ShortScale.org

I know this must have been asked a million times, so sorry, but what do I need to start daisy chaining my pedals?

I already have a 9v power supply, it's not Diago or anything, I think I got it from B&Q years ago and used to use it to power my M-Audio Firewire 410. I just plugged it into my Behringer TU-1 clone and it works fine. So if I bought a daisy chain which seem to go on eBay for as little as £5 could I plug that into the power supply and daisy chain the rest of my pedals that way? Or would I need to either get a special power supply that can fit the daisy chain or buy a TU-2 clone that the daisy chain can plug into?

In theory, it'll work fine- basically units like the Diago Powerstation put out a LOT of current (3A), so there's always enough juice for a long line of pedals.

A cheaper adaptor is likely to have a far lower current rating, and when used with multiple daisychained boxes, will cause problems since there's not enough current to go around, especially for any digital pedals.

easiest way to daisy chain power is to get a pedal that offers that ability. two really common pedals that will do this are boss' tuners and delays. you then just buy a "kit" which mainly consists of a cable that has several connections for pedals (there are several choices of these available). the other way would be to get a powered pedal board with a distribution option which is how i roll, though i've done both methods with no problem whatsoever.

dots wrote:easiest way to daisy chain power is to get a pedal that offers that ability. two really common pedals that will do this are boss' tuners and delays.

It doesn't do anything that a standard daisychain cable doesn't do, no magic going on there like.

Doog wrote:

dots wrote:easiest way to daisy chain power is to get a pedal that offers that ability. two really common pedals that will do this are boss' tuners and delays.

It doesn't do anything that a standard daisychain cable doesn't do, no magic going on there like.

my experience wasn't as such.

What was the difference?

keep in mind this was. . . 15 or 16 years ago, but i had a couple pedals i wanted to daisy chain (ts5 and a chorus), and i couldn't get them to do it with just one of those splitter cables. . . had to get a pedal that supplied power, which in that case was a boss tuner. if that technology's improved or i was just using shit pedals (latter being completely possible in those days =] ), whatevs, but i've pretty much run under the "get a pedal or board built for that" mantra since. i figure there must be at least some need for them, else why would they make them?

Doog wrote:In theory, it'll work fine- basically units like the Diago Powerstation put out a LOT of current (3A), so there's always enough juice for a long line of pedals.

A cheaper adaptor is likely to have a far lower current rating, and when used with multiple daisychained boxes, will cause problems since there's not enough current to go around, especially for any digital pedals.

I had a look and apparently the power supply is only 8mA. Hmm. I'll probably just keep an eye on eBay for a second hand Diago.

http://www.hotroxuk.com/carl-martin-pow ... 829-0.html

these are pretty good and come with a daisy chain and loads of other connectors. plenty of room for using a fair amount of pedals.

Thanks for the tip off Proggy, I'll probably get one of thems.

I think mine was a Rocktron, it basically did the same thing as the one Proggy posted. By the looks of it, it's the same power-supply, daisy chain and bunch of convertors to other power-jack types rebranded under different names, based on the original called the Power-All (an American brand).

They work great. Years and years and never a problem.

Not wanting to thread hijack but people who use daisy chains what do you do with your 'unused' sockets when your playing, should they be covered in electrical tape or covered? sometimes mind hit against the metal casing of a pedal and cause a loud cracking sound that I'm sure can't be good

dots wrote:

Doog wrote:

dots wrote:easiest way to daisy chain power is to get a pedal that offers that ability. two really common pedals that will do this are boss' tuners and delays.

It doesn't do anything that a standard daisychain cable doesn't do, no magic going on there like.

my experience wasn't as such.

Doog is right, the pedal doesn't supply any more power (in fact it is electronically impossible for it to do so), it just has an output power jack connected to the input power jack.

nomorebridge wrote:Not wanting to thread hijack but people who use daisy chains what do you do with your 'unused' sockets when your playing, should they be covered in electrical tape or covered? sometimes mind hit against the metal casing of a pedal and cause a loud cracking sound that I'm sure can't be good

Yeah, tape em up and bundle them out of the way

Gavin wrote:I already have a 9v power supply, it's not Diago or anything, I think I got it from B&Q years ago and used to use it to power my M-Audio Firewire 410. I just plugged it into my Behringer TU-1 clone and it works fine. So if I bought a daisy chain which seem to go on eBay for as little as £5 could I plug that into the power supply and daisy chain the rest of my pedals that way?

yes. I do exactly this.

depends what pedals you've got and what adapter.
i bought some cheapy thing from maplins before i got my powerstation. it was fine with a few dirt pedals and a wah but the second you through it something digital like a reverb or a delay it goes BYYOOOooooooooo.

Johnny ShredFreak used to do a knock off Diago powerstation style supply for something silly like £20, sadly they don't seem to do that anymore.

you don't need something like a boss tu or line selector, though when they were still on my board that's what i daisy chained off with one of these :





see the left connector on that one can also be connected to an adapter if memory serves me well. so a tu or ls is not needed. of course if it's gotta power more than 5 pedals then yeah you're not gonna be able to add another daisy chain to it.
i'm using this cheap powerblock from thomann now where all my adapter cables are connected.

i use a onespot, my hazarai and cathedral don't really like the it, so i have to have 2 adapters just for them (line 6 stuff also doesn't work whell with chains)

kim wrote:you don't need something like a boss tu or line selector, though when they were still on my board that's what i daisy chained off with one of these :





see the left connector on that one can also be connected to an adapter if memory serves me well. so a tu or ls is not needed. of course if it's gotta power more than 5 pedals then yeah you're not gonna be able to add another daisy chain to it.
i'm using this cheap powerblock from thomann now where all my adapter cables are connected.

how is it?