Power distribution for Synths

tampadragon

Now that I have my studio setup in a permanent space at home I want to be able to power all of my Wallwart synths with cleaner isolated power. Before I go ahead and design and order PCBs for this type of thing, does anyone know of a product like the Guitar FX pedal power trains, but capable of delivering up to 2 amps per channel? 

prowla

Funnily enough, I was just wondering whether there are such things, to tidy up inside a rack unit..

The CIOKS DC7 can have outputs paired for double the current.

tampadragon

prowla said:

Funnily enough, I was just wondering whether there are such things, to tidy up inside a rack unit..

The CIOKS DC7 can have outputs paired for double the current.

I’ll take a look at this then. I would want one inside the new Rack I have had built under the desk, and a second for the desktop synths I have. I don’t have anything flashy or expensive, so they all came with dirty cheap wall warts! 

octatonic

I just use rackmounted powerstrips and brush panels under the Jaspers keyboard racks.

I fucking hate wallwarts though- would much rather IEC connections on everything.

tampadragon

octatonic said:

I just use rackmounted powerstrips and brush panels under the Jaspers keyboard racks.

I fucking hate wallwarts though- would much rather IEC connections on everything.

That’s the thing, because they are cheap nasty Wallwarts, they are noisy and horrid. rather than buying lots of decent ones I was looking for a more elegant solution, I can’t believe they plug synths in with Wallwarts on stage for example. 

paulmapp8306

prowla said:

Funnily enough, I was just wondering whether there are such things, to tidy up inside a rack unit..

The CIOKS DC7 can have outputs paired for double the current.

And trippled for 3 times as well.   I run a DC7 and DC4.   Between them they power my Virus (1.5 Amps 12v), Peak (1 amp 12V) Legend (1 amp 12v) - all centre neg, Midi patcheday (5V USB) Zoom 70CDR (9v 250ma centre pos) and a tC Helicon Mic Mechanic (12v .5 amp centre pos).   Small, solid, versatile.... Expensive but so worth it.

Each output is isolated.  Each can be set to 9,12,15 or 18V (power OP dependant.  500ma at 12v, 660 at 9v etc).  Can be centre pos or neg (two different cables depending - they just switch the pins int he cable).  You can connect as many to a single synth as you can physically fit in the connectpor (which is phono at the blockl end) but realistically 3 is the limit.   Cioks do doublers, but I made a 3 way that works perfectly for 1.5 amps.

The DC7 provides 7 outputs PLUS a 5V on USB (again isolated) - and also has a power out that can feed the DC04 which adds a further 4 oputputs from the same IEC connector (obviously connected to the DC07).   They are surprisiongly small... approx 6" x 3" x 1" for the o7 - and half that for the 4.

tampadragon

I didn’t realise you could triple them up, how did you make your 3 way, was it just splicing 3 cables into one barrel Jack cable which goes in the synth? 

It looks to be exactly what I’m looking for! 

prowla

I have a DC7 under my pedalboard and it’s great that all of the outputs are the same and have the four voltage options. 

I’ve not doubled them up and also didn’t know you could triple them, so that’s a good tip!
They aren’t cheap, though. 

I also really dislike wall warts!

paulmapp8306

tampadragon said:

I didn’t realise you could triple them up, how did you make your 3 way, was it just splicing 3 cables into one barrel Jack cable which goes in the synth? 

It looks to be exactly what I’m looking for! 

yeh - its a parallell connection so cram them into the one barell connector.  You can do all 7 outputs.... IF you could physically get the cables into the connector body - which you cant lol.   3 is practically the limit unless you use really thin cable - when you might manage 4.

https://i.imgur.com/D79XS1V.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NbTGMci.jpg

neet fit,,, 3 way cable - then just plug a regular Cioks cable into single phone end - with the barell end going into the synth.

tampadragon

I’m going to see what funds I can get together to order at least a 7. I’ve got a £100 Anderson’s voucher so that almost half the cost of one! 

paulmapp8306

tampadragon said:

I’m going to see what funds I can get together to order at least a 7. I’ve got a £100 Anderson’s voucher so that almost half the cost of one! 

check what cables uyoull need.   The Cioks comes with LOADS but most are aimed at guitar pedals - and in my experience the polarity (very impoirtnat) is oposite to synths (ie there centre negative but synths tend to be centre positive).  Cioks can do both - but you need a different cable, and if memory serves it only comes with 1 of the centre pos cables.   There only aboiut £3 each though so just orecder the extras.

The centre NEGATIVE ones are black ends, the centre POSITIVE ones are red ends.

Also check power you need.  Most Synths are 12v, and you get 500Ma from each outlet at that voltage.  most synths Ive seen use 1 Amp (some .5 some 1.5 but most are 1A) so youll need the doublers.   Again the Cioks are readily available and cheep (they are grey ends) BUT actually you can use ANY twin male to single female Phone cable.....