Cioks DC7 review- it's awesome

[sunbeast]

Awesome thanks man! Looking for something to power a similar but smaller setup. And something that can handle the hxfx like what you've done. Cheers!!

There’s a long video interview between the Eventide and Cioks guys promoting the updated Eventide PowerMax v2 plus expander board where they show them powering several HX Stomps at once. Pretty cool! My PowerMax handles a medium-sized board wonderfully by itself, but I may get one of the expanders at some point just to add more isolated outputs.

 

[jumbo_steelie]

Thanks for the heads up on that too!!

 

[cosmicevan]

If you need more than the DC7, there is the DC4 and the cioks 8. I just got a cioks 8. It doesn't do free standing like the DC4 (I think), but takes the DC7 to 15 discrete outs!!!! and is cheaper than a second DC7

 

[Mosfed]

There’s a long video interview between the Eventide and Cioks guys promoting the updated Eventide PowerMax v2 plus expander board where they show them powering several HX Stomps at once. Pretty cool! My PowerMax handles a medium-sized board wonderfully by itself, but I may get one of the expanders at some point just to add more isolated outputs.

just a heads up to anyone considering the Powermax instead of the DC-7, they changed it pretty substantially from the V1 and it’s now not nearly as flexible as the DC-7. And you need to buy additional cables with it if you are using mainly normal pedals with negative tip needs.

 

[sunbeast]

just a heads up to anyone considering the Powermax instead of the DC-7, they changed it pretty substantially from the V1 and it’s now not nearly as flexible as the DC-7. And you need to buy additional cables with it if you are using mainly normal pedals with negative tip needs.

Edit- I was wrong!

 

[Mosfed]

Not really- the main outputs are all identical, and it comes with 5 standard center-negative cables plus one split center-negative (basically a two pedal daisy-chain for standard center-negative pedals). This leaves only one outlet without an included standard center negative cable (at least according to published specs). The added expander output makes it more similar to the DC7 than the V1 as far as I can tell, except the v2 PowerMax has that nifty gauge that tells you when you are approaching the max current output of the unit (which the more expensive DC7 doesn’t have). Even buying a few extra standard center-neg cables (including the 2 or 3 output daisy-chains) still make the PowerMax v2 comparative price-wise to the DC7, but arguably slightly better.

instead of 7 variable 9-18v outlets like the V1 and the DC-7, you now get 4 variable and 3 fixed 9v.

that is an enormous difference

and if you want to run 7 isolated negative tip pedals (standard) you need to buy extra cables.

the DC-7 is plainly better

I have the v1 powermax and am running 7 pedals off it - 6 at 18v and 1 at 12v. I can’t do that on a V2.

 

[sunbeast]

instead of 7 variable 9-18v outlets like the V1 and the DC-7, you now get 4 variable and 3 fixed 9v.

that is an enormous difference

and if you want to run 7 isolated negative tip pedals (standard) you need to buy extra cables.

the DC-7 is plainly better

I have the v1 powermax and am running 7 pedals off it - 6 at 18v and 1 at 12v. I can’t do that on a V2.

Sorry you’re right- I missed that they changed that. Probably changes nothing for 90% of users, but is an interesting change. I’d still prefer it to my v1, and wish I had bought one when they were running the introductory sale at Sweetwater!

 

[Mosfed]

Sorry you’re right- I missed that they changed that. Probably changes nothing for 90% of users, but is an interesting change. I’d still prefer it to my v1, and wish I had bought one when they were running the introductory sale at Sweetwater!

I think you are correct that it probably doesn’t change much for most users but 3 fixed and 4 variable puts it in a class where there is way more competition and it’s worth exploring other cheaper options.

 

[sunbeast]

I think you are correct that it probably doesn’t change much for most users but 3 fixed and 4 variable puts it in a class where there is way more competition and it’s worth exploring other cheaper options.

I’m curious what you consider to be comparable SMPS competition as far as size/weight/available current/available voltages/etc that are cheaper? Obviously everyone’s needs are different, and the PowerMax 2 doesn’t suit yours but it still offers significantly more available current and output for the size/weight than anything cheaper that I’m aware of.
Honestly for me the Cioks was an easy choice because of my phenomenal experience using a Cioks AC10 for mostly everything for a decade. I had to order direct from the creator back then, and he was super quick, responsive, and clearly light years ahead at the time with his knowledge for this stuff via email. Digital pedals have changed the power game a lot, but he still seems decently ahead of the curve with the SMPS supplies. The ability to pair a DC7 or PowerMax 2 directly with an extension output of choice makes them both semi future-proof too, which is something I appreciated about the AC10 for so long.

 

[Antman3820]

No, by two DC-7s, one of them Eventide branded. One is underneath the SV-Pre, the other is under the Carcosa. 14 outputs powering 18 devices, and the HXFX uses two outputs.

Does the SV-PRE have any noise issues with the DC7 ? That pedal will make noise for me depending on the power supply our use.

 

[jbybj]

Does the SV-PRE have any noise issues with the DC7 ? That pedal will make noise for me depending on the power supply our use.

Not that I have encountered. I’ve had some proximity issues with the Super Stack, but that was with other PSUs. So far I haven’t been able to get anything to squeal or hiss with the CIOKS.

 

[Antman3820]

Thanks !!! Got a cioks DC7.... planning on having both SVPRE and Silver Deluxe. Didn’t wanna go through the trouble of putting a board together and run into issues.

Not that I have encountered. I’ve had some proximity issues with the Super Stack, but that was with other PSUs. So far I haven’t been able to get anything to squeal or hiss with the CIOKS.

 

[joel the bass player]

Thanks !!! Got a cioks DC7.... planning on having both SVPRE and Silver Deluxe. Didn’t wanna go through the trouble of putting a board together and run into issues.

My SV-Pre is powered by the DC7 but the noise issues I have do not appear to come from the power supply. There are some venues that seem to have more interference in them and I just have to leave it off there. It is silent at home and most of the places I play at.

I sold my previous two Iso-5s because of interference with my Messenger, the DC7 fixed that problem nicely.

 

[Antman3820]

My SV-Pre is powered by the DC7 but the noise issues I have do not appear to come from the power supply. There are some venues that seem to have more interference in them and I just have to leave it off there. It is silent at home and most of the places I play at.

I sold my previous two Iso-5s because of interference with my Messenger, the DC7 fixed that problem nicely.

Thanks Joel. I noticed issues with the Voodoo Labs power supplies. It don’t like the BROUGHTON!!!

 

[Stubb]

Let's say that all I want to power are these:

Diamond Bass Comp Jr at 18v
SushiBox Slampegg at 9v but drawing 470 mA (or possibly the Slampegg X, 12v and lower mA, may change the order)
Some Polytune mini tuner
MXR Vintage Bass Octave
A yet to be determined dirt pedal

Do I need to pony up for the DC7 for this? It seems overkill. I know the whole buy once cry once thing, but I'm also aware that talkbass pretty much always recommends overkill and I'm a dad on a schoolteacher salary.

 

[krfoss]

Let's say that all I want to power are these:

Diamond Bass Comp Jr at 18v
SushiBox Slampegg at 9v but drawing 470 mA (or possibly the Slampegg X, 12v and lower mA, may change the order)
Some Polytune mini tuner
MXR Vintage Bass Octave
A yet to be determined dirt pedal

Do I need to pony up for the DC7 for this? It seems overkill. I know the whole buy once cry once thing, but I'm also aware that talkbass pretty much always recommends overkill and I'm a dad on a schoolteacher salary.

You are asking the wrong people to help you spend your money. Based on the mic of power needs, the dc7 could be a helpful buy.

You can sometimes find them used here or on reverb. May be worth the wait.

 

[expatmuso]

Has anyone run into issues mounting a Cioks 7 under a small board, like a pedal train mini or nano? Issues with noise from some pedals being too close to or on top of the power supply?

 

[sunbeast]

Has anyone run into issues mounting a Cioks 7 under a small board, like a pedal train mini or nano? Issues with noise from some pedals being too close to or on top of the power supply?

I think proximity noise was an issue with older transformer-based power supplies, but the DC-7 is SMPS-based and so isn’t just a transformer for every output. Mine is completely silent, and also quite lightweight (another byproduct of ditching the transformers).

 

[krfoss]

Has anyone run into issues mounting a Cioks 7 under a small board, like a pedal train mini or nano? Issues with noise from some pedals being too close to or on top of the power supply?

No problems at all. Check the original post. The picture is of the dc7 under a pedal train mini.

 

[Hypocrite]

Has anyone run into issues mounting a Cioks 7 under a small board, like a pedal train mini or nano? Issues with noise from some pedals being too close to or on top of the power supply?

Not at all. Distortion, analogue, digital, daisy-chained, it's all good