Boss PSM-5 Power Supply and Master Switch Pedal Demo

This is a demo of the old Boss PSM-5 Power Supply & Master Switch guitar pedal, which is the precursor to the LS-2 Lineselector, and just a very early 'loop' or AB pedal.
Very simple pedal, and this is more for guitar pedal & Boss history, than a useful demo! :)
www.boss.info/uk/
About me:
My name is Lizod, among other things...
I am the guitarist of the progressive metal band Isurus, and am a guitar, fx, and audio gear junkie.
Isurus are a progressive metal band based in London, UK.
LINKS: linktr.ee/isurus
FREE ISURUS THREE TRACK MP3 DOWNLOAD:
www.isurusband...
Visit our website:
www.isurusband...
Isurus Shops:
Music - isurus.gumroad...
Merch - www.shop.sprea...
Follow us on Instagram:
/ lizod_isurus
Like us on Facebook:
/ 50151860525
Follow us on Twitter:
/ isurusband
And visit the Isurus forum for gear, studio, and all things Isurus, and to ask us anything!
www.tapatalk.c...
You can also contact Isurus here:
[e-mail]
I bought this with my own money because I wanted it! I am not affiliated with the company at all, and these are my unbiased opinions!
You can contact me here:
[e-mail]

[@andybungert]

Finally opted to look up what this thing does thank you for the brief and worthwhile explanation

[@Isurusofficial]

Thankyou! Good to know you enjoyed it!

[@southernpride2003]

​@@Isurusofficial Honestly I have this pedal cause of Randy Rhoads

[@lastrolo1517]

Still have mine from mid 80s and yep it came with a daisy chain. 😊

[@Isurusofficial]

Cheers for the confirmation! I was pretty sure it did.

[@TroyNaumu808]

This is a useful pedal. Prince used one during the Purple Rain era of his career.

[@kameel68]

Did Prince daisy chain his pedals?

[@DarthKofi391deathASSASSIN]

He started using the pedal before purple rain like the 1999 tour but he stop using the pedal after the Emancipation Tour in 98 and was only use for live show was never used on Albums

[@Earthwormjimm]

“He has the box” jingle

[@Eged282]

I have had couple of these. Yes they are probably an obsolete now thanks to the LS 2. I still like the PSM-5 for the fact that you can connect the cables from the guitar and to the amp(as well as DC in) from the top plate. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think the reason Boss say you can connect only 6 pedals to the loop is because it comes with PSA-120 ac/dc which has only 200mA draw I bet a OneSpot could push even more pedals if it’s used instead with the PSM-5.. Thanks for the posting!

[@MiNdLeSs1234567890]

This pedal is usefull when having a vintage non bypass pedal who sucks much tone, you just connect it to the pedal loop to to mantain it out of the signal chain.

[@Isurusofficial]

Exactly! A wah wah is what I have used it to bypass a lot.

[@MrScary-dp6oe]

I've been using this pedal for 32 years. Just a heads up, you're only using the pedal as a Master Switch, not as a power supply... The original daisy chain came with eight adapters in the chain .. I also have a three adapter daisy chain extension connected to the original daisy chain. All of the pedals rated for 9V I have connected this pedal.. From Boss, Arion, DOD, etc.. I have 10 pedals and a TU-12 tuner connected. I've been using it this way for at least 20 years now. NO ISSUES>>>>>> BEST POWER SUPPLY ON THE MARKET

[@Isurusofficial]

I always avoid daisy chaining power to be honest, you can end up with all sorts of hum problems and DC voltage pops, sounds like you have been lucky, it does depend on what pedals are hooked up, some are more prone to problems than others. Cheers for the comments!

[@MrScary-dp6oe]

@@Isurusofficial "hum problems and DC voltage pops"?? The best way I found to avoid any of these type issues is to plug everything into "ONE" AC outlet even if you have to daisy chain power strips. Using multiple AC outlets invites unwanted noise.

[@Isurusofficial]

You are right, but that is not the whole story. What you are talking about is solving ground loops, DC voltage issues are different and can occur when everything is on one plug. If the pedals are not on an isolated splitter supply they all share the same ground and DC voltage can build up in the audio path with some pedals. I wouldn't use a daisy chain for powering pedals.

[@MrScary-dp6oe]

@@Isurusofficial, thanks for the info bud.. If I do run into these issues, I'll definitely keep this in mind.. I can honestly say that I've never had these dc issues using the Boss PSM-5 daisy chain since 1988'.

[@DarthKofi391deathASSASSIN]

Prince was a big user of this pedal from 1982 to 1998. He would use it with the guitar and amps for the pedals and send and return for the Guitar and Amp, but from 1992 til 1998 Prince would use it with a metal zone on live

[@RootsBassCanada]

Thanks for the review. Hopefully I can get one of these. Just bought an LS-2. I'm becoming a Boss collector. 😎

[@Isurusofficial]

Ha ha! Pedals can quickly mount up!

[@RootsBassCanada]

@@Isurusofficial Yup, Ive had lots of pedals for the past ten years. I've kept only a few and sold some. There are ones I regret selling and I want them back. I'm more serious now in keeping my pedals .

[@jakemixd]

Not to mention it also had a built in op-amp buffer

[@noternunstoned]

I have one I never use but the odd little thing is that it has the battery compartment and of course if you open it up, surprise! no battery cable. Well obviously a 9V battery would do nothing to power extra pedals but would still function as a loop select. Boss had an R&R session with their engineers, and after a couple of minutes decided to retire to the local pub for some Sapporos

[@psychotogether5114]

It’s for drugs.

[@Isurusofficial]

They just use the same basic chassis for all pedals this size, so that's why it's there.

[@Bliggick]

So if you had the older pedals that ran off of the ACA-120 power supply (12 volts stepped down to 9 volts in the pedal) it wouldn't power them adequately.

[@GeneralShermanMake]

It's a buffer pedal

[@Isurusofficial]

Yes, almost all Boss pedals are, conveniently or inconveniently depending on your other pedals.. ;)

[@curtisallison3720]

Could you theoretically use this to place a Germanium based drive later in the signal chain? Post tubescreamer/buffer/etc?

[@Isurusofficial]

No, it wouldn't change the fact that the impedance would be wrong for the germanium circuit. It would still be buffered.

[@spectra9352]

so it bassically just switches channels?

[@Isurusofficial]

No, not channels like in an amp if that's what you mean.. It switches a loop of pedal(s) in and out of circuit. Think of it more like an fx loop that goes infront of the amp.

[@waynelewis4466]

Is this a amp or do you need a amp to power it I'm not sure.?

[@Isurusofficial]

It's not an amp. It is for setting up an fx loop in your signal chain before the amp.

[@tannerjamesmusic3945]

You'll need an amp

[@nonikvidyahastuti3667]

Power saply spsm

[@day1.1]

Can you use this pedal thru fx loop with micro amp, delay and reverb pedal?

[@Isurusofficial]

Yeah, you can certainly use it in an fx loop to have more control of which pedals are in the loop, you could for example have the fx loop with a reverb when you switch the loop in, and use this to choose whether a delay is in the loop also. There are countless ways you could set things up! :)

[@day1.1]

@@Isurusofficial Alright thanks. I just need the boss psm-5 to activate these 3 pedals at the same time during solos

[@Isurusofficial]

Yes, that is exactly what it's for, you would lose reverb/delay tails instantly on turning it off though, but that isn't necessarily a problem just something to bear in mind.