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  1. M

    Measuring pF caps with a multimeter

    I had the same problem with pf caps for a long time when using my multimeter, below 1nf I just hoped they were right. I got one of the mega328 kit testers off eBay really cheap, works very well for pf caps, larger caps (also shows vloss and esr), transistors, diodes, etc. The tc1 tester...
  2. M

    Reducing gain on fixed gain op amp (Integral Preamp / TC Integrated Pre)

    potentially not a problem at all... I have been using this pedal (or the original) for years, but it was more about whether the sound could be improved by reducing clipping. I will try fiddling with R6 tomorrow and see what that does.
  3. M

    Reducing gain on fixed gain op amp (Integral Preamp / TC Integrated Pre)

    Ok, must be a weird circuit indeed. The voltage divider for VREF is 100k/1m, so I paralleled a 120k resistor on the 1m so the divider is now 100k/107k. VREF now 15.45v, VCC still 31v. Sound is very gated, distorted, and quiet. changed to 500k parallel with the 1m (value now 333k), now...
  4. M

    Reducing gain on fixed gain op amp (Integral Preamp / TC Integrated Pre)

    Sorry I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to biasing (and much other stuff), I have just measured VCC as 31.40v, and VREF as 27.96v. Should VREF then be lower, closer to 15v, to avoid clipping?
  5. M

    Reducing gain on fixed gain op amp (Integral Preamp / TC Integrated Pre)

    Hi guys, I have an Integral Pre (TC Integrated Preamp) that I built a while ago, the only problem I have with it is I get some op-amp clipping with my loudest guitar when I wang on the strings hard (which is most of the time). I know the build is fine as my original TC integrated preamp, as...
  6. M

    Planning to build a Cabinet - Advice needed

    If you want to avoid special switches (that would be my preference as the backs of my cabs are hard to reach and switches can get bumped), you can do this with three switching jacks. you could also go ‘easy mode’ and just buy the ‘plug and play’ jack plate (but where’s the fun in that). Here...
  7. M

    Possible to bend the tabs on pots holding the PCB?

    That top row of pots on the KOT looks like a real time waster from an assembly point-of-view. I’m a cheap-ass and I will buy the cheapest pots for my builds, often solder-lug or short pcb pin, I just solder solid core wire to the pot and bend it to wherever it needs to go. Never let me down...
  8. M

    Drive pedals that can run at 12v or 18v

    It looks like the build docs spec an LT1054 which according to the data sheet absolute max supply voltage is 16v. Keep in mind that if it is doubling voltage, it would double 9v to about 17v to 18v, and it would double 12v to 22v to 24v. Once again as long as all the other parts downstream...
  9. M

    Drive pedals that can run at 12v or 18v

    Pretty much anything that doesn’t have a charge pump, as long as the electrolytic caps (the ones that see full supply voltage at least) are high enough voltage. I like to order 50v electros as they usually are small enough to fit on the board (sometimes not the 100ufs though) so I can...
  10. M

    A couple of questions…

    I never used breakout 3pdt boards since I never bothered to order them. I got some for free from a pcb order with a different company and they do seem to slightly speed assembly, so in the future I’ll use them if I have them but doubt I’ll go out of my way to order them. I always socket IC’s...
  11. M

    Parenthesis Fuzz Boost problem

    Mosfets seem to be fragile, I killed the bs170 in mine by swapping guitars with the boost mode engaged, (‘fuzz’ side off) as soon as I plugged in the other guitar, boost mode was as you describe, until I swapped bs170’s. Must have been some static or something? Dunno, but now I make sure it’s...
  12. M

    Pondering the effects of bad soldering

    I built a jfet copy of an orange graphic mk II preamp. It sounded great the day I made it, then dark and farty the next day. I found changing the j201’s used seemed to make it sound good for a minute or so then it went back to sounding farty. Turns out changing the jfets didn’t make it sound...
  13. M

    What's on the workbench?

    I built a high voltage tube buffer once using one of those cheap high voltage boost converters off eBay, it worked for about 20 minutes until one of the filter caps on the boost converter exploded. What a smell. I never did bother getting it working again, kinda scared me off those cheap...
  14. M

    isosceles

    Depends how you’re running it, the grind/33 modes cut a ton of bass which will reduce overall output. They are also very similar, to my ears the 33 sounds slightly brighter, like the treble knob fixed at a slightly higher value. try comparing them to the Tc preamp mode with bass at 0 and treble...
  15. M

    BC550C

    I’m not sure how much of a sound difference it would make, I don’t have the isocoles but I did build the integral pre as it has an on/off switch unlike the original integrated preamp. They pretty much sound the same (allowing for pot taper differences), the integral being maybe slightly higher...
  16. M

    BC550C

    Maybe doesn’t help but my real tc integrated preamp has a bc413c for that transistor. it also has a bc547b for the constant current source (schematic specs bc548b) but that part is excluded from the isocoles schematic. Apparently that part was wired incorrectly in the original 33 pedal (and...
  17. M

    Inexpensive power supply

    can you get by with just one transformer, but an individual secondary (and rectifier, filter, regulator) for each output? I’ve seen diy projects both ways, just wondering if there is actually a difference.
  18. M

    Boss Hm-2

    I made one of these a while back, though I only have the behringer clone to compare with. I thought it was also kinda different, especially the treble knob, like it’s distorting more or something. I found replacing the op amps with 4558 and powering at 12 volts got it about 95% there. Maybe I...
  19. M

    Your best method for removing thorugh-hole components from a PCB

    I bought one of these since it looks quality, arrived yesterday and today I’ve been pulling electrolytic caps out of a pedal from the mid-80’s since it stopped working last week. that pump is unreasonably good. Pretty much clears the entire pad on the first shot, so I can just lift the...
  20. M

    Diode Clipping Question

    I don’t think parallel diodes facing the same way actually do anything different than just having one… so the one on the left would be symmetrical hard clipping with an extra redundant diode, and the one on the right would be assymetric hard clipping. (Forward voltage of the two series diodes...
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