Voodoo Lab PEDAL POWER DIGITAL User manual

PEDAL POWER DIGITAL
User’s Manual
www.voodoolab.com

Copyright ©2011 by Digital Music Corporation.
This publication is protected by copyright and all rights are reserved. Voodoo Lab and
Pedal Power are trademarks of Digital Music Corp.
rev 1.0

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . 2
Unpacking . . . . 3
Connections . . . . 3
DC Power Cables . . . 4
Line 6 . . . . . 4
Strymon . . . . . 5
TC Electronic . . . . 5
Eventide . . . . . 5
Additional Cables . . . 6
About Isolation . . . . 7
Specifications . . . . 8
Warranty . . . . . 9
How to Reach Us . . . 9

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Introduction
Pedal Power Digital is an all-analog power supply designed for high-current,
digital pedal effects like those from Eventide, Line 6, Strymon and TC Electronic.
With four independent, filtered and regulated 400mA output sections, Pedal
Power Digital can properly power modern DSP-based effects and all 9V battery
operated pedals.
Nearly all DSP-based effects made today are supplied with digital switching
power adapters, which produce significant high frequency noise. Because Pedal
Power Digital is an audiophile quality linear (analog) supply, there are no digital
artifacts to introduce into your signal path. And, its ultra low-noise design keeps
the most sensitive vintage and boutique analog pedals dead quiet.
All linear, transformer-based power supplies generate heat. While other high-
power linear supplies operate at excessively high internal temperatures (which
will limit their long term reliability), Pedal Power Digital includes many exclusive
design features to keep internal temperatures within proper limits to guarantee
long-term reliability.
Designed to meet the needs of professional users, Pedal Power Digital provides
clean, consistent power, even under the poor AC line conditions often found on
stage. Completely isolated output sections eliminate ground loops and unwanted
interactions between effects, resulting in lower noise and noticeably improved
tone.
All Voodoo Lab products are engineered and handmade in the U.S.A.

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Unpacking
Your Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Digital box should contain the following:
Pedal Power Digital unit
Warranty card
AC line cord
DC Power cables:
5.5x2.1mm right angle black barrel (4)
5.5x2.5mm right angle red barrel (4)
Connections
Pedal Power Digital is powered directly from AC mains using the supplied
detachable line cord. This is a standard computer-type IEC line cord, so it’s easy
to obtain a replacement or different length.
Important: Pedal Power Digital is manufactured to operate from a specific line
voltage (100V, 120V or 240V) which is marked on the bottom of the unit.
Attempting to operate at the wrong voltage may cause permanent damage.

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1, 2) 9V and 12V high-current output pairs. Each pair is an isolated output
section providing up to 400mA.
Note: The 9V and 12V outputs within a pair are not isolated from each other
(their negative terminals are common). It is preferred to use only one from each
pair. If using both, combined output should not exceed 400mA.
Important: Do NOT operate two high-current digital effects from the same
isolated section by using both 9V and 12V jacks of the pair.
3, 4) 9V high-current outputs. Use for all devices which require 400mA or less.
All 9V outputs can also power ordinary low-current battery operated pedals.
DC Power Cables
The Pedal Power end of each supplied DC power cable has a black barrel
connector. The other end has either another identical black barrel connector
(center negative) or a 5.5x2.5mm red barrel (center positive). Use the standard
right-angle black barrel connector cables with most common 9V battery operated
pedals.
Before powering your pedal with the standard black barrel connector, you must
verify that the pedal requires “center negative” polarity to prevent damage.
Cables are available from Voodoo Lab to properly power “center positive” pedals.
Line 6
Line 6 M5 and Tone Core pedals, plus Pocket POD can be powered from any
available 9V output using a standard black 5.5x2.1mm barrel cable.
You can power Line 6 modeling pedals, like DL4 or MM4, using the 12V outputs
with a red 5.5x2.5mm barrel cable. This does not match the rating of the supplied
Line 6 adapter, but does correctly power these pedals. Note that PODxt & HD,
M9, M13 and the JM4 Looper cannot be powered by Pedal Power Digital.

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Strymon
All Strymon pedals (including the larger format Timeline) can be powered from
any of the 9V outputs using a standard black 5.5x2.1mm barrel cable.
Important: Strymon pedals should only be powered from the 9V outputs.
Attempting to power from a 12V output may permanently damage the pedal.
Don’t do it, we warned you!
TC Electronic
TC Electronic’s Nova pedals such as the Delay, Modulator and Reverb can be
powered from either the 9V or 12V outputs using a standard black 5.5x2.1mm
barrel cable. The 9V output does not match the rating of the supplied TC
Electronic adapter, but does correctly power these pedals.
Important: While you can power the Nova pedals from either 9V or 12V outputs,
do NOT operate two Nova pedals from the same isolated section by using both
9V and 12V jacks of the pair. This WILL exceed the 400mA current rating.
Other TC Electronic pedals which can be powered from a 9V battery, such as the
Classic and TonePrint series, can operate from any of the 9V outputs.
Eventide
The Eventide stompboxes (TimeFactor, ModFactor, PitchFactor and Space) can
be powered from either the 9V or the 12V outputs using the red 5.5x2.5mm
barrel cable. The 12V output does not match the rating of the supplied Eventide
adapter, but does correctly power these pedals.
Important: While you can power the Eventide stompboxes from either 9V or 12V
outputs, do NOT operate two Eventide pedals from the same isolated section by

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using both 9V and 12V jacks of the pair. This WILL exceed the 400mA current
rating.
Additional Cables
The DC power cables supplied with your Pedal Power Digital are suitable for
most common pedal effects. If you need additional cables, different lengths,
reversed polarity, or a special connector, these are available from Voodoo Lab at
our online store.
Also available are adapter cables:
Split Output Adapter: Provides two output jacks from a single Pedal Power Digital
output. One side is ground lifted to minimize the possibility of ground loops and
added noise.
Voltage Doubler Adapter: Combines two Pedal Power Digital outputs to make
18V or 24V at up to 400mA. Ideal for MXR Flanger and various Fulltone and
Keeley products.
See the entire selection and purchase cables online at:
www.voodoolab.com/cables.htm

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About Isolation
Pedal Power Digital has four isolated output sections. This is sometimes referred
to as “galvanic isolation” and means that there is no direct electrical connection
between each output. Similarly, when you power your effects with batteries, they
are also isolated because there is no electrical connection between the batteries.
Most power supplies are not isolated. Their output jacks are simply bussed
together or use a daisy chain cable. This allows unwanted electrical current to
flow between the outputs, commonly called a ground loop. The result is added
noise. The isolated outputs of Pedal Power Digital eliminate this noise.
Another benefit of isolation is that you can power both negative ground and
positive ground effects with Pedal Power Digital. Negative ground effects are by
far the most common, however the Fuzz Face and Octavia are some well known
examples of positive ground circuits. Attempting to power positive ground pedals
together with negative ground pedals from a non-isolated power supply will not
work and may even damage the supply.
There are a couple of other tricks you can get from an isolated supply like Pedal
Power Digital. You can use a special Y-cable (voltage doubler cable) which
connects two 9V outputs in series to provide an isolated 18V, or use the 12V
outputs to get 24V. Occasionally, a pedal requires a bipolar supply, using two
batteries for +9V and -9V. Isolated outputs work fine for this, non-isolated
supplies do not.

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Specifications
Input: Standard IEC connector
120V 50/60Hz (North America model)
100V 60Hz (Japan model)
220-240V 50/60Hz (Europe/Australia model)
Model and input power are marked on bottom of unit.
Outputs: 5.5x2.1mm barrel connectors center negative
Short circuit protected.
Two 9V or 12VDC - 400mA
Two 9VDC - 400mA
Physical: 4.9” wide x 3.4” deep x 1.8” tall (124 x 86 x 44 mm)
1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
Special: Toroidal power transformer

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WARRANTY
North America only
Voodoo Lab warrants this product against defects that are due to faulty material
or workmanship for a period of five years from the date of original retail purchase.
This warranty does not include damage to the product resulting from accident or
misuse. This warranty is given to the original purchaser only and it is not
assignable to any other person.
If the product should become defective within the warranty period, Voodoo Lab
will repair it or replace it free of charge, provided it is returned freight prepaid to
Voodoo Lab with a valid RMA (return material authorization) number.
This warranty shall not apply to any goods that have been repaired or altered by
anyone other than the manufacturer. There are no warranties which extend
beyond the terms described herein. Should you experience any difficulty with this
Voodoo Lab product, contact us as described below. If it is determined that the
product must be returned to the factory for repair, you will be issued an RMA and
given shipping and packaging instructions.
Outside North America
Regions outside North American please contact your country’s distributor for
warranty information.
How to Reach Us
You can reach us by any of the following:
Tel: [phone]
Mail: Voodoo Lab
3165 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 U.S.A.
Email: [email protected]
Forum: www.voodoolab.com/forum