Thoughts on power supplies?

[Steve B]

So thinking about making my own pedal board for about 3-5 pedals. Looper, Delay, Wah, (pedal yet to be determined) + a tuner I'm a basement player with a Mesa Rectoverb mini stack.

Will a $50 Joyo do or do I need to go VooDoo with true isolation for $100-$200?

I'll never have more than 4 pedals plus tuner, and I don't gig out so my set up won't see any abuse or changing environments.

Can a sub $100 power supply truly offer clean power with no hum or static?

If so, what have you had good success with?

Thanks in advance for any/all advice

 

[garrett]

Never say never

I can't speak to the Joyo, but I've been using the same original Voodoo Lab Pedal Power since the late 90's. At home and light gig use. Just plain works. Great product and worth the investment.

 

[László]

True isolated outlets means there won't be hums and buzzes from ground loops between pedals. Of course, proper grounding techniques relative to the power supply on the pedalboard and the amp's AC supply still matter, but I haven't encountered a well made amp that hums when used with an isolated power supply, and this includes Mesas.

Voodoo Labs makes a very nice 5 outlet power supply, by the way, and it isn't terribly expensive.

There are other good power supplies on the market. I don't know a thing about the Joyo.

But the important thing is getting a power supply whose outlets are isolated - if noise matters to you. I work in the studio, so it's important to have a quiet rig, and mine is dead silent. It may not be as important if you neither gig nor record.

 

[Reactorcritical]

I personally use a Walrus Audio Phoenix, but it's way too much for what your running.

I'd go with a Voodoo Labs PP2+. At least then you have a little room to grow. No point in spending money on a small power supply when there is a huge possibility that you'll outgrow it at some point.

Also, Joyo claims that their power supply has isolated outputs but I'm pretty sure I read that they actually aren't isolated.

 

[LJD]

As for the Joyo stuff, you get what you pay for. Don't expect it to last or stand up to rugged use. The VooDoo is worth the money, an industry standard by now.

 

[CoreyT]

I am a living room player, but I run two Voodoo Labs Power Plus 2s in my two pedal boards.
High quality, built to last, etc.
And you never know if you might add more pedals, it is an addiction I tell ya

 

[Dusty Chalk]

It may not be as important if you neither gig nor record.

I don't know -- I neither gig nor record, but it's still pretty important to me.

I concur with those that say get isolated, I would add: make sure you have plenty of power on tap. They just sound better with cleaner power. MHO. Especially dirt pedals. A lot of dirt pedals can take a range of powers, make sure you look 'em up, but it's a different sound depending on what you run 'em at.

 

[vchizzle]

The Voodoo stuff is great. It's not ALWAYS necessary, but it's just better to have so you remove the possibility of an issue out of the equation from the get go. I have run a tuner, wah, ep booster, and a synth wah pedal with a 1-spot power supply with no negative side effects. I switched back and forth between a voodoo pedal power and the 1 spot several times and there was no additional hum either way. It depends a lot on the pedal combo, the outlet you plug into and so forth that could cause issues. The voodoo PP is the safe bet since you know each pedal is on an isolated power. I've got several of their products and they're all top notch.

 

[andy474x]

Why not just use a Visual Sound 1 Spot? I got all kinds of radio stations on mine in my last apartment.

 

[drdoom8793]

Why not just use a Visual Sound 1 Spot? I got all kinds of radio stations on mine in my last apartment.

I used to have this same problem using a 1 spot, specifically when using my Morley Tremonti wah.

 

[garrett]

Why not just use a Visual Sound 1 Spot? I got all kinds of radio stations on mine in my last apartment.

LOL. I do keep one around as backup.

 

[Steve B]

Very good advice all around...thanks all!

Seeing as the power supply will be the heart of my pedal board I do t think I'll skimp on it.

I'll take another look at the voodoo line up!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[watelessness]

I use Voodoo and have no complaints

 

[jklotz]

Somebody, mxr maybe, has been advertising a new one recently. It had 9 outputs, with several different current and amerage options. Looked to be of quality, but a lot more flexable than the voodoo. Wish I could remember who makes it.

 

[Rider1260]

Funny I have used a 1 Spot for years 1500ma is a ton of power.
I do find it odd that someone gets radio interference on a 9v DC line when a pedal board is full of low level signal cable

If you amp( and other gear ) is properly grounded and all your cables are well made and shielded you DC power supply will not be your problem ( IMHO )

Two of my pedalboards

 

[BALIstic]

Why not just use a Visual Sound 1 Spot? I got all kinds of radio stations on mine in my last apartment.

I use one of these to power my small pedal board, comprising a Blackstar tube driven two stage distortion pedal, Line 6 Dl4 delay, Fender Reverb pedal and sometimes a Fender Fuzz-Wah. Yes it's cheap but functional and I've had no noise or tone issues. Where I live I struggle to get a cell ph signal and some local radio stations. Maybe that's my saving grace ?

Im not reliant on my gear or skills to generate an income as some of you no doubt are. Im open to spending $$$ on Fuel Tank or the like if the 1 spot combo has a negative impact on tone or reliability issues but so far it ticks all the boxes at a bargain basement price.

i think it's a bit of kit worth trying out for the budget conscious / bedroom warrior.

 

[g.wizz]

I used one spot for years with no issues and it's till running, I bought another one
as a back up.

I have a lot of noise but that's because my apartment has no ground whatsoever :vroam: