little ruby amp sounds flabby.

[Steben]

I've just built a ruby with fetzer in front and a 50k pot in between and no impedance compensation at the output (cap+resistor).
But I can't get it to sound right. At low volume it sounds very nice, glimmering "triode"-fet comming through. When I push it, it sounds stock transistor buzz. The chip is however, a 386 "N1".

Change the LM381-1 into LM384-3 or -4?

[MikeH]

What kind of speaker cab are you using?  I've learned that if you push it into a 3" speaker (or 4 in my case.  My "mini-stack" was short lived), it sounds crappy, but a low-watt 10 or 12 can sound nice and creamy.

[Ge_Whiz]

I've just built a ruby with fetzer in front and a 50k pot in between and no impedance compensation at the output (cap+resistor).

So you haven't followed the stock circuit? I'm not clear on this. If so, there could be your problem...

[birt]

use a good speaker. i blew up a 2,5W speaker with a ruby :p

[Steben]

The speaker is 8". It worked on a 14W TDA2030, so no problem there.

I will include the cap and resistor at the output, yet I doubt it will make a difference.
Is it possible the LM386 works better on 8 than 4 ohms?
Still, I want to give it a try later on to swap in a LM386-4.

At low volume, the fetzer input stage is a marvel however...