Busking with TOOB?

[Ukena]

Does anyone here use a TOOB for busking, or in similar situations where there is no mains power?

If so, what amp is used, and how is it powered? I see that the Superblock can be powered by 9V, but it then is a 1w amp.

[garybaldy]

No. But I have a 10/15w Peavey Solo (the old version) which runs on 8 x 1.5 cells. I've changed the speaker for a Jensen c8r. It doesn't have that processed sound that a lot of the more modern battery powered amps have such as the street cubes and the like.

[Gitterbug]

I haven't really delved into this, despite the potential. A Portuguese busker ordered a Metro years ago, but I can't remember which amp/power source he was using. I have seen a video clip from NY Central Park, where guitarist Greg Ruggiero plays a perfectly audible solo before a multi-horn jazz band using the 9V, 1W option. Predictably, Quilter says "use our PS-24 24V power supply only." DC is DC and any 24V battery pack should work. If buskers become a market force, future electric scooters will have a 24V DC power outlet.

[sgosnell]

A power station could work. I have a Beaudens, but other brands should work. It's a lithium battery pack, with inverter built in, and has 5VDC and 12VDC outputs plus 110VAC. It's about as light as the SBUS, and the power lasts a very long time. You could use the regular Quilter power supply via the AC plug or the 12VDC input on the amp, whichever you choose.

[Woody Sound]

I have a Beaudens and it worked fine for about a year, then it got a little noisy. So I upgraded to this.

(What''s odd is, I was going to give the Beaudens to my wife's electric violin student to tryout, but when I got it out after a year or so it suddenly worked fine again. Maybe there had been a temporary glitch in my "I Love Lucy" era 70yo house's electrical system.)

Amazon.com

[Woody Sound]

I have a Beaudens and it worked fine for about a year, then it got a little noisy. So I upgraded to this.

(What''s odd is, I was going to give the Beaudens to my wife's electric violin student to try out, but when I got it out after a year or so it suddenly worked fine again. Maybe there had been a temporary glitch in my "I Love Lucy" era 70yo ranch house's electrical system.)

Amazon.com

PS- I recently bought one of these when my old gas generator went on the fritz for the 2nd year in a row. Got a super buy on it because they were discontinuing it for more powerful releases. EcoFlow

[Navdeep_Singh]

I have a Beaudens and it worked fine for about a year, then it got a little noisy. So I upgraded to this.

(What''s odd is, I was going to give the Beaudens to my wife's electric violin student to tryout, but when I got it out after a year or so it suddenly worked fine again. Maybe there had been a temporary glitch in my "I Love Lucy" era 70yo house's electrical system.)

Amazon.com

Question: that power station from Amazon: how long does it take to charge up? How many hours can you go on it? How many power outlets can you use, during that time? Thanks

[Gitterbug]

My son is a former drone pro, so he knows batteries and charging in and out. The drones would never carry a power station, i.e. the battery pack and the charger. Why should buskers? Well dimensioned battery packs will last hours and hours, and having a second one ready charged for spares still weighs less and takes less space than a power station. Now revealing my ignorance: the many battery-powered "street" amps available - is the charger typically built in or separate?

[Ukena]

My son is a former drone pro, so he knows batteries and charging in and out. The drones would never carry a power station, i.e. the battery pack and the charger. Why should buskers? Well dimensioned battery packs will last hours and hours, and having a second one ready charged for spares still weighs less and takes less space than a power station. Now revealing my ignorance: the many battery-powered "street" amps available - is the charger typically built in or separate?

Batteries are great. But to power an amp, for example the Quilter SB, one needs an inverter. To take full advantage of the amp, it needs AC power, and thus an inverter. Since they are all-ion-one solutions, the power stations have chargers to recharge the batteries; I suppose one could have replaceable batteries that could be charged separately, which might result in some weight savings.

I have used a separate LiFePO4 car battery connected to an inverter that runs my Henriksen Bud 6 quite nicely; I imagine it would do fine with the SB, as well. But the inverter/battery/cables are a bit ungainly, and something lighter would be appreciated.

[sgosnell]

Power stations have inverters, which convert DC voltage to AC. Much of the cost and weight of power stations is from the inverter, but they're still not very expensive nor heavy. Mine weighs 2.4lb, ~6"x7"x3". It will run a Class D amplifier for at least 4 hours, that's the longest I've tried, and it still had plenty of charge left. I think it would probably go twice that, or at least close.

The SB will put out full power on 24VDC, as long as the 24VDC input is used. The power brick puts out 24VDC. The brick needs AC input though. Note, the 9/12V and 24V inputs are of reverse polarity, center positive the 24V, center negative for the 9/12V.

[Woody Sound]

Question: that power station from Amazon: how long does it take to charge up? How many hours can you go on it? How many power outlets can you use, during that time? Thanks

The longest I've used it was for a 4-hr job, running a Quilter combo and my 9v pedalboard using an iSpot. It only went down one bar. I can't comment on charging time because I've never had it down very far. I'll scan the spec sheet tomorrow and post it.

[Ukena]

A power station could work. I have a Beaudens, but other brands should work. It's a lithium battery pack, with inverter built in, and has 5VDC and 12VDC outputs plus 110VAC. It's about as light as the SBUS, and the power lasts a very long time. You could use the regular Quilter power supply via the AC plug or the 12VDC input on the amp, whichever you choose.

I find a 150w Beaudens power station available (only in Europe, though). It uses Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, which I would prefer over Lithium ion. Amazon says it weighs 2.2kg, which is about the same as the ZeroKor R200 in Woody's post (the SB weighs .61kg). The ZeroKor uses Li batteries.

So far, I have found no other LiFePO4 power stations at the price point and weight of the Beaudens available in the US. Phooey.

[sgosnell]

I bought mine some years ago, and perhaps that model is discontinued. I haven't shopped for one lately. The size and weight I posted are accurate, because I weighed and measured it before posting. The dimensions are approximate, though, and are rounded, but less than 1/4" off. I have no specific recommendations for a power station otherwise, because that's the only one I have used. I do think they're the way to go for anything that requires power where none is otherwise easily available.

[Woody Sound]

So far, I have found no other LiFePO4 power stations at the price point and weight of the Beaudens available in the US. Phooey.

Yeah, when I bought my Beaudens some years ago they were available here in US on Amazon and several other outlets. Since then they have disappeared from all US sources.

[Woody Sound]

Question: that power station from Amazon: how long does it take to charge up? How many hours can you go on it? How many power outlets can you use, during that time? Thanks

zerokor.pdf

[Woody Sound]

Size comparison with a Quilter MP200-8.

[Ukena]

I bought mine some years ago, and perhaps that model is discontinued. I haven't shopped for one lately. The size and weight I posted are accurate, because I weighed and measured it before posting. The dimensions are approximate, though, and are rounded, but less than 1/4" off. I have no specific recommendations for a power station otherwise, because that's the only one I have used. I do think they're the way to go for anything that requires power where none is otherwise easily available.

Interesting that the size of the Beaudens ( 6.7" x 5.9" x 3.15") has remained the same, but the weight increased. Regardless, around 5 lbs. isn't a deal breaker, if I could only find one.

[Woody Sound]

Amazon is having a "flash sale" on the Zerokor for $130. Ends today at 7:30pm EST.

Amazon.com

[Ukena]

Amazon is having a "flash sale" on the Zerokor for $130. Ends today at 7:30pm EST.

Amazon.com

Yes; I ordered one an hour ago.

[Ukena]

Woody: how do you deal with the grounding issue with the Zerokor? Just keep your hand on the strings all the time?

[Ukena]

So this is the ungainly solution I have been using – weighing in at almost 9 lbs. But no grounding issue – when not played, the guitar is as quiet as can be, whether my hand is on the strings or not.

[omphalopsychos]

I don’t busk but I did play outdoors in the park with friends during the pandemic. This was the power solution I used. Plenty of battery life for multiple sets (powering two amps).