oh, to get a free DL4

[343 Salty Beans]

Well, I've got one that's supposedly busted here. It turns on and off  , but my main problem comes from working the damn thing. I've never touched one of these before, I don't know how to bypass it, switch to manual mode, etc., and the user's manual seems to be lacking that important information. and right now the PCB is sitting on the bed and I can't get the effing thing to delay.

So I guess the questions are:

1) you turn on the DL4 by pressing the 1 (far left) and 4 (far right) switches simultaneously, correct?)
2) which switch(es) bypass and re-engage the effect?
3) which switch(es) get me into manual mode (out of the preset mode)?

Any owners want to laugh at my ignorance/help me out?

[caress]

the far left switch turns it on/off.  it will start up in a preset but just turn some knobs to get a sound you like.  you can save that as a preset but don't worry about that for now...  the far right switch is a tap tempo.

[343 Salty Beans]

Hump me sideways, that means its not working rightr. 

Well, the tap tempo/settings seem to check out, but whenever I tweak it, wherever I tweak it, I still get zero delay. But the straight sound still comes through...and yes, i've tried turning the mix pot.

For some reason, the damn thing shut off. And now it's back on, but all 4 LEDs blink about once every 3 seconds. Does that mean something's gone horribly wrong?

[heyniceguy]

how are you powering it? the 4 lights blinking and random shutting off usually mean its not getting the power it wants. you can either do 6V with batteries (4 C's) or use the jack (9VAC 1200mA or 12VDC negative center 1000mA).

as far as operation, think of it as 3 separate delay pedals and 1 tempo switch that works for all 3 delay pedals. each A-C switch is a delay pedal . so if you want delay pedal #2 on, then hit switch B. If you want delay pedal #3 on, hit switch C. youll notice that when you do that, it automatically turns delay pedal #2 off. so what the previous poster said about the A switch turns it on, well, in actuality, A, B, or C can "turn on" its respective delay pedal configuration. so from an OFF state, A, B, or C can turn it on. CAVEAT: MAKE SURE YOURE SELECTOR SWITCH IS IN ANY MODE BUT LOOPER MODE. LOOPER MODE HAS ITS OWN RULES.

if i were you, i'd do the "factory reset". plug the power in. hold down the A and D switches. plug in the LEFT INPUT. release switches.

[343 Salty Beans]

Thanks, guys. I'll try that reset. Hopefully it will work. Everything works fine, all the lights/switches work, it just doesn't ever engage the effect, even when the LEDs indicate it's supposed to.. Seems too digital for me to pull apart, especially with all the SMD going on.

I'm powering it with a VoodooLabs pedal power, out of the #5 port (specially labeled LINE6), with the corresponding DIP switch turned to the 'ON' position. It SHOULD be working fine.

I tried the factory reset. Now the damn thing won't turn on. hmmm....

[343 Salty Beans]

Okay, I've checked all the switches and they still work. Which means the factory reset may have upset it.  Any ideas? I'm gonna keep trying. I mean, a free DL-4! how much better can it get?

Well, if anyone has any advice/help/experience, let me know. Thanks in advance.

[Processaurus]

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=41142.

If the PS is good but it doesn't work for other reasons, i'd forget about it, and do something productive with your time.  I "fixed" mine that was sorta doing what yours is (no delay, but part of the dsp is still working so there is clean signal, and the footswitches call up patches) by changing around components from an FM4.

[Gladmarr]

I'm just spitballing here, but try to make sure the bypass relays are working.  If the relay isn't firing, the whole pedal may be working, but you can't switch it into your signal chain.  It's been a while since I opened mine up, but the bypass relays may or may not be visible from the side of the board you can see.  If they're not, you'll have to take off the knobs, take off the nuts on the pots and jacks, and take out the pcb to get at them.  Check to see if they click or do a continuity check on them or something like that.  That's really the only thing that could be wrong that won't be a major time-sucking project.  Good luck!

[Processaurus]

I'm just spitballing here, but try to make sure the bypass relays are working.  If the relay isn't firing, the whole pedal may be working, but you can't switch it into your signal chain.  It's been a while since I opened mine up, but the bypass relays may or may not be visible from the side of the board you can see.  If they're not, you'll have to take off the knobs, take off the nuts on the pots and jacks, and take out the pcb to get at them.  Check to see if they click or do a continuity check on them or something like that.  That's really the only thing that could be wrong that won't be a major time-sucking project.  Good luck!

Good thought, you can tell if they're working because they give an audible click, above the click of the footswitches.  It'll be different sounding when you turn it on and off from when you switch patches or use the looper.  There is a mode where the relays are always on (DSP is always going), for leaving the delay trails, power it up holding the 1st (left) and third footswitch to turn it on and off.

I kinda doubt the relays would go before the notoriously buggy processing section and power supply section with 3 charge pumps, but its always possible.

[343 Salty Beans]

Well, I heard that clicking sound you talk about from the relays BEFORE the pedal went completely south. When I did the factory reset, it stopped working completely. It makes me think it's the processing section. I checked the PS voltages from that thread already, and it's getting the right amount of power.

I'd assume it has something to do with the digital chip on the backside of the board, because it was at least changing patches getting the tap tempo until I tried the reset.

[Processaurus]

Did you check the outputs of the power supply according to Mr. Huge's schematic (+9 at the PS input, +6 at the battery, +3.3 after the first converter, +6.6 after the charge pump, +5 after the regulator, -5 after the last charge pump?


Don't worry about doing the reset 10 times in a row, its not going to do anything wrong, and it sounds like it won't get any brokener.  You can try taking the eprom out, factory reset it, and put the eprom back in and reset it again, stuff like that might do the trick, remember, its more like a computer than a pedal, which also means its quite possible it can't be fixed/deglitched.

[343 Salty Beans]

I measured most of those. The voltages are almost right on for the ones I did (input, zener, charge pumps). I haven't tried taking the eprom out and doing the reset, though. Do you think that'll work?