Center-Negative Barrel Connectors

mr5f6a · Post by **mr5f6a** » 04 Apr 2012, 15:47

Am I the only person that get's incredibly annoyed when barrel connectors are wired center-negative versus, the more standard, center-positive?

Scammm alert.

I think I'm mostly annoyed because I just received a catalinbread pedal that requires the center-negative and I don't have one. I prefer batteries. Of course, if it was wired the right way I could find a half dozen wall-warts that would do the job just laying around the house.

drbob1 · Post by **drbob1** » 04 Apr 2012, 16:06

It is frustrating, not so much because it's not fair, but because you might not read the pedal, and might blow up a diode...

Anyway, I always have one of those Radio Shack 5-12v DC adapters with the replaceable barrels around, so I can quickly adapt to just about anything. What REALLY frosts me is when they use some obscure size of barrel that even Radio Shack doesn't stock!

mr5f6a · Post by **mr5f6a** » 04 Apr 2012, 18:12

Regardless of what one might blow-up or "let the smoke out" of, as we say in the industry, there is a really easy fix. Cut the cord and rewire.
This is still incredibly annoying and I'm all for lobbying that we do it the standard way from now on.

electrosonic · Post by **electrosonic** » 04 Apr 2012, 18:26

Boss made set that standard about 40 years ago, and most everyone else feels forced to maintain the status quo.

Those wall warts you have lying around the house might be too noisy for audio use anyways.

Andrew.

mojah63 · Post by **mojah63** » 05 Apr 2012, 11:52

The defacto standard is the boss negitive center. Dod and mxr did 1/8 plugs. I'm surprised a booteeker decided to do something different. That's just asking for trouble.

drewl · Post by **drewl** » 05 Apr 2012, 12:11

Over the years I've amassed a collection of various wall warts, so I always have one I need.
Kids toys, phones, answering machines, you name it, they came with a wall wart.