Multi-Pedal Power Supplies for Noise Reduction?

[Masta' C]

So, despite checking out electrically and installing new outlets everywhere, the power in my home office isn't the cleanest it seems.

I am currently running my amp and PC through a power conditioner, but it seems that I may be having noise issues with high gain pedals whose power supplies aren't plugged into the conditioner (not enough outlets).

I'm seeing multi-pedal power supplies like the new Ernie Ball "Volt" that claim to offer isolated outputs for reduced noise. However, boxes like that from the name brands are running $100+ from what I can see.

Is there a good quality alternative with similar performance that isn't overly large or so expensive? I only need to power 3-4 pedals at any time.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Can't you add more outlets via a few few cheap power strips out of the power conditioner? As long as you're not over taxing the conditioner I don't see any potential issues and pedals of course run on a tiny amount of current in the first place.

 

[GuitarStv]

What kind of wall-wart are you currently using to power your pedals? Some of them are better than others at filtering noise from the wall.

 

[Bogner]

Strymon, Cioks, Eventide are what you are looking for. The other issue is the wall power and regulating that at the source. AMP RX is the solution for the other "power" issue.

 

[Masta' C]

Strymon, Cioks, Eventide are what you are looking for. The other issue is the wall power and regulating that at the source. AMP RX is the solution for the other "power" issue.

Those are great suggestions, but every one of those is more expensive than the Ernie Ball "Volt", MXR Iso-Brick, or similar, which essentially do the same thing from what I can tell.

 

[Masta' C]

What kind of wall-wart are you currently using to power your pedals? Some of them are better than others at filtering noise from the wall.

Individual power adapters currently, Boss and D'Addario.

I typically only run 2-3 pedals at a time, but I'd like the option to do up to 4. I have a Boss Katana 100 with the GA-FC footswitch, so pedals are just icing on the cake and not my primary focus. That said, they impart unwanted noise to my sound

 

[Masta' C]

Can't you add more outlets via a few few cheap power strips out of the power conditioner? As long as you're not over taxing the conditioner I don't see any potential issues and pedals of course run on a tiny amount of current in the first place.

This is a great point. I think I can reorganize things to accommodate a single power strip that's dedicated to the pedals off the line conditioner.

The multi-pedal power supplies have piqued my interest because some offer proper isolation of the outputs (apparently a lot of the cheap ones claim to, but don't always) and I'm thinking of throwing a small pedalboard together with my Boss GA-FC (for my Katana 100) mounted on it.

 

[devastone]

I'm not sure the MXR and EB are truly isolated, I'm not sure how the ones that are powered from a DC wall wart do true isolation. i'm always suspicious of power supplies that are powered by a wall wart, not plugging directly into AC.

 

[ehdwuld]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S68CXJD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Bogner]

Those are great suggestions, but every one of those is more expensive than the Ernie Ball "Volt", MXR Iso-Brick, or similar, which essentially do the same thing from what I can tell.

My point being proper isolated power per pedal that can handle the mA's of the pedal etc. That is one part of the power equation. The other power equation is are you getting the right power/voltage at the source (wall)? If you are not, then the AmpRX or similar type product is what you will need to regulate the power to the right amount. Not doing so will add noise and make your rig sound like crap. I am not sure what specifically is your issue you are trying to overcome, I simply provided solutions that work for either scenario. The other issue you need to address (potentially) is the draw from each of your pedals per isolation and from all of your pedals as a whole to see if the powering device you are using provides enough power to properly power all of your pedals. If not, again, another issue to deal with.

 

[devastone]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Description sounds suspicious, says the circuits are separately fused but doesn't really say anything about electrical isolation.

I used a Modtone power supply that I picked up relatively cheap used, it was isolated and worked really well. The Amazon "brands" look interesting, you can always get one and return it if it doesn't work as advertised.

 

[NegativeEase]

I've tested a lot of these on a scope but not all -and Strymons, Voodoos were really quiet -especially for digital pedal noise -I imagine the Eventide is superb just on reputation.. The key with any brand is isolation transformers to electrically separate the wall from the what you will convert to DC power on the other side. From there you can get a real external conditioner if needed, but those approach 1k or more.

however, that only solves most of it.... you still have the RF inducting into equipment and another real issue is often residential level grounding by electrical tradesman who are typically apprentices -basically dirty neutral conductors due to a poor earth for the home electrical system. So if you want super quiet -have an electrician re-spike your ground and provide a NETA ground resistance rating measurement. Or next level would be run an isolated technical ground for select jamming/recording areas in the house, after that you could add faraday paint in a room and ground it (for excessive RF), and then get totally crazy with 60V to 60V balanced power (common mode rejection just like a line level balanced cable but more voltage) -which is awesome and totally insane.

 

[devastone]

The key with any brand is isolated transformers to electrically separate the wall from the what you will convert to DC power on the other side.

This. This is also why I am suspicious of any "isolated" multi outlet power supplies that are fed from a wall wart and not AC in, transformers do not work on DC. I'm sure there are chips out to do DC isolation, but I've been out of the 'lectrical loop for a while.

 

[NegativeEase]

This. This is also why I am suspicious of any "isolated" multi outlet power supplies that are fed from a wall wart and not AC in, transformers do not work on DC. I'm sure there are chips out to do DC isolation, but I've been out of the 'lectrical loop for a while.

Totally.. I am certain there are certainly isolation/rectifier combo chips as a cheaper option. The problem in the tiny size of a chip the field size and quality I bet.

i meant "isolation" transformers of couse.

 

[ehdwuld]

Description sounds suspicious, says the circuits are separately fused but doesn't really say anything about electrical isolation.

I used a Modtone power supply that I picked up relatively cheap used, it was isolated and worked really well. The Amazon "brands" look interesting, you can always get one and return it if it doesn't work as advertised.

I posted the one i use
i haven't had a noise issue with mine
I like the LEDs
I like the extra receptacles on top for those one offs

It just powers the pedal board
daisy chain two if you want

 

[Masta' C]

Thank you for the suggestions, guys.

A couple questions...how can you tell if a power supply features "true isolation"? I see the phrase "isolated outlets" thrown around a lot, typically in terms of short-circuit/over-current protection where an issue on one output allegedly won't affect the others. How is "true" or "full" isolation different?

Also, I've seen some threads saying that newer power supplies like the Truetone (1Spot) Pro series and MXR "Iso" boxes rely on different technology than older designs like the VooDoo stuff. Any insight into whether one design is significantly better than the other?

Lastly, just curious, but why does using a wall wart or not matter? It seems newer products like the MXR "Iso" series and Ernie Ball "Volt" do this to reduce the size of the unit attached to the pedalboard. Is it really a make-or-break difference as far as reliability or noise is concerned?

 

[NegativeEase]

Thank you for the suggestions, guys.

A couple questions...how can you tell if a power supply features "true isolation"? I see the phrase "isolated outlets" thrown around a lot, typically in terms of short-circuit/over-current protection where an issue on one output allegedly won't affect the others. How is "true" or "full" isolation different?

Also, I've seen some threads saying that newer power supplies like the Truetone (1Spot) Pro series and MXR "Iso" boxes rely on different technology than older designs like the VooDoo stuff. Any insight into whether one design is significantly better than the other?

Lastly, just curious, but why does using a wall wart or not matter? It seems newer products like the MXR "Iso" series and Ernie Ball "Volt" do this to reduce the size of the unit attached to the pedalboard. Is it really a make-or-break difference as far as reliability or noise is concerned?

Great question, without opening them up, some of the language from manufacturers is murky at best.

If you fancy one, I can dig in and figure out what they are doing if you post the model number.

 

[devastone]

The 1Spot is a switching power supply, the older ones are linear using a step down transformer and diodes to change the AC to DC with filtering. Switching power supplies are noisy, but the noise is just at such a high frequency we can't hear it. Linear power supplies, like the old ones, can have noise 120Hz noise which we can hear, how much noise depends on how good the filtering is. Linear supplies also can't supply the same amount of current without getting quite a bit bigger.

As far as the AC cords vs wall warts on isolated supplies, the "best" truly isolated supplies, like the Voodoo, use separate transformers for each circuit, so, yes, they are linear supplies, hence why most of them are only rated at 100mA (vs a 1Spot at 2000mA or 2A), but they are filtered very well, much better than the old linear wall warts, and transformers provide full isolation for each circuit, meaning the positive and ground/negative lines are both fully isolated from everything else. A lot of the "isolated" supplies that use a wall wart for power, do have separate circuits for each of the outputs, so they can be separately fused/protected, but they often share a common ground/negative line. So, any noise that is returning from any of the circuits on the return can be seen by the rest of the circuits, and if it is significant enough (like some digital pedals), picked up by other pedal, especially gain pedals like overdrives, distortions, preamps, and especially. So, the digital delay in your loop may be causing the annoying noise every time you step on your distortion pedal.

https://www.strymon.net/effects-pedal-power-supplies-white-paper/
https://missionengineering.com/peda...switching power,problems for effect pedal use.
https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/pedal-power-buying-guide/

 

[Masta' C]

Wow, that is super helpful! Thank you!

Are the Strymon, Eventide, etc. anything like the VooDoo line from a technical standpoint, but smaller somehow?

 

[nexion218]

Without knowing the technicalities like NegE or Deva, I say that if the price sounds good, then it's not truly isolated... Many of the agreeably priced ones are just a daisy chain in a box. Also, the individual power adapters are crap. I tried to power a KHDK Dark Blood (very high gain) with a Dunlop branded one... I swear all I heard was white noise. Enter Voodoo Labs Pedal Power, things are almost more silent than using a 9 V battery.

How many pedals do you need to power? If space is a concern, you could try looking at something like the Vodoo Digital (which is NOT digital, but designed for digital pedal with higher current draw). It has 4x400 mA out and if I recall well they provide cables to split, so you can essentially power two pedals from one out, if they do not draw more than 400 mA combined.