Signal generators

[DGWVI]

Wondering what you all use when you need to bust out the ol' audio probe. I typically just strum my guitar, but with my smaller workspace, it's a bit cumbersome. So, looking for ideas and suggestions

 

[cwsquared]

I have never used an audio probe, so just brainstorming. I don't have the pedal to do it myself, but I feel like you could use a looper pedal. Or what about your phone or something connected via an adapted 1/8" to 1/4" cable?

 

[DGWVI]

I have never used an audio probe, so just brainstorming. I don't have the pedal to do it myself, but I feel like you could use a looper pedal. Or what about your phone or something connected via an adapted 1/8" to 1/4" cable?

Sadly, no longer have a looper, otherwise that was my first thought.
I have thought about my phone, but I'd need to get a USB C adapter, and it looks like most of them have an issue overheating

 

[temol]

It depends on the task. Sometimes it's a mp3 player/phone. Sometimes signal generator.
I have couple of different wav files for testing - 1kHz tone, 20Hz-20kHz sweep, E chord, some clean riffs, some distorted guitars.
As for the signal generator - you can also use a phone or a laptop/computer. Or build a simple generator.

 

[szukalski]

Looper pedal. Cost me €45 and it makes playing fun. Can find them for cheaper as well.

I find that a guitar signal makes troubleshooting less painful than a tone.

 

[Harry Klippton]

I use an app called Function Generator on my phone

 

[EGRENIER]

Looper for me…

I use an app called Function Generator on my phone

Doesn’t this produce a higher db signal than a pickup or is it made to provide the same output ?

 

[Harry Klippton]

Looper for me…

Doesn’t this produce a higher db signal than a pickup or is it made to provide the same output ?

My phone has a volume control

 

[Deperduci]

that thing^^^^^ thinking of getting 1 for when I stop building other’s boards(or the simpler to setup)and begin doodling on a breadboard. same guys sell a board for just the signal generation IF you don’t need the probe.

 

[DGWVI]

Testing Rig | JMK PCBs

View attachment 31218

Decided to go with this one, after looking into more. I like that it does pretty much everything I need

 

[Harry Klippton]

Decided to go with this one, after looking into more. I like that it does pretty much everything I need

You chose well

 

[DGWVI]

Just had a thought - I could've just used the secret feature on my 1985 build

 

[Big Monk]

Or a black eye without a buffer

 

[Deperduci]

Or a black eye without a buffer

and do we add a couple cheap p-ups with no shielding below a fluorescent light's ballast?

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I built this up a few years ago. My first tester before I knew how to use a probe and long before discovering this place. I was pretty excited when I realized how useful it is on that first successful troubleshoot. I mostly test builds on a pedalpcb auditorium now and only break this one out for troubleshooting and comparing multiple unhoused circuits.

Ultra Tester

...or if you prefer the full name - Ultra Mega Testing Contraption. More often than not, all you'll need is the simple tester. Plug in your nice newly-built circuit, find out it works, off you go. Now and again things go wrong, and its time to start fiddling. That's where this beauty comes into...

shop.pedalparts.co.uk

 

[MichaelW]

I use an app called Function Generator on my phone

I've been using a looper pedal as many folks have mentioned but this app looks killer! Actually there are a couple on the Apple App Store. I like the idea of being able to do it all at my workbench and not need a guitar.

edit: @Harry Klippton did you make a custom cable to get the signal from phone to pedal? Being an apple use I have to deal with the bloody Lightning plug....thinking about what adapter I need to convert to 1/4" phone jack.

second edit: Duhhhh....I have a whole bunch of those Lightning to 1/8" dongles, that's all I need.

 

[szukalski]

iPhone > Telefunken U47 > Neve console > pedal

 

[Harry Klippton]

I've been using a looper pedal as many folks have mentioned but this app looks killer! Actually there are a couple on the Apple App Store. I like the idea of being able to do it all at my workbench and not need a guitar.

edit: @Harry Klippton did you make a custom cable to get the signal from phone to pedal? Being an apple use I have to deal with the bloody Lightning plug....thinking about what adapter I need to convert to 1/4" phone jack.

second edit: Duhhhh....I have a whole bunch of those Lightning to 1/8" dongles, that's all I need.

Nope, I have a cheap bullshit android phone with a headphone jack it's bad at almost everything else but has a headphone jack and micro SD slot

 

[finebyfine]

I bought an AD9833 module after seeing them pop up on AliExpress all the time, and it rules. For about $3 plus an arduino and an op-amp you get sine square and triangle waves from 0.1Hz to 12 mhz. I'm trying to figure out how to box it up in a way that'll be easy to use for debugging. Thinking I could squeeze it into a 1590LB if I port it to an attiny85

 

[JetFixxxer]

I purchased a UNi-T UTG962E for around 100.00 a few years back.