Name: HardWire V-10 Power Block
Brand: Hardwire

MusicRadar Verdict

If you're serious about your 'board (and if you're using all 10 outputs, you probably are), the V-10 is a good contender for your power needs.

Pros

+
Good quality build. Switchable sections. Quiet.

Cons

-
You're spending £179 on a glorified extension lead, albeit a very clever, well-built one.

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HardWire's V-10 Power Block is designed for players tired of the noise and hum of cheap PSUs, offering a quality unit that covers the spectrum of common pedal power needs.

You get 10 fully isolated outputs, with 1600mA total output. There are four 150mA nine-volts; two switchable nine-/12-volts at 200mA; two switchable nine-/12-volts at 150mA; and two more 150mA nine-volts, which can starve voltage down to five volts.

"The V-10's secret weapon lies in its switchable sections"

The V-10's secret weapon lies in its switchable sections, though - they can each be merged to form 400mA or 300mA outputs for hungry units.

17 right-angled power cables are included with the V-10, including centre-positive and 3.5mm mini-plug cables, plus nine-volt battery clips. The unit itself is larger than the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus, but its aluminium enclosure means it's lighter, and will mount conveniently underneath most Pedaltrain pedalboards.

In Use

We ran the V-10 to full capacity, utilising all 10 outputs (with a handful of analogue pedals daisy-chained from one output), and merged outputs for high-current pedals such as the DigiTech Whammy and various digital delays and reverbs. This induced no noise or adverse tonal effects whatsoever - just pure, quiet power.

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

Matteo Mancuso wears a white T-shirt and plays his Yamaha Revstar in Tobacco Burst live onstage during a soundcheck before his festival appearance at at Casa del Jazz, Rome.

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