Question about pedal power and supply

[Nephilymbass]

There have been a few discussions about pedals and pedalboards lately and it SEEMS as though most players aren't really using batteries anymore but instead are using either a stand alone power supply or a multi-output (and sometimes multi-voltage) power supply integrated into their pedalboard.

These days, how important is it that a pedal operate from a 9V battery (acknowledging that some simply can not) and is it worth paying more for a pedal that can support battery operation (even if it means <20 hours of battery life)?

As a follow-up, how many of you guys would suggest that the days of using 9V batteries is coming to an end?

I'm looking for comments from a player's perspective, one who uses amps and cabinets and not somebody who mostly uses them at home with their studio.

I use a Cioks power supply under my pedaltrain board for gigs and have a one spot for experimenting with additional pedals at home. Yeah ditch the battery option. There’s really no reason for it anymore. Good isolated power supplies don’t have noise issues. There are power supplies out now that can do the dying battery starved pedal thing, also most of us don’t want to pull 1/4 cables to preserve battery life. There’s even battery powered power supplies like the pedaltrain Volto for those who want to sit on a mountain top and play without electricity. Most of my pedals don’t even have the option either so you guys certainly wouldn’t be the first. My shure wireless and all my Darkglass pedals don’t have the option to run off batteries. It didn’t make me hesitate to buy them at all.

 

[LowActionHero]

There have been a few discussions about pedals and pedalboards lately and it SEEMS as though most players aren't really using batteries anymore but instead are using either a stand alone power supply or a multi-output (and sometimes multi-voltage) power supply integrated into their pedalboard.

These days, how important is it that a pedal operate from a 9V battery (acknowledging that some simply can not) and is it worth paying more for a pedal that can support battery operation (even if it means <20 hours of battery life)?

As a follow-up, how many of you guys would suggest that the days of using 9V batteries is coming to an end?

I'm looking for comments from a player's perspective, one who uses amps and cabinets and not somebody who mostly uses them at home with their studio.

I think 9 volts are crazy expensive for some reason, so I use a power block. Does seem to cause some weird noise problems occasionally, depending on the outlet, not always. I need to figure it out.

 

[BtaylorTheRogue]

Screw batteries.

If I made pedals, I wouldn’t include a battery lead.

If it’s important to you, there exist adapters to connect a 9v battery to the dc jack.

Information since op seems interested: I have about 15 pedals on the board. I can’t be bothered to peel pedals off and only take certain stuff to certain gigs.

I plunk the bastard down. I plug in one cable. It powers a CS-7 and a CS-12. They power my pedals and my wireless receiver. I connect my DI’s out to my amp.

I’m not checking batteries. I’m not checking cables.

 

[MDBass]

There have been a few discussions about pedals and pedalboards lately and it SEEMS as though most players aren't really using batteries anymore but instead are using either a stand alone power supply or a multi-output (and sometimes multi-voltage) power supply integrated into their pedalboard.

These days, how important is it that a pedal operate from a 9V battery (acknowledging that some simply can not) and is it worth paying more for a pedal that can support battery operation (even if it means <20 hours of battery life)?

As a follow-up, how many of you guys would suggest that the days of using 9V batteries is coming to an end?

I'm looking for comments from a player's perspective, one who uses amps and cabinets and not somebody who mostly uses them at home with their studio.

I would never, ever rely on 9v batteries to power my pedalboard on tour: it’s both wasteful and leaves the door open to signal failure and malfunction.

Some designers, like Darkglass, don’t even offer 9v battery power as an option for their pedals.

 

[Anemic_SluG]

I have 2 boards, a big one for a more pop band with synth effects and one rock oriented small board with dirt and chorus, both have dedicated power supplies. The thing I hate the most is when the pedal includes a battery and I forget to take it out and it explodes after years of non use.

 

[JakobT]

I have used just a Boss TU-3 as my only pedal on gigs, but those have to be plugged in. It would be cool if it had a built-in long range USB charged lithium ion battery for those scenarios and could run for 12+ continuous hours, but I’m sure that would be prohibitively expensive and an AC adapter isn’t a huge accessory.

The TU-3, like other Boss pedals, has a 9V battery compartment.

 

[Border]

I have had one pedal damaged by a leaky battery, a tuner some years ago. I like to bring a few pedals to gigs as I play in a classic rock cover band. I have used the MXR brick, and also have a tuner with several 9v power outs. I have to make an accommodation for the Blowtorch (18v) and the Crybaby, which is very partial to one particular adapter. I always gig with them plugged in, as I am leary of battery failures at inopportune times.

 

[Frank77]

Haven't used batteries in any of my pedals in years.

Once you have more than 2-3 pedals it gets stupid trying to keep track of which batteries need to be replaced, so you end up replacing them more often than you should (typically right before a gig) to avoid failure mid-performance.

It gets costly and environmentally unfriendly pretty quick. I have a voodoo pedal power for my large (7-8 pedal capacity) board, and a one-spot for my small (4-5) one. Never had noise issues with either.

 

[beans-on-toast]

As a follow-up, how many of you have had a pedal or bass damaged by a leaky battery?

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Don’t know if it applies to 9v. I use Energizer in other devices such as handheld Flukes and never had a problem. But then I change them on a regular basis.

If you do use a battery, pay for a good quality one. Avoid bargain brands.

 

[AdamR]

Ive been using a Voodoo labs power supply for 6 or 7 years now. Haven't used a battery in a pedal since. I have a few that cant even use batteries

 

[voided3]

The TU-3, like other Boss pedals, has a 9V battery compartment.

Correct, though I haven’t had good luck with battery life on digital pedals with LCD displays or tons of LEDs like the TU-3. That combined with the buffered bypass, meaning there’s always an active circuit when there’s a cable in the input, typically results in short battery life.

 

[AaronVonRock]

Never use 9v batteries. I ditched my One Spot last year and now use a Pedaltrain Volto. The Volto powers my six gigging pedals without any issues.

 

[Turbo Sparky]

I like the 9V capability. I have rarely needed used my "entire" pedalboard when gigging. The only time(s) I have used my entire board, mostly, is during in-shed playing. I use VooDoo Labs power supply during those times. Every gig, when it is needed or used, the compressor gets a new 9V; simple, less weight, and immensely more mobile using only what is needed versus showboating. Skeptical of "re-chargeable" things other than "smart phones." I am tied down with enough leashes in the digital age, and the pedals should have the capability to "cut-n-run" whenever I want, not the device or "the way things are going." Down with Master Control LOL

 

[Medicine Man]

In our whole stage set up, the only batteries are my active bass and wireless units. That's still too many. I have lost a stingray battery box, a pedal, and a fender active preamp to battery leakage. Save us from batteries, oh aged one!

 

[40Hz]

My thinking has always been: use AC if you can, a battery if you must. When I’m out playing I’m still packing an amp. So I need to plug in anyway. Not being able to operate on battery power isn’t a dealbreaker for me.

I also think a lot has to do with how many pedals you usually use. If it’s one or two, you might decide to go with battery power. But more than that and it starts getting expensive pretty quickly.

And to your other question, to me it makes no sense to have a battery option if it isn’t practical to run the device on battery power. I tried it with an Ampeg SCR/DI thinking that would be convenient since I use mine mainly for headphone practice. But a battery only lasts a few hours at most with mine, so why bother?

 

[RobTheRiot]

Im lucky I do what I love, but playing 4+ gigs a week I cant imagine what my battery write off at the end of the year would be!

I dont have a large pedal board, but even when I only had 2 (I'm at about 5 now), I had a one spot just to avoid the possibility of a battery dying mid show - plus after a few packs of batteries you've paid for a power supply that should last years.

For me, I have no need for a pedal to even have a battery option. Use that space either for more features or to downsize the pedal.
Just my humble opinion...

 

[el murdoque]

My big pedalboard holds around a dozen pedals, my small board holds three.
Both boards sport Cioks power supplies. I change the batteries in my basses about once a year and that is hard enough to keep track of.

Imagine the scenario of a failing battery on stage.
1: Find the pedal that has the issue.
2: Remove the pedal from the board
3: open up the pedal (screwdriver needed?)
4: replace battery
5: put the pedal back on the board and reconnect it.

All these steps are done on stage with an audience and the rest of the band waiting? No, thanks.
Prevent that by keeping track of at least half a dozen 9V batteries' lifespans? No, thanks.

I know that those people who can hear a difference between a $170 Vovox instrument cable and a $20 one will also hear a difference between a 9V power supply, a 9V battery and a vintage 9V battery for $25/piece but I count myself lucky enough not being able to do that.

 

[markjazzbassist]

Batteries only for me. I use vintage effects and they were built for batteries some only can use batteries. Fuzz face for instance sounds like garbage with a power supply, a poopy dollar store battery and it’s gold.

Tuner is a battery, I don’t want to have to find a wall power supply, battery is easy and lasts a long time.

The rest of my stuff is old gear either with no power in jack so battery only or it’s like EHX center positive and I am not going to go drop 200 on a power supply when again I can buy dollar store batteries.

 

[Jscriv]

If in only using a tuner, I want a battery option. If I have an entire signal chain going, I have a board with a power supply. I like bother options

 

[Timmy-Watts]

For me, I like the battery option, as a backup. As a minimalist, sometimes a gig is an hour long set, and I like to load in out as fast and efficiently as possible. So that may mean not bringing a power strip and wall wart for my one pedal (a compressor or preamp). But that's just me, using one or 2 pedals. I'm not a pedal board guy. So I like the option of having a battery in my pedal. And if it accepts one, I will have one in there. But if I like a pedal and it is powered only, with no battery, it wouldn't deter me from buying it.