TimeFactor Power Supply

[thom]

Hi

I am awaiting delivery of a TimeFactor. I need to integrate this with my other effects, (very simple board), and figure out how best to power it. I realise it comes with a power supply. My question is does anyone power their TimeFactor using a daisy chain set up? My thinking here is that provided the PSU had sufficient current capacity, such as a Gig-Rig generator, which is rated at 5 amps, then could the TimeFactor take its power from this, daisy chained with a bunch of Boss pedals or similar, provided that the TimeFactor had a polarity reversal adaptor to give the positive center connection.

Thanks and Regards

tom

[guitardr]

Thom:
I just got home from being on the road, and I've been heavily researching this problem.
All I wanted to do was use the T-Factor & M-Factor in a PedalTrain Jr. board, put them on the top tier, and use a small midi pedal to run them through changes. We all know that the 9VDC power supplies that come with both units take up loads of 'real estate' in strips/pedalboards. The Gear Page has numerous threads on this problem, and the techs here @ Eventide do not recommend any alternatives other than using their units. Here's what I've seen so far…
1. Burkey Flatliner Pro: players using 3-200ma jacks for each unit. This box only has one domestic retailer so far.
2. Diago Powerstation: looks like the 1-Spot and Godlyke units. Currently nobody sells these in the states.
3. Visual Sound 1-Spot: players using 1 unit per pedal (this unit provides 1700ma)
4. Godlyke: provides 2000ma, similar in application to #3.
You have to remember that the Eventide pedals use a reverse polarity plug, so standard daisy chain ones will not work too well.
Brad @ Tonefactor.com is quite in-the-know, as well as Dan at Pedalgeek.com.

[John01W]

Also, there's soome new products coming from voodoo lab released at namm this year…the pedal power ISO5 and pedal power versa(WOW) will power the Eventide pedals NP….Straight from the horse's mouth(Josh Fiden, ceo of Voodoo Lab)….these look very cool:

http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41537&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=iso5&start=60

[digitalkettle]

 I posted a reply on a related thread: http://forum.eventide.com/cs/forums/t/5296.aspx

[thom]

I asked Voodoolab and got this response; We have two new power supplies in development that will each accommodate both standard Boss pedals and the Eventide Timefactor: the Pedal Power Versa (which will have 13 isolated output sections) and the Iso-5 (which will have 5 isolated output sections.) We expect these new power supplies to be in production within the next few months.

Also I tried daisy chaining my timefactor; I have a 2 amp(ish)PSU and put the eventide on the daisy chain, (with a reverse polarity cable and 2.5mm adaptor) alongside some other 9V -ve effects. The other effects, treble booster, compressor, distortion, noise gate placed are before the amp input, and the eventide is in the effects loop, (Mesa Lonestar Special). This worked fine using the amps clean channel. However as soon as I engaged the Mesas dirty channel, then the Eventide caused a loud hum/buzz. Acording to Diago, the eventide draws 500ma which ties up with Burkey, who say they have powered the unit using 3-200ma outlets. I believe the issue is not so much current draw, as the 1200ma rating given by eventide would suggest, but that the issue is isolating the unit to avoid unwanted earth loops/hum/buzz etc.

I am going to wait for the Voodoo lab products to arrive.

[digitalkettle]

thom:

The other effects, treble booster, compressor, distortion, noise gate placed are before the amp input, and the eventide is in the effects loop, (Mesa Lonestar Special). This worked fine using the amps clean channel. However as soon as I engaged the Mesas dirty channel, then the Eventide caused a loud hum/buzz.

 

This is a classic recipe for a ground loop. Try daisy-chaining the front-end effects with a separate supply to the loop effects…or use an individually isolated supply. I would say that the problem is always there…but you only hear it with the extra gain of the dirty channel.

[guitardr]

Thank you to John + Thom:
It looks like waiting for either Eventide to come up with a product, or the two Voodoo Lab items (Versa and/or ISO-5) to solve the 'small' problem. I have to admit, there are some responsive, supportive and informed members in this forum.
Thanks again!
PS: And AChaput and DRooney from E-Tide are on top of owner-player concerns too!

[guitardr]

In the meantime (while waiting for the Voodoo items), I ordered a second 1-Spot and the company I ordered it from sent an extra reverse polarity adaptor for the Eventide's narrow female 9V jack on the units. This little red cable does not fit: do you know what the size/spec is on what's needed to adapt that little critter? This is a royal pain!

On a good note: just got the ModFactor and it's really superb.

[thom]

It's a 2.5mm plug. The standard boss type is 2.1mm. Assuming you have a 2.1mm male plug, you can get adaptors which have female 2.1mm to male 2.5mm. Not sure where you are based but ebay is a good place to look for these.

[digitalkettle]

You want a 2.5mm female jack (reverse polarity of course).

[audioa4me]

I own the TimeFactor and I absolutely love my 1Spot.  From Visual Sound's tech support recommendation, I got the 1Spot L6 Converter and it does power my pedal.  The problem is when I add my Fulltone Fulldrive 2 to the daisy chain I get all kinds of noise.  I haven't tried other pedals, but I'm guessing that the TimeFactor needs to be isolated.  So the 1Spot can be used but not with other pedals.

[badmelonfarmer]

You are correct, the Factor pedals need isolated power supplies.

The 1Spot works fine it you only use 1 Factor pedal… But add another pedal you get noise.

I ended up buying individual PSUs for each factor… Worked well as isolated PSUs are quite expensive

[Author]

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