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Uninterupted Power Supply - Who's using them?


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I've experienced a few issues the last few days with my Korg Kronos that seemed related to power issues. I reached out in the Kronos Forum and the subject of using a UPS came up a few times. The ones I've been researching online all seem to be massive bricks that would fit into a studio setting, but being impractical for live use. My question is this: How many of you are using are using a UPS onstage?

�Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!�

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

 

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My Kurzweils in the shop/studio are hooked up to a small APC UPS. The PC3 seems to run fine from a typical computer UPS. When I was gigging with the church in other locations, I carried a small APC, because even the 30-40 second restart time was not usable. Kronos takes even longer.

At church, since some rewiring got done (which was because the stage outlets lost ground somewhere and whatever caused it caused about 160 volts instead of 120 fried the APC UPS I was running with, power has been dependable enough the past several years that I've never lost power. The acoustic piano, drums, and guitar (which is amped through the PA) would still keep going long enough if I had to reboot my stuff.

Howard Grand|Hamm SK1-73|Kurz PC2|PC2X|PC3|PC3X|PC361; QSC K10's

HP DAW|Epi Les Paul & LP 5-str bass|iPad mini2

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

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I see no purpose for using a UPS on stage.

 

 

Michael,

 

The Kronos has an inordinate boot time - as I understand it, it's essentially a feature-handicapped Linux computer. Boot can take as long as 2 minutes, and there are some venues (or, what passes for a 'venue') with questionable power subject to random brief outages. Or, sometimes the two-digit IQ drummer kicks out the extension cord. In those possible settings, the UPS keeps my keyboards running during the brief time needed to restore AC to the entire rig.

 

Tim

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I've used UPS's since working in IT. In IT we had three UPS the size of refrigerators. They were to keep us up until the diesel generators would come online. They do keep you up for awhile in a power outage, but more important we used USP for clean power to all servers, storage, and network gear. So I got small UPS for home for recording and music gear.
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I use a UPS with my Kronos onstage, but recently I've been questioning whether the extra weight is worth it. Sure we've had power outs onstage and it's kept going, but when there's been a power out, everything goes out. Most sound guys use digital boards and a lot of them take quite a while to reboot, so I'm not sure the Kronos would've been a problem if I hadn't had the UPS. And, as I've crossed the 60 mark, weight is becoming more of a concern...

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No UPS. But I do use a Furman AR-1215 which handles sags and spikes. Not worried about an outage and keeping running if venue power goes down.

 

 

https://furmanpower.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ar-1215_datasheet.pdf

I've used a tripplite lc-1200 since the mid 90's. It's a voltage regulator, keeping the voltage around the 117V required. If the voltage drops the tripplite boosts the voltage backup. Never have had electrical issues. I would seriously doubt that you would need a UPC, however you do want something that keeps the voltage near 117v (in the US) and this is why I opted for the voltage regulator rather than a UPC. I play alot of outdoor gigs and can't trust the quality of the voltage supply but with the tripplite I don't worry about that as it ensures I get the 117v that is required. If the power goes out the entire band (other than the drummer) will be affected, but low voltage could cause erractic keyboard behaviour that the other players might not get, so a the voltage regulator made more sense to me.

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

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Yes. TrippLite UPS, Automatic Voltage Regulation, 900va / 480w. I run the whole rig off it. You are talking $130 and less. Seems like a no brainer too me.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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I bought a UPS with "voltage regulation" (or something like that) after one particular gig where my keyboard acted wonky (for the 2nd time, I didn't make the "power connection" until it happened twice). We play there periodically and it's a great gig, the next time I went there with the UPS and no issues. This is a 60 dollar UPS so I don't have any illusions that it's the same as some 600 dollar voltage correction thing that always supplies good power.

 

As mcgoo said though, it's a fair bit of extra weight and I generally make a call on whether it will be worth it. I've been bringing it in my extra gear box and if I suspect or experience any issues I'll bring it out. I've played in a lot of places in the past decade and I've had power issues (suspected) at two of them.

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Power quality can be a bitter unknown at the worst moments. I've been using APC USPs for years and through many a dropout, never one problem. They come in numerous sizes and the weight of smaller ones isn't very daunting. You can buy a pro beast model if needed. You have to do the math for your particular rig, but I see it as my primary line of defense. Its the first link of the chain. The Tripplite Delaware Dave mentioned is a smart alternative. The magic stops if the juice stops.

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

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You might have a hard time finding older topics on this subject, but they are a wealth of information and remain current in their knowledge base.

 

UPS's are quite dangerous for audio equipment unless they deliver near-pure sine waves. Most deliver near-square waves. Deadly!

 

As for power conditioners, ALL of them do WAY more harm than good, UNLESS they are not MOSFET-based.

 

Historically, the non-sacrificial technology was patented and shared by three companies: Brickwall, SurgeX, and ZeroSurge.

 

By now the patent should be public domain, so maybe this high-joule non-sacrificial non-MOSFET design has been adopted more widely.

 

Years ago, everyone in my band lost ALL of their gear during an overnight electric storm. Back-to-back events while we all were sleeping.

 

The power conditioners with MOSFET's, no longer protect the gear after the first event. With non-MOSFET designs, the current is blocked.

 

I sold my SurgeX rack unit earlier today, as I just got rid of all my rack gear to go all-mobile. It also had power filtration; the "block" units don't.

 

Nevertheless, I no longer own digital keyboards so don't feel I need power filtration. Just protection. So now I am down to my ZeroSurge block.

 

These units are cheap. SurgeX is expensive, mostly due to the power filtration. But they're cheap used, and last forever, so buying used is fine.

 

As for UPS's, I don't currently own or need one, but seem to recall APC being a trustworthy brand that had more models with sine-wave power.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

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Although I don't know Tripplite's current product line-up, they too are a reputable brand that is trusted in pro audio circles.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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And as a reminder, power sags are usually more deadly than power surges, for digital gear. My entire band lost all their gear at a gig at SF's Bimbo's 365 Club years ago. They ran their own power vs. using the SF grid, and the lighting got turned on and brought everything down to 92 Volts instantly. Everything got fried and couldn't be repaired either.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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Its always a good idea to talk to every venue you play and find out what Amperage circuit they have coming into their building BEFORE you take a gig. I ran into problems playing outside gigs because I used 2 KBs a good size PA, a rack case with 700 watt Yamaha power amp, power conditioner, FX. The company that provided the outdoor power had one connection running off a noisy generator and when I plugged my system into it, their generator shut down. I disconnected all my equipment and went hunting for the booking agent. I told him I was NOT going to attempt to play, they did not have a adequate power source. I would NOT risk damaging my equipment and I canceled the gig. I gave then a refund, packed up and left.

 

Mike T.

Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1.

 

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If brown outs and blackouts are a problem, ya that"s what you have to do. With any computing device.

Except those like me who use a laptop + controller, both of those probably classifiable as "computing devices." (Sorry! :) )

 

This actually bit me one time when an idiot accidentally kicked an extension cord out of its socket. The cord was connected to an outlet strip that my laptop's power adapter was plugged into. It was also behind a stage so I never saw it happen. You can probably guess what happened - my rig continued to run fine until my old laptop battery ran out! The fact remains - those of us with laptops have a "built-in" UPS! I realize most folks here are talking about bad power affecting everything at a gig including the PA, etc. No batteries for those. My stuff? Covered!

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