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NordGas
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Posts: 13
Location: Australia
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 Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 8:58 am Post subject:
Help with Micro Q Power Supply/Plug Pack |
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Hi,
I scored a Micro Q today, but with no power supply (the guy had a 120V one running from a step down for use in Australia on 240V).
My choice was to take the 120V power supply then buy my own step down for $60, or buy a proper power supply for about $30.
I let him have the 120V one.
Finding the right power supply is proving harder than I expected, because hardly anyone seems to sell linear power supplies anymore (the ones with a large transformer in them).
Weirdly, the manual says 12V AC at 1 amp is required but on the back of the Micro Q near the power socket it says 12V DC 1.2 amp,
and then on the sticker with the serial number we have 12V DC 1 amp. So I'm a bit confused... Lol.
If anybody who has their Micro Q handy could have a look at their power supply and tell me the specs I would be very grateful.
Cheers 
I also want to know if you can use switch mode power supplies with these units, and whether the power supply needs to be regulated or unregulated.
But that might be something an engineer would know? |
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cappy2112
Joined: Dec 24, 2004
Posts: 2498
Location: San Jose, California
Audio files: 2
G2 patch files: 1
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| Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 1:10 pm Post subject:
Re: Help with Micro Q Power Supply/Plug Pack |
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| NordGas wrote: | Hi,
I scored a Micro Q today, but with no power supply (the guy had a 120V one running from a step down for use in Australia on 240V).
My choice was to take the 120V power supply then buy my own step down for $60, or buy a proper power supply for about $30.
I let him have the 120V one.
Finding the right power supply is proving harder than I expected, because hardly anyone seems to sell linear power supplies anymore (the ones with a large transformer in them).
Weirdly, the manual says 12V AC at 1 amp is required but on the back of the Micro Q near the power socket it says 12V DC 1.2 amp,
and then on the sticker with the serial number we have 12V DC 1 amp. So I'm a bit confused... Lol.
If anybody who has their Micro Q handy could have a look at their power supply and tell me the specs I would be very grateful.
Cheers
I also want to know if you can use switch mode power supplies with these units, and whether the power supply needs to be regulated or unregulated.
But that might be something an engineer would know? |
The best mail list for Waldorf products can be found on Waldorf's site
(of all places)
http://tinyurl.com/2f22xbf
It's quite active and there are many experts on the various Waldorf gear there. Waldorf occasionally posts there too.
_________________
Free Tibet. Release the Panchen Lama from prison. Let the Dalai Lama return to his home. |
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hrastprogrammer
Joined: Oct 16, 2008
Posts: 252
Location: CPU
Audio files: 64
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| Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 10:12 am Post subject:
Re: Help with Micro Q Power Supply/Plug Pack |
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Hello,
I own two (yellow and blue) MicroQ synthesizers. The older (yellow) one has the usual (transformer based) power supply while the blue one has that laptop-like (switch) power supply. Both are the original ones and are rated 12V/1A DC. Perhaps the expanded 75-voice Omega models need 1.2A ...
As far as I know, there are no voltage regulators inside a Waldorf powersupply (they are mounted on the PCB), so it is OK to use either type, regulated or non-regulated.
_________________
https://www.hrastprogrammer.com/hrastwood/
https://hrastprogrammer.bandcamp.com/ |
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NordGas
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Posts: 13
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:59 am Post subject:
Re: Help with Micro Q Power Supply/Plug Pack |
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| cappy2112 wrote: | | NordGas wrote: | Hi,
I scored a Micro Q today, but with no power supply (the guy had a 120V one running from a step down for use in Australia on 240V).
My choice was to take the 120V power supply then buy my own step down for $60, or buy a proper power supply for about $30.
I let him have the 120V one.
Finding the right power supply is proving harder than I expected, because hardly anyone seems to sell linear power supplies anymore (the ones with a large transformer in them).
Weirdly, the manual says 12V AC at 1 amp is required but on the back of the Micro Q near the power socket it says 12V DC 1.2 amp,
and then on the sticker with the serial number we have 12V DC 1 amp. So I'm a bit confused... Lol.
If anybody who has their Micro Q handy could have a look at their power supply and tell me the specs I would be very grateful.
Cheers
I also want to know if you can use switch mode power supplies with these units, and whether the power supply needs to be regulated or unregulated.
But that might be something an engineer would know? |
The best mail list for Waldorf products can be found on Waldorf's site
(of all places)
http://tinyurl.com/2f22xbf
It's quite active and there are many experts on the various Waldorf gear there. Waldorf occasionally posts there too. |
Thanks for that, I did actually email Waldorf directly before posting here, and got an answer that was... er, ok, but also raised some other questions.
But I have sent my question into the mailing list now, I was aware of that list, but those list arrangements kind of annoy me (that might change now because I saw there's a lot of good stuff to check out).
Cheers |
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NordGas
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Posts: 13
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:04 am Post subject:
Re: Help with Micro Q Power Supply/Plug Pack |
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| HrastProgrammer wrote: | Hello,
I own two (yellow and blue) MicroQ synthesizers. The older (yellow) one has the usual (transformer based) power supply while the blue one has that laptop-like (switch) power supply. Both are the original ones and are rated 12V/1A DC. Perhaps the expanded 75-voice Omega models need 1.2A ...
As far as I know, there are no voltage regulators inside a Waldorf powersupply (they are mounted on the PCB), so it is OK to use either type, regulated or non-regulated. |
Thanks for that! What I should do is open up my Micro Q to see if there's a regulator near the power input.
Switch mode power supplies are almost always the regulated type, so maybe the yellow Micro Q has a regulator on its board but the blue one doesn't. If that's right, it could be something for people to watch out for as these cool little synths become more "second hand" with power supplies sometimes lost or close to worn out. |
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hrastprogrammer
Joined: Oct 16, 2008
Posts: 252
Location: CPU
Audio files: 64
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| Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:09 am Post subject:
Re: Help with Micro Q Power Supply/Plug Pack |
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| NordGas wrote: | | What I should do is open up my Micro Q to see if there's a regulator near the power input. |
Yes, you can do that, although I seriously doubt Waldorf forced the use of regulated powersupply in later versions. They would state this in the manual, which is not the case. After I bought the yellow MicroQ and mounted it into the rack where the blue one was mounted previously, I was lazy to change the powersupply, so it is working without problem with the newer one (from the blue mQ) for more than a year.
BTW, I opened both blue and yellow MicroQs (I always open a synth when buying second-hand to clean it) and I am pretty much sure, from the memory, that both PCBs have a regulator ...
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damage caused by what I wrote here 
_________________
https://www.hrastprogrammer.com/hrastwood/
https://hrastprogrammer.bandcamp.com/ |
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