Pedal Power Supplies

There are two main types of pedal power supply. The first (cheap and cheerful) option is to use a single wall adapter that is designed to power one pedal at a time. You can get an attachment for these known as a ‘daisy chain’ which allows you to power multiple pedals from this one supply. The most famous example of this is the Truetone 1-Spot. While this should work with most pedals, it can be quite noisy and unreliable.

The second type is ‘isolated’ power supplies. These are bigger box units that players generally attach to their pedalboards. They provide the best of both worlds: pedals no longer have to share power with each other but you still only need to plug one unit into the wall.

While not exactly a glamor purchase, it really can’t be overstated just how important a good isolated power supply is. They are significantly quieter, more reliable and help to get the most out of your pedals. They can also accommodate pedals with more obscure power requirements. Popular isolated power supplies include units made by Voodoo Lab, Truetone, Strymon and MXR.

Why Use Pedal Power Supplies?