# Power supply questions and recomendation



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'd like to get a power supply for my pedal board. Pretty much all the ones I looked at at Long&Mcquade were not sufficient. 
Most of the 9v outputs were only 100ma or 250ma which isn't enough

My pedals and power specs.

Empress Tape Delay 9-12 VDC Positive tip 2.1mm 300 MA
Empress Compressor 9-12 VDC Negative tip 100 MA
Kingsely Page 9VDC 500 MA center negative
Kingsley Jester 12VDC 500 MA center Positive.
As well I'm looking at possibly adding an Eventide Pitchfactor soon.

So just wondering what power supplies might suit these specs.

As well does "positive tip" and "center positive" mean the same thing?
On the empress pedals when it states 9-12VDC does that mean I can use a 9V or 12V adapter?
Last question the empress tape delay states positive tip and the empress compressor states negative tip. Yet I bought the same boss adapter for both. How can they work?


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> As well does "positive tip" and "center positive" mean the same thing?


Yes



guitarman2 said:


> On the empress pedals when it states 9-12VDC does that mean I can use a 9V or 12V adapter?


Yes, it requires at least 9v, but cannot take more than 12v



guitarman2 said:


> Last question the empress tape delay states positive tip and the empress compressor states negative tip. Yet I bought the same boss adapter for both. How can they work?


That's strange. Is that the adapter you were recommended? Unless there's an option to switch polarity, the center-negative shouldn't work on the Empress.

As for a recommendation, look at the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Digital or 4x4. Pretty reasonable price and a fantastic unit. I really love Voodoo Lab stuff. The Digital has outlets rated at 400ma, but I wouldn't be surprised if it powered the Kingsleys just fine. I'm able to power pedals that "require" 200ma from the standard 100ma outlets of my PP2. These transformers are fairly overbuilt. YMMV

- - - Updated - - -

Hmm, just pulled this from the Empress website: Please Note: The Empress Tape Delay requires at least 280mA ofcurrent to function properly. Any power supply rated at 9V DC,supplying negative tip polarity ( ) and at least 280mA ofcurrent should work.Popular options are the Boss PSA-120S or PSA-240 (not the PSA-120T because it only supplies 200mA). When powering with theVoodoo Lab Pedal Power 2+, you will need to use output 5 or 6 andthe dip switch should be set away from the normal position.

Looks like both Empress pedals at negative tip, which makes sense. So yes, that Boss supply will work fine for both.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

ah I see what happenned. I went back to the Empress site and the found the first time I went while checking the specs I accidentally clicked on the super delay. They're both the same colour. I wasn't paying attention.



hollowbody said:


> Yes
> 
> 
> Yes, it requires at least 9v, but cannot take more than 12v
> ...


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Another question. I noticed that some of the outputs on the Voodoo lab power supplies give sag simulating low battery. Why would I want that?


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## pat6969 (Feb 4, 2013)

guitarman2 said:


> Another question. I noticed that some of the outputs on the Voodoo lab power supplies give sag simulating low battery. Why would I want that?


Some older effects give a distinctive sound when the battery is low. Certain guys like the sound and want to simulate the low battery.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

pat6969 said:


> Some older effects give a distinctive sound when the battery is low. Certain guys like the sound and want to simulate the low battery.


Yeah, it's mostly for germanium fuzzes. To emulate a dying carbon zinc battery - yknow, like Eric Johnson prefers  Never used them myself.

I'd grab a Voodoo Lab supply from L&M and try it. If it doesn't work to power the Kingsleys, you can take it back, but I'd be surprised if it didn't.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I have a t-rex, and i put 5 pedals on one chain, so only one of the 6 outputs is being used and it powers all the pedals no problem. it also has a 9v positive setting and an 18 v setting.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Here is what Simon said concerning his Kingsley pedals. So it sounds like you don't want to go below the recommended MA draw.
I'll have to figure out how to combine outputs. Will I need any special cable that combines them that wouldn't come with the voodoo 4x4?
As well would I need a special cable that reverses the polarity for the Jester?
For the Empress tape delay I'd have to combine outputs as well to get the 280 MA.

[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]


> Hi Terry,


[/FONT]


> [FONT=wf_segoe-ui_normal]There is no power supply that I know that can simply power both the Page and Jester. However, if you combine outputs you can use the Cioks DC10:[/FONT]
> 
> http://cioks.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=56
> 
> ...


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> Another question. I noticed that some of the outputs on the Voodoo lab power supplies give sag simulating low battery. Why would I want that?


The so-called "dying battery" effect is, as described, relatively distinctive to germanium fuzzes. It also tends to be rather distinctive to the properties of traditional non-rechargeable Eveready Classic carbon-zinc type batteries, partly due to their chemical composition and partly due to their construction. In my view, the phenomenon is really one centering around the tendency for those batteries to momentarily recoup a little bit of power, then collapse, in response to transients and pick attack, as they start to get around 8Vdc or so. Alkalines and rechargeable types do not behave in the same manner.

Most circuits I've seen for "dying battery" emulation are really just variable voltage outputs that provide a nice robust and stable current at whatever voltage you set it to. Powering something with a fresh 8V battery (were such a thng to exist) is not the same as powering it with a 9V that is struggling to deliver the current being asked of it. So I am personally dubious about claims of dying battery or battery sag for these outputs. If one could regulate current as well as voltage on their outputs, then we'll talk, but for now it's just a variable voltage and little more.

That is not to say that musically interesting sounds can not be achieved by varying the supply voltage to discrete transistor-based fuzzes (I wouldn't expect miracles from any op-amp-plus-diodes-based overdrive or distortion). But they will not be what happens with an older carbon-zinc battery. Of course, who is to say which of those you like more, or _ought_ to like more.

As for powering current-hungry pedals, that is generally not what most power bricks are intended for. They are generally directed at powering things that could normally work off a battery, if only for an hour, or things that need more voltage than what a single 9v battery can give them. The working assumption is that if the effect wants/needs 500ma or more, it will come packaged with its own wallwart, in contrast to your typical small footprint pedal that comes with a warranty and instruction sheet, and not much else.

I understand the desire to have a less cluttered pedalboard by powering everything from one cnetral source, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. It is also the case that digital pedals are occasionally subject to heterodying when they share a power line, so its good practice for them to have their own PS simply for noise-management purposes.


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## Duster (Dec 28, 2007)

Check out the Cioks power supplies. Electric Mojo (a member of this forum) is a dealer, and very helpful and easy to purchase from. https://electricmojoguitars.com/brands/cioks/ 

They have a variety of different power supplies all with unique feature sets.

I bought a Cioks Adam which is a tiny power supply with a lot of versatility that fits under a nano pedaltrain board. Very high quality and impressive. 

Can't recommend a specific model that meets your specs, but check them out.

--- D


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## Axe Dragon (Aug 21, 2013)

guitarman2 said:


> Another question. I noticed that some of the outputs on the Voodoo lab power supplies give sag simulating low battery. Why would I want that?


For germanium fuzz to simulate a fuzz with a dying battery.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

This one looks interesting.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1SpotProCS12


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

davetcan said:


> This one looks interesting.
> 
> http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1SpotProCS12


Available here too...https://www.long-mcquade.com/?page=search&SearchTxt=truetone&x=0&y=0


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