Power is the least exciting part of a pedalboard and the one most likely to ruin it. A cheap daisy-chain cable can add hum, starve a digital reverb of current, or cause pops when you stomp a switch. The best pedal power supply for your rig is one with enough outputs, enough current (measured in milliamps, mA) for every pedal, and ideally isolated outputs so pedals cannot leak noise into each other. Below are nine supplies across every budget band, from a simple daisy-chain adapter to tour-grade isolated bricks, plus a quick method for working out exactly what your board needs.
Isolated vs daisy-chain power
A daisy-chain setup uses one adapter and a cable with several plugs. Every pedal shares the same ground and the same current pool. It is cheap and works fine for a few analog pedals, but mixing digital pedals, high-gain drives and modulation on a shared chain often produces whine, hum or clicking.
An isolated supply gives each output its own transformer-separated circuit, so each pedal behaves as if it had its own battery. That stops ground loops between pedals and keeps one hungry pedal from dragging the others down. For anything beyond three or four pedals, isolation is worth paying for, and it often removes noise that players otherwise try to hide with a gate.
The best pedal power supply picks
Truetone 1 Spot Combo Pack
The Truetone 1 Spot Combo Pack is the classic daisy-chain solution: one compact 9V adapter plus a multi-plug cable and converters for odd-sized jacks. It replaces a fistful of wall warts on a small, all-analog board.
Best for: beginners with a handful of simple analog pedals.
- Pros: very affordable, small, includes adapters for different pedals.
- Cons: not isolated; can introduce noise with digital or high-gain pedals.
Donner DP-1
The Donner DP-1 brings 10 isolated DC outputs to a budget price. It is the most common step up from daisy chains for players who want quieter power without a premium spend.
Best for: budget boards that have outgrown a daisy chain.
- Pros: ten isolated outputs, low cost, comes with cables.
- Cons: fewer high-current outputs than premium bricks; check your digital pedals’ draw.
Truetone 1 SPOT Pro CS6
The Truetone 1 SPOT Pro CS6 is a low-profile brick with six isolated outputs, including higher-voltage options for pedals that run at 12V or 18V. Its slim height fits under most rail-style boards.
Best for: small and mid-size boards with a mix of analog and digital pedals.
- Pros: low profile, isolated, flexible voltages.
- Cons: six outputs fill fast on larger boards.
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus
The Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus is the supply that made isolated power mainstream. Its eight isolated outputs include options for vintage-style pedals that like lower voltage, and it has a long reputation for reliability on touring boards.
Best for: mostly analog boards and vintage fuzz lovers.
- Pros: proven reliability, isolated outputs, sag-style options.
- Cons: heavier and taller than modern bricks, limited high-current outputs for big digital pedals.
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power X8
The Voodoo Lab Pedal Power X8 is the high-current modern answer from the same company, designed for boards full of digital delays, reverbs and multi-effects that draw far more than a classic analog pedal.
Best for: digital-heavy boards that need plenty of current per output.
- Pros: high current per output, isolated, Voodoo Lab build quality.
- Cons: premium price; more than an analog-only board needs.
Strymon Zuma
The Strymon Zuma is a nine-output, low-noise supply built with power-hungry digital pedals in mind. Every output can handle demanding pedals, which removes the usual puzzle of matching outputs to current draw.
Best for: big boards with several digital pedals.
- Pros: high current on every output, quiet operation, slim profile.
- Cons: splurge pricing.
Strymon Ojai
The Strymon Ojai is a compact five-output high-current supply. Its trick is expandability: you can add more Ojai units later with an expansion kit instead of replacing the whole supply.
Best for: small boards that may grow, or tight spaces under the board.
- Pros: tiny footprint, high current, expandable.
- Cons: five outputs per unit; expanding adds cost.
MXR Iso-Brick
The MXR Iso-Brick offers ten isolated outputs with a range of voltage and current options, making it a strong value choice for larger mixed boards. If space is tight, the MXR Mini Iso-Brick covers smaller boards.
Best for: mid-size and large boards that need many outputs at a fair price.
- Pros: lots of isolated outputs, flexible voltages, solid build.
- Cons: taller than some boards’ clearance allows.
CIOKS DC7
The CIOKS DC7 is a compact, well-regarded isolated supply with seven outputs and flexible voltage options. CIOKS also makes expanders, so it scales up if your board does.
Best for: players who want premium quiet power in a small box.
- Pros: small, quiet, flexible outputs, expandable system.
- Cons: premium price for its output count.
Comparison table
| Product | Best for | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Truetone 1 Spot Combo Pack | Small analog boards | Daisy chain, very cheap |
| Donner DP-1 | Budget isolation | 10 isolated outputs |
| Truetone 1 SPOT Pro CS6 | Small mixed boards | Low profile, 6 isolated |
| Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus | Analog and vintage | Proven isolated design |
| Voodoo Lab Pedal Power X8 | Digital-heavy boards | High current |
| Strymon Zuma | Large digital boards | High current on all 9 outputs |
| Strymon Ojai | Expandable small boards | 5 outputs, chainable |
| MXR Iso-Brick | Value for big boards | 10 isolated outputs |
| CIOKS DC7 | Premium compact | 7 outputs, expanders |
How to choose the best pedal power supply
List every pedal’s voltage and current. Check the manual or the label near the power jack. Most compact analog pedals draw very little (often well under 50mA), while digital reverbs, delays and multi-effects can need several hundred mA. Each output must supply at least what its pedal draws; extra headroom is fine because a pedal only takes what it needs.
Match voltage and polarity. Most pedals use 9V center-negative. Some run at 12V or 18V for more headroom, and a few use unusual plugs or polarity. Never feed a 9V-only pedal a higher voltage, and use the correct polarity cables a supply provides.
Count outputs with room to grow. Two spare outputs saves you from buying a second supply next year.
Check height and mounting. Measure your board’s clearance before buying. Our best pedalboards guide notes which boards suit under-mounting, and the walkthrough on how to build a pedalboard covers routing power cables away from audio cables.
Multi-effects are different. Many floor multi-effects units come with their own adapter and draw more than a pedal supply output can provide. If you run one, as in our best multi-effects pedals roundup, keep its own adapter unless the supply explicitly supports it.
Hum after upgrading? Keep power cables crossing audio cables at right angles, avoid running them in parallel, and check that all your gear shares a properly grounded outlet. If you still hear noise with high gain, a gate from our best noise gate pedals list handles what is left.
A quick worked example
Say your board has a tuner, a compressor, two analog overdrives, a digital delay and a digital reverb. The four analog pedals together may draw well under 200mA, but the two digital pedals could need a few hundred mA each. A cheap daisy chain might technically power everything yet still hum, because the digital pedals share ground with the drives. A six or eight output isolated supply with at least two high-current outputs, such as the Truetone CS6 or the Pedal Power X8, solves both problems and leaves room for one more pedal. Write the draw of each pedal on a strip of tape beside its output so future swaps are painless.
FAQ
Do I really need an isolated power supply?
For two or three analog pedals, a daisy chain is often fine. Once you add digital pedals, high-gain drives or more than four or five pedals, isolated outputs usually remove hum and whine that shared power introduces.
Can a supply with more mA damage my pedal?
No. The mA rating is how much current the output can supply, not how much it forces into the pedal. Voltage and polarity are what must match. Too little current is the problem, causing glitches or failure to power on.
Can I run a 9V pedal at 18V for more headroom?
Only if the manufacturer says the pedal supports it. Some drives are designed for 18V operation and gain headroom, but many pedals, especially digital ones, can be damaged by higher voltage.
