Powering Nova delay

[tmuka]

Ok, so i'm reading this thread, and it sounds like people are using 9v power for convenience sake? Are these the same people who go out of there way to use 12-18v power to get more articulation and headroom out of their overdrives? Does anyone notice a difference in the clean headroom or dynamics when using 9v power with the Nova Delay?

 

[voxer]

good point on the od's...since i use the provided adapter on stage, i couldn't tell ya...

 

[godinman]

Hi Tmuka I haven't noticed any difference in tone at all. In fact it is better but thats because I had so much noise using the supplied wallwart. I didn't switch for conveince I switched because I was getting so much noise from the supplied power supply. But I certainly haven't heard any reduction in my tone at all.

 

[hbentley]

i haven't spent a ton of time ab'ing the tonal differences, but i haven't noticed any tonal degradation yet.

 

[VEstrada]

I took the leap yesterday since mine was working so well with the PP2+ (on 5 switched on) and used it live. I'm happy to say that it worked great and that there weren't any issues and the sound quality wasnt any different than with the wall wart.

I was actually worried about this before and spent about halfan hour A/B ing between the wall wart and the PP2 and there was no difference in sound at all. Well, that I noticed anyway.

 

[Laird_Williams]

Ok, so i'm reading this thread, and it sounds like people are using 9v power for convenience sake? Are these the same people who go out of there way to use 12-18v power to get more articulation and headroom out of their overdrives? Does anyone notice a difference in the clean headroom or dynamics when using 9v power with the Nova Delay?

Those overdrives are analog pedals.
They may not have tube circuits, but they are analog.

The NOVA is not an analog pedal.
It is a digital pedal with a DSP chip inside.
The computer chips inside REQUIRE a fixed voltage.
Therefore, there is a ton of power regulation on the NOVA, since even with a wall wart the power stability would not be sufficient for computer chips.

Net: within limits - and certainly 9V is within those limits - it does not matter what DC voltage you give the NOVA, it will regulate the power to the level it needs internally.

• Feed it 12v and it will get power level X after the power regulator.
• Feed it 9v and it will STILL get power level X after the regulator.

Sooner or later, a voltage will be too low to support the unit, and then it just plain won't work. Same goes for a very high voltage, which would probaly toast the power regulation circuit. And to avoid wear and tear on the power regulator, it would probably be better to go low than to go high - but beyond that...

Changing the DC voltage fed to the pedal is unlikely to change the sound on a digital pedal. Delay algorithms programmed in a DSP chip are not impacted by the voltage at the input connector. The internal amplifier circuits are D/As and A/Ds similarly discrete digital components and are unlikely to be impacted. How many computer chips do you know of that read their own voltage and mofify their behavior in response to it?

You do need to be able to feed it enough current... and 300ma at 9vDC is NOT the same load as 300ma at 12vDC, so you may want a 9v supply that can put more than this out to a pedal. My PowerPad could supply a total of 1700ma at 9vDC, and my other pedals used diddly-squat, so there was no problem.

 

[VEstrada]

wow, I like that answer. Thanks for clearing some of that up.

 

[radcliff]

Those overdrives are analog pedals.
They may not have tube circuits, but they are analog.

The NOVA is not an analog pedal.
It is a digital pedal with a DSP chip inside.
The computer chips inside REQUIRE a fixed voltage.
Therefore, there is a ton of power regulation on the NOVA, since even with a wall wart the power stability would not be sufficient for computer chips.

Net: within limits - and certainly 9V is within those limits - it does not matter what DC voltage you give the NOVA, it will regulate the power to the level it needs internally.

• Feed it 12v and it will get power level X after the power regulator.
• Feed it 9v and it will STILL get power level X after the regulator.

Sooner or later, a voltage will be too low to support the unit, and then it just plain won't work. Same goes for a very high voltage, which would probaly toast the power regulation circuit. And to avoid wear and tear on the power regulator, it would probably be better to go low than to go high - but beyond that...

Changing the DC voltage fed to the pedal is unlikely to change the sound on a digital pedal. Delay algorithms programmed in a DSP chip are not impacted by the voltage at the input connector. The internal amplifier circuits are D/As and A/Ds similarly discrete digital components and are unlikely to be impacted. How many computer chips do you know of that read their own voltage and mofify their behavior in response to it?

You do need to be able to feed it enough current... and 300ma at 9vDC is NOT the same load as 300ma at 12vDC, so you may want a 9v supply that can put more than this out to a pedal. My PowerPad could supply a total of 1700ma at 9vDC, and my other pedals used diddly-squat, so there was no problem.

This is exactly where I'm already at..... this pedal is able to take what's being given to it, its just that none of us know what that "limit" is. Of course it'd be great to have some extra current if you're only going to give it 9v, but it seems like people are having success giving it just under 300mA AND at 9v.... I dunno but I'm just about ready to try it myself

 

[vinni]

Hi LW,

Nice addition to this thread! :AOK

And so true....
I accidentally connected a standard Boss 9VDC powersupply to the Nova delay. It worked!

On the table there was the original Nova adapter...."what the f*ck!"
But it worked.....

Still the same noise. I connected iot to output 5 from my PP+ (with the switch set to on).....there was a little hum I did not hear before.....

Vinni

 

[tmuka]

Those overdrives are analog pedals.
They may not have tube circuits, but they are analog.

The NOVA is not an analog pedal.
It is a digital pedal with a DSP chip inside.
The computer chips inside REQUIRE a fixed voltage.
Therefore, there is a ton of power regulation on the NOVA, since even with a wall wart the power stability would not be sufficient for computer chips.

Net: within limits - and certainly 9V is within those limits - it does not matter what DC voltage you give the NOVA, it will regulate the power to the level it needs internally.

• Feed it 12v and it will get power level X after the power regulator.
• Feed it 9v and it will STILL get power level X after the regulator.

Sooner or later, a voltage will be too low to support the unit, and then it just plain won't work. Same goes for a very high voltage, which would probaly toast the power regulation circuit. And to avoid wear and tear on the power regulator, it would probably be better to go low than to go high - but beyond that...

Changing the DC voltage fed to the pedal is unlikely to change the sound on a digital pedal. Delay algorithms programmed in a DSP chip are not impacted by the voltage at the input connector. The internal amplifier circuits are D/As and A/Ds similarly discrete digital components and are unlikely to be impacted. How many computer chips do you know of that read their own voltage and mofify their behavior in response to it?

You do need to be able to feed it enough current... and 300ma at 9vDC is NOT the same load as 300ma at 12vDC, so you may want a 9v supply that can put more than this out to a pedal. My PowerPad could supply a total of 1700ma at 9vDC, and my other pedals used diddly-squat, so there was no problem.

Awesome info, your points make a lot of sense. I think you've convinced me to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

 

[voxer]

here's a TC support update:

Dear Jim,
Since the the draw isn't constant this is nearly impossible to answer. However, you cannot operate it at under 300 mA.

..:: Rune - TC support ::..

 

[brightstarsecho]

Well, after reading this thread, I have also starting running the Nova on the first daisy-chain position of my 9v One Spot. I was using the Power Pump 12v adapter, and went back & forth last night between the two settings. I could not hear a difference in the background noise (small in my rig) or in the tone of the delays. I'll trust the previous posters and not expect any long-term ill effects of running the Nova on 9v.

Cheers,
TDW

 

[tmuka]

Well, after reading this thread, I have also starting running the Nova on the first daisy-chain position of my 9v One Spot. I was using the Power Pump 12v adapter, and went back & forth last night between the two settings. I could not hear a difference in the background noise (small in my rig) or in the tone of the delays. I'll trust the previous posters and not expect any long-term ill effects of running the Nova on 9v.

Cheers,
TDW

I tried out powering the nova from my 9v One Spot last night too, I couldn't tell a difference in any way tone or performance wise. Ironically, I found that removing my Power Pump set to 12v that was powering my Direct Drive eliminated some noise in my chain.

I'm very excited about the delay, and powering it at 9v sweetens the deal!

 

[Axe_78th]

I tried out powering the nova from my 9v One Spot last night too, I couldn't tell a difference in any way tone or performance wise. Ironically, I found that removing my Power Pump set to 12v that was powering my Direct Drive eliminated some noise in my chain.

I'm very excited about the delay, and powering it at 9v sweetens the deal!

The Power Pump added noise to my rig as well. I simply can't understand why T.C. would market this pedal as requiring 12 VDC if it runs fine off 9 VDC. It's a strike against it for many potential buyers when comparing against other units on the market. I know I had to rethink my board setup being a One Spot user before I purchased mine. You would think T.C. has a good reason to go 12 VDC.

 

[radcliff]

Pedal Power 2+:
Powered off the Line6 output with a regular cable but the switch ON

Worked great, no added noise, and no tone change.

Thanks guys

 

[Axe_78th]

Ok, I ran my Nova off my 9 VDC@1700ma One Spot last night. It powered up and seemed to work just fine until I noticed an ever so slight "bump" sound every time the tempo light would flash. Switched back to my 12VDC One Spot and the "bump", "bump", "bump" went away. I'm going to say the Nova needs 12 VDC to operate at it's best.

 

[tmuka]

Ok, I ran my Nova off my 9 VDC@1700ma One Spot last night. It powered up and seemed to work just fine until I noticed an ever so slight "bump" sound every time the tempo light would flash. Switched back to my 12VDC One Spot and the "bump", "bump", "bump" went away. I'm going to say the Nova needs 12 VDC to operate at it's best.

interesting. was the nova the only thing running off of your one spot?

 

[radcliff]

I dont think anyone else has heard this bump

 

[voxer]

what's a "bump" sound like???

 

[Axe_78th]

interesting. was the nova the only thing running off of your one spot?

My SubDecay Stupid Box was on but it's current draw is very low. With 1700ma available from the One Spot the Nova should have been getting all the current it wanted.