Another Voltage Question... 9V / 18V

[spacecommandant]

I'm just wondering about people's experiences with 9V pedals and unwanted clipping.
I've made a voltage-doubled clean boost with an op amp buffer at the beginning of the signal.... sounds really nice.
I'm thinking of removing the doubler and keeping it at 9V but I've yet to try a variety of guitars through it at 9V.
Has anyone experienced unintended (harsh) clipping from particularly hot pickups in 9V pedals (clean boosts) that don't use voltage doubling, and do you think it's a good idea to stick with 18V or do you think 9V is good enough in the majority of scenarios?

Thanks....

[GibsonGM]

Hi Space - 9v is the 'industry standard', and has always been fine for most players.    I think the actual thing you're looking for is "Gain Staging".  If a device works well at 9V, and has the headroom you want, then there is No benefit to running it at higher voltage. 

If some device clips early on 9V, then perhaps we'd want to look at a higher voltage to prevent that...IF other methods of attenuation didn't work, or would cause difficulties such as trimming off treble or something.  Many times, it's US feeding a way too high voltage to something, and then thinking we need to 'juice up' the offending device, lol.

Yeah, 9v is pretty much good enough for most scenarios    Higher voltages mean more clean signal, literally. MORE signal...way more signal....hitting your amp....think about that for a few.  Or you could just use a pot and turn it down - introducing noise...so the reason you went to 18V becomes null, lol....perhaps.

[FiveseveN]

Yes, gain staging is exactly what you need to consider. Unless it's driving a speaker directly, the thing after your clean boost has a finite headroom as well and I'll bet you anything it's nowhere close to 18V or even 9V p-p.

[merlinb]

I'm thinking of removing the doubler and keeping it at 9V but I've yet to try a variety of guitars through it at 9V.

Why do you want to reduce it to 9V if you're already happy with it?