Kaossilator/Mini-KP Power Supply

[DannyOcean]

I have searched for this on the forum, been through the stickies and looked at both manuals, but no joy.

Soooo....what is the correct UK power supply unit for the original Kaossilator (KO-1) and the original Mini-KP?

The manual states 4.5V centre-positive for both, but nothing about mA.

Google search suggests the KA-196 is the correct Korg-branded adaptor, which I think is 600mA, but I haven't been able to find anything from Korg itself whether this is correct, the manual only says 'use only specified AC adaptor' without doing any actual specifying.

Various net sources claim 300mA/600mA and 700mA.

So which is it? Anyone know for sure?

[xmlguy]

The proper adapter is the KA193, which is 500ma.

[DannyOcean]

Thanks, xmlguy. Prompt and knowledgable as always.

Am I right in thinking that your adapter needs to supply more milliamps than the device needs, and when it supplies less (such as a 300 mA supply for a 500 mA rated device), it could overheat?

Does this mean the KO-1 and mini-KP are therefore rated lower than 500 mA?

And - ahem - why doesn't Korg supply us with all this usefull information...?

[sohatyi]

Am I right in thinking that your adapter needs to supply more milliamps than the device needs, and when it supplies less (such as a 300 mA supply for a 500 mA rated device), it could overheat?

I run several 9V devices off a 9V pedal supply that supplies way more mA than each device requires. If it is too low, the unit may just brown out or refuse to start as it's drawing more power than is being supplied.

And - ahem - why doesn't Korg supply us with all this usefull information...?

Because you'd then go and buy an unofficial power supply!

[xmlguy]

The adapter must have the exact voltage and polarity, but the current can be anything above what the device needs. The device will not pull any more current than it needs. I think the Kaossilator and MiniKP each use well under 500ma, based on their battery life. They probably draw about 250ma or less, since the specs say that they run for about 4 hours on batteries, and AA cells are about 1000mAh. My experience is that they last a long time on good NiMh batteries, more than 4 hours as I recall. Once you get an adapter, you could measure the actual current that they draw by using a clamp-on DC ammeter around one of the power conductors in the wire, if the wire is easily splitable with two conductors side by side that you could separate with a blade without cutting the conducter wires. I just use good Sanyo Eneloop NiMh cells with a BC-700 charger that lets me accurately monitor the charging process, so I never bought the adapter. A carry 4 spare charged batteries, and I've never had to use them because the Kaossilator lasts so long on the first set of batteries that I run out of charge before they do.

The power supply must be regulated well enough to give clean DC power. Some adapters don't do that and they may cause hum or noise in the audio. You can't tell how well the power is regulated very easily without looking at the signal trace on an oscilloscope.

[DannyOcean]

Thanks chaps, extremely informative. My question is answered!