The Diago Isolator solution to that lone HIGH current pedal

Branshen

As you guys know I've been having power problems with my pedals. The main culprit was a boss DD-7. After trying out the Cioks Adam and encountering completely different noise issues, I've gone back to my tried and true 1-Spot. How do I get rid of the noise from the lone digital pedal that seems to be giving me problems? The Diago Isolator seems to be just the ticket.

Basically, you add it to any of the daisy chain taps and it will isolate that pedal from the rest of the chain. With the DD-7 isolated, the clock noise should go away completely.

Now, after fiddling with my board for a good few hours today, I decided to try replacing the DD7 and vibe pedal with my Zoom G3. If I used the above method to isolate the G3, I should be able to have my rig set up with no issues right? No. Unfortunately, the G3 needs 500mA and the isolator is rated at max 110mA, so the isolator would not provide enough power.

After doing some research online, I found this image below on Diago's FB page. It's suggesting to isolate the rest of the pedals by using 2 daisy chains. As long as the requirements of the single pedals don't exceed 110mA (overdrives, compressors and tuners usually have low current draw), everything should be fine.

I will attempt this and report back. 

RaymondLin

So instead of isolating the digital pedals that generate the noise, you are isolating the analogue pedals from the noise?

If that works, it would be magic !

Branshen

As long as the digital pedal is isolated from the rest, there should be no noise! This is of course assuming that the problem is solely caused by that digital pedal. 

monquixote

I had one of those isolators and they definitely crap out if you put more than 110mA through them. 

I tried putting a Zoom G3 through one and it was having none of it.

Branshen

@monquixote what you need to do is to try it with the above method. Any chance you still have the isolator and want to sell it?

monquixote

There was too much other stuff I needed to power so it wasn't an option. 

It went back to Diago because they told me it would power a G3 and it didn't!

They were very appologetic and gave me a free PSU. 

fretmeister

Gigrig Power Generator + Distributor + Isolators + TimeLord (for high current isolator)

Expensive and completely worth it.

Drew_TNBD

If in doubt, just use dedicated PSU's.

I'm going through a similar experience, and at the moment the quietest setup I've got is a Voodoo Labs PP2+ with a parallel cable powering my G3, and then isolated outputs for my Phase 90 and tuner and wah. Crucially though, the wah HAS TO be off the board. IF it's anywhere near the PP2+ there will be shit loads of noise.

If I have my Boss pedals - two DD7's and an RV5 - on the board with the PP2+ underneath them (Pedaltrain mounting) then that will add humming noise to the setup as well. If I use a 1-spot instead of the PP2+ then I get clicking clock noise. So for that to work, I would need three isolators.

The GigRig stuff does look really good, and tbh... one Distributor and one Generator, which is the minimum you'll need... it's around the same price as a PP2+. But I'm unsure whether it would do the job in my case - the clocking noise is caused by digital pedals sharing power lines, and the wah humming is caused by it's proximity to the power supply. So I think even with the GigRig stuff, I would still get the humming from the wah and/or Boss pedals.

FWIW, the Zoom G3 is WAY WAY WAY quieter than my three Boss pedals. It's pretty crazy to be honest.

RaymondLin

I thought about the Gig Rig in my setup but because it not only need those 2, it also need additional bits for Strymons and etc, it really adds up.  I ended up with a Ciokolate, an all in one solution that handles it all with space left for more, more than my board can take.

hywelg

RaymondLin said:

I thought about the Gig Rig in my setup but because it not only need those 2, it also need additional bits for Strymons and etc, it really adds up.  I ended up with a Ciokolate, an all in one solution that handles it all with space left for more, more than my board can take.

But its cheaper than buying a PS then further down the line finding that it wont cater for your latest GAS acquisition and having to buy another one.

Just do it, as long as your happy with no impediment to GAS pangs.

For all I know you stave them off by the simple expedient of telling yourself theres no power for it. 

hotpickups

RaymondLin said:

I thought about the Gig Rig in my setup but because it not only need those 2, it also need additional bits for Strymons and etc, it really adds up.  I ended up with a Ciokolate, an all in one solution that handles it all with space left for more, more than my board can take.

The Ciok range does look impressive and value for money. Albeit a small gliche I've had with the Adam Link too I still feel it's a good product but just needs a couple of things sorting out

ThePrettyDamned

RaymondLin;433325" said:

I thought about the Gig Rig in my setup but because it not only need those 2, it also need additional bits for Strymons and etc, it really adds up.  I ended up with a Ciokolate, an all in one solution that handles it all with space left for more, more than my board can take.

I thought you had a pussy power?

RaymondLin

ThePrettyDamned said:

RaymondLin;433325" said:

I thought about the Gig Rig in my setup but because it not only need those 2, it also need additional bits for Strymons and etc, it really adds up.  I ended up with a Ciokolate, an all in one solution that handles it all with space left for more, more than my board can take.

I thought you had a pussy power?

I do, but I bought a Panther Cub, Wombtone and Meet Maude over Black Friday sale...I either run every port at 95%-100% capacity with the PSU running hot in a wooden box or upgrade to a bigger PSU.

 

I value fire safety over sonic enjoyment

RaymondLin

hotpickups said:

RaymondLin said:

I thought about the Gig Rig in my setup but because it not only need those 2, it also need additional bits for Strymons and etc, it really adds up.  I ended up with a Ciokolate, an all in one solution that handles it all with space left for more, more than my board can take.

The Ciok range does look impressive and value for money. Albeit a small gliche I've had with the Adam Link too I still feel it's a good product but just needs a couple of things sorting out

The DC-10 and Ciokolate uses a different kind of transformer in them, also shielded so these are truly silent. 

hotpickups

RaymondLin said:

hotpickups said:

RaymondLin said:

I thought about the Gig Rig in my setup but because it not only need those 2, it also need additional bits for Strymons and etc, it really adds up.  I ended up with a Ciokolate, an all in one solution that handles it all with space left for more, more than my board can take.

The Ciok range does look impressive and value for money. Albeit a small gliche I've had with the Adam Link too I still feel it's a good product but just needs a couple of things sorting out

The DC-10 and Ciokolate uses a different kind of transformer in them, also shielded so these are truly silent. 

I reckon the next wave of Adam's released will have these issues resolved i.e. transformers and shielding etc. At a price though

RaymondLin

The DC10 is around £180.

The ADam is around £85.

If they make the adam using the same toroidal transformer as in their higher range, it would likely to drive the price up to somewhere in between.  If it stays under £100 then I would say it is a good upgrade.  Anywhere closer to £120 you might as well get a DC8 or even a DC10 though.

Saying that, have you looked into the DC8?  I am not sure what transformer that uses, I have a feeling that is like the DC10 with a shielded toroidal transformer too.

hotpickups

RaymondLin said:

The DC10 is around £180.

The ADam is around £85.

If they make the adam using the same toroidal transformer as in their higher range, it would likely to drive the price up to somewhere in between.  If it stays under £100 then I would say it is a good upgrade.  Anywhere closer to £120 you might as well get a DC8 or even a DC10 though.

Saying that, have you looked into the DC8?  I am not sure what transformer that uses, I have a feeling that is like the DC10 with a shielded toroidal transformer too.

Yes it will definitely push the price up and probably over the £100 mark but it will still fit the pedaltrain mini which I would need and want. A big price to pay but hate too many wires and boxes around my feet and rather pay for it to be all tidy. Anal I know

monquixote

I've not had any noise leakage issues with the Decibel11 PSU. It's a massive chunk of metal which might be why it' seems to be well shielded.

Branshen

So I returned the Cioks and got the Isolator today. I didn't get a chance to try out the above method because the Isolator is powering the G3 fine. In fact, it's powering it so well that it is actually quieter than it was if there were 2 separate power supplies (one for the G3 and one for the single stomps).

@monquixote when you had problems with the isolator powering your Zoom pedal, what was the power supply you were using and how many other pedals were running off it? My power supply is a 1-spot and I have 3 other single stomps running off it, as well as the G3. 

monquixote

Branshen said:

So I returned the Cioks and got the Isolator today. I didn't get a chance to try out the above method because the Isolator is powering the G3 fine. In fact, it's powering it so well that it is actually quieter than it was if there were 2 separate power supplies (one for the G3 and one for the single stomps).

@monquixote when you had problems with the isolator powering your Zoom pedal, what was the power supply you were using and how many other pedals were running off it? My power supply is a 1-spot and I have 3 other single stomps running off it, as well as the G3. 

It would fail if it was just powering the G3 and nothing else without a daisy chain and it was a 2A PSU (I also tried a 1-Spot and the G3s own PSU)

I spoke to Diago before purchasing it and they said that though theoretically the G3s requirements were quite a bit higher than the Isolator could handle in practice the G3 consumed less current than Zoom claim and the Isolator is very conservatively specified. In reality the G3 just got stuck in a bootloop continually turning on and off. 

I sent the isolator back to them for testing and they confirmed my findings. As a result they sent me a free PSU to apologize that what they had claimed was not correct (Good customer service!)

I suspect that it's right on the edge of the tolerances of the two products so if you get the right isolator and the right G3 then it works, but if you are unlucky then it doesn't. If it was me I'd be a bit wary that it might work today, but potentially not tomorrow.

Drew_TNBD

Similar story with the Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2+. Take outputs 5+6 and use a Y cable to double the current... it just barely powers the G3. When it first boots up... it locks up. Switch the power on and off, and it powers up fine.

Very weird.