Caline CP-81 (v2.1) 10 Band EQ Pedal Review and Voltage Fix

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In this video, I do a review of the Caline CP-81. It is an upgraded version to their CP-24 Ten band EQ. Both are clones of the MXR M108S 10 Band EQ, a very solid pedal. The solution for the noise happens at 7:14 if you want to skip to that.

I contacted Caline about this issue and they sent me the schematic to the CP-81, and with that discovered the voltage problem and how to fix it. At the time of recording this video Caline told me their engineers were actively addressing this issue. It helps when you send the manufacturer compelling video proof of the problem. :-) They are not endorsing or compensating me for this video. They have provided me great customer service with sending the schematic. Hopefully they will have a more permanent fix in the near future. For now, this video provides a great inexpensive work around.

The highlights:

- Both the MXR and CP-81 have the SAME Quad Op-amp chips running them! The circuit design is similar in both
- The Caline is advertised to run at 9 Volts only. You CAN run it at 18 volts, but there is no benefit.
- ****The Caline has a special "step-up" converter that takes the incoming 9 volts and makes 18 volts internally to run the PCB. There is no need to feed it 18 volts. the MXR pedal does NOT have this
- There is a design flaw with this voltage circuitry in that it causes a very high noise floor despite the similar circuit designs in both pedals. Running ~9.0-9.1VDC the Caline is very noisy. Running it at 18 volts makes it WORSE!

The MXR claims to have noise suppression circuitry, well this Caline pedal does too. It is normally a few capacitors added to the output stage to bleed off the high frequencies so the noise is less. Output stages of both pedals have similar designs.The step up converter is the cause of the noise floor problem.

HOW TO FIX THE NOISE: I have a power supply that outputs 9.1VDC no load. Using a buck converter, I drop the voltage from the PSU down to exactly 8.5VDC. Notice the drastic reduction in the noise floor. Output 1 of the 10 band eq plugged into the input of a Peavey Basic 112. Pre-Gain set to 4, and volume set to 3.

Barrel Tip Adapters:

***I used a buck converter in the video, and mentioned I would use a smaller form factor converter, however that converter required a higher voltage than 9 volts to regulate down to 8.5vdc, unlike the one I had used for testing which could be inputed 9 volts and output 8.5V. The less expensive and simpler way to achieve 9V to 8.5V is to use a variable series load resistor. Others have suggested using a rectifier diode which has about a 0.5V voltage drop, however not every pedal PSU is created equally and the tolerances are too small to use a common diode unfortunately. With the multi turn resistor mentioned above, you can dial in the voltage exactly.

Op-Amp Datasheet:
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Check out the resolution of this project

Bassguitarist
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Thank you for doing the deep dive and the work. Tinkerers of the world united!

enwardblackman
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Excellent video! Have you the bass auto wah pedal from caline? The bass auto wah have very noise...

guimeloy
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8:55 sooo, a resistor in series to decrease power would solve the noise issue for someone who doesn’t have the sag button from voodoo power supply like I have? I’m interested to try this out instead of the mxr.

thesoundpurist
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This video is three years old, do you think Caline has already fixed this noise problem in their new Caline CP-81 equalizers?

perry
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A very informative video, I like the look of the Caline pedal but the only adjustable power adaptors ive been able to find let you set them on either 9 volts, 7.5 volts or lower, would 7.5 volts be to low a voltage to power the Caline pedal without any issues ?

craigpons
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I have the caline and it's great for all the reasons you said but makes alot of noise. I can't believe you figured it out. I was looking into the mxr and they are so similar it's crazy that they are so similar. And honestly I'm so disappointed that after shopping around I have to ditch the caline over somthing so silly and inconvenient. And buck up the cash for another eq that will probably be an mxr wich is practically the same thing. Oh well at least when my roommate sees my new and exact same yet more expensive pedal I can explain the importance of the voltage circuitry. So I'll be watching ur mxr dimming vid.

benjaminkretchman
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Very technical, I love it, thank you

DrunkDuckXD
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thnx for the upload ❤
ill use voltage sag on mine

jonniefast
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I was wondering how the Caline works with just 9 volts, and if the difference in voltage would result in different noise floors. I guess I don’t need to get the MXR, besides I need to break out the soldering iron again.

TealScarab
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Just add a rectifier diode in series with the 9v adapter, (you can add it inside the Caline). The forward voltage drop of a rectifier is about 0.5V and the Caline will then see 8.5V from a 9v adapter.

pensive_
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Great video man, did you ever get an update on weather or not Caline addressed the issue.

jasonisoldi
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Good video. Voltage difference cause any issues? The MXR is 18v I think?

ScottStieg
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Hi, sorry for resurrecting a 2 year old post. I appreciate you have spoken about voltage fixes, but have you measured the actual current draw (mA) of the CP-81? The website says 300mA.
This seems real high. I know the MXR M-108S is 18 volt, but that is rated at 48mA.
The CP-81, 300mA at 9v seems really high, it's up there with some really current hungry digital FX.
Could you help on this one?

cherrybomb
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Please correct me if I’m wrong! Besides circuit, building, less noisy... I do believe the frequencies accuracy is the best on MXR 10 Bands ?

CyberTechOfficial-hn
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I have a voodoo lab pedal power plus 2 power supply. It has 2 Outputs with a SAG feature that lets you adjust from 9V, down to 4V to emulate a dying battery. I think I could use one of those outputs and just dial it down a little bit. Does anyone know if this would work? I have never used that before.

thejackalope
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I got a v.3 with very noticeable hiss... do you have any ideas? Might have to check the voltage..

purimuadmuang
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*What do you think about the Demonfx 10-band EQ pedal, have you tried them?*

perry
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sonic fields offers to convert 18v to 9v on older MXR and some new pedals., its common that they used 18v in Japan due to the supplies at the time.

gabrielraphaelofficial
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Hi, I noticed Caline also has CP-24, another EQ but with one output. Did it also had a problem and was it fixed? Or just this model

michanowak
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