Finished an Andromeda kit (my 4th pedal build) and it's not functioning. Bypass works fine. LED lights up when clicking foot switch, and hiss increases when turning up either the Level or Drive knobs. But no output other than that hiss when engaged.

Here's the build info.

https://aionfx.com/app/files/docs/andromeda_kit_documentation.pdf

Ideas on what I should start checking? Thanks in advance.

So the output is hooked up to your foot switch/out jack.
Maybe the input is not.
I would, power off, confirm continuity from input jack to input of pcb.
After that I would make a single tracer (cap attached to a cable) and start...tracing signal.

Quote from: Wthamrick2 on July 06, 2024, 11:56:40 AMFinished an Andromeda kit (my 4th pedal build) and it's not functioning. Bypass works fine. LED lights up when clicking foot switch, and hiss increases when turning up either the Level or Drive knobs. But no output other than that hiss when engaged.

Here's the build info.

https://aionfx.com/app/files/docs/andromeda_kit_documentation.pdf

Ideas on what I should start checking? Thanks in advance.

Welcome!

Hiss but no output sounds kinda like there's no signal reaching the opamp.

Level knob is near the end so that's working...go backwards...drive/gain knob is hanging off the first opamp. Does the Bass knob change the character at all of the hiss? How much does the Drive knob change the hiss?

I'd check around Q1 and make sure all those components are soldered correctly, and in the case of Q1 make sure it's not backwards...

Do you have an audio probe available?

You could also check to make sure the footswitch isn't grounded out...I did that once by bridging solder joints on accident and it was very very very annoying to unsolder and fix.

Quote from: tootsMcgee on July 06, 2024, 01:56:01 PM

Quote from: Wthamrick2 on July 06, 2024, 11:56:40 AMFinished an Andromeda kit (my 4th pedal build) and it's not functioning. Bypass works fine. LED lights up when clicking foot switch, and hiss increases when turning up either the Level or Drive knobs. But no output other than that hiss when engaged.

Here's the build info.

https://aionfx.com/app/files/docs/andromeda_kit_documentation.pdf

Ideas on what I should start checking? Thanks in advance.

Welcome!

Hiss but no output sounds kinda like there's no signal reaching the opamp.

Level knob is near the end so that's working...go backwards...drive/gain knob is hanging off the first opamp. Does the Bass knob change the character at all of the hiss? How much does the Drive knob change the hiss?

I'd check around Q1 and make sure all those components are soldered correctly, and in the case of Q1 make sure it's not backwards...

Do you have an audio probe available?

You could also check to make sure the footswitch isn't grounded out...I did that once by bridging solder joints on accident and it was very very very annoying to unsolder and fix.

Thanks, I'll start checking these.

Quote from: idy on July 06, 2024, 12:02:22 PMSo the output is hooked up to your foot switch/out jack.
Maybe the input is not.
I would, power off, confirm continuity from input jack to input of pcb.
After that I would make a single tracer (cap attached to a cable) and start...tracing signal.

Thanks, makes sense. I'll see what I can find...

"You could also check to make sure the footswitch isn't grounded out...I did that once by bridging solder joints on accident and it was very very very annoying to unsolder and fix."

In such a case it is easier to bite the bullet and toss it out and start a new fresh footswitch.
Ah crap more scrap, but less heart burn.

and welcome to the forum.

https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0

same rules apply to all debugs - post your voltages, post your photos of your build - otherwise we are blind and groping.

Quote from: duck_arse on July 07, 2024, 11:00:09 AMand welcome to the forum.

https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0

same rules apply to all debugs - post your voltages, post your photos of your build - otherwise we are blind and groping.

Gotcha, will do. Can you be a bit more specific on "post your voltages"? Not fussing; just need to know what to do. Thx.

Measure voltage from battery or power supply. then put black probe on ground and with red probe touch each pin of each IC and provide those readings with the pin #s.
Also each transistor. Check pinout of yours so that you can say E B C.

For the last batch of kits I wrote a pretty in-depth general troubleshooting guide, but it's not linked from previous kit build docs yet (including the Andromeda). Here it is -

https://aionfx.com/app/files/docs/kit_troubleshooting_guide.pdf

It's along the lines of what others have mentioned here already, but in more detail specific to the kits (and it has a section on troubleshooting no sound in effect mode, which is the issue here).

Quote from: aion on July 07, 2024, 02:50:35 PMFor the last batch of kits I wrote a pretty in-depth general troubleshooting guide, but it's not linked from previous kit build docs yet (including the Andromeda). Here it is -

https://aionfx.com/app/files/docs/kit_troubleshooting_guide.pdf

It's along the lines of what others have mentioned here already, but in more detail specific to the kits (and it has a section on troubleshooting no sound in effect mode, which is the issue here).

Bingo. Thank you. Maybe I got overzealous soldering the footswitch. I recall thinking I needed to make that part "sturdy" as it was going to see some pressure, literally. I'll order a new footswitch assembly.  Thx!