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The Hologram Microcosm effects pedal is celebrated for its ability to produce rich, dynamic soundscapes, but powering it on the go can be a challenge. With a USB PD power bank and a Birdcord PD→9V USB power cable, you can create a reliable and portable power setup that frees you from traditional outlets.

This guide will walk you through setting up a portable power solution for your Microcosm pedal.

What You’ll Need

1. USB PD Power Bank
   Choose a USB power bank with Power Delivery (PD) functionality. Popular brands include INIU and Baseus.
2. Birdcord PD→9V (USB PD Voltage Converter)
   This specialized cable converts the USB PD output from your power bank into a stable 9V DC signal, compatible with effects pedals like the Microcosm.
3. USB-C cable
   For connecting the Birdcord with the power bank. It’s usually included with the power bank.
4. Hologram Microcosm Pedal
   Of course.

Step-by-Step Guide to Powering the Microcosm on the Go

1. Connect Everything
   Connect the female USB-C end of the Birdcord with your power bank using a USB-C cable. Then connect the barrel plug end of the Birdcord with the Microcosm – Easy!
2. Power On
   If it doesn’t turn on automatically, press the button on the power bank to switch it on.
3. Play Your Music
   Now you can play your music for many hours.
4. Power Off
   To power off, simply disconnect the Birdcord from the USB-C cable.

Why This Setup Is Perfect for the Hologram Microcosm

• Portability: A USB PD battery allows you to use the Microcosm anywhere—on stage, in the studio, or outdoors.
• Compatibility: The Birdcord PD→9V cable is designed specifically to power effects pedals, ensuring stable and reliable operation.
• Versatility: This setup powers not only the Microcosm but also other pedals with similar 9V DC requirements.

FAQs About Powering the Microcosm on the Go

1. Can I use any USB power bank?
   No, the power bank must support USB PD.
2. Is the Birdcord cable reliable?
   Yes, the Birdcord PD→9V cable is specifically designed for effects pedals and delivers consistent, noise-free power.
3. Does this setup work with other pedals?
   Yes, it’s compatible with most 9V DC pedals that use a center-negative configuration.
4. How long will the battery last?
   A 10.000mAh USB PD power bank typically provides around 9 hours of portable power.

Conclusion

Powering your Hologram Microcosm on the go is easy and reliable with a USB PD power bank and a Birdcord PD→9V cable. This setup provides a practical solution for musicians who want the flexibility of using a portable battery instead of being tied to traditional power outlets.

With this portable power option, you can focus on crafting the stunning soundscapes the Microcosm is known for—wherever inspiration strikes.

Playing music on the go is great, regardless of whether it’s in the park, on the train, or at the beach. You never know when creativity will strike. Unfortunately, your favorite MIDI sequencer is very power-hungry so is it even possible to portably power it without carrying a huge battery around?

The short answer is yes, you can portably power your Akai MPC One. The most practical and affordable way is to use portable PD chargers (also called USB-C PD power banks or USB-C PD portable batteries). PD stands for “Power Delivery” which is a new fast-charging standard for smartphones and laptops. But how can you utilize these powerful batteries to power your MPC One?

How to power the MPC One from portable USB-C PD power banks?

This is where our new product comes into play: The Birdcord PD 20V power cable allows you to connect a USB-C PD power bank to your MPC One and it also tells the power bank to switch to 20V. This method gives you 65 Watts of power (3.25A@20V) so you can easily power your MPC One.

What do you need to make it work?

• a Birdcord PD 20V
• a USB-C PD power bank that is rated 65W or higher. Best choice: Baseus 65W 20000mAh PD
• a USB-C cable to connect the power bank to the Birdcord (usually included with the power bank)
• your Akai MPC One (of course)

How long does the battery last?

From experience, the recommended Baseus 65W 20000mAh PD battery will last more than 5 hours powering the MPC One.

Important additional info:

If you want to power the MPC One+ (MPC One Plus) you need a different Birdcord, the Birdcord PD 12V. Other than that it’s just as simple as described above.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch via email (dieter@songbirdfx.com) or Instagram.

We just released the long-awaited new series of Birdcord voltage converter cables. It’s now possible to power your 6V, 9V, 12V and 18V devices from any USB port! Best use them in combination with ordinary USB power banks to get many hours of grid-independent and noise-free power! No more one-way batteries! No more hum, buzz and hiss!

Here’s a little demo video we made:

Details on the different voltage versions:

Birdcord USB→6V Converter Cable

• Converts USB 5V DC (USB Voltage) to 6V DC
  Plug it into any USB port (wall chargers, computers, USB portable chargers,…) to power your 6-volt devices, more specifically devices in the range of 5.7V to 6.5V!
• Compatible with Roland PSD devices
  Perfect choice for powering devices that would usually need the 5.7V PSD power supply from Roland. This includes many keyboards, amplifiers, and synthesizers like the Micro Cube GX, the Go Keys, the Cube 10GX, the JD-Xi Synthesizer and many more.
• Technical Specifications
  Output voltage: 6V DC, peak output current: 1500mA, polarity: center negative, cable length: 55 cm (21″), output plug dimensions: DC 5.5 x 2.1 mm
• More Infos

Birdcord USB→9V Converter Cable

• Converts 5V DC (USB Voltage) to 9V DC
  Plug it into any USB port (wall chargers, computers, USB portable chargers,…) to power your 9-volt devices!
• Compatible with Guitar Pedals, Mini Amps and more!
  The 2.1mm DC plug and the center negative polarity make the Birdcord compatible with the vast majority of guitar pedals out there. In addition, it can also be used for powering some mini amplifiers, keyboards, synthesizers, samplers, and more, including the Marshall MS-2, the Boss Katana Mini, the Roland SP404 Sampler, Cube Street, and Mobile Cube, and many more. With our optional Korg/Casio Adapter it can even power devices like the Korg Minilogue or the Casio CTK-1500.
• Technical Specifications
  Output voltage: 9V DC, peak output current: 1000mA, polarity: center negative (Boss style polarity), cable length: 55 cm (21″), output plug dimensions: DC 5.5 x 2.1 mm
• More Infos

Birdcord USB→12V Converter Cable

• Converts 5V DC (USB Voltage) to 12V DC
  Plug it into any USB port (wall chargers, computers, USB portable chargers,…) to power your 12-volt devices!
• Compatible with many different Portable Amps, Keyboards, and more!
  Perfect choice for powering all kinds of 12V devices, including devices that would usually need the power supplies Yamaha PA-130, and Yamaha PA-150, but also lots of devices from other manufacturers like Vox, Roland, Startone and more.
• Technical Specifications
  Output voltage: 12V DC, peak output current: 750mA, polarity: center positive, cable length: 55 cm (21″), output plug dimensions: DC 5.5 x 2.1 mm
• More Infos

Birdcord USB→18V Converter Cable

• Converts 5V DC (USB Voltage) to 18V DC
  Plug it into any USB port (wall chargers, computers, USB portable chargers,…) to power your 18-volt devices!
• Compatible with many Guitar Pedals and other Devices!
  Perfect choice for powering 18V audio devices. Especially overdrive and preamp circuits can often be powered with 18V which gives them more headroom than a common 9V power supply.  Some examples are the Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone, the Fulltone OCD, the Headway EDM-1 and EDB-2 preamps and many more.
• Technical Specifications
  Output voltage: 18V DC, peak output current: 500mA, polarity: center negative, cable length: 55 cm (21″), output plug dimensions: DC 5.5 x 2.1 mm
• More Infos

Make sure to get your Birdcord now, here in the webshop. We provide fast and inexpensive worldwide priority shipping and although the pricing is in Euro, you can pay in any currency using your credit card or Paypal account.

Almost one year ago the Birdcord USB→9V Converter Cable has been released and as you can imagine I learned a lot of things and got a lot of feedback from you since then. I now integrated these lessons into the Birdcord to offer you an even better product.

New Packaging: It turned out that the acryl box is very unpracticable because it’s hard to put the cable back in (too small). I now replaced it with a beautiful drawstring pouch with the Birdcord logo on it.

Cable Length: Due to popular demand I changed the cable length from 50cm (19.7″) to 55cm (21.7″).

Soft Start: Powering bigger devices like the Boss RC505 or RC300 Loopstations or the Digitech Trio+ from USB power banks has been a problem before because these devices need a very high initial current/startup current. Even though the Birdcord could handle this current the power banks would shut down. Not anymore! I now integrated a soft start circuit into the Birdcord that allows starting up these devices without overloading the power bank. It works with any USB power bank with an output current of 2A or higher (small devices still work from any USB port of course).

More Output Current: The new revision of the Birdcord is capable of a maximum output current of 1000mA@9V. Having said that I still recommend not drawing more than 700mA for permanent use to have some margin left for short current peaks and to ensure a long life of the Birdcord and your USB power bank.

Thank you all for your support 🙂
Dieter

P.S. I didn’t update the product pictures in the webshop yet because I’m going to release new voltage versions of the Birdcord very soon and will combine the photoshoot for all the different versions.

It has been about 7 months now since the release of the Birdcord USB to 9V Converter Cable and many musicians around the world already got one. Most use it to power their pedalboard, but there are also some who use it for powering synthesizers, drum machines, portable amplifiers and more. The feedback that I get is extremely positive. More than half of the sales come from recommendations. Thanks to everybody who bought a Birdcord, to everybody who provides me with feedback and product wishes and of course thanks to everybody who spreads the word online and offline, you are amazing!

Here’s an extract of the online reception of the Birdcord:

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an

Tired of charging batteries for your SP404? The ‘Birdcord’ is the solution. Use any regular power bank to power your 404. It’s a center negative converter cable (mainly used for fx pedals, and also works just fine with the 404 👌🏻). Order yours at www.songbirdfx.com Thanks for the good service, Dieter! 😊 #songbirdfx #birdcord #convertercable #sp404sx #makemusic #byebyebatteries #solution

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Emile (@ebraltazar) am Jun 12, 2018 um 2:18 PDT

Which means you can use your iPhone charger or power bank to supply juice to your pedals. https://t.co/Ph9uKG4LZV

— Guitar.com (@guitar) 15. März 2018

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