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My Dirt Bender - Another Jounal

#3,141
el murdoque said:
In days of yore, I was known to run a board with a full dozen pedals on nothing but a Harley Benton Powerplant Jr.
I only changed to the boring safety of a Cioks PSU when two Y-Cabled 125mA outlets would or would not meet the requirements of 250 mA on a Strymon pedal, depending on ... the humidity? the mood? I never found out.
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I moved to Cioks a few years after they started, probably because of a number of specifically EHX pedals I was running off a 1-Spot at the time (my idle signal sounded like a helicopter in some rooms!) plus a few quirky pedals that wanted AC power. I had to order direct from Cioks themselves as they didn’t have a US distributor yet, and got their AC-10 supply. Been a fan ever since! Technically I didn’t even need to upgrade from that til more recently (it still works perfectly 15+ years later) as I haven’t added that many high-current pedals, but their old supplies were transformer based and HEAVY. I think my AC-10 probably weighs nearly as much by itself as my main board (basically PT Mini) and all the pedals on it did and is large enough to require lifting the board with extra tall feet to fit underneath. Moving to the Eventide PowerMax/DC7 meant saving a bunch of weight and size on the board and it’s far more flexible and powerful apart from the lack of AC power capabilities (which I no longer need).
 
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#3,142
sunbeast said:
I moved to Cioks a few years after they started, probably because of a number of specifically EHX pedals I was running off a 1-Spot at the time (my idle signal sounded like a helicopter in some rooms!) plus a few quirky pedals that wanted AC power. I had to order direct from Cioks themselves as they didn’t have a US distributor yet, and got their AC-10 supply. Been a fan ever since! Technically I didn’t even need to upgrade from that til more recently (it still works perfectly 15+ years later) as I haven’t added that many high-current pedals, but their old supplies were transformer based and HEAVY. I think my AC-10 probably weighs nearly as much by itself as my main board (basically PT Mini) and all the pedals on it did and is large enough to require lifting the board with extra tall feet to fit underneath. Moving to the Eventide PowerMax/DC7 meant saving a bunch of weight and size on the board and it’s far more flexible and powerful apart from the lack of AC power capabilities (which I no longer need).
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Yeah, the luxury of the DC-7 is that you basically stop thinking about power distribution. 7 isolated outputs, every single one capable of 660mA at 9V and every single one switchable to different voltages, plus the option of hooking up a 4, 8 or Crux to get even more will nestle you in the comfortable space of "As long as it's not AC, my PSU will manage it".

I had a longer talk with one of the guys from Schmidt Array, because they recently launched their own line of PSU system. They got all the relevant ones (Cioks, GigRig and Strymon were mentioned) and took the ideas they liked and built a modular system that is, of course, targeted at their own pedal boards.
The prices are as eye watering as their pedalboard prices are, but the numbers are quite impressive - the power brick that feeds the whole thing comes in two sizes, 65W and 120W.
I told him that I bought into the Cioks ecosystem, have them on all my boards and am happy with the results, and the way I see it, you only think about a change in your power supply situation is when you run into a problem with the existing system.
(Plus, I'm not gonna spend €950 on a PSU system when a DC-7, 8 expander and Crux cost a little less than half)
 
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#3,143
sunbeast said:
I moved to Cioks a few years after they started, probably because of a number of specifically EHX pedals I was running off a 1-Spot at the time (my idle signal sounded like a helicopter in some rooms!) plus a few quirky pedals that wanted AC power. I had to order direct from Cioks themselves as they didn’t have a US distributor yet, and got their AC-10 supply. Been a fan ever since! Technically I didn’t even need to upgrade from that til more recently (it still works perfectly 15+ years later) as I haven’t added that many high-current pedals, but their old supplies were transformer based and HEAVY. I think my AC-10 probably weighs nearly as much by itself as my main board (basically PT Mini) and all the pedals on it did and is large enough to require lifting the board with extra tall feet to fit underneath. Moving to the Eventide PowerMax/DC7 meant saving a bunch of weight and size on the board and it’s far more flexible and powerful apart from the lack of AC power capabilities (which I no longer need).
Click to expand...


Maybe you know this, or can make an educated guess: Is it possible to fashion a Y cable for the 24V output of the DC-7 to run a Crux and 4 Expander at the same time?

I do have a splitter cable from my Ape Labs lights, for charging multiple lights off a single charger - the jacks are the same, and the principle should also be - but I'm afraid of the magic smoke being released ...
 
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#3,144
el murdoque said:
Maybe you know this, or can make an educated guess: Is it possible to fashion a Y cable for the 24V output of the DC-7 to run a Crux and 4 Expander at the same time?

I do have a splitter cable from my Ape Labs lights, for charging multiple lights off a single charger - the jacks are the same, and the principle should also be - but I'm afraid of the magic smoke being released ...
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Yeah it should be doable given you aren’t drawing too much current for the total draw at the 24V output. It’s not clear how many total watts there are at that output, but it must be quite a bit if it is possible of fully powering all the outputs of a Cioks 8 to full capacity. The Cioks 8 has both input/output 24V outlets that I assume are basically just connected in parallel like you say, allowing you to make a chain of DC7-Cioks 8-Cioks 8-Cioks 4 or whatever (I give that exact chain because it is actually demonstrated in a picture made by Cioks). I would email them to see if they have made a Y cable or have any recommendations. My past experience is that they respond relatively fast to questions (that was a long time ago though!)
 
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#3,145
sunbeast said:
Yeah it should be doable given you aren’t drawing too much current for the total draw at the 24V output. It’s not clear how many total watts there are at that output, but it must be quite a bit if it is possible of fully powering all the outputs of a Cioks 8 to full capacity. The Cioks 8 has both input/output 24V outlets that I assume are basically just connected in parallel like you say, allowing you to make a chain of DC7-Cioks 8-Cioks 8-Cioks 4 or whatever (I give that exact chain because it is actually demonstrated in a picture made by Cioks). I would email them to see if they have made a Y cable or have any recommendations. My past experience is that they respond relatively fast to questions (that was a long time ago though!)
Click to expand...
If I'm not mistaken, then the DC-7 only has 48W total capacity - which you could max out with the base unit alone by running pedals that use the full 660mA on each port plus something hungry on the USB out. My understanding is that it is a rare occasion where you do something like that, and you much rather have your comp with a current draw of 60mA and your preamp with a draw of 100mA on isolated outputs to get a noiseless signal. When the average current draw is about 1-2W per output and each output can do 6W, you can easily hook up the Cioks 8 and double the number of outputs, though.

However, I just found out that for an unfathomable reason, they use the same barrel jack for the 24V output of the DC-7, the input of the 8 and the input of the Crux, but a smaller diameter on the 4, so my Ape Labs cable will not work.
 
#3,146
el murdoque said:
If I'm not mistaken, then the DC-7 only has 48W total capacity - which you could max out with the base unit alone by running pedals that use the full 660mA on each port plus something hungry on the USB out. My understanding is that it is a rare occasion where you do something like that, and you much rather have your comp with a current draw of 60mA and your preamp with a draw of 100mA on isolated outputs to get a noiseless signal. When the average current draw is about 1-2W per output and each output can do 6W, you can easily hook up the Cioks 8 and double the number of outputs, though.

However, I just found out that for an unfathomable reason, they use the same barrel jack for the 24V output of the DC-7, the input of the 8 and the input of the Crux, but a smaller diameter on the 4, so my Ape Labs cable will not work.
Click to expand...
That would be somewhat disappointing if it were true (the 48W being the total from the entire unit)- not that I will likely ever get anywhere close, but the way they advertise the 8 for example suggests that it offers 660mA at every output specifically as an add-on to the DC-7 and that wouldn't be possible if you were using much draw at all from the main unit powering the 8. I'd email Cioks about it!
 
#3,147
Okay, since the people in this very thread did forbid me to use cheap digital electronics for jamming with others, and I am stupid enough to listen to my anonymous peers from the internet and sold the Headrush, I need to get something that will work.

Here is my current situation:
2025-12-16_10-32.jpg


Pedaltrain Nano, with an older Cioks underneath (only 9V on that), and a Korg Pitchblack XS tuner.

What I need is: A killer clean sound coming out of a balanced output (1/4" TRS or XLR).
Since most of the PA systems that are used in the places where I participate in jams have a baked in mid scoop, I would need some access to 400-600Hz for a little boost. Furthermore, a comp that does decent peak limiting. I suppose I'm just taking one of my Cali76CB pedals off my other board, but I'm open to alternatives.

The obvious choice would be a preamp pedal, but the pool of quality bass preamp pedals is rather small as is, and when we remove everything that has no access to 400-600Hz mids, and furthermore discard those that I've already had and sold, there's not much left.
I already hear you saying "You just bought a Tone Hammer. That's literally a pedal with all the features you're asking for". Yes, but I don't really feel it.
The Tone Hammer 500 is a great amp and I love playing through that, but it's just not feeling the same in a pedal, at least not for me.
Furthermore, there is the power situation. The TH needs 18V, my PSU only does 9, and since it only has 4 outlets, I don't really want to go Y cable.
These jams can have percussion players that bring all kinds of microphones, and the mixers used are not top level pro quality, so it's very likely that you run into situations where phantom power is not available.
 
#3,150
gillento said:
Harely Benton Bass Preamp?
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This thing has a feature set that is more or less exactly what I described, but I hope you're pulling my leg here.

When I say I'm willing to go cheap, I meant Tech21 or EBS or Boss. Something that sells around 200 new and is available in big stores instead of something that sells around 500+ and you'll have to hunt one down because the one man company that does them only sells items during a lunar eclipse.

I don't think I would be able to stomach a HB pedal at this moment!

This is the exact moment where I do regret selling my Broughton Studio One - that would have done the job nicely.
 
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#3,153
el murdoque said:
This thing has a feature set that is more or less exactly what I described, but I hope you're pulling my leg here.

When I say I'm willing to go cheap, I meant Tech21 or EBS or Boss. Something that sells around 200 new and is available in big stores instead of something that sells around 500+ and you'll have to hunt one down because the one man company that does them only sells items during a lunar eclipse.

I don't think I would be able to stomach a HB pedal at this moment!

This is the exact moment where I do regret selling my Broughton Studio One - that would have done the job nicely.
Click to expand...
There will be a Studio One drop tomorrow :)
 
#3,156
el murdoque said:
This thing has a feature set that is more or less exactly what I described, but I hope you're pulling my leg here.

When I say I'm willing to go cheap, I meant Tech21 or EBS or Boss. Something that sells around 200 new and is available in big stores instead of something that sells around 500+ and you'll have to hunt one down because the one man company that does them only sells items during a lunar eclipse.

I don't think I would be able to stomach a HB pedal at this moment!

This is the exact moment where I do regret selling my Broughton Studio One - that would have done the job nicely.
Click to expand...
sent you a PM
 
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#3,157
davelowell2 said:
Broughton Studio One
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That would do the job. Alas, none are available right now and I flat out refuse to buy a second hand one for over MSRP.

davelowell2 said:
Arkham Oracle
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I would not mind that one one bit, even though the EQ is a bit of a head-scratcher.

davelowell2 said:
Parametric eq pedal + small DI
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Yeah, I've used the Empress Para EQ dlx plus an Effectrode LA-1A for that purpose in the past with some success.
LA-1A does not lend itself to a Nano, though, But that could be a direction to look at.

davelowell2 said:
JAD Freer Capo?
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No, not really. I've had one for a while and did not like it as a preamp. To me, it much rather felt like a dirt sound sandbox with insanely complex routing.
 
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#3,158
Let's just hope that mysterious DM @gillento sent me works out, because that would sort out the preamp question nicely.

As someone who relies heavily on a compressor for peak limiting and who is so much a fan of the Cali76 Compact Bass,
will I simply use that or will I find something else?

Also, I need one mini pedal for the board, because there's half a slot unoccupied by the Korg XS Tuner.
 

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