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Question about hardware and extension cords and powerboards
Hi.
I haven't owned any electric music hardware for a very long time. I recently bought a Circuit Tracks, Microfreak and Model:Cycles. The Microfreak manual is warning me to only plug into a wall socket. What, no extension cords or powerboards? (The phone charger thing is a different issue I'd like to explore after I sort out my at-home setup).
I don't have a lot of wall sockets in my "studio".
a) Is this a Microfreak only thing or should I be plugging the Tracks and the Cycles into the wall as well (when not being mobile)?
b) Is the Microfreak warning itself really justified or just a "better to be safe than sorry" ploy from Arturia?
c) Does the answer depend on length of extension cord and the number of instruments plugged into the board? If so what are the limits?
d) What bad things could happen if I just went ahead and used extension cords and powerboards?
e) On a related matter: is it safe to leave an instrument plugged into a wall when not in use and powered down? Should it be switched off at the wall or even have the plug pulled out (lightning storms not included)?
Cheers!
Comments
Circuit Tracks, MicroFreak, and Model:Cycles sounds like a fun combo! Congrats!
A decent-sized surge protector with a power switch should be fine for all 3 devices. A surge protector, not a power strip; both look the same. Furman, Tripp Lite, Anker, Belkin, Amazon Basics, or other familiar name-brand. They're usually $30 and up (or less on sale), and some have USB ports for charging USB-powered devices. Some of the older surge protectors with USB ports don't provide enough power to their USB ports to charge an iPad; some of the newer ones do.
A UPS (surge protector with a battery backup in case the power goes out) is another consideration, but those are more expensive and the inexpensive ones break often.
A battery pack ($100+) may be a consideration as well, but that requires more planning and research.
a) and b) - The MicroFreak has a complex digital multi-oscillator, and like many digital Eurorack modules, they need a good clean reliable power source, especially at initial power-up. I trust good-quality surge protectors and UPSs, over plugging directly into the wall, for all of my digital and electronic devices.
c) A surge protector with a higher joule rating can usually handle more power-hungry devices, and may be recommended if you live in an area with a lot of power outages or lightning storms. A higher joule rating also means it can handle a more severe power surge.
d) Extension cords - Amazon Basics and Monoprice are inexpensive and reliable, in my experience. Don't go too cheap here, and use one cord per device. Never daisy-chain power.
e) You'll get different answers here. My recommendation - unplug it if you live in a building whose power goes out often, or if you don't plan on turning it on for a few days. If there's a lightning storm, I usually unplug all of my expensive equipment that's connected directly to the wall outlet (i.e. wall-mounted AC units), since the power where I live and work is unreliable. Since my music studio and PCs are all connected to UPSs and surge protectors, I usually leave them connected.
Don't forget to have fun!
Thanks for the comprehensive reply @ocelot!