| john bodega 11.02.2009 21:03 |
I'm a nudnick! I thought I'd get one cheap from the US, thinking smugly to myself 'well I'll worry about the different power supply later'. Unfortunately, now is later, I have this pedal with a US power supply and I'm too scared to try anything. What's the go, here? I have an adaptor that doesn't seem to do much of anything (but then, with American plugs I don't even know which way is up and which way is down....) and I'm not sure if there's much else I can do. |
| Marcos Napier 12.02.2009 01:43 |
I asked a friend in Europe about something similar, voltages and also frequencies in countries... not for a pedal though. I knew that somewhere in Europe they had this difference of voltage and frequencies, and he said that only UK has it by default. It seems that in UK they use 220V and 60 hz (or is it 50?) and everywhere else the standard is 110/127V (unless you've changed it in your house or in specific cities, not entire countries I think) and 50Hz (60?), plus the plugs are different. Disregarding the plugs for now, if your power supply is 110/127V and it's not a bivolt thing that can switch automagically to the right voltage and you're in a 220V... it won't work and you'll get some smoke instead. I don't know what this small frequency change does though but I think it isn't exactly meant to be used in a different frequency. Anyway, if the power supply isn't bivolt, it won't work so the frequency difference isn't really a problem, it won't interfere with the resulting smoke. The adaptor and prongs aren't really a problem - there probably are some adaptors or you can even chop off the current plug and use another specifically made for your outlet, considering that the PS can work in both voltages. It should be done by a professional though, to avoid bad soldering for example and adding extra noises... There probably are some power supply things that can be used with the pedal, but... some are poorly made and add lots of unwanted noises. In the last case you can always ask some electrician to make a custom one. It's easier than building a Red Special, I guess. I'm not sure about the plug prong sizes but I think that I read somewhere that when they have different sizes it's to help with the AC, the bigger one is where the cycle starts or something, really not sure about that though. |
| Vali 12.02.2009 05:15 |
I won't add my usfeul two cents here, as I'm a complete incompetent in this "power supplies-voltages-etc" matter, BUT: I had the RS pedal as a present from my girlfriend one year ago .... and she bought a US one (why? oh, Lord, why? I live in Europe ..), so I had to face this problem. Bought and adaptor from ebay and .... it works pretty well |
| john bodega 12.02.2009 05:33 |
My US power supply says Input : 120V ~ 60hz 18W Output : 9V~ 1.3 A When I saw this I unplugged it from the adaptor right away, figuring that 240V couldn't be good for it.... nothing smoked and nothing smelled like fire, so I'm hoping the pedal itself hasn't been fucked up already! What do you guys reckon would be better ... do I get a step down transformer, or do I sell this thing to an American and try to find another one in Australia? |
| scallyuk 12.02.2009 05:54 |
Hey Zebonka all you have to worry about is the Output , the input doesn't matter because the adapter does the conversion for you. Nip down to dick smiths or hardly normal and buy yourself an Aussie adapter that gives the same output levels and all will be sweet. |
| guild93 12.02.2009 06:36 |
You just need an AC adaptor that is 9v and 1000ma (or 1 amp). You can go higher with the amps on the adaptor but not under as that will cause problems. My Aussie adaptor came from Proline and was sold with the pedal so maybe you could buy it separately from them ..... though any adaptor with those specs should do the trick. |
| thomasquinn 32989 12.02.2009 06:48 |
Jesus Christ! Does that thing gobble up 1000mamps?!!! The biggest power-drainer I have (Marshall Regenerator) only gets to about 120! |
| john bodega 12.02.2009 09:02 |
Cheers for the comments guys! I'm just hoping I haven't already fried it... |
| earwig 12.02.2009 11:16 |
You could try a few places for a genuine Digitech PSU linklinklink etc Or maybe try a 'Godlyke' PSU that claim to be compatible with anything Hope this helps... BTW, it's a KILLER pedal - I love mine!!! [img=/images/smiley/msn/shades_smile.gif][/img] |
| Jjeroen 12.02.2009 12:05 |
I had a bad relationship with the thing from the very beginning. I did certainly NOT like a couple of the sounds, and after only half a year of very minimal use the footswitch already died. Heelposition does not work anymore. A complaint I saw with a number of other users as well. |
| Micrówave 12.02.2009 12:41 |
so I'm hoping the pedal itself hasn't been fucked up already! No, It's a Digitech. It came from the factory that way. |
| thomasquinn 32989 12.02.2009 13:39 |
Micrówave wrote:so I'm hoping the pedal itself hasn't been fucked up already!No, It's a Digitech. It came from the factory that way. I've still got an RP50 multi effect lying about, and it's quite good (particularly the ring modulator and the amp simulations). Not absolute heaven, but definitely as good as a Korg or Boss multi. |
| Penetration_Guru 12.02.2009 16:41 |
My Red Special pedal came from the US as well - I thought I'd chuck a standard battery in it like any other pedal. Solution was www.thomann.de - a German company who happily sold me a UK charger. And a tuner. And some gold strings. And a new cable. Damn, credit card takes another spanking. |
| Marcos Napier 12.02.2009 19:59 |
scallyuk wrote: Hey Zebonka all you have to worry about is the Output , the input doesn't matter because the adapter does the conversion for you.I wouldn't be that sure. Usually bigger stuff like whole pedalboards might be bi-volt and switch automatically, but stand alone power supplies... You just need an AC adaptor that is 9v and 1000ma (or 1 amp). Pretty much like that. Not sure if you might need all these amperes, but better be safe than sorry. If the PS is supposed to work giving power to other stuff when the pedal is connected in line with others, maybe this is why it needs more amperage but probably it's all just for it. Getting a transformer just to cut the voltage is much more expensive than it should be and not really necessary if you can find a 240V power supply with the same required amperage. |
| redspecialusa 12.02.2009 23:02 |
I LOVE my Red Special Pedal!! It was worth every penny for me. I hope you find what you're looking for Zebonka!! |
| john bodega 13.02.2009 02:41 |
scallyuk wrote: Nip down to dick smiths or hardly normal and buy yourself an Aussie adapter that gives the same output levels and all will be sweet.Dick Smith were a let down. The first time I went there they tried to sell me a step down transformer for $100, and today they reckon they have adaptors at the same output level but nothing in AC. I'm either going to Altronics in the city or trying Proline, as suggested up the page. I've e-mailed Digitech themselves too. Then there's the small matter of testimonials... redspecialusa wrote: I LOVE my Red Special Pedal!! It was worth every penny for me. I hope you find what you're looking for Zebonka!!vs. Jjeroen wrote: I had a bad relationship with the thing from the very beginning. I wonder then ... do I have a guitar pedal or a powerless paperweight on my desk right now?? :P |
| Jjeroen 13.02.2009 03:46 |
Zebonka12 wrote:
vs.
Jjeroen wrote: I had a bad relationship with the thing from the very beginning.I wonder then ... do I have a guitar pedal or a powerless paperweight on my desk right now?? :P ========================================================================= Well, *I* certainly have the latter! |
| Marcos Napier 13.02.2009 08:45 |
I guess it all depends on the interface between the pedal and the guitar.[img=/images/smiley/msn/devil_smile.gif][/img] |
| Raf 16.02.2009 16:55 |
Marcos Napier wrote: I guess it all depends on the interface between the pedal and the guitar.[img=/images/smiley/msn/devil_smile.gif][/img]The cable? |
| Marcos Napier 16.02.2009 21:09 |
No, the player. |
| john bodega 16.02.2009 22:59 |
We'll find out soon enough, I sent away for a powersupply from Proline as guild suggested. I was very careful to make sure the part number was the same as the one being sold with the pedal on most Australian sites. If it doesn't work this time, then obviously I fried it or it got smashed in transit. Hahaha. |
| Raf 17.02.2009 08:27 |
Marcos Napier wrote: No, the player.Player > Guitar > Cable > Digitech Red Special Pedal > Amp |
| Adam Baboolal 18.02.2009 16:17 |
I have a new found respect for my RS pedal. When I first got it, it was better than many had been making out. Then, I had a lull as I stopped using it. Though, that may have been due to finally getting an AC30CC2X. lol! But back in January, I picked up a nice bit of kit for mixing on the computer. I tested it on (ironically) a project which I'd made to show off the pedal to Zeb last year! lol Yeah, that didn't happen!! Anyway, I used the processing on my new mixing kit (a Liquid Mix btw) and the sounds of the RS really came to life. At this point I realised something about the pedal. The Digi lads have made the sounds on-board, very flexible when mixing, i.e. compressing helps get more of a properly 'finished' Brian sound. I guess they didn't compress it as much so you still had some flexibility in using the sounds. And it was very easy to make adjustments when putting it into song examples, too. Interesting. However, the pedal does sometimes seem to lack the gain needed to achieve the full sustaining sounds of Brian's setup. But heck, that's not such a problem as I've seen others suggest sticking their own booster before the pedal's built-in gain. Haven't really tried it myself, but then, when you have the real thing needed to achieve the sounds this pedal's trying to replicate, it's not really a priority! lol. If anyone wants me to do this and post the results, of course, I will oblige. Adam. |
| Marcos Napier 18.02.2009 22:12 |
Raf wrote:Marcos Napier wrote: No, the player.Player > Guitar > Cable > Digitech Red Special Pedal > Amp Do I have to draw to explain the joke? Pfft. |
| Marcos Napier 18.02.2009 22:15 |
Adam Baboolal wrote: However, the pedal does sometimes seem to lack the gain needed to achieve the full sustaining sounds of Brian's setup. I guess this can be done by a decent amplifier. Let the pedal do the tone and the rest can be done by the guitar/amp. |
| redspecialusa 19.02.2009 01:52 |
Marcos Napier wrote:Adam Baboolal wrote: However, the pedal does sometimes seem to lack the gain needed to achieve the full sustaining sounds of Brian's setup.I guess this can be done by a decent amplifier. Let the pedal do the tone and the rest can be done by the guitar/amp. That's true...it seems as though the 'old lady' has infinite sustain. That I think would be the most deciding factor, because it's the guitar's signal that's initially fed into the pedal. |
| Marcos Napier 19.02.2009 10:36 |
There are many people that say they "bought a Vox but can't get the BM sound right". That's because Brian uses it at FULL FORCE. Playing a RS copy with the BM pedal with one of these tiny study amps can't give good results I suppose. But try it with a Vox at full volume... I bet it sounds way different. |
| redspecialusa 19.02.2009 16:25 |
Marcos Napier wrote: There are many people that say they "bought a Vox but can't get the BM sound right". That's because Brian uses it at FULL FORCE. Playing a RS copy with the BM pedal with one of these tiny study amps can't give good results I suppose. But try it with a Vox at full volume... I bet it sounds way different. Do AC30's come with Attenuators nowadays? |
| Adam Baboolal 19.02.2009 17:49 |
While AC30's don't come with attenuators, the latest range of CC models do now come with connections to allow the fitting of this option by the player if they want it. I read up on the new CC amps and wasn't sure if I'd receive one with this new wiring, or one without. So, I was all set to do the conversion myself, but when I looked inside, luckily, it was already there! So, I bought an attenuator and all was well. In fact, after 10 months of usage in recording, I only just found out that using the attenuator gives me better sounding recordings! Something which (as I've read over and over) is a no--no when recording. But whatever it is, it works better than running it at full, un-attenuated volume. My rhythm guitar recordings had been ok, but a little fizzy. Something I'll come back to... Once attenuated, the sound gets thinned out and maybe the highs get tamed a bit. And it moulds into a familiar sounding Brian May, kinda sound. It's much nicer to work with when mixing. Back to the fizzy sound thing I mentioned. Well, according to a guy at another forum, it's down to having incorrect blue speakers! Yeah...I know - how can that be when the CC2X is sold as having the good old original blue speakers? They're made in China, I think - NOT the UK. That's the interesting difference. Long story short, getting hold of some real, UK made speakers does make the difference. But, I think I'll hold off for now. Pretty expensive. Anyway, hopefully this answers your question. Adam. |
| redspecialusa 20.02.2009 00:47 |
Yes that helps out a lot...I think I'm gonna start out with a 30W Valvetronix...'cause I'm a working musician, and as of yet...a poor one. And apparently the Valvetronix series is basically Vox's "bang for your buck" series. So I'll get the Valvetronix (which comes w/ an attenuator from the factory), and work with that...once I start making serious money doing that then I'll upgrade. Thanks again for your insight and help, bro! |
| Adam Baboolal 20.02.2009 06:54 |
I'm with you on that one Red! I started out with a valvetronix AD50 and the sound was brilliant. The built-in attenuation is very useful. I really need to let you know something about my journey with them, too. After getting the great AD50, I bought an AD30 and while it was good, it was nowhere near as guttsy as the AD50. The low-end in the sound had a nice power that the smaller AD30 didn't have. I kept 2 AD30's for Brian delay stuff and even changed the speakers on them. But I sold both shortly afterwards. I then bought the AD60 as it was supposed to be a mark up from the budget range of VT's with plenty of effects and extra amp models. But as I tried it I didn't like the sound and worst of all, my booster distorted the input of the amp! Weird... The only note of goodness from the AD60 would be the recorded sound. I hated to play on it, but the recording sounded pretty authentic on the AC30 model. So, again, I sold this one as well! After this, I thought I couldn't go wrong with an AD50 2x12 model. Twice the goodness, surely. But no, not really. It sounded a bit too smooth and polite! In the end, I bought a 2nd AD50 1x12 and it was just as great as the first! Hurrah! Hopefully this will help you out. I didn't want to see you buying one of the crummy AD30's just cause the name might be similar to AC30. It's a tiny amp which sounds too thin and weedy. It's got some attitude, but really, not enough low-end. The only point I'd make about these amps would be to remove the backplate. Once I unscrewed the back off the (AD30) amp, it could breathe! Sounded a lot nicer and didn't have any low-end honk. I still haven't tried it on my AD50. Even though I've had it for over two years, but maybe a day will come when I will venture there! Adam. |
| john bodega 25.02.2009 02:54 |
Hmmm, well I finally got power! Haven't had a chance to run it through an amp yet, but with headphones on I have to say it's a little underwhelming. Actually it sounds pretty much the same as when I play with my ME-50! The Deacy sounds great though. |
| Adam Baboolal 25.02.2009 20:19 |
The same as your ME50? Ooh, that's strange. I think when the sounds are used in tracks, they work really well. Maybe, not as much when heard bare. But still very good emulations. I especially like the clean sounds you can get off it. It really does sound like Brian's setup, then. The harder rocking side is more difficult to reproduce, due to the lack of gain I mentioned before. I do wonder what it's like through an amp as I only used it on my AD50. It was ok, but seemed to muddy the sound up. Maybe the AC30CC2X would be more interesting. Hmm... Adam. |
| john bodega 25.02.2009 23:28 |
Hmmm... tried it through my Classic 30 just now and it's still not sounding 'out of this world' as such, hehe. Some settings are great fun to play with, like the Keep Yourself Alive one. When I was playing directly into the computer yesterday, I was actually pretty surprised by the Crazy Little Thing acoustic setting. It was much closer than it had sounded on the demonstrations I've heard. Are there like... obvious mistakes I'm making with the pedal settings, here? I mean it's sounding okay at the moment but a couple of the sounds are AWOL (the WWRY sound isn't really recognisable as such) and with the TYMD bank I'd never know there was cabinet modelling if I hadn't been told beforehand. |
| john bodega 26.02.2009 09:10 |
Had a 2nd go at the pedal. Bit better this time. Probably my favourite bank to play with, so to speak, is 4. I still can't get it sounding quite like WWRY, but I'm fond of it because it has a certain sort of Earls Court sound about it, through my amp at least. Also the Bo Rhap bank was fun because there's a setting that fades in and out of the Deacy amp. I spent about ten minutes playing Lennon's "I Found Out" without realising it, ha-ha. It's a neat little pedal really. Not a revelation, but fun to tool around with. |