Home › Forums › Help/Technical Questions › MEL9 Problem with isolated power supplies

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  • May 12, 2016 at 4:06 pm #84393
    lordradish
    Member

    Hi,

    I’m having an interesting issue with my Mel 9. It works fine, of course, with the provided power supply, but like many people, I have a big board, and use isolated power supplies. I have an MXR Iso-brick, as well as a Voodoo Labs 4×4. When I use either of these power supplies on the 9v settings, 250ma or 400ma ports, my Mel 9 will not work unless I unplug it and then re-plug it back in. It does have the dry signal pass thru when off. I know the power supply is a 9.6 v, but even when I use the port on the Iso-brick where you can vary the voltage (I put it just a bit more than 9V), I still get this problem. I originally thought it was a defective pedal, so I sent it back to Sweetwater, but I’m having the same problem with the replacement. What is the cause of this? Why would replugging the pedal back in fix this? I really don’t want to have to use the wall wart just for this one pedal, or have to replug my pedal in, every time I start up my board. Other than that, this is one of the most amazing pedals, ever.

    Thanks.

    May 12, 2016 at 7:22 pm #121511
    EHX STAFF
    Keymaster

    The problem in not the Mel9 its the power supplies.
    Often when they say they are isolated they are not. You could try an idolater like this but that may be not the problem. Have you contacted the power supply company?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23nEsQ2CeuU

    https://www.cheaperpedals.com/products/diago-ps09-isolator-adaptor-cable

    May 13, 2016 at 1:09 am #121514
    lordradish
    Member

    No, I haven’t, but these are both well-known for being isolated power supplies, I haven’t had this problem with other pedals.

    They are both definitely isolated power supplies. It says as much on the manufacturers websites, repeatedly. So what else could it be? The idea that it doesn’t work when initially plugged in, but then works fine after disconnected and reconnected is really strange. What else can it be?

    Is anyone else having this problem?

    May 23, 2016 at 11:12 pm #121548
    ProJuice
    Member

    I signed up just so I could reply to this…This same thing happened with my C9 and has never happened with any other pedal before or since…until I got the Mel 9. So the first C9 I had did exactly what you’re describing, so I took it back and got a new one and never had the problem again. Then I just got a Mel 9 and it does the exact same thing, but I can’t take it back because I got it at a trade show. It’s annoying because sometimes I’ll be at a show and kick it on forgetting that I have to replug it in first. The light comes on and everything, just no audio. The culprit is definitely the pedal because that’s a very strange quirk. Especially since it works flawlessly once it’s replugged in. I have many other EHX and other brands’ pedals and it has never happened except for these two units. Even a different C9 and B9 I’ve tried worked fine. Any solutions would be great. And I agree, the pedal is amazing once it’s replugged in! Definitely my favorite in the series so far.

    May 23, 2016 at 11:20 pm #121549
    EHX STAFF
    Keymaster

    Projuice Did you say you tried different C9 and B9 pedals and the problem was not there?
    And did you try the other B9 and C9s in your system with your multi supply?
    Do you have the problem using our supply?

    May 23, 2016 at 11:23 pm #121550
    ProJuice
    Member

    Yes I recently borrowed a friend’s B9 and used it with my Mondo without having that issue, and my 2nd C9 was also fine with the Mondo. It’s just very interesting that it always fixes the issue 100% when you remove the adapter and replug it in. It never cuts out or shuts down and there are never any more power issues. It’s just when you first power up your board each time. I haven’t tried out the wall wart with this unit yet, but I will do that and let you know. I assume it works fine though. I’m wondering how this is even a quirk, since the Mondo will ultimately fully power it.

    May 24, 2016 at 1:21 am #121551
    EHX STAFF
    Keymaster

    It may??????? be an issue that the third party power supply is slowly ramping up the voltage as its turned on.
    That may stall the pedal at start up. The EHX supply is very fast on startup.
    Let me know if our supply works or not. I have copied this to the head engineer at EHX.
    its hard because its not our supply causing the problems most of the time.

    let me know when you try our supply.

    May 25, 2016 at 12:35 am #121558
    lordradish
    Member

    I started a thread over this at the Gear Page, and several people ssid they’d had this problem with some of the other “9” pedals, too. One person also did speculate about the slow ramp-up possiblilty. One would think that eventually, once the power supply ramped up, it’d work, right? I hope EHX fixes this, as a lot of people have power supplies for the exact reason that they don’t want to plug in a bunch of wall warts.

    FYI, I sent mine back to Sweetwater, they sent me another one, same problem. I guess I’ll just have to deal with it.

    June 2, 2016 at 3:48 pm #121587
    Dave In Wisc
    Participant

    I received mine yesterday. And have the exact same problem.

    I too hope this issue is resolved.

    December 14, 2016 at 3:47 am #122340
    lordradish
    Member

    I know it’s been a while…any progress on this, EHX?

    December 14, 2016 at 4:23 am #122341
    EHX STAFF
    Keymaster

    The tech guys are aware of it and looking into it.
    For now please use the power supply we sent with the unit. That is how it was intended to be used when it was designed.
    It is our hope to have a over all fix for this but it was designed around the supply we sent with the pedal and not third party supply’s we have no control over.
    Thank you for your understanding.

    December 14, 2016 at 3:02 pm #122342
    lordradish
    Member

    Thanks for the update. The only thing I’d say is that perhaps, in the future design of pedals, please take into consideration, in this GOLDEN ERA of pedals that we’re living in, that large pedalboards with power supplies are becoming very common, so people would rather not have to deal with wall warts and power strips.

    Thanks.

    December 21, 2016 at 9:29 am #122373
    cfibanez1
    Participant

    This is a big, big problem. Hope EHX understands how serious this is. Most people work with many pedals at the same time. We can not be expected to use a dedicated wall wart for each of them (!). I am hesitating making a purchase because of this issue. Many surely think the same. Hope this is solved soon. Please. Thanks.

    December 21, 2016 at 3:03 pm #122376
    EHX STAFF
    Keymaster

    For use with non isolated power supplies and many pedals running on the same non isolated supply the use of an isolator is is your fix for now. That includes the same issue with Strymon and other pedal companies.
    As far as us our being aware of the issue please read our posts above.

    December 22, 2016 at 12:37 am #122380
    cfibanez1
    Participant

    Thanks for the quick reply. I run my pedals with a Modtone Power Cell (http://www.modtone.net/store/p26/Power_Cell.html).
    Not sure whether it is isolated or not. Will it work with the MEL9? Thanks again. /C

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