Cioks are amazing :)

[LukeFRC]

I have no idea if this is the best place to post this...

This year I did possibly the worst internet trade deal I've done, on another forum with a guy who sat on my money for a long time and couldn't decide what he was going to do, or if he knew how the postal system worked... anyway by the end it turned out ok and I got a pedalboard that he had managed to thread a screw holding a Cioks DC7 on. 
I removed the screw - with a little scratching of the DC7


The DC7 is a wonderful unit, with lots of power options, could power my HX stomp, and a power hungry valve preamp I had build with ease. 
But... a fault, it didn't turn on if it was cold.

Which was odd. And a bit odd, getting your gig bag out of the car, into the venue and then hugging your power supply to heat it up.... 

So I had a half broken second-hand power supply, the guy who purchased it originally not replying to me (and being an idiot when he did) and no hope. Sad times. 

I asked Cioks, explained the situation and the response was "that doesn't sound right, send it back to us In Poland and we will repair it". 
Which they did. 

That in my book is phenomenal service - taking care of a product, even to secondhand users and so quickly and efficiently. 

So recommended. Here's a stock image for those of you who are visual readers! 

[Sibob]

I have a DC5 and would quite like to upgrade it to the DC7, it's not really a financial priority, but I think Cioks really do have the power-bank market sewn up with regards to features and quality.

 

Si

[krispn]

1 hour ago, Sibob said:

I have a DC5 and would quite like to upgrade it to the DC7, it's not really a financial priority, but I think Cioks really do have the power-bank market sewn up with regards to features and quality.

 

Si

Same - I don’t really need a DC7 but adding another pedal or two … well it’s nice to have the option from time to time.

[stevie]

I've never heard of Cioks, but that's great customer service for sure.

[MrDinsdale]

I just ordered a Cioks 4 which I’m super excited for despite being hidden under the board. 4 outlets is enough to drive my GT1000core, preamp, drive and one more which is currently a tuner.

 

This is pretty handy as a deterrent from buying loads of pedals 😂 I think you can power the 4 via usb-c which makes it really easy to power via a battery which could be handy. Seems crazy to have £1k worth of pedals connected to a £15 power supply.

 

Good to know they have great support, I know their gear is ethically produced too which is another great big tick for me. 

[LukeFRC]

the irony is - the pedal board I got didn't need a power supply as thin as the DC7, and having sold the HX stomp I don't need the power ... but oh well!  If anyone needs the yellow cable for the stomp or HX effects let me know!

[dmc79]

Great stuff. I upgraded from 9V batts, to a One Spot & daisy chain, then an isolated supply in the form of a used Cioks DC5, and will never need anything more (honestly). 
 

At the time it seemed like a really boring thing to spend over £100 on, but I never felt happy with the One Spot; I had a pin snap off the mains plug as I removed it from the socket once, and there was always some noise through the IEMs, which I attributed to the One Spot as it’s never returned with the DC5.
 

If anyone is on the fence with power supplies, I highly recommend an isolated one. The DC5 allows you to choose from 9-12V for each output, with a sliding switch on each. I’ve only ever needed 9V but it’s nice to know there’s 12V option if needed. DC7 allows up to 18V too. 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by dmc79

[AinsleyWalker]

Good old Chocs, great power supplies

[MrDinsdale]

We’ll my 4 outlets === 4 pedals was inaccurate as you can get split cables to power two off a single outlet 🤔

[LukeFRC]

3 minutes ago, MrDinsdale said:

We’ll my 4 outlets === 4 pedals was inaccurate as you can get split cables to power two off a single outlet 🤔

I’ve a daisy chain flex in the box of the dc7 that has at least three! 

[LukeFRC]

3x4=12 

 

that’s a lot! 

[krispn]

2 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

3x4=12 

 

that’s a lot! 

Steady on Euclid! 😉

[MrDinsdale]

I’m gonna need a bigger board!

[KellyS]

I was so hesitant to spend good pedal money on an expensive power supply, but the Cioks is totally worth it. I’ve got the DC7 and I’m delighted with it. I tried the Fender Engine Room and it wasn’t nearly as good. 

[gazhowe]

Thanks for posting @LukeFRC, my DC7 also doesn’t work when it’s cold. At first I thought it was due to a dodgy IEC lead and then assumed that was like that by design. I’ll contact them with a view to sending mine back for inspection in February when I have a lull in gigs. 

[LukeFRC]

36 minutes ago, gazhowe said:

Thanks for posting @LukeFRC, my DC7 also doesn’t work when it’s cold. At first I thought it was due to a dodgy IEC lead and then assumed that was like that by design. I’ll contact them with a view to sending mine back for inspection in February when I have a lull in gigs. 

Their first advice was to deal with warrentee repair via wherever you buy it from 

[gazhowe]

1 hour ago, LukeFRC said:

Their first advice was to deal with warrentee repair via wherever you buy it from 

Thanks, I’ll try that approach. 😎

[MrDinsdale]

I got my Cioks DC7 just over a week ago after upgrading from the Cioks 4. Instantly noticed an improvement in noise, 8 pedals on the C4 required a lot of daisy chaining.

 

Anyways a couple of nights ago I was playing around on guitar, went to switch on my Model fet pedal and it totally cutout. Had a fiddle to see if the child had knocked the volume and gains down and noticed it was hot, checked the DC7 and that was really hot too. Unplugged and left it to cool down but the Model fet smelt burnt.

 

Tried plugging it in with the C4 supply straight in to the interface and it's completely dead, lights on but no one is home.

 

Messaged Cioks explaining what had happened and that it had made me a nervous to plug in again etc incase anything else blew up. There wasn't anything accusational in there, I was just looking for answers on what could have happened and a little assurance. Instantly it felt like they jumped on the defensive, blaming the house electrics and dirty power and that it's my fault for not carting a £200 power conditioner around with my pedalboard.

 

Just felt like a bit of a copout really and left me still hesitant about plugging in the pedalboard. I've lost one hard to find boutique effects pedal which is properly gutting and can't really afford to replace, can't afford to loose any more.

On the flipside, John at EAE was super helpful when I asked if he had any ideas if the pedal was salvageable despite buying me it 2nd hand. Equally messaged Andertons and they've been super responsive and helpful. 

[LukeFRC]

To be fair to them they have to be defensive a wee bit - they don’t want to accept liability and then have you turn around and say that you had a £5m neve desk powered by it and they were now liable for repairs or something. 
 

we’re you putting too much voltage into the model fet or something? 

[MrDinsdale]

36 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

To be fair to them they have to be defensive a wee bit - they don’t want to accept liability and then have you turn around and say that you had a £5m neve desk powered by it and they were now liable for repairs or something. 
 

we’re you putting too much voltage into the model fet or something? 

Na all the wires were the correct center negative ones, all 9v on the jumpers and plugged into the same surge protected extension that I've used for the last year or so. 
 

I definitely get that, it's possible to have a polite conversation without admitting culpability. 
 

I dunno, just glad Andertons are at least willing to switch it out for a different unit so I can at least have a little confidence to use my pedalboard again.

[MrDinsdale]

PS worth mentioning I still really love the Cioks products and will continue to use the DC7 once I get a replacement and have a little more confidenct of plugging it in.  I was just a little underwhelmed at the response and the tone of it considering how much amazing stuff I've heard about them, I'm sure it was just an off day. I'm still not convinced at all that this was just the result of dirty power etc but equally don't have any way to know so going to buy another surge protector and hope for the best once the replacement arrives.

 

Until then I'll fallback to my C4 and all the daisy chains can handle. Hopefully I'll be able to source a replacement EAE Model Fet or get it repaired.

[LukeFRC]

Comment on Cioks: they are polish and things get lost in translation sometimes

Not a comment on Cioks at all but problem solving:

Does the DC7 still fire up?
If the model Fet has a hot/burnt smell and failed in some way could it be a failure in that pedal, which could be causing a short that has then heated up the DC7 too? 

[MrDinsdale]

Yeah that's fair, I can barely speak english and it's my only language 😂

 

Yeah it could be that the pedal failed and caused a short. I'm going to try and send it back to EAE, they have someone in Dublin who can look so I don't have to ship it all the way back to Canada.

[lidl e]

7 minutes ago, MrDinsdale said:

Yeah that's fair, I can barely speak english and it's my only language 😂

 

Yeah it could be that the pedal failed and caused a short. I'm going to try and send it back to EAE, they have someone in Dublin who can look so I don't have to ship it all the way back to Canada.

Im someone in dublin!

 

I wonder if it's me.

[LukeFRC]

12 minutes ago, MrDinsdale said:

Yeah that's fair, I can barely speak english and it's my only language 😂

 

Yeah it could be that the pedal failed and caused a short. I'm going to try and send it back to EAE, they have someone in Dublin who can look so I don't have to ship it all the way back to Canada.

There you go, send your broken one to @lidl e and he will post you back a fixed one!