OT Variable Power Supplies for Stomp Box Pedals

[Rainer Straschill <moinsound@googlemail.com>]

I've already gone on alot about my replacing the PSUs which came with
the effects boxes with switching power supplies (SPS) so I can run
them both from 110 and 220V (say, Germany and US).
Apart from that, first note that there are specialized pedal board
power supplies from a few manufacturers which, while not necessarily
being inexpensive, have the advantage that you can several (like 5 or
8 or 12) stomp boxes from one PSU which isn't that big. They start at
around €40 for 8 9V and 2 12V outputs (including cables).

Note that these, however, are not of the SPS type, but some of those
can be switched between 110 and 220 (like e.g. the Behringer FCB1010).

> He then hipped me to the fact that there are companies that make 
>variable power supplies (specialty hospital equipment, apparently, have 
>the need these things for various equipment).

There are also some of these pedalboard PSUs which have specific
outputs which can be regulated in voltage to simulate a weak battery.
One which I found is this one:
http://www.voodoolab.com/pedalpower_2.htm

Note, however, that they won't necessarily simulate a weak battery
precisely, as the output voltage of a weak battery is highly dependant
on the current draw, so it's only an approximation (but nevertheless
in the vast majority of cases a sufficient one).

           Rainer