electromagnetic shielding. If you use one, you need to keep it away from other pedals as much as possible.
@@Naminorite to me, they're more of a consumer level solution that I don't see in practice or in the wild from other builders other than Daniel and The Gig Rig. It's desegregated into pieces, the AC mains come into their "Generator" and then into smaller pieces that provide the 9V outs all made of plastic, all the + and - leads are clamped and solderless (not ideal for the road or abuse). I don't see it as the best solution or even an ideal one in my experience and I think that's reflected as well by the body of pro rig builders that have been doing this for decades.
Hey Mason I know this video is an older one. I’m older , learning to play guitar and looking at pedals. I wanted to let you know how helpful your videos are. Thanks for explaining all pedal topics.
I think it’s because it would cause unwanted noise whenever switching them on while the amp is on. You could just switch them on before you’re gonna use them but that’s my best guess.
I can't tell you how much I (and subsequently my pedal boards) have benefitted from your videos throughout the years, but this video is pure GOLD! Absolutely awesome information. I was blown away by Cioks at NAMM a few years ago, but really just by how compact they are, but I never really knew that the extent of their bad assery other than it works great and looks fantastic on my boards
It is so good, so important, for an expert to clearly state which one they ultimately prefer and why. Some people seem to shy away from stating what they think, I'm not sure why. Thanks for being clear what it is that you chose!
I am using the CIOKS DC7 with a CIOKS 8 Expander on a Pedaltrain, it powers 18 pedals including a TC Electronics PLETHORA X5, no problems and plenty of power, of course it was not cheap.
I’ve had a Truetone CS7 for a while and love it! When my board got bigger, I just added another. I spliced together 2 iec ends in a Y configuration with a powercon connector mounted to my board to power them both and it all works beautifully.
Thank you for making this video. It was so helpful on my decision to buy the best power supply being a new pedalboard user. You are such a great communicator ! Thank you and all the best
This video was just what I was looking for! I have been through soo many cheap power supplies, the only thing I have found that killed the hum in my place was a boss power supply (with a magnet) going through the matching noise suppressor... but its maxed out. Can't wait to try a high end power supply and expand!!
I went through this a year ago. After reading reviews and comparing prices till my eyes bled, I went with the Cioks 4. Then after acquiring more pedals I went with the Cioks dc7. Haven't had any noise issues whatsoever, which is what I expected from Jedi psu master Poul Ciok.
I’m a rookie. I got the Voodoo Lab 2 you recommended. Multiple 9v DC pedals with minimal draw. I like the sag capabilities. Your videos have been a big help in putting together my first board. Thanks.
SAG capabilities really only do half of what a real battery does. Voltage on a carbon battery isn't constant, it's always degrading in voltage and the SAG doesn't do current limiting which is a big part of these high impedance power sources.
I bought a TrueTone CS6 during a run of gigs last Christmas. I was previously running everything Daisy-chained off a Diago Powerstation (5A switch mode single supply). I managed to kick the Diago getting on stage and split the plastic casing. It managed to get me through the gig but it needed upgrading fast. I’d been using a GigRig isolator before my Drop pedal as a get around to get rid of noise. The Diago was a good solution for a while and lasted years, but it has powered its last gig. Luckily they had a TrueTone CS6 at my local store the next morning. It’s a great power supply. I’ve got isolated high current 9 volt lines. I can run my OCD Ge at 18 volts and I get no power supply related noise from any pedal. It’s made of steel, and is very low profile. I’ve got room to put other pedals on top of it and I have a single Kettle IEC cable powering everything with spare power lines if I need to expand. I’m Customer 2 by the way! I’d recommend this power supply to Number 1 or number 2 users.
I just bought your new Tour Compact board and was looking at the mounting holes and it didn’t look like there was a way to mount my Cioks 8 to the second tier. I am using the 8 in connection with the DC7. Won’t be able to build the board until Monday or so but I am stoked. I built my previous board soldering my own cables and using you methods and am excited to do this next one. This time I’m moving on to also soldering my DC cables to custom length.
Yes, you can use the mounting pattern that they provide for a Pedaltrain and just drill through the top of the riser. Just make sure that it won't impede anything below it.
I decided to go with the Zuma from Strymon. I love the Ciosk, flexibility from 9v-18v on each output but I don’t like that it’s RCA outputs (not your std or typical output connectors) but having a USB to charge anything that’s a big Plus + on top of that it’s cheaper than the Zuma. Overall both are great, all depends on your needs. Thanks Uncle Mason!!!
I got the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3 plus over the weekend . The old mounts for the Pedal Power 2 Plus still work for the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3 Plus with my PedelTrain - 1 ( with a little adjusting )
I built a new pedal board a few weeks ago, and needed my first "real" PSU, leaving the wall wart daisy chain behind. I have 11 pedals on my board atm, but that number is constantly changing as I swap stuff in and out as I decide what I like. I started with a CS7 with the plan to use a few daisy chains on my overdrive pedals, but at the end of the day the CS7 wasn't enough for 10+ pedals. I exchanged the CS7 for a CS12 a few days later and now I couldn't be happier.
Build my first pedalboard a few weeks ago went with the MXR iso brick. As I'm diving into more of the pedal world, I love the possibility of the Cioks. For now my Iso Brick is awesome though
Thank you for posting this, Mason. I’ve been using an old Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 which isn’t ideal with my board since I have a couple of Strymon pedals. I’ve noticed a fair amount of noise with my board.
@@VertexEffectsInc thank you for the info. I don’t know what’s causing the noise. Maybe it’s just inevitable with using multiple overdrives and a compressor? Would a power supply like the Cioks or One Spot make it more quiet?
Just got back into playing guitar and currently revamping/updating my pedal board. Came across your channel recently and you've been my go-to resource as I re-build my guitar pedal board. Great knowledge and info you share. So, thank you!
VERTEX, you should do a video about power conditioning because most power supplies don't have any power conditioning circuits/filters built internally which most people don't understand there differences between a power supply and a power conditioner. Various Lighting Systems for stages and the clubs/bar water compressor, air compressor, soda machine compressor, power tools will cause noises, harmonics, etc to be injected into the AC 120vac outlets which get bleed into the pedalboards power supplies causes a lot of problems. Power Conditioners are trying to filter out the spikes, surges, ripple currents, harmonics, noises, etc that is on the 120vac AC waveform going to the pedalboards powers supply and amplifiers. Those power supplies will NOT filter out these various harmonics, spikes, surges, ripple currents, leakage current, noises, etc. This is a major issue for not power conditioning your pedalboard if you have your booster pedal, tube screamer, distortion pedal, overdrive turned on which raises the noise floor and the club/bar dishwasher is turned on or a power tool is turned on you will hear it coming from the AC outlet into your pedalboard because of not power conditioning the pedalboard.
I have the Mondo from a build years ago. I eventually had to move it to the top corner of the board from underneath (pedaltrain) to eliminate noise. Works great so still not ready to pull the trigger on a switch mode supply.
Hey Jason, Thank you for all your insightful videos. I’ve been slowly putting together my first pedalboard and just purchased a brand new Cioks 7 from reverb. I also purchased a TC electronics buffer based on another one of your videos! You’ve been a big help to a beginner with pedals like me 😊
Great recommendations and video. I used the CS-12 for years, went to the Zuma and quickly back to the CS-12; it’s a great supply. I have moved to the GigRig power system and couldn’t be happier. It’s pricey but if a silent board matters to you than I’d highly recommend it. I’ve never had such a quiet board, and my pedals have never been so happy. Doc, I’d love to see/hear your thoughts on the GigRig system, I think you’d really dig it. It’s the right call for your Travel Plus board.
I've seen them in person, it's not on the level of the Strymon, Cioks, Voodoo Lab 3 type stuff and the clamped +/- to me is a risky proposition for road guys or pedalboards that will undergo exposure to the elements. I'm not saying it won't work or delivery the voltages correctly, it's just a consumer level solution to me and I think that's why you really only see it used by The Gig Rig practitioners in the professional circles of rig builders.
@@VertexEffectsInc - I can’t argue that since I have only started using it in COVID times; no shows, no real movement. But I’ll let you how it holds up once we are back playing shows and going from rainy to desert climates and back. Ha Ha. As for power and isolation, it’s great. Like I said, I haven’t been happier. But I do love the CS-12! And highly recommend it. It’d still be powering my board if I had bought the next size board above the Travel Plus. Cheers dude, and thanks.
I was originally going to go with the Zuma/Ojai but just got a deal on a Cioks DC-7 so now I’m going with that and a C4 or C8 which will be cool because it gives me way more flexibility to go with different voltages. Most of my pedals run at 9v but can run higher and I want to play around with running some at 12 and 18.
Thanks a TON Mason. This was perfect information and perfect timing. I'm Person 1 however I think you must have read my e-mails to Vertexeffects and some of the power companies (i.e. Cioks). I will likely have more than the pedal count of your average VooDoo Lab however most of them will be standard boxes (i.e. BOSS BD-2, JHS Morning Glory, etc). This video was super helpful and the Vertexeffects e-mail team nailed it when they told me to watch TH-cam today. This type of video only grows the pedal and pedalboard business as it opens doors to those who would want to get in but don't know how.
They may work great for you, but I don't find them to be equal solutions to the self contained supplies for a professional solution that I can recommend. This is a really more of a DIY route for a more beginner or intermediate.
Vertex Effects I didn’t think they would work for 💩 but I’ve tried a dd500, stone deaf syncopy and line6 m5 (not at the same time) and anyone of those pedals didn’t cause any extra noise , I powered it from the gigrig generator.
I have a VooDoo Lab ISO-5 and a Strymon Zuma ( love em ). Both are whisper quiet with my rig's, and I play a Suhr Strat with Lollar SSS configuration. ( also using high-end patch cables ).
@@VertexEffectsInc Not in my set-up. I use a "Tone Brush" recommended by: Mason! ( ha, ha, - I know. I just keep it away from my wah ). I prefer my Zuma.
I've got the Pedal Power 3 Plus. HX Effects w/current doubler takes 2 spots, but works fine so far. The way I've figured it, I can pretty much power anything I'll ever need, and use that 250ma output for my buffers.
My first PSU is a Trutone CS6 I really like it! It’s slim enough to fit under my pedal train metro 24. Wah plus 5 pedals. You’re good to go! They include cables! Really nice!
I saw your video on splitting cables. What a great idea! I’m buying 2 to try it out because I have plenty of room for more pedals. I like your content, very informative!
In my case the height of the box plays a pivotal role. When dealing with 2.9-3.2[cm] space to the floor I decided to choose Cioks DC7 which is 2.6cm height so it would fit perfectly. Velcro tapes add 1-2mm to the equation, depending on the squeeze level and base thickness - worth mentioning.
Wow, great information! I was using the Onespot pro on my small board for church. Shure stomp box wireless, volume pedal,BossOC5, Cloudburst and Kelley reverb to direct box. I developed apwhat sounds like a ground loop hum, like when ground is off on direct box. I grabbed a Onespot 1700 mil to check pedals one at a time and hum buzz was gone . I daisy chained from volume pedal through to Keeley and again , totally quiet . Order a Zuma R300, mounted under metro and plugged everything in and was silent at home thru my amp . Came to church , hooked into direct box and I have the same noise. We lost our projection before service on Sunday and when mid morning when they figured out the problem that’s when these issues began. I feel it has something to do with something back at the sound, projection area. I’m stumped on this . When I’m connected to direct box I believe I’m connected back to all the power in that area. I hope this makes some kind of sense. Any ideas to try and run down the problem would be amazing . For now I’m running the little one spots , two of them and it’s silent . Why would that be ? Thanks, Gary
I just purchased a DC10 used from Musician's Friend. I hope it comes with everything I need. I don't want to have to drill holes, or purchase various other components just to affix it to my board...Otherwise, i'm excited to have one!
Thanks for the great information and explanation of the different power supplies!! I have been electric guitar for about 50 years, took a few years off, and recently started building my equipment up. I currently only have six pedals including a Dunlop Wah. I have been using a True tone 1Spot to power the pedals. The 1Spot is nice, but if my guitar cable crosses the pedal board, I get some hum, especially on the gain channels. Really thinking of stepping up to one of the better Truetone CS 6 or CS7 power supplies you mentioned! Thanks for the great information!! Karl
Completely agree with Cioks being the best out there. I’m so happy with mine. It’s also great when you change a pedal on the board the draws different voltage. You don’t have to change cables or move stuff around, just flip a switch and you’re good to go.
Hey Mason, I got the CioksDC7 because a video you recommended it in. I thought it would fix my noise problem. Still doesn’t. My setup is Whammy 4 > Dunlop Wah > PolyTune3 > Boss Noise Sprssr (send) > SP Comp > Carcosa Fuzz > Walrus DST > Fender Boost > Boosta Grande > Boss Noise Sprssr (return-output) > ElecHarm Mod11 > Walrus ARP87 Dly > Polara Rvrb The DC7 is powering the polytune/noise/comp with its daisy chain option. Also powering the fuzz, dst, and both boost pedals in individual output. The mod & timing pedals are being powered by a Caline power supply. The whammy 4 is being powered by its own adapter because I believe it’s AC and not DC. I still don’t know what I’m doing wrong and I have to use the noise suppressor in order to get rid of some of the noise. Any advice? Thanks regardless!
Generally you don't want to daisy chain digital pedals with analog pedals. You Fuzz, Boost, NS-2, SP Comp, Wah are all good sharing candidates. Your Tuner is not ideal, they can cause some issues when paired with other pedals. Digital pedals (like a digital tuner, delay, reverb, etc.) really need their own output. Using the Caline supply could also be an issue - I don't know it, but often the cheaper supplies are not so good with filtering out noise and often leave artifacts in the audio range. The AC from the Whammy could also be problematic if the AC cabling isn't separated from the Audio. I would also look at the quality of audio cable you're using, is it soldered? Is it high quality? This can also be a factor.
@@VertexEffectsInc ok thanks that’s really helpful information. My patch cables are EBS’ with the gold tips/sleeves. When you say separate whammy cabling from audio what do you mean? Like don’t put it in the pedal chain?
@@VertexEffectsInc Also I usually keep both Wah and whammy away from power supply on the board. I’m gonna look into getting the buffers to like you always recommend, but have to wait a little to get more money 😂. I’ll see if I can power everything without using the Caline supply. If not then I will down grade my setup until I can get maybe a DC4 or something.
So for me, the one singular most important thing is never discussed…in multiple videos…and is hard to find on each products spec sheet…RUN TIME! Run Time is everything for me. I don’t want to have to switch out batteries during a gig. I need 4 solid hours of battery life. Of course I know that is very relative to power draw/consumption but still some idea is needed. I use about 5-7 pedals including a vocal harmonizer, a RC 50 loop and also power a Shure wireless receiver (total battery powered “busking” gigs on the beach). Everything is 9v…the only odd power input is the Shure is reversed polarity (and I just use an adapter). I had this plastic box power supply for over a decade with only TWO outputs and it lasted 6 hours!!! But it died. What should I get…4 hours minimum)
Exactly what I've been looking for! Did you get a chance to read about the FENDER ENGINE ROOM LVL12 POWER SUPPLY? Should I wait for it to be in stock or go for the Zuma? I am looking for 12 ports all at 9V & also have the option to daisy chain 3 pedals (tuner & ODs) if I am to go for the Zuma.
I know about it, unfortunately I haven't been able to get one from Fender. The options seem good, I've not tested it to see how it compares in the field. The Zuma is a sure thing, USA made, good pedigree. You can always add the Ojai to get 4 more outputs
For anyone who is interested you can use the AC out of the CS12 to power the Cioks 4 expander, you’ll only get 100ma on it each output because of the lower current of the AC output but it’s great to power 4 low current overdrives etc
I have to upgrade mine as soon as possible... It's getting hot with all the pedals connected. MXR FULLBORE METAL, MXR IL TORINO, MOOER BLACKNIGHT 009 (220mAh), MXR analog Chorus, MXR REVERB (240mAh) and MOOER RADAR. Every pedal is 9V except for the Radar which is 300mAh@12V. Everything is powered by a MOOER S8
@@tannerblades9049 it's nice to boost the preamp even though the EQ doesn't seem to be doing much. My go to settings for boost are treble at noon, Mid at 2 o'clock, Bass at 10 o'clock while the Master is at 2 o'clock and Gain all the way down, it works for both clean and dirty amp; For OD I use the same EQ setting as Boost but with the Gain at 3 o'clock or all the way up and using the volume knob from the guitar to clean up
In all of your pedalboard builds, you talk about using the molded end of the power cable at the pedal end, and soldering connectors on the power supply end. What do you use for the connections to the Cioks power supplies, which use RCA connectors? Thanks.
The Voodoo Lab 5 is good, but I found I couldn't use all of the ports, I ended up having to use 2 to power 8 of my 10 pedals. I eventually bought the Friedman Power Grid 10.
It's linear and has an aluminum chassis, so not great for electro magnetic shielding. You'll want to keep it away from pedals as much as possible and not under them. The Friedman is switch mode so it won't have that issue.
I've been running an old MXR power brick with no issues for 15 years or so, but was looking for a newer one as my pedal board has changed the last while. The noise issue and voltage stability are top of my list when looking for a new one.
@@VertexEffectsInc I definitely looked at one, I have a MXR stereo chorus and Ibanez Nu-tube screamer that run off 18v and the Nu-tube screamer seems to be a little touchy with power supplies.
Rig Doctor! You've helped me build my own buffer, do my own custom patch cables, and my own power cables. I'm super appreciative! My board is running great all except my Eventide Timefactor. I've put it into the 5-6 with dip switches away from normal through a current doubling cable. Any recommendations on how I can power my Eventide?
Eh - I have about 50 years experience with pedals. I use four - and one's a tuner. Been through the "big board" thing. Many people realize after decades go by you just don't need very many. Want? well that's different......(lol)
@@VertexEffectsInc Size. It has everything to do with the size of the power supply and the money we spend to go from four power outputs like the small Ernie Ball units all the way to the twelve or more power output units. If cost was not an issue, I might say the same thing, "Four pedals, four hundred pedals, who cares? " But a jump of 25% to 50% in price for additional power outputs might mean a lot for budget-minded players.
Thanks for this great and informative video! I’m a new guitar player at the young age of 51 and I like to purchase top of the line or as they say, buy now cry later LOL! CIOKS DC7 for me, your videos ROCK thanks!!!
It's not comparable to what we're talking about in the video. Solderless connections with clamps for the plus and minus voltage. Plastic parts, all desegregated - it's more of a consumer level DIY solution and I don't see used widely by rig builders outside of Dan and The Gig Rig.
Unfortunately, I think I just graduated from group two to group three! I saw that Truetone claims that the CS-12 can actually supply more current than what’s written on the unit itself. The exact example was that a 200ma tap can easily power a 300ma pedal as long as the overall amperage of the unit isn’t being exceeded. This would make my life so much easier if it’s true, but Strymon seems very adamant about needing a 300ma minimum for the Timeline and Mobius. I may just have to increase my spending allowance😂
I went with mxr iso brick for size and amount of inputs .On two different builds .They work great but had to spend another $60 on true tone 18v to 9v adapters for the outputs that are 18v only .THANK YOU MASON for that piece of info ,you probably saved me $800 in blown pedals. Now I'm building a vintage pedal flat board ,I'm using a pedal power 2 .1st reason three prong memory man ,2nd reason mounting a Shaller tremolo on top .Any thoughts?
@@VertexEffectsInc I finished a complete rebuild of my entire board a few days ago. I don’t think there’s a better power supply made. I was having problems with a couple of transistor based fuzzes that were only alleviated with a battery. Every power supply I own injected noise into them, isolated/switch mode/linear, it didn’t matter. The DC7/8 fixed it too. My digital effects are even quieter. Thank you for the recommendation!
I built a new pedal board this week. I learned Dunlop/MXR pedals do not like to share. Daisy-Chaining is not going to work. Bought the Pedal Power 2. It's sitting on top of the board at the moment. Keeley compressor, NUX Plexi overdrive, Fender delay, MXR Echoplex, Dunlop Reverb. Zero noise. FYI-the Dunlop/MXR pedals have to plugged into the 250 ma outputs. Don't know why but that's the way it is. Works perfectly. I'm hooking up a MXR Phase 95 so we'll see how that does.
It will depend on 1) if the pedal is analog or digital 2) if the pedal has a clock 3) proximity to the linear power supply (in some cases). We have a video on this and how to parallel pedals effectively and how to choose which pedals to best combine - I think it's titled "Maximizing Your Power Supply" or something like that.
Hey, Mason, thanks for all the information you share with us! I'm not sure about it, so I would like to ask you: is the mxr iso-brick a switch mode power supply or it uses the toroidal transformer? Thanks again for your videos!
I've had a pedal power 2 for years and years. It never fails, it never interferes, and just powers the few pedals I got. If I ever get more pedals (honestly, more like when) I'll look into other options.
While these rundowns of what's out there are great, something which is rarely addressed is EHX pedals needing a different supply to most regular pedals.
Almost all of these supplies can power any EHX pedals, Memory Man, Q Tron, etc. This is more of a cable thing and how you combine outputs in series to get 18 or 24V.
@@VertexEffectsInc I was referring more to the difference in centre negative/positive, where most pedals I own are negative, but EHX are positive. (Excuse me if I got that the wrong way around, my brain is sponsored by migraine right now.) I know polarity reversal cables exist, but have you ever covered this sort of thing? I think it’s something beginners should probably know.
@@PhilSherry it's easy to convert internally if you wanted to but since I make all the cables custom anyway I don't bother as it's more time to mod the pedal.
It’s more of a consumer level solution with all the parts disaggregated. It’s a risky move for a pro rig and depends upon solderless clamps for the + snd - voltage all plastic parts. Not exactly robust.
I just got one of your battery supplies. I have a fuzz face, Octavia, Scrambler clone, and vox wah that I needed to tame. I can't figure out if my Walrus Aetos is a switching power supply or not, but it works out because I was running out of power outputs anyway, hoping it does the trick for my old school pedals.
Mason, thanks for yet another great video! Very informative, as always. I wonder what your view is on yet another type of power supplies that is not as wide-spread, but is getting popularity, and that is battery-powered/rechargeable power supplies? There are fewer players in this market place, but two big names that come to mind are Pedaltrain with their Volta's and, on a higher end of the spectrum, your Northern neighbors Mission Engineering with their 529i (or even earlier 529 + external powerbank kits)? I have recently switched to 529i, and I am enjoying it a lot! It has a built-in rechargeable lithium battery that would provide up to 4 hours of juice for a 1.3 A total rig in my case, offers 8 isolated 9V DC outs. Because it can be used with no connection to mains, there's zero power supply related noise issues no matter what. It is less flexible in that it can only do 9V DC (or 18V through a voltage doubler cable, but you "sacrifice" 2 DC outs to get one 18V supply), but for an average board with mainly 9V DC pedals it can be an extremely convenient and versatile solution, which is truly "bullet proof" in that it will keep your board powered even if you have a blackout lol! :) Great for portability, and also has a 5V USB out, to recharge your phone/power your iPad with your DAW/Backing tracks etc.
The rechargeable batteries aren't on par yet either voltage or current wise and have had some risks in the past as some have been recalled for catching fire from large and prominent brands. I'm sure it'll catch up at some point but it's not there yet.
@@VertexEffectsInc , thanks for the heads up... I'm going to get me a fire extinguisher just in case :) On a serious note, I will keep an eye on my PSU in terms of temperatures etc, but so far so good, as long as it's not overloaded (and even them, they promise all sorts of protection to step in and protect the battery). Once again, thanks for the great vid, and keep'em coming! :)
Any suggestions if one wanted to power an HX stomp and Shure GLDX16 on the same board? Both companies suggest using the included power cables, but it isn't really conducive to a compact board.
Always enjoy your posts like this. One thing I was curious about is each of these power supplies have power cords located in different locations (back, side, middle) etc. is there a preference as to where you run the power cord from the power supply? The left side since most people are right footed? The center of your board?
Typically I try to isolate them in the opposite corner whatever foot you used to operate the Pedalboard, it’s not as critical now as it used to be but in the old days with linear supplies you had to be very careful about where a WAH fit in relationship to the power supply because of the problems with the inductor in proximity to the transformer in the power supply. With switch mode this is less important, but typically you want to orient the AC cable so that it’s exiting with a clear path to the wall and not obstructed by other devices.
Hi folks. I love your content and thank you so much. A wealth of knowledge. I’m building a second board. A carry on board for fly out gigs. Thank you in advance as I am in need of some serious advice. I have a larger board where I run it with the classic Voodoo Lab 2. This has served me well since 2006/7. I’ve been all over the net looking for advice to my question here & no one has any content. Hence my straight up question with this new build is! I am on a budget on this one. Well!!! The power supply anyway. I will be upgrading ASAP. But the gear on the board was not on a budget. But for now my big question is (what are your thoughts on the Carson multi voltage?) 7 DC 100mA output jacks. 1 DC9V 500mA Jack. 1 DC 12V 100mA Jack. 1 DC 18V 100mA Jack. To give you a road map of my board so it helps here you go. The order you see them in here is how I will run them (guitar in P-Split & out after the Slo reverb). I have a Lehle P-Split. (Not needing Carson). Peterson Strobe. (Battery powered). Power Screamer (HBE). Compact RD from Origin. Freidman OD. Broken arrow. Heavy Water. (Thorpy). Soul Vibe (BBE). Slo reverb. So at this stage only (4) are needing the Carson to power up the devices. Be straight as I already know that the Carson may be very well punching above it’s weight. But this friends is what I have to with with for now. What say you? Lee ☺️✊🏽👍🏽.
@@VertexEffectsInc thank you for getting back mate. A cheaper brand obviously that hasn’t got its name out into the world as yet I shall surmise then. Thanks again & I’ll see you down the track. Lee.
I have a question about single 9 volt adapters..I'm running 2 boards full of pedals. On my big board I have 2 power supplies (Pedal Power) mounted underneath with no noise or issues. On my 2nd board (it's much small) and doesn't really have room for a power supply, so I run just a few single 9volt adapters over to each pedal (*no daisy chaining involved). So the question is this.....when I use True Tone 9volt (single adapters) I get hum, but when I change to my Boss single 9volt adapters they don't that hum. Are the 1Spot True Tone 9 volt adapters a poor choice for powering a single pedal? Has anyone had issues with them (True Tone) powering up a single pedal?
The Truetone wall wart can have some issues - it's a cheaper switching supply and in some instances can be noisy. I recommend getting an isolated supply.
@@joepeezy4sheezy its expandability and flexibility. Like Mason mentions in the video, you can select any voltage on any channel and you can add extensions if you need to. That means that pretty much any pedal except for a 24V pedal can go on my board without having to buy a whole new power supply. And If I want to upgrade to a bigger board with more pedals, I can simply add on an extension to power any pedals I add.
@@chronicmango wow that is pretty great! I have a boss rc3 loop station that gives some hiss and I keep wondering if it’s my pedal power 4x4 making the noise (it’s fairly close to the supply).
I'm surprised that GigRig isn't in there. With the Generator, Distributors and/or Isolators, you have a fantastic solution to power that's very light and economical. I've never had an issue with noise or connectivity. It's a great option that should be given a little more attention too.
Not on the same level. My appraisal is that they're more of a consumer level solution that I don't see in practice or in the wild from other builders other than Daniel and The Gig Rig. It's desegregated into pieces, the AC mains come into their "Generator" and then into smaller pieces that provide the 9V outs all made of plastic, all the + and - leads are clamped and solderless (not ideal for the road or abuse). I don't see it as the best solution or even an ideal one in my experience and I think that's reflected as well by the body of pro rig builders that have been doing this for decades that, for the most part, didn't have their own power supplies and could pick from any model out there on the market.
@@VertexEffectsInc you are out of your mind!!!😁. Some many things to address here. I don’t think you can compare solderless to clamped. Very different. I’ve never experienced a failure with his system. Weight is greatly reduced and cost using their system. I would tell anyone at home player or pro GigRig is the way to go. Your killing me man!!!🤣
@@rockstarguitareffects clamped and solderless are the both still solderless, oxidation doesn't change in either situation. Neither are gas tight. This may be a non-issue for a sedentary device that's not moved or transported like a speaker in a home entertainment system, but presumably a pedalboard will move around, pedals will change, it will be exposed to the elements. These are all problem areas for these types of connections. Of those mentioned in the video, they're mostly all switch mode, all light weight compared to a linear supply - this will be negligible if were comparing switch mode to switch mode supplies. Advise away...we're certainly not "normed" on our approach to building rigs, presumably we have two separate experiences, but I think the efficacy of your preferred supply bears out in the usage among the professional rig builders where I've never seen one used by Xact Tone Solutions, Custom Audio Electronics, Rack Systems, Nice Rack Canada, Paul Lenders, Steen Skrydstrup, etc. Most of these guys will have a range of supplies that they'll use (including their own in some circumstances if they have a branded product). If it's superior why aren't we seeing this used more widely than a Strymon, Cioks, Voodoo Lab? Presumably these professionals are aware of what's out there and for the most part don't have a product that's underwriting the power supply parameters they're willing to build with. What reason would they have to not use any particular supply if it were superior? I suggest that they know of it and don't use it electively because they understand the shortcomings and understand the risks of such a supply in a disaggregated state. I stand by the recommendations here, and again we are likely coming from different experiences and technical backgrounds and what might be workable for you may not be workable for me in what I consider to be a professional level rig. Just as I might be ok with eating Sushi from a gas station, you might not be willing to accept anything less than Nobu for you "Sushi Baseline". I'm not sayin the Gig Rig supply is bad, just not comparable to what's here and not what I'd recommend knowing what's in store for the pedalboard as it's used in the field.
@@VertexEffectsInc people don’t like change and especially in our business I think people follow trends. So the power supplies you mentioned yes very good and lot of people use. They are reliable and do a great job. The gigrig is different and unique, goes against the norm so I could understand why people would bot use them. But for powering, ease of use, modularity, expandability, flexibility that’s what I would go with. I kind of reminds me of the debate in SS frets. If they change the tone by only 10% but you may never need to refret isn’t it worth it for the benefits it’s brings. But I’m with you man. Great discussion 👍🏻
Hey Mason...as always, your videos are packed with great information. I am using the Mission Engineering 529i power supply (rechargeable) and it is working well for me. What is your view on splitting power outputs between 2 (or sometimes more) pedals? I just add up the mA draw that each pedal would draw max and then split accordingly? This power supply has 6 300 mA and 2 500 mA outputs, so these can easily provide the current to multiple pedals. Any recommendations on the best split cables you have used?
We have a video on this called "Maximizing Your Power Supply" it gives you the ground rules for combining pedals on your power supply and which are good candidates and which aren't.
My board is massive and it needs 25 isolated Outputs so I'm going with the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3 Plus along with two Voodoo Lab Pedal Power X8. It'll cut down to having to use just 1 IEC Cable and it'll also make the rig less noisy. Before I was using the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Mondo and CIOKS DC 10. Time for an upgrade!
I have Cioks DC5, older model, probably linear. But it fits under a pedaltrain nano and powers 5 pedals with no noise issues. (I like to travel light!)
I have played many years but I am fairly new to pedals and all the various tech stuff about them. Is Cioks the best? OK so Cioks has a 7 outlet supply, and an 8 outlet one. You say the Cioks 4 and 8 are extension power supplies, what exactly does this mean? So are they both powered from one chord plugged into the wall? How is that ok? Dont they both need their own plug to go into the wall, or what? I wish there was someone to discuss this in person, but no one seems to know this stuff except on here.
Hello. The Problem i have with my rig. Amp: Victory v40 clean amp I go from my guitar in my cry baby wah. From tbere into my boss od200 and then inthe amp input. In the fx loop i have from in to out: - Nux optima air BBE sonic maximiser Boss CE1 chorus Boss PH3 phaser Voodoo lab tremolo Boss DD8 delay Source audio ventris reverb (Thanks @mason). The Power supply is a palmer PK-T12 The instrument cables are Sommer cables spirit XXL+ nutetik plugs und the Patch cables are mogami 2319+ squareplugs I have i little bit noise and loss headroom. What in my signal chain is the problem? The Power supply? The inexistent buffer? Thanks for helping.
I'm an intermediate player but I'm going to buy the cioks power supply. I really like how low the profile is and I also really like the fact that if I expand my rig I can buy a supply extension.
I own a few including big names such as,Voo Doo Lab ,Cioks and and Walrus Audio. But my bang for the buck choice is the Alctron OCT 500. Look it up, it offers good clean, switchable iso power with many of the features you need at an incredible price.
@@VertexEffectsInc I bought mine about a year ago from Reverb.Last time I checked they had a site also.6 inputs that do 12 or 9v and one 18v.I bought it because it was under $90 at the time.It has served me well though and would recommend it to a friend. YMMV. Keep up the fine work.
Name some of your favorite power supplies (maybe ones that we didn't mention in this video)!
BUY THE POWER SUPPLIES IN THIS VIDEO:
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2+: amzn.to/3mZWV2Y
MXR Isobrick: amzn.to/3srHeCY
Truetone CS6: amzn.to/2Qk1CZw
Truetone CS7: amzn.to/3aov7Ad
Truetone CS12: amzn.to/32rhxYH
Cioks DC7: amzn.to/3sGv0ql
Cioks 4: amzn.to/2QFAlAQ
Cioks 8: amzn.to/3aoOgSV
Strymon Zuma: amzn.to/3xc7jcD
Strymon Ojai: amzn.to/3x96NME
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3: amzn.to/3n3ztln
Voodoo Lab x4: amzn.to/2QGRTfD
Walrus Audio's Phoenix 120V??
I'm interested in your Vertex Effects battery power supply... any plans to expand the range?
Not a favorite (as I have no experience), but I have been looking at 'the GigRig' power supply versions recently and they look nice.
@@christiancathcart4373 Linear supply with an aluminum chassis, not a match made in heaven for the purposes of electromagnetic shielding. If you use one, you need to keep it away from other pedals as much as possible.
@@Naminorite to me, they're more of a consumer level solution that I don't see in practice or in the wild from other builders other than Daniel and The Gig Rig. It's desegregated into pieces, the AC mains come into their "Generator" and then into smaller pieces that provide the 9V outs all made of plastic, all the + and - leads are clamped and solderless (not ideal for the road or abuse). I don't see it as the best solution or even an ideal one in my experience and I think that's reflected as well by the body of pro rig builders that have been doing this for decades.
Hey Mason I know this video is an older one. I’m older , learning to play guitar and looking at pedals. I wanted to let you know how helpful your videos are. Thanks for explaining all pedal topics.
Thanks so much for the support!
Why do these things never have power on/off switches?
I think it’s because it would cause unwanted noise whenever switching them on while the amp is on. You could just switch them on before you’re gonna use them but that’s my best guess.
All mine have switches, but mine are CAE MC 403. They're huge, but spectacular
I can't tell you how much I (and subsequently my pedal boards) have benefitted from your videos throughout the years, but this video is pure GOLD! Absolutely awesome information. I was blown away by Cioks at NAMM a few years ago, but really just by how compact they are, but I never really knew that the extent of their bad assery other than it works great and looks fantastic on my boards
Thanks for watching! Glad you like the videos!
It is so good, so important, for an expert to clearly state which one they ultimately prefer and why. Some people seem to shy away from stating what they think, I'm not sure why. Thanks for being clear what it is that you chose!
I am using the CIOKS DC7 with a CIOKS 8 Expander on a Pedaltrain, it powers 18 pedals including a TC Electronics PLETHORA X5, no problems and plenty of power, of course it was not cheap.
Having the best power supplies out there is worth the extra cost IMO, great insurance policy for your pedals and keeping them regulated properly.
You are hitting it out of the park lately, Mason. Love this series
Thanks Patrick! Please share it out!!!
Wasted my time checking out a couple other videos before I found this one. It was exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!!
Glad it helped!
I’ve had a Truetone CS7 for a while and love it! When my board got bigger, I just added another. I spliced together 2 iec ends in a Y configuration with a powercon connector mounted to my board to power them both and it all works beautifully.
Cool! Those are nice supplies!
Thank you for making this video. It was so helpful on my decision to buy the best power supply being a new pedalboard user. You are such a great communicator ! Thank you and all the best
You're very welcome!
This video was just what I was looking for! I have been through soo many cheap power supplies, the only thing I have found that killed the hum in my place was a boss power supply (with a magnet) going through the matching noise suppressor... but its maxed out. Can't wait to try a high end power supply and expand!!
Thanks for watching!
I went through this a year ago. After reading reviews and comparing prices till my eyes bled, I went with the Cioks 4. Then after acquiring more pedals I went with the Cioks dc7. Haven't had any noise issues whatsoever, which is what I expected from Jedi psu master Poul Ciok.
They're greats supplies!
I’m a rookie. I got the Voodoo Lab 2 you recommended. Multiple 9v DC pedals with minimal draw. I like the sag capabilities. Your videos have been a big help in putting together my first board. Thanks.
SAG capabilities really only do half of what a real battery does. Voltage on a carbon battery isn't constant, it's always degrading in voltage and the SAG doesn't do current limiting which is a big part of these high impedance power sources.
@@VertexEffectsInc Before you brought back your 9v supply, I bought the Danelectro 9v supply as recommended at the time. : )
Extremely helpful breakdown. I could see myself in two distinct categories, also being able to see the benefits in each.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you once again. I have the DC7 & the 4.
Wonderful supplies!
I bought a TrueTone CS6 during a run of gigs last Christmas. I was previously running everything Daisy-chained off a Diago Powerstation (5A switch mode single supply).
I managed to kick the Diago getting on stage and split the plastic casing. It managed to get me through the gig but it needed upgrading fast.
I’d been using a GigRig isolator before my Drop pedal as a get around to get rid of noise.
The Diago was a good solution for a while and lasted years, but it has powered its last gig.
Luckily they had a TrueTone CS6 at my local store the next morning. It’s a great power supply.
I’ve got isolated high current 9 volt lines. I can run my OCD Ge at 18 volts and I get no power supply related noise from any pedal.
It’s made of steel, and is very low profile. I’ve got room to put other pedals on top of it and I have a single Kettle IEC cable powering everything with spare power lines if I need to expand.
I’m Customer 2 by the way!
I’d recommend this power supply to Number 1 or number 2 users.
I had an MXR ISO Brick (b-stock). Lots of noise, so I returned it right away. Then I got the Cioks. Great stuff. Never regret switching to Cioks.
Cioks is great!
I just bought your new Tour Compact board and was looking at the mounting holes and it didn’t look like there was a way to mount my Cioks 8 to the second tier. I am using the 8 in connection with the DC7. Won’t be able to build the board until Monday or so but I am stoked. I built my previous board soldering my own cables and using you methods and am excited to do this next one. This time I’m moving on to also soldering my DC cables to custom length.
Yes, you can use the mounting pattern that they provide for a Pedaltrain and just drill through the top of the riser. Just make sure that it won't impede anything below it.
I decided to go with the Zuma from Strymon. I love the Ciosk, flexibility from 9v-18v on each output but I don’t like that it’s RCA outputs (not your std or typical output connectors) but having a USB to charge anything that’s a big Plus + on top of that it’s cheaper than the Zuma. Overall both are great, all depends on your needs. Thanks Uncle Mason!!!
Thanks for watching!
I got the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3 plus over the weekend . The old mounts for the Pedal Power 2 Plus still work for the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3 Plus with my PedelTrain - 1 ( with a little adjusting )
Amazing! They are great supplies! The best Voodoo Lab yet.
Thanks Brother! I was leaning towards the Cioks, this video sealed the deal!
Glad I could help!
I built a new pedal board a few weeks ago, and needed my first "real" PSU, leaving the wall wart daisy chain behind. I have 11 pedals on my board atm, but that number is constantly changing as I swap stuff in and out as I decide what I like. I started with a CS7 with the plan to use a few daisy chains on my overdrive pedals, but at the end of the day the CS7 wasn't enough for 10+ pedals. I exchanged the CS7 for a CS12 a few days later and now I couldn't be happier.
They’re wonderful!
Build my first pedalboard a few weeks ago went with the MXR iso brick. As I'm diving into more of the pedal world, I love the possibility of the Cioks. For now my Iso Brick is awesome though
Those are still great supplies no doubt!
Thank you for posting this, Mason. I’ve been using an old Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 which isn’t ideal with my board since I have a couple of Strymon pedals. I’ve noticed a fair amount of noise with my board.
It may not be the supply could be other stuff. Of the linear supplies the Pedal Power 2 is the best you can do shielding wise.
@@VertexEffectsInc thank you for the info. I don’t know what’s causing the noise. Maybe it’s just inevitable with using multiple overdrives and a compressor? Would a power supply like the Cioks or One Spot make it more quiet?
@@MrSpeed-lt8gr Depends on the source and cause of the noise issue.
Mason… I don’t think there is anyone that offers info we need better than you. You are gold bro!
Wow, thanks!
Just got back into playing guitar and currently revamping/updating my pedal board. Came across your channel recently and you've been my go-to resource as I re-build my guitar pedal board. Great knowledge and info you share. So, thank you!
VERTEX, you should do a video about power conditioning because most power supplies don't have any power conditioning circuits/filters built internally which most people don't understand there differences between a power supply and a power conditioner. Various Lighting Systems for stages and the clubs/bar water compressor, air compressor, soda machine compressor, power tools will cause noises, harmonics, etc to be injected into the AC 120vac outlets which get bleed into the pedalboards power supplies causes a lot of problems. Power Conditioners are trying to filter out the spikes, surges, ripple currents, harmonics, noises, etc that is on the 120vac AC waveform going to the pedalboards powers supply and amplifiers. Those power supplies will NOT filter out these various harmonics, spikes, surges, ripple currents, leakage current, noises, etc. This is a major issue for not power conditioning your pedalboard if you have your booster pedal, tube screamer, distortion pedal, overdrive turned on which raises the noise floor and the club/bar dishwasher is turned on or a power tool is turned on you will hear it coming from the AC outlet into your pedalboard because of not power conditioning the pedalboard.
I have the Mondo from a build years ago. I eventually had to move it to the top corner of the board from underneath (pedaltrain) to eliminate noise. Works great so still not ready to pull the trigger on a switch mode supply.
Switch mode is the way - you can get the new Pedal Power 3
Hey Jason,
Thank you for all your insightful videos. I’ve been slowly putting together my first pedalboard and just purchased a brand new Cioks 7 from reverb. I also purchased a TC electronics buffer based on another one of your videos! You’ve been a big help to a beginner with pedals like me 😊
Great recommendations and video. I used the CS-12 for years, went to the Zuma and quickly back to the CS-12; it’s a great supply. I have moved to the GigRig power system and couldn’t be happier. It’s pricey but if a silent board matters to you than I’d highly recommend it. I’ve never had such a quiet board, and my pedals have never been so happy.
Doc, I’d love to see/hear your thoughts on the GigRig system, I think you’d really dig it. It’s the right call for your Travel Plus board.
I've seen them in person, it's not on the level of the Strymon, Cioks, Voodoo Lab 3 type stuff and the clamped +/- to me is a risky proposition for road guys or pedalboards that will undergo exposure to the elements. I'm not saying it won't work or delivery the voltages correctly, it's just a consumer level solution to me and I think that's why you really only see it used by The Gig Rig practitioners in the professional circles of rig builders.
@@VertexEffectsInc - I can’t argue that since I have only started using it in COVID times; no shows, no real movement. But I’ll let you how it holds up once we are back playing shows and going from rainy to desert climates and back. Ha Ha.
As for power and isolation, it’s great. Like I said, I haven’t been happier. But I do love the CS-12! And highly recommend it. It’d still be powering my board if I had bought the next size board above the Travel Plus.
Cheers dude, and thanks.
I was originally going to go with the Zuma/Ojai but just got a deal on a Cioks DC-7 so now I’m going with that and a C4 or C8 which will be cool because it gives me way more flexibility to go with different voltages. Most of my pedals run at 9v but can run higher and I want to play around with running some at 12 and 18.
It's a great choice!
Thanks a TON Mason. This was perfect information and perfect timing. I'm Person 1 however I think you must have read my e-mails to Vertexeffects and some of the power companies (i.e. Cioks). I will likely have more than the pedal count of your average VooDoo Lab however most of them will be standard boxes (i.e. BOSS BD-2, JHS Morning Glory, etc). This video was super helpful and the Vertexeffects e-mail team nailed it when they told me to watch TH-cam today. This type of video only grows the pedal and pedalboard business as it opens doors to those who would want to get in but don't know how.
🙏🙏🙏 thanks for watching and glad you found it helpful!
The gigrig power supplies work great, small bit expensive but very light weight and compact .
They may work great for you, but I don't find them to be equal solutions to the self contained supplies for a professional solution that I can recommend. This is a really more of a DIY route for a more beginner or intermediate.
Vertex Effects Have you ever come across the joyo zgp (I think it’s called) as a budget option for running high amp draw (up to 800ma 9v dc) pedals?
@@billytremoloband7456 I haven't
Vertex Effects I didn’t think they would work for 💩 but I’ve tried a dd500, stone deaf syncopy and line6 m5 (not at the same time) and anyone of those pedals didn’t cause any extra noise , I powered it from the gigrig generator.
Great budget option! I’ve been using it for about 3 years on a few different board configurations with 0 issues!
I have a VooDoo Lab ISO-5 and a Strymon Zuma ( love em ). Both are whisper quiet with my rig's, and I play a Suhr Strat with Lollar SSS configuration. ( also using high-end patch cables ).
The iso 5 can have noise if put in the wrong place
@@VertexEffectsInc Not in my set-up. I use a "Tone Brush" recommended by: Mason! ( ha, ha, - I know. I just keep it away from my wah ). I prefer my Zuma.
@@michael_caz_nyc ha!
I've got the Pedal Power 3 Plus. HX Effects w/current doubler takes 2 spots, but works fine so far. The way I've figured it, I can pretty much power anything I'll ever need, and use that 250ma output for my buffers.
Nice!
Powering my board with a Cioks 7 and Cioks 4. Badass low profile setup with a ton of power and voltage options.
Yes Indeed
My first PSU is a Trutone CS6 I really like it! It’s slim enough to fit under my pedal train metro 24. Wah plus 5 pedals. You’re good to go! They include cables! Really nice!
They’re great!
I saw your video on splitting cables. What a great idea! I’m buying 2 to try it out because I have plenty of room for more pedals. I like your content, very informative!
In my case the height of the box plays a pivotal role. When dealing with 2.9-3.2[cm] space to the floor I decided to choose Cioks DC7 which is 2.6cm height so it would fit perfectly. Velcro tapes add 1-2mm to the equation, depending on the squeeze level and base thickness - worth mentioning.
I actually just purchased a Friedman Power Grid 10 got it for a great price and is perfect for my small bass rig
Cool!
Great video. I like that you make a very clear explanation without a lot of wasted time. Thank you
This really helps me make a sufficiently informed decision. Thank you!
🙏🙏🙏
Wow, great information! I was using the Onespot pro on my small board for church. Shure stomp box wireless, volume pedal,BossOC5, Cloudburst and Kelley reverb to direct box. I developed apwhat sounds like a ground loop hum, like when ground is off on direct box. I grabbed a Onespot 1700 mil to check pedals one at a time and hum buzz was gone . I daisy chained from volume pedal through to Keeley and again , totally quiet . Order a Zuma R300, mounted under metro and plugged everything in and was silent at home thru my amp . Came to church , hooked into direct box and I have the same noise.
We lost our projection before service on Sunday and when mid morning when they figured out the problem that’s when these issues began. I feel it has something to do with something back at the sound, projection area. I’m stumped on this . When I’m connected to direct box I believe I’m connected back to all the power in that area.
I hope this makes some kind of sense. Any ideas to try and run down the problem would be amazing . For now I’m running the little one spots , two of them and it’s silent . Why would that be ?
Thanks,
Gary
I've used both the Strymon and the CIOKS systems. Both are great, but I love how slim the CIOKS is. Great for an under board/riser setup.
Yes, very convenient
I just found this channel and oh my god... amazing content and I’ve learned so much
Glad to hear it!
cioks is pricey but the best, what I like is the super low profile, super light weight and cables style and expandability
As far as I can tell is the cheapest expandable supply. The Zuma and Pedal Power 3 are the other expandable ones that cost more.
You are absolutely a wealth of information. Thank you for making this video
Our pleasure! Hope we earned your sub!
I just purchased a DC10 used from Musician's Friend. I hope it comes with everything I need. I don't want to have to drill holes, or purchase various other components just to affix it to my board...Otherwise, i'm excited to have one!
Enjoy!
Thanks for the great information and explanation of the different power supplies!! I have been electric guitar for about 50 years, took a few years off, and recently started building my equipment up. I currently only have six pedals including a Dunlop Wah. I have been using a True tone 1Spot to power the pedals. The 1Spot is nice, but if my guitar cable crosses the pedal board, I get some hum, especially on the gain channels. Really thinking of stepping up to one of the better Truetone CS 6 or CS7 power supplies you mentioned! Thanks for the great information!! Karl
Thankyou for the video it helped me decide on MXR M238 ISO Brick Power Supply. Total newbie to all this stuff.
Glad I could help
Will a Voodoo lab x8 be as quiet as the Strymon zuma?
Completely agree with Cioks being the best out there. I’m so happy with mine. It’s also great when you change a pedal on the board the draws different voltage. You don’t have to change cables or move stuff around, just flip a switch and you’re good to go.
It’s a great feature!
Fender LVL8 and LVL12, all 500mA outputs with 2 selectable on each from 9v, 12v, 18v.
Hey Mason, I got the CioksDC7 because a video you recommended it in. I thought it would fix my noise problem. Still doesn’t.
My setup is
Whammy 4 > Dunlop Wah > PolyTune3 > Boss Noise Sprssr (send) > SP Comp > Carcosa Fuzz > Walrus DST > Fender Boost > Boosta Grande > Boss Noise Sprssr (return-output) > ElecHarm Mod11 > Walrus ARP87 Dly > Polara Rvrb
The DC7 is powering the polytune/noise/comp with its daisy chain option. Also powering the fuzz, dst, and both boost pedals in individual output.
The mod & timing pedals are being powered by a Caline power supply.
The whammy 4 is being powered by its own adapter because I believe it’s AC and not DC.
I still don’t know what I’m doing wrong and I have to use the noise suppressor in order to get rid of some of the noise. Any advice? Thanks regardless!
Generally you don't want to daisy chain digital pedals with analog pedals. You Fuzz, Boost, NS-2, SP Comp, Wah are all good sharing candidates. Your Tuner is not ideal, they can cause some issues when paired with other pedals. Digital pedals (like a digital tuner, delay, reverb, etc.) really need their own output. Using the Caline supply could also be an issue - I don't know it, but often the cheaper supplies are not so good with filtering out noise and often leave artifacts in the audio range. The AC from the Whammy could also be problematic if the AC cabling isn't separated from the Audio. I would also look at the quality of audio cable you're using, is it soldered? Is it high quality? This can also be a factor.
@@VertexEffectsInc ok thanks that’s really helpful information. My patch cables are EBS’ with the gold tips/sleeves. When you say separate whammy cabling from audio what do you mean? Like don’t put it in the pedal chain?
@@VertexEffectsInc Also I usually keep both Wah and whammy away from power supply on the board. I’m gonna look into getting the buffers to like you always recommend, but have to wait a little to get more money 😂. I’ll see if I can power everything without using the Caline supply. If not then I will down grade my setup until I can get maybe a DC4 or something.
So for me, the one singular most important thing is never discussed…in multiple videos…and is hard to find on each products spec sheet…RUN TIME! Run Time is everything for me. I don’t want to have to switch out batteries during a gig. I need 4 solid hours of battery life. Of course I know that is very relative to power draw/consumption but still some idea is needed. I use about 5-7 pedals including a vocal harmonizer, a RC 50 loop and also power a Shure wireless receiver (total battery powered “busking” gigs on the beach). Everything is 9v…the only odd power input is the Shure is reversed polarity (and I just use an adapter). I had this plastic box power supply for over a decade with only TWO outputs and it lasted 6 hours!!! But it died. What should I get…4 hours minimum)
Exactly what I've been looking for! Did you get a chance to read about the FENDER ENGINE ROOM LVL12 POWER SUPPLY? Should I wait for it to be in stock or go for the Zuma? I am looking for 12 ports all at 9V & also have the option to daisy chain 3 pedals (tuner & ODs) if I am to go for the Zuma.
I know about it, unfortunately I haven't been able to get one from Fender. The options seem good, I've not tested it to see how it compares in the field. The Zuma is a sure thing, USA made, good pedigree. You can always add the Ojai to get 4 more outputs
For anyone who is interested you can use the AC out of the CS12 to power the Cioks 4 expander, you’ll only get 100ma on it each output because of the lower current of the AC output but it’s great to power 4 low current overdrives etc
Nice! Didn't realize that!
I have to upgrade mine as soon as possible... It's getting hot with all the pedals connected.
MXR FULLBORE METAL, MXR IL TORINO,
MOOER BLACKNIGHT 009 (220mAh), MXR analog Chorus, MXR REVERB (240mAh) and MOOER RADAR.
Every pedal is 9V except for the Radar which is 300mAh@12V.
Everything is powered by a MOOER S8
I've had the il Torino for a while, but I'm struggling to find a useable sound, how is it working for you?
There are plenty of great options out there as you can see!
@@tannerblades9049 it's nice to boost the preamp even though the EQ doesn't seem to be doing much. My go to settings for boost are treble at noon, Mid at 2 o'clock, Bass at 10 o'clock while the Master is at 2 o'clock and Gain all the way down, it works for both clean and dirty amp;
For OD I use the same EQ setting as Boost but with the Gain at 3 o'clock or all the way up and using the volume knob from the guitar to clean up
@@kainagami Thanks! I'll try it tomorrow, hopefully that'll sound a little better than what I've been able to achieve!
I’ve got a OneSpot CS-12 and a Strymon Ojai, but I’m planning to upgrade to a Zuma in the future
Both are great!
In all of your pedalboard builds, you talk about using the molded end of the power cable at the pedal end, and soldering connectors on the power supply end. What do you use for the connections to the Cioks power supplies, which use RCA connectors? Thanks.
I use Switchcraft RCA's. Same ones they used on older Fender amps.
The Voodoo Lab 5 is good, but I found I couldn't use all of the ports, I ended up having to use 2 to power 8 of my 10 pedals.
I eventually bought the Friedman Power Grid 10.
It's linear and has an aluminum chassis, so not great for electro magnetic shielding. You'll want to keep it away from pedals as much as possible and not under them. The Friedman is switch mode so it won't have that issue.
CS-6 owner here! Perfect for my current board but, I'm planning to go to a bigger board and this helped a ton 👍
🙏🙏🙏
I've been running an old MXR power brick with no issues for 15 years or so, but was looking for a newer one as my pedal board has changed the last while. The noise issue and voltage stability are top of my list when looking for a new one.
You could go with the iso Brick or many that I mentioned here a great upgrades
@@VertexEffectsInc I definitely looked at one, I have a MXR stereo chorus and Ibanez Nu-tube screamer that run off 18v and the Nu-tube screamer seems to be a little touchy with power supplies.
Rig Doctor! You've helped me build my own buffer, do my own custom patch cables, and my own power cables. I'm super appreciative! My board is running great all except my Eventide Timefactor. I've put it into the 5-6 with dip switches away from normal through a current doubling cable. Any recommendations on how I can power my Eventide?
You need a 2.5mm barrel connector going into the Eventide and you may need a reverse polarity tip as well.
Eh - I have about 50 years experience with pedals. I use four - and one's a tuner. Been through the "big board" thing. Many people realize after decades go by you just don't need very many. Want? well that's different......(lol)
What’s that have to do with power supplies?
@@VertexEffectsInc Size. It has everything to do with the size of the power supply and the money we spend to go from four power outputs like the small Ernie Ball units all the way to the twelve or more power output units. If cost was not an issue, I might say the same thing, "Four pedals, four hundred pedals, who cares? " But a jump of 25% to 50% in price for additional power outputs might mean a lot for budget-minded players.
You’re killin it!
I’m planning to build a board with HX Stomp on it. What PS would fit my need? I’m gonna add 4-5 pedals with it.
You could use a Truetone CS7
Thanks for this great and informative video! I’m a new guitar player at the young age of 51 and I like to purchase top of the line or as they say, buy now cry later LOL! CIOKS DC7 for me, your videos ROCK thanks!!!
Thanks!
No problem!
Was hoping to hear your thoughts on this. What about the gig rig stuff?
It's not comparable to what we're talking about in the video. Solderless connections with clamps for the plus and minus voltage. Plastic parts, all desegregated - it's more of a consumer level DIY solution and I don't see used widely by rig builders outside of Dan and The Gig Rig.
@@VertexEffectsInc excellent points
Unfortunately, I think I just graduated from group two to group three! I saw that Truetone claims that the CS-12 can actually supply more current than what’s written on the unit itself. The exact example was that a 200ma tap can easily power a 300ma pedal as long as the overall amperage of the unit isn’t being exceeded. This would make my life so much easier if it’s true, but Strymon seems very adamant about needing a 300ma minimum for the Timeline and Mobius. I may just have to increase my spending allowance😂
Yes, it's a great supply!
I went with mxr iso brick for size and amount of inputs .On two different builds .They work great but had to spend another $60 on true tone 18v to 9v adapters for the outputs that are 18v only .THANK YOU MASON for that piece of info ,you probably saved me $800 in blown pedals. Now I'm building a vintage pedal flat board ,I'm using a pedal power 2 .1st reason three prong memory man ,2nd reason mounting a Shaller tremolo on top .Any thoughts?
Excellent news! Glad it was helpful! Keep the Pedal Power as far away from the pedals as possible.
Great video!
How do you know if a power supply is linear or switch mode?
I just ordered the Cioks Power Pack from Sweetwater. That’s one hell of a deal for a DC7 and an 8 bundle.
They're great!
@@VertexEffectsInc I finished a complete rebuild of my entire board a few days ago. I don’t think there’s a better power supply made.
I was having problems with a couple of transistor based fuzzes that were only alleviated with a battery. Every power supply I own injected noise into them, isolated/switch mode/linear, it didn’t matter.
The DC7/8 fixed it too. My digital effects are even quieter.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Would love your take on power conditioners.
Could be something for the future.
I built a new pedal board this week. I learned Dunlop/MXR pedals do not like to share. Daisy-Chaining is not going to work. Bought the Pedal Power 2. It's sitting on top of the board at the moment. Keeley compressor, NUX Plexi overdrive, Fender delay, MXR Echoplex, Dunlop Reverb. Zero noise. FYI-the Dunlop/MXR pedals have to plugged into the 250 ma outputs. Don't know why but that's the way it is. Works perfectly. I'm hooking up a MXR Phase 95 so we'll see how that does.
It will depend on 1) if the pedal is analog or digital 2) if the pedal has a clock 3) proximity to the linear power supply (in some cases). We have a video on this and how to parallel pedals effectively and how to choose which pedals to best combine - I think it's titled "Maximizing Your Power Supply" or something like that.
Hey, Mason, thanks for all the information you share with us!
I'm not sure about it, so I would like to ask you: is the mxr iso-brick a switch mode power supply or it uses the toroidal transformer?
Thanks again for your videos!
It’s switch mode
@@VertexEffectsInc Thanks 💙
Tough choice between cs6, mini iso, dc4 for under pedaltrain metro. I think i like the mains cable of the cs6 when on stage.
All good choices :)
The Zuma is by far the best power supply I’ve ever used. It’s worth every penny. It’s hard to beat 500ma per output.
It’s a good option the Cioks is 660 per output and does 9-18V on every output. I think it’s equal or better to Strymon.
I've had a pedal power 2 for years and years. It never fails, it never interferes, and just powers the few pedals I got. If I ever get more pedals (honestly, more like when) I'll look into other options.
if you're going linear, it's the best option because it's a steel chassis. Subsequent versions are not.
While these rundowns of what's out there are great, something which is rarely addressed is EHX pedals needing a different supply to most regular pedals.
Almost all of these supplies can power any EHX pedals, Memory Man, Q Tron, etc. This is more of a cable thing and how you combine outputs in series to get 18 or 24V.
@@VertexEffectsInc I was referring more to the difference in centre negative/positive, where most pedals I own are negative, but EHX are positive. (Excuse me if I got that the wrong way around, my brain is sponsored by migraine right now.) I know polarity reversal cables exist, but have you ever covered this sort of thing? I think it’s something beginners should probably know.
@@PhilSherry it's easy to convert internally if you wanted to but since I make all the cables custom anyway I don't bother as it's more time to mod the pedal.
I use the Cioks DC5. Should I be using the DC7? I hear it’s better, but I only have 5 pedals. I think the transformer is the same. 🤔
Cioks 4, 7, and 8 are their best supplies, all switch mode.
What about the Gigrig? Would be great to get your thoughts.
Gigrig is outdated and overpriced.
It’s more of a consumer level solution with all the parts disaggregated. It’s a risky move for a pro rig and depends upon solderless clamps for the + snd - voltage all plastic parts. Not exactly robust.
@@MorswinCzcigodny so is your mum
@@VertexEffectsInc great thank you!
I just got one of your battery supplies. I have a fuzz face, Octavia, Scrambler clone, and vox wah that I needed to tame. I can't figure out if my Walrus Aetos is a switching power supply or not, but it works out because I was running out of power outputs anyway, hoping it does the trick for my old school pedals.
Walrus is linear.
Mason, thanks for yet another great video! Very informative, as always.
I wonder what your view is on yet another type of power supplies that is not as wide-spread, but is getting popularity, and that is battery-powered/rechargeable power supplies?
There are fewer players in this market place, but two big names that come to mind are Pedaltrain with their Volta's and, on a higher end of the spectrum, your Northern neighbors Mission Engineering with their 529i (or even earlier 529 + external powerbank kits)?
I have recently switched to 529i, and I am enjoying it a lot!
It has a built-in rechargeable lithium battery that would provide up to 4 hours of juice for a 1.3 A total rig in my case, offers 8 isolated 9V DC outs. Because it can be used with no connection to mains, there's zero power supply related noise issues no matter what.
It is less flexible in that it can only do 9V DC (or 18V through a voltage doubler cable, but you "sacrifice" 2 DC outs to get one 18V supply), but for an average board with mainly 9V DC pedals it can be an extremely convenient and versatile solution, which is truly "bullet proof" in that it will keep your board powered even if you have a blackout lol! :)
Great for portability, and also has a 5V USB out, to recharge your phone/power your iPad with your DAW/Backing tracks etc.
The rechargeable batteries aren't on par yet either voltage or current wise and have had some risks in the past as some have been recalled for catching fire from large and prominent brands. I'm sure it'll catch up at some point but it's not there yet.
@@VertexEffectsInc , thanks for the heads up... I'm going to get me a fire extinguisher just in case :) On a serious note, I will keep an eye on my PSU in terms of temperatures etc, but so far so good, as long as it's not overloaded (and even them, they promise all sorts of protection to step in and protect the battery). Once again, thanks for the great vid, and keep'em coming! :)
Any suggestions if one wanted to power an HX stomp and Shure GLDX16 on the same board? Both companies suggest using the included power cables, but it isn't really conducive to a compact board.
Always enjoy your posts like this. One thing I was curious about is each of these power supplies have power cords located in different locations (back, side, middle) etc. is there a preference as to where you run the power cord from the power supply? The left side since most people are right footed? The center of your board?
Typically I try to isolate them in the opposite corner whatever foot you used to operate the Pedalboard, it’s not as critical now as it used to be but in the old days with linear supplies you had to be very careful about where a WAH fit in relationship to the power supply because of the problems with the inductor in proximity to the transformer in the power supply. With switch mode this is less important, but typically you want to orient the AC cable so that it’s exiting with a clear path to the wall and not obstructed by other devices.
Hi folks.
I love your content and thank you so much.
A wealth of knowledge.
I’m building a second board.
A carry on board for fly out gigs.
Thank you in advance as I am in need of some serious advice.
I have a larger board where I run it with the classic Voodoo Lab 2.
This has served me well since 2006/7.
I’ve been all over the net looking for advice to my question here & no one has any content.
Hence my straight up question with this new build is!
I am on a budget on this one.
Well!!! The power supply anyway.
I will be upgrading ASAP.
But the gear on the board was not on a budget.
But for now my big question is (what are your thoughts on the Carson multi voltage?)
7 DC 100mA output jacks.
1 DC9V 500mA Jack.
1 DC 12V 100mA Jack.
1 DC 18V 100mA Jack.
To give you a road map of my board so it helps here you go.
The order you see them in here is how I will run them (guitar in P-Split & out after the Slo reverb).
I have a Lehle P-Split. (Not needing Carson).
Peterson Strobe. (Battery powered).
Power Screamer (HBE).
Compact RD from Origin.
Freidman OD.
Broken arrow.
Heavy Water. (Thorpy).
Soul Vibe (BBE).
Slo reverb.
So at this stage only (4) are needing the Carson to power up the devices.
Be straight as I already know that the Carson may be very well punching above it’s weight.
But this friends is what I have to with with for now.
What say you?
Lee ☺️✊🏽👍🏽.
Never heard of the Carson.
@@VertexEffectsInc thank you for getting back mate.
A cheaper brand obviously that hasn’t got its name out into the world as yet I shall surmise then.
Thanks again & I’ll see you down the track.
Lee.
Great content!!! Hands down for Cioks DC7 best power in my board ever!
Yes indeed!!!
I have a question about single 9 volt adapters..I'm running 2 boards full of pedals. On my big board I have 2 power supplies (Pedal Power) mounted underneath with no noise or issues. On my 2nd board (it's much small) and doesn't really have room for a power supply, so I run just a few single 9volt adapters over to each pedal (*no daisy chaining involved). So the question is this.....when I use True Tone 9volt (single adapters) I get hum, but when I change to my Boss single 9volt adapters they don't that hum. Are the 1Spot True Tone 9 volt adapters a poor choice for powering a single pedal? Has anyone had issues with them (True Tone) powering up a single pedal?
The Truetone wall wart can have some issues - it's a cheaper switching supply and in some instances can be noisy. I recommend getting an isolated supply.
I’m a kinda... mix of customer 2 & 3, but I went with the Cioks cause it was future proofed. Glad I did, cause I’ve already found it useful.
Great supply!
What makes it future proof?
@@joepeezy4sheezy its expandability and flexibility. Like Mason mentions in the video, you can select any voltage on any channel and you can add extensions if you need to. That means that pretty much any pedal except for a 24V pedal can go on my board without having to buy a whole new power supply. And If I want to upgrade to a bigger board with more pedals, I can simply add on an extension to power any pedals I add.
@@chronicmango wow that is pretty great! I have a boss rc3 loop station that gives some hiss and I keep wondering if it’s my pedal power 4x4 making the noise (it’s fairly close to the supply).
Thank you! And what about powering the power supplies? Is it important? Can any powerbar can do the trick? Thanks :)
I'm surprised that GigRig isn't in there. With the Generator, Distributors and/or Isolators, you have a fantastic solution to power that's very light and economical. I've never had an issue with noise or connectivity. It's a great option that should be given a little more attention too.
Not on the same level. My appraisal is that they're more of a consumer level solution that I don't see in practice or in the wild from other builders other than Daniel and The Gig Rig. It's desegregated into pieces, the AC mains come into their "Generator" and then into smaller pieces that provide the 9V outs all made of plastic, all the + and - leads are clamped and solderless (not ideal for the road or abuse). I don't see it as the best solution or even an ideal one in my experience and I think that's reflected as well by the body of pro rig builders that have been doing this for decades that, for the most part, didn't have their own power supplies and could pick from any model out there on the market.
@@VertexEffectsInc you are out of your mind!!!😁. Some many things to address here. I don’t think you can compare solderless to clamped. Very different. I’ve never experienced a failure with his system. Weight is greatly reduced and cost using their system. I would tell anyone at home player or pro GigRig is the way to go. Your killing me man!!!🤣
@@rockstarguitareffects clamped and solderless are the both still solderless, oxidation doesn't change in either situation. Neither are gas tight. This may be a non-issue for a sedentary device that's not moved or transported like a speaker in a home entertainment system, but presumably a pedalboard will move around, pedals will change, it will be exposed to the elements. These are all problem areas for these types of connections. Of those mentioned in the video, they're mostly all switch mode, all light weight compared to a linear supply - this will be negligible if were comparing switch mode to switch mode supplies. Advise away...we're certainly not "normed" on our approach to building rigs, presumably we have two separate experiences, but I think the efficacy of your preferred supply bears out in the usage among the professional rig builders where I've never seen one used by Xact Tone Solutions, Custom Audio Electronics, Rack Systems, Nice Rack Canada, Paul Lenders, Steen Skrydstrup, etc. Most of these guys will have a range of supplies that they'll use (including their own in some circumstances if they have a branded product). If it's superior why aren't we seeing this used more widely than a Strymon, Cioks, Voodoo Lab? Presumably these professionals are aware of what's out there and for the most part don't have a product that's underwriting the power supply parameters they're willing to build with. What reason would they have to not use any particular supply if it were superior? I suggest that they know of it and don't use it electively because they understand the shortcomings and understand the risks of such a supply in a disaggregated state. I stand by the recommendations here, and again we are likely coming from different experiences and technical backgrounds and what might be workable for you may not be workable for me in what I consider to be a professional level rig. Just as I might be ok with eating Sushi from a gas station, you might not be willing to accept anything less than Nobu for you "Sushi Baseline". I'm not sayin the Gig Rig supply is bad, just not comparable to what's here and not what I'd recommend knowing what's in store for the pedalboard as it's used in the field.
@@VertexEffectsInc people don’t like change and especially in our business I think people follow trends. So the power supplies you mentioned yes very good and lot of people use. They are reliable and do a great job. The gigrig is different and unique, goes against the norm so I could understand why people would bot use them. But for powering, ease of use, modularity, expandability, flexibility that’s what I would go with. I kind of reminds me of the debate in SS frets. If they change the tone by only 10% but you may never need to refret isn’t it worth it for the benefits it’s brings. But I’m with you man. Great discussion 👍🏻
Thank you for having this discussion. I had been considering the gigrig option. I have a Voodoo 2. Need an update will now go with Voodoo 3.
Just got the
voodoo 3+
Can run my old proco rat, new UA stomps and my hungry Freqout
Quit and effective so far
A bit pricey
Hey Mason...as always, your videos are packed with great information. I am using the Mission Engineering 529i power supply (rechargeable) and it is working well for me. What is your view on splitting power outputs between 2 (or sometimes more) pedals? I just add up the mA draw that each pedal would draw max and then split accordingly? This power supply has 6 300 mA and 2 500 mA outputs, so these can easily provide the current to multiple pedals. Any recommendations on the best split cables you have used?
We have a video on this called "Maximizing Your Power Supply" it gives you the ground rules for combining pedals on your power supply and which are good candidates and which aren't.
@@VertexEffectsInc I will watch that one ASAP! Thanks again!
Wow...short hair in that video!
My board is massive and it needs 25 isolated Outputs so I'm going with the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3 Plus along with two Voodoo Lab Pedal Power X8. It'll cut down to having to use just 1 IEC Cable and it'll also make the rig less noisy. Before I was using the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Mondo and CIOKS DC 10. Time for an upgrade!
Any thoughts on the Walrus Audio Phoenix?
I have Cioks DC5, older model, probably linear. But it fits under a pedaltrain nano and powers 5 pedals with no noise issues. (I like to travel light!)
That’s great! If the linear supplies Cioks does some cool tricks to eliminate as much of the magnetic leakage as possible.
I have played many years but I am fairly new to pedals and all the various tech stuff about them. Is Cioks the best? OK so Cioks has a 7 outlet supply, and an 8 outlet one. You say the Cioks 4 and 8 are extension power supplies, what exactly does this mean? So are they both powered from one chord plugged into the wall? How is that ok? Dont they both need their own plug to go into the wall, or what? I wish there was someone to discuss this in person, but no one seems to know this stuff except on here.
Depends on your needs, Cioks, Strymon, Truetone, even the new Fender Engine Room is good.
Hello.
The Problem i have with my rig.
Amp: Victory v40 clean amp
I go from my guitar in my cry baby wah.
From tbere into my boss od200 and then inthe amp input.
In the fx loop i have from in to out:
-
Nux optima air
BBE sonic maximiser
Boss CE1 chorus
Boss PH3 phaser
Voodoo lab tremolo
Boss DD8 delay
Source audio ventris reverb (Thanks @mason).
The Power supply is a palmer PK-T12
The instrument cables are Sommer cables spirit XXL+ nutetik plugs und the Patch cables are mogami 2319+ squareplugs
I have i little bit noise and loss headroom.
What in my signal chain is the problem?
The Power supply? The inexistent buffer?
Thanks for helping.
is the wah pedal directly above or near the power supply?
@@sgeggbub1008 near
I'm an intermediate player but I'm going to buy the cioks power supply. I really like how low the profile is and I also really like the fact that if I expand my rig I can buy a supply extension.
They're great!
I own a few including big names such as,Voo Doo Lab ,Cioks and and Walrus Audio. But my bang for the buck choice is the Alctron OCT 500. Look it up, it offers good clean, switchable iso power with many of the features you need at an incredible price.
Where?
@@VertexEffectsInc I bought mine about a year ago from Reverb.Last time I checked they had a site also.6 inputs that do 12 or 9v and one 18v.I bought it because it was under $90 at the time.It has served me well though and would recommend it to a friend. YMMV. Keep up the fine work.