So many wall warts, running out of space!

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 8:03 pm

I've got two VTB-1s, an RNC, and a headphone amp (as well as other things that come in and out, effects pedal power supplies, etc), and it's a real pain. I'm soon going to have an RNLA as well so this is something I'm needing to address. I've got power strips here, and I've got these things I've mentioned, my computer, monitors, interface, API clones, etc., and the wall warts are the real pain. I'm constantly having trouble with wall warts taking up three spaces on a power strip, unless it's the end outlet, which..there can only be so many on the end of each strip.

Is there a solution to this that I'm just being an idiot about? I've seen those Y cables that have two outlets go to one plug, so it keeps the outlet off the strip, do I just need a bunch of them? Or just a bunch of extension cords? I've got one extension cord that has one of those rectangular pieces on the end with one outlet on one site and two on the other (though only one wall wart will fit on that side). What's a good way around this? Get a power strip that has a ton of spaces so it doesn't matter? Are there power strips that are really spaced out, enough to make this not an issue? Other creative solutions? I know most higher end gear doesn't have wall warts so I'm obviously not on the biggest budget, but this is starting to become a problem since my rack would just love to have everything plugged in to one or two power strips (or something) so I can just plug in my rack all together.

winky dinglehoffer · Post by **winky dinglehoffer** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 8:23 pm

There are power strips that have spaces for wall warts. I've done the extension cord thing as well (2 wall warts in one power strip outlet, plus no outlets blocked.) I don't know of any perfect solution, but maybe someone else does.

BostonBassist · Post by **BostonBassist** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 8:48 pm

I have a few of those powerstrips that are spaced out for warts, but they are pretty bulky. Check this out:
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Strip-Liber ... B000EWVSZK

Producer/Engineer · Post by **Producer/Engineer** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:11 pm

We use these in the studios. All wall warts end up pluged into these great units. No problems:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PlugLock

rhythm ranch · Post by **rhythm ranch** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:56 pm

These or these. Three wall warts in each socket!

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:10 pm

http://www.powersquid.com/

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... _-12120256

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 6:40 am

Liberator Plus is pretty awesome. Y'all might bookmark the cyberguys site, high concentration of offbeat useful stuff.

Producer/Engineer · Post by **Producer/Engineer** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 7:06 am

Snarl 12/8 wrote:http://www.powersquid.com/

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... _-12120256

The Powramid is an interesting design! Wish it had the EMI/RFI filters in it.

Spark · Post by **Spark** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 8:02 am

For cheap cables, sometimes Monoprice.com rules.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

ThePaloverdeBeetle · Post by **ThePaloverdeBeetle** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 8:03 am

On a simpler note, you can buy short little extension cords from some hardware stores, only a few inches in length. Leaves you with a wall wart midden on the floor but still a decent solution.

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:19 am

Ah awesome, thanks for such great replies! So many choices. Thanks!!

T-rex · Post by **T-rex** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:33 pm

I am surprised no one mentioned this, if you have a rack going or are going to get one going that is:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M8x2/

They are super cheap, have wall wart spacing on the back and an extra plug on front. I have one at the bottom of each of my racks so I can power up the whole rack at once.

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 7:03 pm

T-rex wrote:I am surprised no one mentioned this, if you have a rack going or are going to get one going that is:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M8x2/

They are super cheap, have wall wart spacing on the back and an extra plug on front. I have one at the bottom of each of my racks so I can power up the whole rack at once.

Yeah, the reason I'm trying to deal with this now is because I'm starting to get more in my rack. So I got that one! There's a store on ebay called unique squared that I got my firestudio project from years ago, and they had it for $49 with free shipping. One thing I thought is strange though is that it's advertised as having 8 wall wart-spaced outlets in the back, but only three of them are spaced out, the other 5 look normally spaced. Oh well. It'll be good to have a power conditioner so, like you said, I can power everything up at once. Considering I'm going to have 4 units that don't have on/off switches. I'm also wondering if it'll do anything about this very, very minor click kind of sound that I can hear when I'm recording. I don't really know anything about it and I haven't looked into it because it's SO minor, but maybe it'll help that. Anyway, thanks!

T-rex · Post by **T-rex** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:20 pm

I think the older model only had three spaced ones but the new version they are all spaced? I have one like you have and another that I think were all spaced out, but I can't remember for sure.

It's nice, plugging into the front of it eliminated some ground loops I would get occasionally when overdubbing guitar amps etc. and having just two switches to turn on all my wall wart stuff is great.

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:04 pm

T-rex wrote:I am surprised no one mentioned this, if you have a rack going or are going to get one going that is:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M8x2/

They are super cheap, have wall wart spacing on the back and an extra plug on front. I have one at the bottom of each of my racks so I can power up the whole rack at once.

I have 3 of these for my home studio. All of them have 3 spaced plugs and 5 sequential plugs, plus 1 in the front that is handy for using my radial reamp and pluging in amps. I have one on the top of my big rack and one on the bottom, plus another on my desk for my monitors, interfaces, and computer.

Like so:
http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/qualit ... 860824.jpg

They work great.

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So many wall warts, running out of space!

So many wall warts, running out of space!

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