Pedaltrain Volto

[Twigman]

Anyone got one yet?
I see they've been out a month now.
I am wondering how long they last, how durable they seem and how long they take to charge?


At £89 it seems frightfully dear for what is merely a rechargeable battery

Anyone?

Edited October 15, 2013 by Twigman

[Twigman]

OK couldn't wait - I've just ordered one.

Review to follow once I've charged it, fitted it and exhausted it.

[sk8]

Cool! Really interested in this

[steve]

i have one of the sanyo pedal juice models, that looks to be very similar (except it doesn't sit under the PT) - works great and not having power cables under your feet is lovely

[Sibob]

There's a reason I don't use batteries in my pedals, only mains power. The Volto is a nice idea, but essentially just a big battery.
I'll stick with mains

Si

[steve]

and the reason is?.....

[JapanAxe]

Can't answer for Sibob, but my guitar pedalboard gets its juice from an IEC mains lead into a GigRig Generator. One cable from guitar to pedalboard, 2 cables from there to back of stage. No batteries to go flat, or to forget to charge. If mains goes down you're screwed anyway.

Edited October 15, 2013 by JapanAxe

[umcoo]

I'd be interested to see how these hold up. I think they'd be great for small grab-and-go boards. Review would be great once it lands...you get one from GAK?

[Sibob]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381875002' post='2244991']
Can't answer for Sibob, but my guitar pedalboard gets its juice from an IEC mains lead into a GigRig Generator. One cable from guitar to pedalboard, 2 cables from there to back of stage. No batteries to go flat, or to forget to charge. If mains goes down you're screwed anyway.
[/quote]

THIS!
Plus, its a battery, its constantly decharging (when it's not charging), you'll never trully be sure that your pedals are sounding their optimum

Si

[steve]

well horses for courses and all that - the Sanyo unit has battery life indicator (green/yellow/red LED) which removes any guesswork

[tayste_2000]

You can plug the volto in though and use it at the mains, certainly help solve ground hum

I've been tempted by these in the past on a Mini or Nano but I don't really use boards that small now so probably just going to stick with my Gig rig, that said if one popped up second hand I'd probably snag it and then rebuy a nano

[Sibob]

[quote name='steve' timestamp='1381924027' post='2245459']
well horses for courses and all that - the Sanyo unit has battery life indicator (green/yellow/red LED) which removes any guesswork
[/quote]

Thats my point though, when your Volto is running into the yellow or red, can you be sure your pedals are getting what they need?
Some people like battery sag, I don't haha.

Si

[steve]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1381925492' post='2245504']
Thats my point though, when your Volto is running into the yellow or red, can you be sure your pedals are getting what they need?
Some people like battery sag, I don't haha.

Si
[/quote]

I don't know how the eneloop batteries perform under partial drain conditions, but I make sure mine is charged before every gig, and carry a spare mini diago PSU backup in my gig bag

[Sibob]

[quote name='steve' timestamp='1381925691' post='2245510']
I don't know how the eneloop batteries perform under partial drain conditions, but I make sure mine is charged before every gig, and carry a spare mini diago PSU backup in my gig bag
[/quote]

I just plug into the mains
Horses for courses innit

Si

[Twigman]

[quote name='umcoo' timestamp='1381923248' post='2245442']
...you get one from GAK?
[/quote]
No, Thomann - it's cheaper , in stock, but not here yet.

I am getting this for my Nano 'fly away board'

It means I do not need to remember to take a UK to EU converter which IME aren't the best at remaining plugged in throughout a gig.
I also find that the stages we play overseas are generally quite large and I often find the board a long way from a mains outlet.
It reduces the amount of cabling to trip over or come unplugged.

Edited October 17, 2013 by Twigman

[Twigman]

It has arrived and is charging on my desk via my laptop.

[Sibob]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1381997237' post='2246410']
I am getting this for my Nano 'fly away board'

It means I do not need to remember to take a UK to EU converter which IME aren't the best at remaining plugged in throughout a gig.
[/quote]

Ummm, but what what if you need to charge it overseas? :-/

Si

[Twigman]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1382109336' post='2248163']
Ummm, but what what if you need to charge it overseas? :-/

Si
[/quote]

Firstly, we only go for one or two gigs at a time. when I say I wouldn't need to take a UK to EU converter I meant to the gig.
I always have one in my hotel to charge my phone and my toothbrush. So the pedals can be recharged in the hotel and there's less to take to the venue.(and remember to take back to the hotel after )
Not all EU converters plug securely into some of the plugboards provided at venues for mains power.
Twice I have had the mains power to my pedals disconnect during gigs.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Twigman

[umcoo]

Looks good Twigman....what will it be powering?

[Twigman]

[quote name='umcoo' timestamp='1382116602' post='2248288']
Looks good Twigman....what will it be powering?
[/quote]

Just a tuner, a chorus and a compressor - a tiny board

[synaesthesia]

I got one last week and gigged with it in a 2 hour show, no issues. It powers a loop switch, a Boss EQ, and a strobe tuner. It replaced two onespot supplies. Had to use two onespots before as the tuner had an audible hum interference and that needed it's own supply or an isolated supply, and I tried about 5 different tuners. With the Volto I don't have this issue.

[Twigman]

I used it for a 4 hour rehearsal last week, Compressor on all the time, chorus on most of the time.
One of the 3 charge level lights went out during the 4 hours so I think it'll last well but i'm not powering much at all with it.
I suspect it might not last long if you had 5 or 6 pedals all on at once!

[molan]

I've ordered one

That's one less lead running across the stage for me!

[synaesthesia]

[attachment=147031:941502_10153405462190088_1600324444_n.jpg]

Am enjoying not using an AC supply or Wallwart to pedalboard. Thought about reducing cable clutter and set up time further ; built a patch bay today for the pedal board and reconfigured it, and now it is one multicore cable to the rig (send, return, input and Preamp EQ footswitch). Might go back to using a wireless to not use a cable from bass to pedal board. The Volto has been a significant change - once I was too lazy to take the Pedalboard out to gigs and worked with a compromise to how I like it on stage, can't say I have that excuse of messy multi cable stage set ups anymore.

Edited October 27, 2013 by synaesthesia

[sk8]

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