FAQ

Can you answer my questions about shipping?

Absolutely! See our shipping page which hopefully will answer all of your questions.

Which forms of payment do you accept?

Our new webstore accepts payment from a wide range of sources: most credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Amazon Pay.

I plugged my power supply into the DC-5 daisy chain cable and my Volcas won't turn on. The power supply works when plugged directly into one of my Volcas. What's wrong?

This is almost certainly due to an undersized plug on your aftermarket power supply. Volcas power connectors are per the EIAJ-03 standard, which is 4.75 mm x 1.7 mm. This is the plug size on the expensive Korg KA-350 power supply. Many aftermarket vendors take a cheap shortcut and use smaller 4.0 x 1.7 barrel plug on their power adapters. They're able to get away with a slightly incorrect plug size because each Volca has a small spring in the power inlet jack that can make contact with an undersized plug.

It's not possible for us to fit a spring within the inlet of the DC-5 cable. Therefore, the DC-5 will only function with a power adapter that has the correct 4.75 x 1.7 plug size. Power adapters known to have the correct size plug are: KVgear PA2pro, Korg KA-350, Korg 9V600MACPP.

Will your daisy chain cable cause noise?

A daisy chain cable does NOT generate noise. But it can provide a pathway for ground loop hum to become audible. Understanding this phenomena and learning how to correct it will allow you to use a daisy chain cable in peace and quiet.

In Volcas, ground loop hum can sound like a faint train horn, a buzz, or slowly alternating random tones. Ground loop hum is a persistent noise caused by a difference in the ground (or neutral) voltage of devices connected to each other by electrically conductive cables. ALL electrically conductive cables have the potential for contributing to ground loop hum. This includes power, audio, MIDI, sync and USB cables. USB cables tend to be the worst offenders.

With Volcas, the simplest solution is to plug a ground loop noise isolator cable into the audio output of whichever Volcas are making noise. The PAC SNI-1/3.5 works great and is usually reasonably priced. There are many others on the market at a similar price.

In tests with 8 devices connected to a single daisy chain system, we've found that anywhere from 0 to 3 Volcas will be noisy. Surprisingly, different copies of the same model of Volca will have different noise tendencies. We have a total of 11 Volcas, including two Bass units. One of the Volca Bass units often experiences ground loop noise and the other doesn't.

For additional information about Volcas, power, and cables, see The Volca Guide that we created.

Can I use a 1-Spot power supply with the KVgear DC-5 daisy chain cable?

Sorry, but the 1-Spot isn't compatible because its barrel plug diameter is different from the standard required by the Volcas.

I already own a power supply that I've been using with my Volca. Will it work with the DC-5 daisy chain cable?

We recommend that you use either the KVgear PA2pro or the Korg KA-350 power supply with the DC-5. This is because some aftermarket power supplies use barrel plugs that don't exactly match the Korg specification. Although the Volca inlet jack is flexible enough to accommodate a slightly incorrect power supply, the DC-5 will only work with an exact match. The Hosa universal power supply is one example of an incompatible product because its "1.7mm" plug adapter isn't actually 1.7mm.

Can I connect two DC-5 daisy chain cables together to power a total of 9 devices from a single power adapter?

We strongly recommend against doing this. While it is physically possible to connect two DC-5 daisy chain cables this way, there is a chance that the current draw from 9 devices might exceed the capacity of the power supply.

I have synths, drum machines and effects boxes that need stands, but I can't figure out which KVgear stands to use. Can you help me?

You betcha! Take a look at our Stand Selector page for lots of helpful information. If you're not able to figure things out after consulting the documents, then contact us.

Can the K-25m keyboard be used in conjunction with any of the KVgear Boo stands?

YES! The Boo-2 and Boo-3 stands allow a K-25m with docked Boutique to connect loosely to the stand. The K-25m/Boutique will cover most of the region of the first tier on the Boo-2 and Boo-3. There will be a gap between the docked Boutique and the Boutique on the next highest tier on the Boo stand. It's not a seamless arrangement, but it's not bad. On a related note, the Boo-1 is designed to allow a controller keyboard to sit flat on the table in front of the stand. The Utility M1 stand is a great way of holding a single Boutique that's mounted in a K-25m.

Do your stands fold flat or collapse for travel?

All of our stands can be disassembled in less than a minute and will pack completely flat. The stands consist of two rigid plastic side panels, telescoping metal connector tubes, and two knobs per tube. The knobs can be threaded into the ends of the tubes for easy organization during travel. You'll need to take a bit of care when packing the side panels in your backpack to prevent them from being damaged. There are small rubber-coated tabs on each panel that hold the gear in place. They are especially fragile, but they also aren't bomb proof.

How are cables managed at the back of your stands?

All of our stands consist of side panels connected by metal support tubes. There is plenty of room for audio/MIDI/power/sync cables to slip between adjacent pieces of gear and out the back of the stand. You can attach cables to the tubes using velcro straps or cable ties.

What should I do if one corner of my assembled stand doesn't contact the table?

If any KVgear stand does not sit flat on the table after assembly, the stand can be adjusted by the following steps.

Examine the underside of each side panel to ensure that a rubber foot is in place at the front and rear corners. Remove any debris that might be embedded in the rubber feet.
Set the stand upright on the table and loosen each knob so the stand become slightly wobbly and unstable.
Press each side panel downward so the front and back corners contact the table.
Use one hand to press down on the middle of a metal tube. While continuing to hold down the tube, use your other hand to tighten each of the two knobs.
Repeat the knob tightening for each tube in the stand.