Aion Electronics Stratus OD - no gain, no volume boost

[EBK]

Could you do me a favor?
You can tell everyone, "This crazy old man wouldn't stop spouting random gibberish about the meaning of zero until I added that stupid wire," but could you run a wire from your output jack sleeve conductor to ground and see if anything changes?  Pretty please, with a super-rare germanium transistor on top? 

[suryabeep]

Could you do me a favor?
You can tell everyone, "This crazy old man wouldn't stop spouting random gibberish about the meaning of zero until I added that stupid wire," but could you run a wire from your output jack sleeve conductor to ground and see if anything changes?  Pretty please, with a super-rare germanium transistor on top? 

Well, you did say I can do it:
"This crazy old man wouldn't stop spouting random gibberish about the meaning of zero until I added that stupid wire".
I've already grounded the output jack sleeve with a wire, I did it after redmojosteve said it would be better than relying on the chassis to connect it. The sleeve is currently connected to the ground of the 9V jack.

[robthequiet]

One thing catches my eye -- on your MOSFET, clipping section, you have a MOSFET and diode going one way, then just a MOSFET going the other.

Where you have the single MOSFET, your jumper goes two pads over, but in the instructions it's  one pad. I don't know how the traces work, but maybe this is a detail the could be checked?

[suryabeep]

One thing catches my eye -- on your MOSFET, clipping section, you have a MOSFET and diode going one way, then just a MOSFET going the other.

Where you have the single MOSFET, your jumper goes two pads over, but in the instructions it's  one pad. I don't know how the traces work, but maybe this is a detail the could be checked?

Good catch! I just fixed it, still no improvement [emoji20]


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[robthequiet]

Well since you don't have the input buffer we don't have to check that transistor. Do you have an audio probe?

I'm returning to suspect something in the switching. There could be something simple like a solder bridge or component that is not making good contact. I would like to isolate the problem to the input or output.

Here is how I would test the switch: With power off, attach negative probe of scope to inner lug (tip) of input jack, then place positive probe on each connection on the switch PCB with switch off then with switch on. if you make a chart of the results we can confirm that the switching is OK. Then make sure your leads are well attached to the PCB and not shorted amongst themselves.

[duck_arse]

you have an 18k at R6 (51k) which would account for the extra resistance from the IC socket. I woudn't mind a lazy shuftie at the switch bodies, to see that they are clearing the pcb pads, but if you say "other crazy old nagging man, the switch body isn't shorting the pads", I'll be just as happy.

[EBK]

Just want to confirm we don't have any problems in the diode/feedback area.

I somewhat guessed the diode section. The RTO variant uses transistors in this section, but the orientation for the transistors wasn't given in the documentation, so I pretty much just matched it up with the Diode options given in the doc.

Let's go back and "un-guess" this section.  What specific transistors did you use?

Also, what did you use for Q2?

[suryabeep]

Let's go back and "un-guess" this section.  What specific transistors did you use?
Also, what did you use for Q2?

I used 2N7000s for Q3,5. 2N5457 for the other two jfets on the top half of the diode section. Q2 was a 2N5088.

[EBK]

I think I've got the answer! You are trying to use one switch for both the bass and mid mods,  which is effectively bypassing your drive circuit by connecting  points M2 and F2 on the schematic together.
Pick one mod, undo the other, and report back. 

[suryabeep]

I think I've got the answer! You are trying to use one switch for both the bass and mid mods,  which is effectively bypassing your drive circuit by connecting  points M2 and F2 on the schematic together.
Pick one mod, undo the other, and report back. 

BY STEVIE THE PATRON SAINT OF MID HUMPS YOU'RE RIGHT!!!!!! IT WORKS!!!

I wonder why though, why would the PCB be designed so that if you include the mids mod, you can't include anything else?


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[EBK]

I wonder why though, why would the PCB be designed so that if you include the mids mod, you can't include anything else?

I imagine it was done for aesthetics, assuming everyone would want a clipping mode switch and no more than one other toggle.

If you want another mod, you could either add another switch, or hardwire it in the specific configuration you like.

[suryabeep]

Thank you all so much! I've learnt a lot of essential things from this thread, and fixed a badass pedal in the process!


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[EBK]

Happy to help, and glad it's working!
Which mod did you decide to keep?  Just curious.

[suryabeep]

I kept the Fat mod. Clipping was Mosfet, Jfet and Diode lift. Sounds amazing in Fat mode and Mosfet Clipping.



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[duck_arse]

nice work well done. is it really that pink?

[suryabeep]

nice work well done. is it really that pink?

oh no lol, its actually a very bright red. I was just using Instagram filters to make it look like that. 

[aion]

Awesome, glad you got it working! I'll have to edit the documentation to make it more clear that you can only pick one. But yes, EBK is correct - the clipping diode mod is something almost everyone wants, so I hardwired that one in place and made the other switch configurable to one of three mods.