Maude Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Firstly I'm new around here so be gentle . I've just bought a used Variax but it isn't coming with any extras so no TRS cable, Di or power cable. I know you can just use rechargable AA's and a standard lead but I just know I'll get to a gig and realise I haven't charged the batteries so I need to make up a power supply. 5m TRS cable, about a tenner on ebay, 9v power supply, just a normal pedal one, They're both easy, I'm gonna use an old A/B box with a stereo jack socket wired in for the input and then the two standard outs, one to amp and one to a tuner. What I need to know is which part of the cable does the power go to, tip, ring or sleeve? And I assume it will earth through the negative side of the sound signal. I hope my question makes sense, I'm no electrical whizz but this should be simple enough. I haven't got the bass yet so can't have a look but was hoping someone here might already know. Or even better have a link to a wiring diagram for the XPS Di box. Thanks in advance Allan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Details are a little vague, as I'm sure you've already discovered. However, I did perform a little repair on our guitarists Variax DI box a few months ago, and that was wired to send the +ve supply through the ring and the -ve supply shared the sleeve. I very much doubt that the guitar version differs from the bass version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 you need an ac psu. I've got an enormous pedal board with a voodoo labs PSU and it still won't power the XPS. use the line 6 one that comes with a pod. (that's what I do, I have a pod knocking about that I don't use) and get a decent quality TRS lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 Cheers guys @ Police squad, is that because you're using it as a DI or is the bass that thirsty? Does the XPS do anything else that uses that power? It does seem strange that a 9V battery will power it but not a proper pedal board PSU. Mine will just be power for the bass. I see you can get an alternative replacement PSU on ebay for just under £15, 9V AC 2000mA, although Line 6 sell them for twenty something including vat and postage, I didn't write it down as when they said they couldn't supply the XPS I lost interest, the chap said it would be cheaper to get one from ebay though, at least they weren't doing the old "you must use a Line 6 PSU or it will bring about the end of the world" line . I also want a pick guard off the sunburst one as I really don't like the pearloid on black theme, I think it would look nice with the red tort on a black one but they can't supply that either , if anyones got one , I'll probably get one knocked up in red tort if not. Anyway thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Maude, I use the XPS with a Variax JTV-59 (the new les paul shaped thing, with magnetic pickups). I use the XPS as an A-B switch (to switch the acoustic sounds into the PA) and also to power the guitar. I have no experience with the older variax batteries, but the new one does last well. But I needed the A-B switch and the fact that the XPS powers it is a bonus. I know it runs on batteries and I just don't understand it either. But I was pointed in the right direction by the line 6 forum and the voodoo labs forum. Sure buy a replacement on ebay, as long as it's the equivalent to the line 6. If it powers a line 6 pod, it will work. I just happened to have a pod so I robbed its PSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Thanks Police squad, It's this one on ebay ([url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150835879478?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648#ht_1674wt_1110"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150835879478?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648#ht_1674wt_1110[/url]) I reckon I'll give it a go. I have an old blue metal cased (DOD I think) passive A/B box which I'm going to use instead of the XPS, solder in a stereo input with instrument pos/PSU pos/ instrument & PSU neg for the TRS lead and then send the outputs to my amp head and a tuner, the AB will mute my signal for tuning and then just be straight through for playing. What's the worst that can happen, fry my new Variax ? Thanks for the help, it'll be here on Friday so let the fun begin . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 that should do it. I would still track down a proper XPS if you can. Although one of the outputs is an XLR so it may not actually be any good to you. good luck, keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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