Get Juiced
Sanyo’s KBC-9V3U Pedal Juice is housed in a sleek, white plastic box reminiscent of an Apple computer peripheral and comes with a handy nylon carrying case. This relatively diminutive power supply has the same dimensions—2.5" x 4.7" x 1.7"—as those of a standard effects pedal, so it’ll fit neatly into an open slot on a pedalboard. Weighing in at a mere .9 pounds, the box adds inconsequential weight to a rig, and it’s waterproof and shock resistant to boot.
Unlike the other units in this roundup, the Pedal Juice is rechargeable. With its lithium-ion battery technology, it can be fully powered in 3.5 hours and deliver up to 50 hours of continuously clean power for a 10 mA effects pedal, up to 27 for a 100 mA pedal, and around five hours for the 500 mA current draw typical of a large multi-effect unit. An LED on the top of the box indicates the battery’s power level—a green light shows that the battery power is above 60 percent; orange, between 30 percent and 60 percent; and red, less than 30 percent.
Containing just two 9V DC output jacks, the Pedal Juice is the least flexible of the three power supplies reviewed here. If you want to power more than two pedals, you’ll have to daisy-chain them together with cables (not included), making sure not to plug pedals with opposite polarity into the Pedal Juice. (A polarization cable is included with the unit.) For users with just a handful of pedals, or a single pedal and multi-effects processor, the Pedal Juice is perfect— especially in situations where you’re a considerable distance from an electrical outlet.
After charging the Pedal Juice, which actually only took about 2.5 hours, I auditioned it using my Frantone overdrive and Boss digital delay, connecting the pedals to the power supply with the included cables. With its single on/off button, the power supply was su-per-easy to use. It provided clean power without any humming and coloring of my guitar tone, and the charge remained in the green for a full weekend of playing.
Sanyo’s KBC-9V3U Pedal Juice is housed in a sleek, white plastic box reminiscent of an Apple computer peripheral and comes with a handy nylon carrying case. This relatively diminutive power supply has the same dimensions—2.5" x 4.7" x 1.7"—as those of a standard effects pedal, so it’ll fit neatly into an open slot on a pedalboard. Weighing in at a mere .9 pounds, the box adds inconsequential weight to a rig, and it’s waterproof and shock resistant to boot.
Unlike the other units in this roundup, the Pedal Juice is rechargeable. With its lithium-ion battery technology, it can be fully powered in 3.5 hours and deliver up to 50 hours of continuously clean power for a 10 mA effects pedal, up to 27 for a 100 mA pedal, and around five hours for the 500 mA current draw typical of a large multi-effect unit. An LED on the top of the box indicates the battery’s power level—a green light shows that the battery power is above 60 percent; orange, between 30 percent and 60 percent; and red, less than 30 percent.
Containing just two 9V DC output jacks, the Pedal Juice is the least flexible of the three power supplies reviewed here. If you want to power more than two pedals, you’ll have to daisy-chain them together with cables (not included), making sure not to plug pedals with opposite polarity into the Pedal Juice. (A polarization cable is included with the unit.) For users with just a handful of pedals, or a single pedal and multi-effects processor, the Pedal Juice is perfect— especially in situations where you’re a considerable distance from an electrical outlet.
After charging the Pedal Juice, which actually only took about 2.5 hours, I auditioned it using my Frantone overdrive and Boss digital delay, connecting the pedals to the power supply with the included cables. With its single on/off button, the power supply was su-per-easy to use. It provided clean power without any humming and coloring of my guitar tone, and the charge remained in the green for a full weekend of playing.
Buy if...
you’ve got only a couple or a few pedals to power.
Skip if...
your pedals are numerous and your power requirements are more complex.
Rating...
Street $150 - Sanyo - us.sanyo.com |
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