User reviews: Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus

06/22/11

wwhhhaatt's review "Best investment for a pedal board"

This one of the most valued pieces of gear I have. There are other power supplies out there with the ability to power pedals with different demands but the pedal power is perfect for probably 90% of the effects pedal users out there. It provides clean isolated and filtered power through eight individual outputs all packaged in a tough little box. I previously used the Dunlop DC brick which is great for a few pedals but once you start using an effects loop or a wide variety of pedals it can get noisy.

All the output taps put out 9volts but can also be changed via dip switches to accommodate other power requirements.

-taps 1 through 4 can be set to power the older boss ACA pedals which I believe are 12v.

-taps 5 and 6 provide higher current for pedals that require up to 200ma like the boss dd-20 and can also be set to power the line6 4 series like the dl4 and mm4

-taps 7 and 8 have sag controls to simulate the effect that a dying battery would have on a pedal.

I've used mine to power a board full of pedals without issue. By using daisy chains to hook multiple low current drawing pedals to one output you can easily power more than 8 pedals. This works great for simple boxes but it is best to keep digital pedals, especially delays, on a dedicated output to avoid any issues from under powering. There are also many different types of coupling cables you can buy if you need to power pedals with different voltage requirements. You can combine two of the 9volts to get 18v or flip the dip switches and get 24v for things like the electro-harmonix memory man. The added courtesy out on the back allows you to plug in a wall wart if you have anything that needs AC power. This box will keep your pedal board tidy and as noise free as it can get.

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04/05/11

nickname009's review "the go-to power supply!!!"

Overall Opinion

specs:

Toroidal power transformer

9/12V (x4) – Standard 9V and 12V Boss ACA

9V (x2) – High Current 9V and Line 6 Modelers

9V (x2) – Standard 9V With Battery Sag Control

18V/24V – Using Custom Cables

The voodoo lab pedal power has been one of if not the most famed power supply out there today. For many reasons, it works, and the support is great! I misplaced one or two of the provided cables and emailed their support, they mailed me one for free and I got it in the next week or so! Awesome!

I've owned this when I had a semi medium-sized board to power everything. I ended up using every output and even the AC plug to power an extra pedal. My pedals have never stopped working or fried out on me. Though I've heard many worse stories with other supplies. It's also a decent size, not too big, though of course, if they can ever make them smaller, I wouldn't complain! I have never experienced any excessive noise though I don't notice it being quieter either. Ground loops and hum is not an issue of course. One thing, DO read the manual if you need to power anything in a special or unique or complex way!!! Make sure you plug the cables using the right ends for each input/output etc! I was lucky enough that I went after simple boss-like pedals and just one or two oddball pedals.

I've now simplified my pedal rig down to 3 or 4, of which use their own power supply or require nearly nothing to power. I'm trying to go boardless if possible and thus sold off the PP2. But if I ever had to build another board, the PP2 would be the one to power'em all! I'd much prefer this over any other power supply for the price. It's decently priced and well worth it!

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06/05/09

mooseherman's review

Overall Opinion

What thing do you like most/least about it?

 I've had my fair share of power supply issues in my time. My new favorite is this Pedal Power 2 Plus, simply because its the best PS I've found for reducing noise. This power supply is capable of powering up to 8 9-or-12V pedals at once, and it isolates each one so that there is no buildup of noise. I've never been able to get the right combination of effects without having too much noise or hum in my sound. I also really like the fact that you can switch from 9V to 12V for each input, which makes things incredible easy and ideal if you are using various pedals. I also enjoy some of the finer controls that the pedal offers. For instance, if you need high current to power a pedal, you can set the Pedal Power 2 to deliver that. It also has a nice SAG feature, which I don't fully understand, but I can tell that It allows some pedals to be dampened. From what I've gathered it allows you to decrease the voltage for pedals. It doesn't work well for everything but my fuzz pedal sounds great sometimes when I need it to back off a bit. Although I've never been able to do it since I don't have the appropriate pedals, the Pedal Power 2 plus also has the option of powering 18V and 24V devices as well, though this requires some extra cables.



Did you try many other models before getting this one?

I used to have to limit myself not only to Boss pedals, but to 9V ones at that, to avoid making noise (and so that I could daisy-chain the pedals and therefore only have to use one power supply). This makes that problem nonexistant. This is a better product than anything I've tried.



What is your opinion about the value for the price?

If you have a lot of pedals, this is totally worth the price. It usually only runs for about $170 but you could possibly find a used one for cheaper (though I doubt too many people are trying to get rid of them, considering how sweet they are!)



Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?...

I would absolutely recommend this power supply over any other, assuming that one has enough pedals to justify buying it. If you're only using one or two pedals, it might not be ideal.



Precision and quality of the sound?

I think the best thing about this supply is that each pedal sounds virtually the same as it would if it was the only pedal that was plugged in. This is rare among pedals that share power supplies. Therefore that's the best way to describe the quality of the sound, which is only as good as the sound of the pedals you are using (as well as the amp and guitar/bass).

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12/15/08

Audiofanzine FR's review

Overall Opinion

(Originally written by Doc Plus/translated from Audiofanzine FR)

Dimensions: 5.9" x 3.5" x 1.6"

Pedal power 2 plus: 8 isolated DC outputs with a total of 1.1 A

Combining two outputs allows you to feed effect pedals requiring 18 V DC, 24 V DC and probably also 15 V (SAG output set on 3 V or 6 V).

The bottom side of the PP2+ is equipped with 2-way DIP switches (one switch per output) allowing you to choose between "normal" and another mode.

NORMAL MODE = all outputs deliver 9 V DC

1-4, 7-8: 9 V DC, 100 mA each (normal requirement for 90% of all effect pedals).

5-6: 9 V DC, 250 mA each = convenient for power Boss Twin and Line6 pedals.

OTHER MODE

1-4: 12.3 V, 60 mA each = useful for some Boss ACA.

5-6: 14.5 V / 12 V (unregulated), 50 mA / 200 mA+

7-8: 4 V - 9 V adjustable with a control on the front side, 100 mA each = simulates a used battery (interesting for fuzz effects, for example)

Provided cables: 6 x 2.1 mm cables, 2 x L6 2.5 mm cables, 1 x 1/8" cable (for Electroharmonix products, for example), 1 x cable to replace a battery.

An IEC 230-volt output is also provided, to power a Behringer FCB1010, for example.

Advantages of a PSU with isolated outputs:

1/ Since the outputs are isolated, it's impossible to have ground loop problems. Thus you can use the same PSU for your effects before and after the preamp.

2/ Since the outputs are isolated, it's possible to combine two of them with a special Y power cable in order to double the voltage. So combine two 9 V DC outputs to get one 18 V DC output. With a pair of 12 V DC outputs you get one 24 V DC output.

Voodoo Lab sells this type of Y cable but it's not easy to find. You can also assemble the cable yourself if you go to the Tech and Tips area on the Fulltone website.

Some might say "Hey, I could make a special Y cable to use a pair of outputs in order to double the amperage." Voodoo Lab doesn't recommend you to use such cables. On the other hand, Stomping Ground does offer such power cables. It's up to you.

The Burkey Flatliner and Six models are its only real competitors, considering versatility and reliability.

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03/25/08

rarson's review

Overall Opinion

The Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus is exactly what it sounds like: a power supply for multiple guitar pedals. Voodoo Labs states that each of the 8 9V outputs is completely isolated, short-circuit protected, and highly filtered and regulated to provide power that is free of hum and noise. I will venture to guess that most people using standard wall warts will probably benefit from lower noise by using this supply, as I did. Another benefit is actually ditching all those separate adapters and plugging everything in using one three-prong plug.

As stated previously, the Pedal Power 2 Plus features 8 outputs, which can be configured and used to supply power in several ways. The first four outputs can be used to supply Boss pedals that require ACA power adapters. Outputs 5 and 6 can be used to power Line6 modeling pedals, and outputs 7 and 8 allow voltage adjustments between 4V and 9V to simulate worn batteries. All outputs are configured for these options via a small set of DIP switches on the underside of the unit. There is also an AC auxiliary outlet with a max rating of 200W (they strongly warn not to plug your amplifier into it), which is nice for people with an oddball AC pedal like the Digitech Whammy which usually can't be supplied by a 9V pedal board supply.

This unit can even use two outputs together to power an 18V pedal, though the required connector is not included. And annoyingly enough, while there is a nice selection of connectors supplied, someone with a full pedal board is likely to require additional connectors. The 8 outputs can all be used as normal 9V, and since that is the most common means of powering pedals, it might seem likely that it would come with 8 connectors, but it only comes with 6. There are two additional connectors for Line6 modeling pedals that use a different barrel connector, a 9V battery snap that allows powering a pedal that doesn't have a jack, and 3.5mm mini-plug adaptor. For things like reverse-polarity barrel connectors and 18V connectors, the manual advises you to contact Voodoo Labs.

While it's nice to have a variety of connectors, to me it would make sense to include 8 of the standard connectors because they are the most common. On the plus side, even if you require a seventh connector, at the very least you can use the battery snap and still power the pedal, but this is a little less than elegant and probably not preferred by most people. In my case, I needed only 6, so I lucked out. I don't really plan on buying any Line6 modeling pedals, so the extra connectors for those are a bit useless to me, as is the mini-plug, but you never know.

I applaud Voodoo Labs for their excellent manual. It's short and to-the-point, but includes thorough instructions about setting up pedals and even safety warnings to prevent damage to any of your equipment, leaving no doubt as to whether you might be setting anything up incorrectly. It even includes advice about setting up the actual pedal board itself. Many manuals today are typically either incomplete or difficult to understand, and while there's not much to this unit, it outlines everything it has to and even goes a little beyond, and in my opinion it demonstrates a commitment to their customer that many companies lack. Voodoo's manual makes sure it has your back.

One of the nice touches about this product is that its height was kept short to allow it for fitting in a rack, if you so desire. And even though it only comes with certain connectors, Voodoo Labs can supply just about any connector you'd ever need, like if you wanted a longer length. I initially thought the lengths were a bit short, as I have my pedals sprawled out in a line, but they turned out to be plenty long enough (though I can imagine situations where a person might need longer).

I bought this from Musicians Friend for $170, and while the price is a bit steep, I think it's an invaluable piece of equipment, and is indispensable to my setup. It provides pure, clean power, simplifies the pedal setup, and makes for a much cleaner installation. Voodoo's manual suggests that their support is top-notch, and the unit oozes quality. I'm even more inclined to look into some of their effects pedals after owning the Pedal Power 2 Plus.

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Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus

Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus user reviews ( 9/10) - 13 user reviews

wwhhhaatt's review "Best investment for a pedal board"

nickname009's review "the go-to power supply!!!"

mooseherman's review

Audiofanzine FR's review

rarson's review

spouks's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " What could be better?"

syl2412's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Excellent!"

loupgarou2a's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Top Notch"

Doc Plus's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

Black Label's review ( translated ) Improve this translation