Hiss is killing the tone using Arcturus by VeriTone

[Tomward]

O.K. I'm the newest guy onboard here.
Thank you very much for the approval.

My current problem which I have not been able to fix involves a pedal by a company called VeriTone.
The pedal is the "Arcturus"

Here is the company: https://www.veri-tone.com/pedals/arcturus/

Here is R.J. Ronquillo selling the pedal...and what an awesome performance he gives.
It was the first 3 minutes or so! Awesome.

Awesome right?

So I paid $225 for mine and the volume pot has a constant hiss/buzz that kills the quiet tones.
Turn the volume knob up and you get louder hiss.

It's unplayable.

I have a 1SPOT power supply just in from Sweetwater.No better.
I'm plugged into the same outlet.No better.
I tried to isolate the ground thinking I could route the his/buzz to ground.No can do.

So I cut my time / frustration losses and here I am.Hat in hand.

What can I tell you so that you can help me?
No schematic is available.

 

[eh là bas ma]

Hello, welcome !

A picture of the circuit inside the enclosure could help understand the issue and spot suspicious things.

First thing that comes to mind is trying to use isolated wires for IN and Out jacks, and use some tape to stick them along the enclosure's sides, in order to put as much distance as possible between the IN wire, the Out wire, and the circuit.

You can salvage isolated wires from some brocken device, like a brocken power supply, etc.

If you open the enclosure, there's a chance that the seller won't take it back, and i think you should try to contact them first, see if you can send it back and get your money back.

Maybe there is a trimmer in there ? You can try to turn it very gently, see if it solves anything. You should first mark it, to be able to get back to the original setting, if needed.

On a side note, i wonder what you saw in that video. There isn't any description about the signal chain. All i can see is a guy with an ugly cap getting paid to play a solo meant to sell stompboxes. I am not even sure the sound is related to the circuit, it could easily be staged with various devices to get the best sound possible, in order to sell more products... Unfortunately, that's how business is done since the beginnings of humanity, if i understood correctly.
With guitar effects, the usual trick is to play the demo on an amazing amp, which would make any circuit sound very good despite its various flaws.

Let's quote William S. Burroughs : "Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts"

 

[Tomward]

Thank you for the reply.
I forgot to mention the trimmer seems to have no effect.
I tried 3 turns in each direction..

I guess I could go 10 turns in each direction.

I tried to isolate the ground.
Maybe I did it wrong?

Ran the shield from the power input ground (right where the power transformer plug enters the chassis. )to the chassis ( enclosure )
Then the signal wire ( contained therein ) from audio in jack,signal lug to pcb IJ ( in jack ).

Did I do it wrong?

 

[Robert]

Can you post some pictures of the PCB?

I'm guessing this is a Hudson Broadcast derived circuit.

Those transistor leads surely aren't helping with noise.

 

[Tomward]

Pcb from both sides.
I hope to get more if needed.

 

[eh là bas ma]

If someone would give this effect to me to fix the issue , without any schematics, i would first reflow all suspicious pads : i think the soldering is quite "average", to say the least.

Then i would clean the pcb soldering side with isopropyl alcohol, or some solder residue cleaning spray.

I would also shorten the transistor's legs as much as possible. After all that, i would change the multi-turn trimmer for a more convenient one, like this example :

Trimm-pot 1/4" 100k, 0,45

Compact trimm-pot with 1/4 inch (6,35mm) size Single turn, 100k

www.musikding.de

Because i find multi-turns trimmer near impossible to use.

Couldn't you hear any impact at all on the sound when you turned it ?

It could be used to bias the transistor, or maybe the transformer. If it's the transistor, you should be able to hear it (change in the gain texture, etc.).

I would try to move the various wires around a bit, when the effect is activated and passing signal, see if it impacts the noise.

Schematics would be very useful, especialy in order to use an audio probe following the signal path, to see where the noise appears in the circuit.

A quick search online for schematics didn't give any interesting results, unfortunately.

It's not a big circuit, so i guess tracing the signal, with a multimeter set on continuity test and an audioprobe, could be done.

The idea is to follow the guitar signal from the input jack all the way through the circuit until the output jack, avoiding the power section to prevent big popping noises and some potential damage to your amp. Using a practice amp is advised when we use an audioprobe. Audioprobes are easy to build and very useful, you'll find many diy tutorials about it :

Misc > Audio Probe : DIY Fever – Building my own guitars, amps and pedals

[DIY Fever] Audio Probe - very simple contraption that helps with debugging audio circuits

diy-fever.com

I would also try to contact Veri-Tone, explaining the issue as much as possible, i would even send them a sound sample, see if they can provide some informations or some help, without mentioning that the enclosure has been opened. They might take a while before answering though... There isn't any warranty ?

Not sure that isolated wires would be really helpful here, since the IN/Out wires are already far apart from each other and from the pcb. But i would still try, just in case.

Isn't this soldering quality a bit surprising, for a hand-made guitar effect sold at this kind of price ?

You could build a similar circuit, for approximately 50 euros, including a drilled enclosure and everything :

Simulcast kit, 46,00

Class-A germanium Preamp

www.musikding.de

Even cheaper if you don't get a full kit : just buy the pcb and source each and every component yourself. It could even be faster than finding the issue on your circuit without schematics.

 

[jwin615]

Welcome to the forum.
Close the pedal back up.
Is the noise there without your guitar turned up?
Even better, stick a unpopulated jack plug or, if you don't have one, a short patch cable in the input. Have to do that to establish the ground. Is the noise present then?
If it's not there, your guitar/cable are picking up EMI/radiation.

Also, I love multi turn trimmers. One just need the correct tool. Those are 30nturn trimmers so you moved it 10% but that's bias. Leave it be for now. Not the problem.

 

[hamerfan]

A short sanity check: Any buffers before the pedal? Maybe a tuner with a buffered out?

 

[Tomward]

Wow … you guys are getting it done.
No buffers hammerfan.Thank you.

eh la bas ma …yes soldering did strike me as medium and double yes at this price.
Funny that I could build one quicker than troubleshooting and repairing this one.And more fun.

Turning the pot seems to have no effect.
Yes I tried wire dress no change.
I will reflow and clean just to get back to zero condition.

VeriTone is a one man shop so being a diy’er I tried to support his endeavor.
Seems his Arcturus is well received but if I can figure out how to get an audio sample up here maybe we agree the hiss is a real killjoy.

Who can play through hiss?


I’ll try to address these instructions today and get back in here .

Thank you all for your interest and assistanc.

 

[music6000]

Wow … you guys are getting it done.
No buffers hammerfan.Thank you.

eh la bas ma …yes soldering did strike me as medium and double yes at this price.
Funny that I could build one quicker than troubleshooting and repairing this one.And more fun.

Turning the pot seems to have no effect.
Yes I tried wire dress no change.
I will reflow and clean just to get back to zero condition.

VeriTone is a one man shop so being a diy’er I tried to support his endeavor.
Seems his Arcturus is well received but if I can figure out how to get an audio sample up here maybe we agree the hiss is a real killjoy.

Who can play through hiss?


I’ll try to address these instructions today and get back in here .

Thank you all for your interest and assistanc.

Definately reflow the hole pedal if you choose to try & fix it, that has some of the worst cold joints I have seen, it probably got a cold broken joint in transit to you, no penetration of solder in the pads topside is the first thing I would address if it were mine but I would have asked for my money back first!

 

[Tomward]

Definately reflow the hole pedal if you choose to try & fix it, that has some of the worst cold joints I have seen, it probably got a cold broken joint in transit to you, no penetration of solder in the pads topside is the first thing I would address if it were mine but I would have asked for my money back first!

I totally respect your opinion and I will work to repair this pedal.Too late to get my money back as I have the pedal open etc. Dont even want to invite that fight.Yes I wish I knew about building a similar pedal as mentioned by eh la bas ma.

Wish I could up load a short video so you could hear the hiss but my time is better used in fixing this pedal.

I will work with what you all describe ... it's not that mysterious,really.

my electronics training is more than 50 years old and although electricity and the basics of troubleshooting have not changed at this level ... I am not troubleshooting on a daily basis.

I just bought this pedal as a splurge to me so I could use it and not have to build another electronic device.

The bad or broken solder joint is a good thought.It's probably a sound design as I suppose some buy and play through it.


So I just have to work on it.

 

[music6000]

I totally respect your opinion and I will work to repair this pedal.Too late to get my money back as I have the pedal open etc. Dont even want to invite that fight.Yes I wish I knew about building a similar pedal as mentioned by eh la bas ma.

Wish I could up load a short video so you could hear the hiss but my time is better used in fixing this pedal.

I will work with what you all describe ... it's not that mysterious,really.

my electronics training is more than 50 years old and although electricity and the basics of troubleshooting have not changed at this level ... I am not troubleshooting on a daily basis.

I just bought this pedal as a splurge to me so I could use it and not have to build another electronic device.

The bad or broken solder joint is a good thought.It's probably a sound design as I suppose some buy and play through it.


So I just have to work on it.

Another thing I'm not crazy about is the Ground from the power supply goes to the Input Ring pad & the Ground to the circuit goes via the Input Sleeve pad.
I would jumper the Input Sleeve & Ring pads

 

[Tomward]

Note to Robert the reverse engineer.
Yes I think its a Hudson type circuit.
Maybe close to the Simulkast noted
above.
Maybe I would have built the Simulkast for 50€ if I had known about you guys.

Im typing this on my phone and away from the house. So I can get back into it again in a few hours.

 

[eh là bas ma]

I suggested to build your own clone, so i guess i have to give you the warning. Same warning those who taught me how to build stompboxes gave to me, a few years ago (and i laughed but they were right) :

If you are going to build stompboxes, there is a chance that your interest in music shifts from playing an instrument to building and experimenting with audio effects.
It's a pleasant feeling when you finish a build and it's working perfectly. This feeling is able to change who you are, and lead you to spend more time learning about electronics and soldering things than actually playing music.

Building new effects for cheap instead of paying a lot of money to buy them from the industry is quite addictive. Even troubleshooting can be fun, like solving a puzzle.

Now you have been warned...

 

[Tomward]

…zackly…

 

[Tomward]

Final Report:
This piece of junk,this soon to be doorstop,this disappointing and overpriced "could have been great"
and I are done.
I have squandered too much precious time on it already.

I'm thanking all who helped me out on this disaster.
I will put it in a box on a shelf and forget it.

If I hadn't found this site I would not have seen the Simulcast Class a Germanium Preamp.
Which I may buy as my last build.

Thanks guys.









i

 

[Ginsly]

Those transistor leads surely aren't helping with noise.

Uh oh... is that a thing? I socket all transistors (so far), and leave the leads long. I see a lot of germ transistors left long in circuits and bent down, but they usually have tubing around the legs... Very curious about this.

 

[chris.knudson]

Uh oh... is that a thing? I socket all transistors (so far), and leave the leads long. I see a lot of germ transistors left long in circuits and bent down, but they usually have tubing around the legs... Very curious about this.

I mean yeah, those legs are like antennae. And that transformer can't be helping the situation. The first thing I would do is make sure all or the off-board wiring wasn't any where near the transformer.

 

[Ginsly]

I mean yeah, those legs are like antennae. And that transformer can't be helping the situation. The first thing I would do is make sure all or the off-board wiring wasn't any where near the transformer.

I’m not the OP, but I take your point! Ha… I just figured since everything is in a metal box it‘s less about things like long transistor leads and more about guitar pickups, etc- things before the signal gets to the pedal. I’m sure it all adds up though. Guess I’ll start clipping transistor legs before socketing!

 

[chris.knudson]

I’m not the OP, but I take your point! Ha… I just figured since everything is in a metal box it‘s less about things like long transistor leads and more about guitar pickups, etc- things before the signal gets to the pedal. I’m sure it all adds up though. Guess I’ll start clipping transistor legs before socketing!

Almost anything can cause noise, and when you're taking a signal and putting it through a couple of amp stages, every little thing gets magnified, sometimes over and over again. Keeping wires and leads short and shielding what you can always helps.