Alternative to Boss ACA 240 PSU.

[shufflebeat]

I have just resurrected an old Roland PC-200 mkii keyboard and donated to #3 for his midi duties.

If memory serves I used it a few times with batteries but would now rather have a psu attached. It's expecting the unreg'd Boss ACA 240 but research suggests that might be a bit of a pain to locate.

Is there a better, more available option?

(It's got keys - I'm way out of my comfort zone).

[Mike Stranks]

I may be missing something, but I just put Boss ACA 240 into a well-know search engine and got loads of 'replacement fors' at around the £10 mark...

... Jus' sayin'

[shufflebeat]

Yeah, I've probably gone round this the long way, I really haven't quite worked out the 20th century yet.

I got as far as "unregulated 9v is not the same as 9v regulated" and thought I should seek advice. Bleedin' obvious really.

Erm, cheers for your extensive and indefatigable search, Mike. I'll try to learn from your obvious superpower.

[Folderol]

Yeah, I've probably gone round this the long way, I really haven't quite worked out the 20th century yet.

I got as far as "unregulated 9v is not the same as 9v regulated" and thought I should seek advice. Bleedin' obvious really.

Erm, cheers for your extensive and indefatigable search, Mike. I'll try to learn from your obvious superpower.

Unregulated is usually just a transformer and cap arrangement. Simple, a bit heavy, and sometimes lets hum though. The voltage can jump about a bit depending on load, but is otherwise clean and (usually) reliable.

Regulated is usually, switch mode, lightweight, and very stable, but can generate some HF noise.

[Sam Spoons]

This article might help https://mojostompboxes.com/blogs/archive/correctly-powering-your-old-boss-pedal-aca-vs-psa-simplified but as long as the voltage is right* I would just use whatever I had to hand. In fact there's a possibility I'll have something suitable in my large box of redundant PSUs, PM if you want me to have a look.

* FWIW the article suggests the ACA 240 puts out an unregulated 12V and the voltage regulation is in the pedal so any 12VDC supply should work.

[shufflebeat]

This article might help https://mojostompboxes.com/blogs/archive/correctly-powering-your-old-boss-pedal-aca-vs-psa-simplified but as long as the voltage is right* I would just use whatever I had to hand.

Very helpful, I had seen a very similar article without the helpful suggestions

In fact there's a possibility I'll have something suitable in my large box of redundant PSUs, PM if you want me to have a look.

I have just such a box and once I've ferreted through that I may just be in touch, thanks muchly.

* FWIW the article suggests the ACA 240 puts out an unregulated 12V and the voltage regulation is in the pedal so any 12VDC supply should work.

There is hope.

[shufflebeat]

Yeah, I've probably gone round this the long way, I really haven't quite worked out the 20th century yet.

I got as far as "unregulated 9v is not the same as 9v regulated" and thought I should seek advice. Bleedin' obvious really.

Erm, cheers for your extensive and indefatigable search, Mike. I'll try to learn from your obvious superpower.

Unregulated is usually just a transformer and cap arrangement. Simple, a bit heavy, and sometimes lets hum though. The voltage can jump about a bit depending on load, but is otherwise clean and (usually) reliable.

Regulated is usually, switch mode, lightweight, and very stable, but can generate some HF noise.

I think I understand this stuff a little bit but when I dig into the vagueries of the behaviour of forces I realise it's quite a lot like sound and I'm much more a musician than a technician so my general approach of "poke it til it sounds good" could get me in quite a lot of trouble.

Cheers for the input.