Visual Sound 1 Spot Adaptor
LOVE OR LOATHE THE
somewhat crunchy nature of mp3 when
compared to CD audio, the portability
of even the biggest iPod makes them
must-have items. Of course, a whole
industry has sprung up around the unit,
allowing you to play one in your car or
amplify it to huge volumes, and when a
name like Bose steps into the fray, you
know that the SoundDock is going to be
a serious piece of kit.
Thanks to the clever system of
adaptors that come with the unit, this
digital music system is compatible with
Bose SoundDock £249
KEY INFO ❘ BOSE SOUNDDOCK ❘ PRICE: £249 ❘ TYPE: DIGITAL IPOD AMP ❘ TEL: BOSE UK 0 870 741 450 0
MISCELLANEOUS GUITARIST INTERACTIVE
KEY INFO ❘ VISUAL SOUND 1 SPOT ❘ PRICE: £24.95 ❘ TYPE: 9V POWER SUPPLY ❘ WEB: WWW.GUITAREXPERIENCE.CO.UK
RATING
CREATING YOUR OWN
pedalboard is never as easy as it should
be. There never seems to be enough
room, and fi nding the right power
supply can be frustrating and
sometimes expensive. Visual Sound’s
1 Spot can power around 20 pedals
(1700mA max), and with the various
conversion leads that are available (at
an additional cost), it’s compatible “with
over 90 per cent of current stompboxes
that require a 9V supply,” reckons
Visual Sound. Cleverly, the 1 Spot will
convert international voltage (100V-
240V) automatically, and it comes with
a three-metre cable, which is almost
twice as long as other adaptor cables.
IN USE: For maximum freedom from
noise and hum, many pro techs would
suggest using a pedal power supply that
has isolated DC outputs. However,
these can be expensive, and hooking up
the 1 Spot to power various stompboxes
seemed to work, without inducing
additional noise. We bought another
Multi-Plug 5 Cable (£7.95) so we
could power our board, and had
everything neat and tidy in minutes.
Verdict
A 9V supply that really seems to work.
Like Visual Sound’s pedals, it’s a
carefully thought-out product, and it’s
supported by various convertor plugs
(from £2.95) to power negative or
positive tip pedals, pedals without
adaptor inputs, Line 6 modelling pedals
and a fi ve-pedal daisy-chain lead. If
stompboxes are your thing, you’ll need
power, and this little product will
provide just that – and plenty of it.
Turn your iPod
up to 11 with the
SoundDock
Need to power your pedalboard but short of space and cash? Here’s the answer… by Dave Burrluck
Visual Sound 1 Spot Adaptor £24.95
Plug In Baby: the 1
Spot will meet your
pedal power needs
better than this one, and we reckon the
price of £249 is perfectly acceptable.
So is it fi nally time to throw out the old
ghettoblaster and invest in something
more current? ’Fraid so…
1 SPOT ADAPTOR TEST RESULTS
Build quality
In use
Value for money
■ WE LIKED Does what it says on the tin ;
good range of convertor cables
■ WE DISLIKED Shame the fi ve-pedal
daisy-chain lead isn’t included in the price
BOSE SOUNDDOCK TEST RESULTS
Build quality
Features
In use
Value for money
■ WE LIKED The design and quality of
sound available
■ WE DISLIKED No remote album-
switching facility
SUMMER 2006 141
all iPods, from the Nano and Shuffl e to
the good ol’ 30Gb option. Simply insert
your iPod into the port – or dock – that
nestles within a small indentation at the
front of the unit and you’re away. You
can change between tracks (although
not specifi c albums, sadly) via the
included infra red remote control.
IN USE: The sound quality is crystal
clear, just as we’d hoped and expected,
and size isn’t a problem, with the bass
response likely to satisfy the most
discerning of ears. Perfect for outdoor
parties or rocking out in the kitchen,
the SoundDock is yet another must-
have add-on for your iPod. It even
charges your iPod while it’s plugged in
and is available in sleek black or classic
white colours to match your player.
Verdict
There are cheaper iPod amps on the
market, but certainly not many that are
RATING
Another nail in the coffi n of your tired CD player? by Simon Bradley
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