Power Your Band From Your Mobile Phone
Irish Company MyVolts Launch ‘Ripcord’ on Kickstarter
The world's first 'play anywhere' USB power cable
Irish company MyVolts, which provides modern and innovative power solutions for musicians and DJs is launching a Kickstarter campaign for ‘Ripcord’, the world’s first ‘play anywhere USB power cable. The Kickstarter campaign, which hopes to raise €25,000 in funding, launches on Friday, 6 May at 1pm, but a preview is available now at:bit.ly/ripcordnow
Ripcord is a novel cable that lets musicians and DJs power their gear from any USB port, or anywhere you can charge your phone - you can use a USB port in the side of a laptop, a desktop, any USB hub, iPhone charger, a port on a media streamer, any USB power bank, even the back of any LCD TV.
Ripcord is a convenient alternative to DC wall or battery power and can provide access to a power supply when you’re at an outdoor event or just busking, when there’s no wall socket nearby or when you're travelling or you don’t have the correct power supply adaptor for the region.
Ripcord is a welcome innovation for the music industry as it takes the 5V from any USB port and turns it into the 9V that most pieces of music equipment need. You can also connect Ripcord to an Android or Windows phone, use the phone's own battery as a power source, and power gear with your phone!
Ripcord will work with most guitar pedals, tuners, mini amps, small synths, etc. The maximum output current is 1000mA or 1A. The average guitar pedal uses 80mA, and the Korg Volca synths use about 100mA.
Luke Brennan, founder of myVolts said: “At myVolts, we believe the power capacity increase of USB offers a huge opportunity to change not just how we power devices, but the world. And we’re starting this revolution on Kickstarter this week. When I look back at the wall power adaptors I’ve sold over the last decade, 80% of these could have been served by a USB alternative. With the introduction of new, more powerful USB power standards, that will rise to 95% in 3 years' time.”
Luke continued “If half of the 5 billion devices, manufactured in the world each year, were powered by a modular USB cable solution rather than a fixed wall power adaptor it'd reduce the volume of these needed by 40%. MyVolts has spent 5 years developing and refining the USB solution that can do just this.”
Danny Davies, engineering, pre-production on New Order's "Music Complete LP" said: “I used the USB converter with my MacBook Pro; tried it with Boss MZ-2, Boss TU-3, MXR Badass ’78 Distortion effects pedals. All worked flawlessly with the Mac's PSU in or out, out - there didn’t seem to be any significant battery drain.”
Ripcord is environmentally friendly as it eliminates the need for expensive batteries which can run out without warning. Up until now, little thought has been put into powering small devices - just look at the drawer full of old plugs and wall chargers everyone has in their home. 5 billion of these are made every year - that's 9 Empire State Buildings fullof wall power adaptors.
A number of Ripcord Rewards are available on Kickstarter
Ripcord Play Anywhere USB Cable €14
1 x Ripcord Cable
Ripcord Everywhere €39
1 x Ripcord Cable
1 x Mobile Battery
Ripcord Mobile €49
1 x Ripcord Cable
1 x Mobile Battery
1 x Phone Adapter (Works with Android or Windows phone)