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Just ordered a Modtone Power Plant...


andreas

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I'm currently running two Cioks power supplies, as well as a wall wart for the 9vAC Digitech EX-7 and a mains-powered TC SCF. While the power from the Cioks thingys isn't dirty at all, there are just too many transformers in a too tight space. Basically, the electro-magnetic field generated by the transformers got into my dirt pedals (even when on battery power), so it was time for a change.

 

Power_Plant_1.jpg

 

The Modtone has a toroidal transformer (which generates far less EMF interference), 7 isolated DC voltage outputs (5x9/12vDC, two variable, all 150mA each), a 9vAC/1000mA output for the EX-7 and an accessory mains output for the SCF.

 

I haven't received it yet (bought it from Tunnelvision Music), so time will tell if it's a keeper or not. On paper, it looks perfect. Let's just hope it delivers... :wave:

 

/Andreas

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Just got the "it has shipped" e-mail, so it should be here sometime next week (if the 3-5 days delivery time stated is to be believed, and unless customs decides to hold it for ransom). So sometime after that, it's review time.

 

It doesn't have any 9vDC/250mA output, so it's not for those who has a DL-4 or DD-20. But at 150mA from each output, it should do the trick for me. I'll have to daisy-chain a couple of pedals to make it work, but it should be ok. What I really need to know is if the toroidal transformer is enough to cut down on the noise (fingers crossed, knock on wood etc).

 

/Andreas

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It's here... picked it up today. Got stung with duty + tax, making it cost about the same as from thesegoto11.se (although they didn't have it in stock, so...).

 

It can absolutely power a DL-4, but not from the DC outputs. The 9vAC output should run a DL-4 just fine, though. Didn't think about that before, as I'll be using that output for a Digitech EX-7.

 

It's a tad larger than a PP2+ (7.25" x 3.5" x 2", instead of 6" x 3.4" x 1.75"), and a quarter pound heavier. It came with six regular power cables (right-angle at the pedal end), one 1/8" (3.5mm) cable, one battery clip cable and a special 2.1mm -> 2.5mm cable for 9vAC pedals (DL-4, Digitech Whammy/EX-7 etc).

 

I have already spotted a couple of problems fitting it to my board... First off, the riser I have needs to be raised by about 1mm to make it fit underneath. I'll probably just cut some plastic pieces to size and secure them with small screws from the bottom. The riser has velcro under its "legs", so I'll just attach new pieces of velcro and it should work fine.

 

Also, the riser "legs" (there's four at the moment) need to be moved slightly farther apart, to make it fit. But, seeing as the 9vAC jack is mounted to the side (not the best position, if you ask me), finding room for the straight plug (the right-angle end is the only one that fits the EX-7 jack) will be tricky. I'll most likely end up removing one of the middle "legs", letting the riser simply rest on top of the power supply. It's quite wide, so it should be ok that way.

 

I like the fact that the DIP switches are accessible from the back (rather than the bottom, like on the PP2+). That means I won't have to rip the whole board apart just to switch one output to 12 volts. However, I don't like the "sag" controls - they're flush with the front panel, intended to be adjusted with a screwdriver. While that means the pots will be less likely to accidentally be moved out of position, on my board it also means it will be quite hard to adjust them, once all the pedals have been placed.

 

I have some work to do (as shown in the last of the camphone pics) before I'll be able to see if it works quietly with the complete board, but I have a feeling I'll be slapping together a makeshift chain soon, just to test it out... :D

 

/Andreas

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