mybud
Well-known member
- Build Rating
Well, I see that this arrived in October last year ( Oct 18, 2023 ). Then I said: 'Expect a build report some time in the next millenium, while I compile the BoM to find something crucial I've overlooked. I need to take my time with this one (x100).'
Many a true word spoken in jest and this build turned out a bit like climbing Mount Olympus in roller skates. I'll spare you the details but I had itperfectly adequately boxed up and initially found it less than functional (the usual suspects, hum, crackle, intermittent signal, and so on). Long story short, I reflowed the connections to the footswitch board and all worked according to plan.
Meanwhile, I'd unboxed and reboxed it several times, each time managing to detach one or more of the flimsy interconnecting wires, so requiring an inspection to correct these errors. The LEDs which I'd so carefully placed basically went AWOL and I battled to line them up post facto, as seen below.
Those with a preference for symmetry, please avert your eyes from the less than straight lines, evidence that my drilling skills are still rudimentary and should not be seen by anyone (to paraphrase South Park). But it fits and functions apart from a small problem, which I'll expand on below.
In sum, I'm relieved that I've finally completed this and mildly surprised that it functions at all, given the excess manhandling in completing it. It's a remarkable addition as a versatile, full-range preamp with the tube option more sui generis than actually tube-like, as others have observed. Overall, I really like its wide range of tone-shaping options and the sheer heft of it: one oversized baby which demands concentration and focus to finish.
However, it seems to emanate a consistent hum at higher volume levels (quite pronounced in the tube setting). So, I'd appreciate any advice if anyone else has experienced this symptom (not that I'm likely to crank it all the way and given that I much prefer the clean setting).
Faraday cage? Noise gate, what have you? Any advice gladly received. Thanks for reading as ever.
Many a true word spoken in jest and this build turned out a bit like climbing Mount Olympus in roller skates. I'll spare you the details but I had it
Meanwhile, I'd unboxed and reboxed it several times, each time managing to detach one or more of the flimsy interconnecting wires, so requiring an inspection to correct these errors. The LEDs which I'd so carefully placed basically went AWOL and I battled to line them up post facto, as seen below.
Those with a preference for symmetry, please avert your eyes from the less than straight lines, evidence that my drilling skills are still rudimentary and should not be seen by anyone (to paraphrase South Park). But it fits and functions apart from a small problem, which I'll expand on below.
In sum, I'm relieved that I've finally completed this and mildly surprised that it functions at all, given the excess manhandling in completing it. It's a remarkable addition as a versatile, full-range preamp with the tube option more sui generis than actually tube-like, as others have observed. Overall, I really like its wide range of tone-shaping options and the sheer heft of it: one oversized baby which demands concentration and focus to finish.
However, it seems to emanate a consistent hum at higher volume levels (quite pronounced in the tube setting). So, I'd appreciate any advice if anyone else has experienced this symptom (not that I'm likely to crank it all the way and given that I much prefer the clean setting).
Faraday cage? Noise gate, what have you? Any advice gladly received. Thanks for reading as ever.
