Kliché Mini - Low Gain, Very Loud

[jamie j.]

Hi kids. I have an issue with my Kliché Mini. The gain adjustment does not add a lot of overdrive sound but the pedal is stupid loud. Also, this is the 2nd I've built and the first one works as expected. Everything seems to be in place. I don't see any bleeds or unwanted connections in the solder. Any ideas? Below are pics.

 

[jamie j.]

Can you check to see if you have Continuity with Gain top centre solder pad B2 & R16, R17 & R18 top solder pads?
Look at the PCB Continuity board I posted before for updates!

View attachment 29217

I somehow missed the email for this.
I have continuity between the top center gain pad (B2) and R16, R17, and R18.

 

[music6000]

Test for Continuity on latest update!
Gain Pot A1, A2, A3 to matching circle :

 

[music6000]

I somehow missed the email for this.
I have continuity between the top center gain pad (B2) and R16, R17, and R18.

Can you show a better Picture of all the Resistors, the glare is bad on the first photo you listed!

 

[jamie j.]

Test for Continuity on latest update!
Gain Pot A1, A2, A3 to matching circle :
View attachment 29427

A3 has continuity to the R9 pad.
I could not find a match for the color, tho. Remember, I'm colorblind so it's tough to see for me. That said, I happened to notice A2 has continuit to the TL072 pin 5.
A1 had no continuity to the TL072 pin 5.

 

[jamie j.]

Can you show a better Picture of all the Resistors, the glare is bad on the first photo you listed!

Let me know if this is better.

 

[music6000]

Let me know if this is better.

R9 - 2K appears to be 1K or 200r which is in the Gain structure.
You have used 390k instead of 392k but I don't think that is much of an issue.
I measure all my resistors as i put each one in as you probably have too being colorblind & I know the colours also!!!

 

[jamie j.]

R9 - 2K appears to be 1K which is in the Gain structure.
You have used 390k instead of 392k but I don't think that is much of an issue.
I measure all my resistors as i put each one in as you probably have too being colorblind & I know the colours also!!!

Yes. The first thing I do is read and label all of my resistors (well, all components, actually). Then, I read them again before I put them on the board. I checked the R9 resister and it is definitely 2K. Reads on the MM at 1.995K.

 

[music6000]

Yes. The first thing I do is read and label all of my resistors (well, all components, actually). Then, I read them again before I put them on the board. I checked the R9 resister and it is definitely 2K. Reads on the MM at 1.995K.

A1 should have Continuity with IC 1 - Pin 5
A2 & B3 should have Continuity with 1C 2 - Pin 5
None of the Gain pads should be Connected to any Pin 8

 

[jamie j.]

A1 should have Continuity with IC 1 - Pin 5
A2 & B3 should have Continuity with 1C 2 - Pin 5
None of the Gain pads should be Connected to any Pin 8

I'm sorry. I forgot pins 1 & 8 are parallel. I should have said pin 5, not 8. I'll correct the post above. That said...

A1 has continuity with IC 1, pin 5
A2 & B3 have continuity with IC 2, pin 5

 

[jamie j.]

So, at this point: should I consider swapping out the Ge diodes. I haven't yet because I did a reading and they read the same as the working pedal which suggests to me they are fine. Unless that's a false read because they are already on the board.

FYI - my diodes will be different but I did buy them because they were "Klon" style Ge diodes. Whatever that means...

 

[giovanni]

So, at this point: should I consider swapping out the Ge diodes. I haven't yet because I did a reading and they read the same as the working pedal which suggests to me they are fine. Unless that's a false read because they are already on the board.

FYI - my diodes will be different but I did buy them because they were "Klon" style Ge diodes. Whatever that means...

You could put sockets in there and try a few different kinds as well. The clipping diodes only affect the sound at very high gain.

 

[jamie j.]

You could put sockets in there and try a few different kinds as well. The clipping diodes only affect the sound at very high gain.

I don't have sockets at the moment. And if it's not going to fix the problem, it's not worth trying as my working pedal sounds great. Which is why I wanted to build the second one that has turned out to be a PITA.

 

[music6000]

So, at this point: should I consider swapping out the Ge diodes. I haven't yet because I did a reading and they read the same as the working pedal which suggests to me they are fine. Unless that's a false read because they are already on the board.

FYI - my diodes will be different but I did buy them because they were "Klon" style Ge diodes. Whatever that means...

It's reacting as you describe it as if there is no clipping happening at all so that was going to be my next suggestion!
Do you have some BAT41 or BAT46, you could try them as they have similar forward voltage????

 

[jamie j.]

It's reacting as you describe it as if there is no clipping happening at all so that was going to be my next suggestion!
Do you have some BAT41 or BAT46, you could try them as they have similar forward voltage????

I have a 10 pack of D9E which I bought because they claimed "Klon Klone NOS Russian Soviet Military Germanium". I bought them to use in another pedal that is kinda similar to the Centaur. Well, it's kind of a cross between that and a Tubescreamer. It uses Silicone diodes and LEDs and I was going to either swap the LEDs with the Ge or add a switch so I could use both. But I got lazy and never did that.

I have another set of Ge diodes but I don't think they have any markings on them other than the stripe. I can dig them out and snap a photo to see if anyone recognizes.

 

[music6000]

I have a 10 pack of D9E which I bought because they claimed "Klon Klone NOS Russian Soviet Military Germanium". I bought them to use in another pedal that is kinda similar to the Centaur. Well, it's kind of a cross between that and a Tubescreamer. It uses Silicone diodes and LEDs and I was going to either swap the LEDs with the Ge or add a switch so I could use both. But I got lazy and never did that.

I have another set of Ge diodes but I don't think they have any markings on them other than the stripe. I can dig them out and snap a photo to see if anyone recognizes.

Do you have a Diode tester on your DMM, It will tell you the Forward Voltage.
Red probe to Anode, Black to Cathode, Ge in the 0.3V to 0.38v range
Silicon ie 1n4148 will be 0.7v to 0.75v

 

[jamie j.]

Do you have a Diode tester on your DMM, It will tell you the Forward Voltage.
Red probe to Anode, Black to Cathode, Ge in the 0.3V to 0.38v range
Silicon ie 1n4148 will be 0.7v to 0.75v


View attachment 29514

I do. I'll check it this afternoon and report back to you.

 

[jamie j.]

Do you have a Diode tester on your DMM, It will tell you the Forward Voltage.
Red probe to Anode, Black to Cathode, Ge in the 0.3V to 0.38v range
Silicon ie 1n4148 will be 0.7v to 0.75v


View attachment 29514

I got on that reads .313, one at .310, two at .308 and the rest are upper .29s and lower .30s.

 

[music6000]

I got on that reads .313, one at .310, two at .308 and the rest are upper .29s and lower .30s.

There all close enough, have you checked the 2 in the Kliche yet????

 

[jamie j.]

There all close enough, have you checked the 2 in the Kliche yet????

Yep. They read .296 and .293 - mounted to the board (don't know if that makes a difference with diodes).

 

[music6000]

Yep. They read .296 and .293 - mounted to the board (don't know if that makes a difference with diodes).

The readings sound about right.
I'm still not 100% convinced,I think that you may have an incorrect resistor.
Can you pull R9 out to be sure it's 2K - Red, Black, Black, Brown, Brown ????
As I said, Being Colorblind sure has it's challenges!