Smokey not working

[Also Wik]

Well it's a rat-shack LM386, so maybe its just bad mojo 

I've got an extra one (the last two they had), so I'll see if i can scrounge up a socket and try that, tomorrow..

Any other ideas other than fried chip?

[Joecool85]

I don't have any ideas off the top of my head, but mine was a cruddy radioshack one too.

[Also Wik]

I'm not at home now but I'll try rebuilding the circuit with the other chip, socketed this time...

[Joecool85]

Sounds like a plan.  Thats what I would do.  On my first build (fuzzface), I couldn't get it to work for a week, then I redid it on a new piece of perf, exactly as before, and it worked great!  I think I had a short somewhere on the first board that I wasn't seeing.

[Also Wik]

Part of the problem may be my choice of board. I've always been kind of weary of perf... maybe stripboard would be easier? Any opinions on perf vs strip?

[Joecool85]

I like perf, but stripboard is harder to screw up imo.

[Also Wik]

I've just come to a realization... Rat Shack doesn't sell stripboard, does it? 

[Joecool85]

Mine doesn't.  You can get it from aron though, thats where I got mine.

[Also Wik]

No strip for me

Retried the circuit on perf though, w/ a new IC (socketed this time). Still no dice though.. I'm getting frustrated, now.

[mdh]

Do yourself a favor and get a solderless breadboard. You can get a cheap one at Radio Shack. This should simplify things a bit, and will make it a lot easier to change something if you realize that you've been misreading the schematic or something like that. I really don't think perf vs. stripboard is where you should focus your worries on such a simple circuit. Just make sure to make all connections on the breadboard using 22 ga solid wire, and you should be able to at least establish whether your components are good.  Once it works, make it permanent on perf.

[gez]

Wise words!