
All 9V blocks are not created equal. Here's what to look for to avoid hiss, hum, and crackle.
(Originally published April 22, 2020)
At the dawn of the guitar-effects age, powering pedals was relatively simple. If an effects pedal didn't take a standard 9V battery like your AM transistor radio, it plugged into the wall like your avocado-green toaster. Forever dissatisfied, guitar players eventually grew weary of changing batteries, and plugging stuff into the wall was kind of a drag, too.
As the industry was looking to eliminate its batteries and Edison plugs, the effects purveyor Boss went a long way to standardizing pedal power by putting a 2.1 mm coaxial power jack on all their pedals, and while their market dominance made the 1/8" jack on certain Ibanez and Pro Co pedals outliers, even they couldn't stick to one standard for long as they transitioned from 12V ACA spec pedals to 9V PSA spec pedals.
Once that growing pain subsided, it was relatively peaceful on the pedal-powering front for many years, and the standardization allowed companies to produce power supplies that let players power all their pedals simultaneously and without harming a single battery. Some supplies had a single output with daisy chains to fan out power to multiple pedals. Some were isolated, offering an individual power port for each pedal and eliminating daisy-chaining all pedals in a parallel fashion. Isolated supplies were a huge development in pedal-powering history, so let's dig in there before wading further into the power morass of today.
In this context, isolated power supplies are those supplies that are essentially a series of separate power sources in one enclosure. Each supply stands on its own with no direct connection to any of the other supplies, and, as such, the effects they power have no direct connection to one another through their respective power ports.
There are several reasons power supply isolation can be anything from favorable to crucial. First, some pedals have a positive-ground scheme, where the audio ground of the effect is connected to the positive terminal of the battery, usually due to the type of transistors used in the pedal's circuit.
Isolated power supplies are those supplies that are essentially a series of separate power sources in one enclosure.
While fuzz pedals are often set up this way, most pedals have a more conventional negative-ground scheme. If you parallel connect the power of a positive-ground pedal to a negative-ground pedal, and then connect their audio grounds together with a patch cable, you'll cause a power supply short, and neither pedal will get power. The power source will complain, too! Isolated supplies mimic a battery as each device gets its very own power source to use independently of any other device.
Crosstalk is another reason for isolation. Some pedals don't play well with others when powered in parallel. Like so many playground bullies, tremolos and vibratos can tick and pop while overdrives and DSP effects with switch-mode supplies and high-speed processors can whine, and they can torment their boardmates with their glitches. These deficiencies might not bother the offending pedal, but the trash they put on their power supply ports gets leaked to other connected devices that may not be able to reject the noise quite as well. Isolation breaks the link and prevents such crosstalk.
The last reason for isolation we'll list here is ground loops. In general, for guitar rigs, it's best practice to have just one ground path. Typically, that one path should be the ground connections of all of your patch cables extending in a line from guitar's output to amp's input. Daisy-chaining power creates other ground paths that make closed loops from one section of your signal flow to another. These ground loops can make your rig more susceptible to hum pickup in the presence of electro-magnetic fields. If you have daisy-chained pedals both in front of an amp and in its FX loop, and dozens of feet of cable between them, the associated ground loops can become very large and produce a great deal of noise. Using an isolated supply disconnects the links that make the loop, and the induced hum can no longer be sustained.
With isolation addressed, power supplies remained relatively unchanged for many years. Then, digital-signal processing became cost-feasible for common use in guitar-pedal effects. We'll dig further into their high-current demands and how they've complicated the power supply marketplace in my next column.
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Sleep Token announces their Even In Arcadia Tour, hitting 17 cities across the U.S. this fall. The tour, promoted by AEG Presents, will be their only headline tour of 2025.
Sleep Token returns with Even In Arcadia, their fourth offering and first under RCA Records, set to release on May 9th. This new chapter follows Take Me Back To Eden and continues the unfolding journey, where Sleep Token further intertwines the boundaries of sound and emotion, dissolving into something otherworldly.
As this next chapter commences, the band has unveiled their return to the U.S. with the Even In Arcadia Tour, with stops across 17 cities this fall. Promoted by AEG Presents, the Even In Arcadia Tour will be Sleep Token’s only 2025 headline tour and exclusive to the U.S. All dates are below. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 21st at 10 a.m. local time here. Sleep Token will also appear at the Louder Than Life festival on Friday, September 19th.
Sleep Token wants to give fans, not scalpers, the best chance to buy tickets at face value. To make this possible, they have chosen to use Ticketmaster's Face Value Exchange. If fans purchase tickets for a show and can't attend, they'll have the option to resell them to other fans on Ticketmaster at the original price paid. To ensure Face Value Exchange works as intended, Sleep Token has requested all tickets be mobile only and restricted from transfer.
*New York, Illinois, Colorado, and Utah have passed state laws requiring unlimited ticket resale and limiting artists' ability to determine how their tickets are resold. To adhere to local law, tickets in this state will not be restricted from transfer but the artist encourages fans who cannot attend to sell their tickets at the original price paid on Ticketmaster.
For more information, please visit sleep-token.com.
Even In Arcadia Tour Dates:
- September 16, 2025 - Duluth, GA - Gas South Arena
- September 17, 2025 - Orlando, FL - Kia Center
- September 19, 2025 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life (Festival)
- September 20, 2025 – Greensboro, NC - First Horizon Coliseum
- September 22, 2025 - Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center
- September 23, 2025 - Worcester, MA - DCU Center
- September 24, 2025 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
- September 26, 2025 - Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena
- September 27, 2025 - Cleveland, OH - Rocket Arena
- September 28, 2025 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena
- September 30, 2025 - Lincoln, NE - Pinnacle Bank Arena
- October 1, 2025 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
- October 3, 2025 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena
- October 5, 2025 - West Valley City, UT - Maverik Center
- October 7, 2025 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome
- October 8, 2025 - Portland, OR - Moda Center
- October 10, 2025 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Arena
- October 11, 2025 - Los Angeles, CA - Crypto.com Arena
Bergantino revolutionizes the bass amp scene with the groundbreaking HP Ultra 2000 watts bass amplifier, unlocking unprecedented creative possibilities for artists to redefine the boundaries of sound.
Bergantino Audio Systems, renowned for its innovative and high-performance bass amplification, is proud to announce the release of the HP Ultra 2000W Bass Amplifier. Designed for the professional bassist seeking unparalleled power and tonal flexibility, the HP Ultra combines cutting-edge technology with the signature sound quality that Bergantino is known for.
Operating at 1000W with an 8-ohm load and 2000W with a 4-ohm load, the HPUltra offers exceptional headroom and output, ensuring a commanding presence on stage and in the studio. This powerhouse amplifier is engineered to deliver crystal-clear sound and deep, punchy bass with ease, making it the perfect choice for demanding performances across any genre.
The HP Ultra incorporates the same EQ and feature set as the acclaimedBergantino Forté HP series, offering advanced tonal control and versatility. It includes a highly responsive 4-band EQ, Bergantino’s signature Variable RatioCompressor, Lo-Pass, and Hi-Pass Filters, and a re-imagined firmware that’s optimally tuned for the HP Ultra’s power module. The intuitive user interface allows for quick adjustments and seamless integration with any rig, making it an ideal solution for both seasoned professionals and rising stars.
As compared to previous forte HP iterations (HP, HP2, HP2X), Ultra is truly its own amp. Its behavior, feel, and tonal capabilities will be well noted for bass players seeking the ultimate playing experience. If you’ve been wishing for that extreme lead sled-type heft/force and punch, along with a choice of modern or vintage voicings, on-board parallel compressor, overdrive; high pass and lowpass filters, and more—all in a 6.9 lb., 2ru (8” depth) package...the BergantinoHP Ultra is worth checking out.
Building on the forte’ HP2X’s leading edge platform (including a harmonic enriching output transformer (X) and 3.5db of additional dynamic headroom (2),the HP Ultra’s power focus is not about playing louder...it’s about the ability to play fuller and richer at similar or lower volumes. Many players will be able to achieve a very pleasing bass fill, with less volume, allowing the guitars and vocals to shine thru better in a dense mix. This in turn could easily contribute to a lower stage volume...win-win!
Key Features of the Bergantino HP Ultra 2000W Bass Amplifier:
- Power Output: 1000W @ 8ohms / 2000W @ 4ohms, 1200W RMS @2-Ohms (or 1700W RMS @2.67-Ohms-firmware optimizable via USB
- Dual Voicing Circuits: offer a choice between vintage warmth and modern clarity.
- Custom Cinemag Transformer: elevates harmonic enrichment to new heights
- Variable Low-Pass (VLPF) and Variable High-Pass (VHPF) filters, critical for precise tone shaping and taming of the most challenging gigging environments.
- 4-Band Tone Controls: Bass: +/-10db @40hz, Lo-Mid:+/-10db @250hz,Hi-Mid: +/-10db @ 1khz, Treble: +/-10db @ 3.5khz
- Punch Switch: +4db @110hz
- Bright Switch: +7db @7kHz or +6db @2khz – user selectable● Built-in parallel compression - VRC
- 3.5dB of additional dynamic headroom
- New Drive Circuit featuring our proprietary B.S.D (Bergantino SmartDrive) technology
- Auxiliary Input and Headphone Jack: for personal monitor and practice
- Rack Mountable with optional rack ears
- Effects send and return loop
- Studio quality Direct Output: software selectable Pre or Post EQ
- UPS – Universal power supply 115VAC – 240VAC 50/60Hz
- Weight: 6.9 pounds
- Dimensions: 13.25”W x 8.375”D x 3.75”H
- Street Price: $1895.00
For more information, please visit bergantino.com
The NEW Bergantino Forté HP ULTRA!!! - YouTube
When you imagine the tools of a guitar shredder, chances are you see a sharp-angled electric 6-string running into a smokin’-hot, fully saturated British halfstack of sorts—the type of thing that’ll blow your hair back. You might not be picturing an acoustic steel-string or a banjo, and that’s a mistake, because some of the most face-melting players to walk this earth work unplugged—like Molly Tuttle.
The 31-year old Californian bluegrass and folk artist has been performing live for roughly 20 years, following in a deep family tradition of roots-music players. Tuttle studied at Berklee College of Music, and has gone on to collaborate with some of the biggest names in bluegrass and folk, including Béla Fleck, Billy Strings, Buddy Miller, Sierra Hull, and Old Crow Medicine Show. Her 2023 record, City of Gold, won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.
The furious flatpicking solo on “San Joaquin,” off of that Grammy-winning record, is the subject of this unplugged episode of Shred With Shifty. Shiflett can shred on electric alright, but how does he hold up running leads on acoustic? It’s a whole different ballgame. Thankfully, Tuttle is on hand, equipped with a Pre-War Guitars Co. 6-string, to demystify the techniques and gear that let her tear up the fretboard.
Tune in to hear plenty of insider knowledge on how to amplify and EQ acoustics, what instruments can stand in for percussion in bluegrass groups, and how to improvise in bluegrass music.
Credits
Producer: Jason Shadrick
Executive Producers: Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan for Double Elvis
Engineering Support by Matt Tahaney and Matt Beaudion
Video Editor: Addison Sauvan
Graphic Design: Megan Pralle
Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.
Featuring a 25.5" scale length, mahogany body, gold hardware, and 490R/498T pickups. Stand out with the unique design and comfortable playing experience of the Gibson RD Custom.
Initially released in 1977, the Gibson RD model has been a cult classic for years. It is famous for its unique appearance, which takes inspiration from both the Gibson Explorer and Firebird designs, as well as its functionality and use by several popular guitarists across multiple genres.
Now, the iconic RD Custom joins the Gibson Custom core lineup for the first time. Not only is this the first Custom Shop-built RD model, but it is also the first 25.5” scale length solidbody core model offered by Gibson Custom. Complete with the classic and comfortable RD body shape, including a rear tummy cut for extra comfort, this model also features a mahogany body with multi-ply top binding, Gibson Custom aesthetics, including gold hardware and mother-of-pearl block inlays on the neck, and a mother-of-pearl Custom split diamond headstock inlay. The RD Custom also has a 25.5” scale mahogany neck with a Medium C profile and long neck tenon, a bound ebony fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, and a bound headstock with Grover Rotomatic tuners. The updated electronics include 490R and 498T pickups, CTS potentiometers, and a hand-wired harness.
The Gibson RD Custom is designed to help players stand out from the crowd with its longer scale length, curvaceously elegant body, and classic design. Now is your opportunity to experience the unique and comfortable playing experience of the cult-favorite Gibson RD Custom for yourself. A Custom Shop hardshell case is also included.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.