Noisy cricket or ruby?

[demonstar]

I've been searching through the forum for all the posts about little amps and I can't decide whether to build the ruby or the noisy cricket.

What do you guys think?

[geertjacobs]

You could just put them on a breadboard and compare them yourself.
I built a Ruby once as a gift and it wasn't as gritty as I hoped (the BF245 as input), but I was still happy to have a nice portable amp.

Or just build both and box the best 

[XinTX]

I chose the Cricket because I think it is supposed to provide a bit more gain.  I'm going to try to build it this weekend. 

[demonstar]

Good luck XinTX. Let me know how it goes please. I'm favouring the cricket at the moment.

[Beros]

I built the cricket cause it's somewhat more versatile.

I'm still happy with mine. I used a 4" shit stereo speaker and also threw in an external speaker jack. I actually prefer the 4" speaker, because it gives it more of a goblin/devil bite to it.. I have mine on my desk and use it whenever I build and test effects. Cool little ting.

[ambulancevoice]

the noisy cricket is a modified version of the ruby

if you want more versatility and grit/gain go with the noisy cricket
if you want something simple but effective go with the ruby

[remmelt]

I've built the Ruby. I needed a small amp for practice and for testing new effects. With my 8 Ohm 8" speaker, it can get pretty loud with a touch of grit or with a bunch of grit with the gain maxed. It won't do distortion or even overdrive a lot. This is all good for my purposes since I wanted to add as little amp-sound to effects tests as possible. For the driven-amp-in-small-package-without-pedals option (don't we all need one) I bought a Smokey. Expensive but a lot of fun to play with. I think it's probably pretty similar to the ruby but with a lot more gain. Volume/gain is set with the guitar's volume pot. With a full battery it cleans up and remains reasonably loud.

[Hanglow]

I think there is a layout for the smokey in the gallery section

[ambulancevoice]

there is a schem for it on beavisaudio.com on the noisy cricket page

[demonstar]

Yeah I think I'm gona go for the noisy cricket. I fancy the amps at sopht....

12v all tube...
"http://www.sophtamps.ca/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=37"

ruby tuby...
"http://www.sophtamps.ca/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=39"

However they don't have tone controls which is a shame.

What i really need is a noisy cricket running on tubes! 

ARE THERE ANY DANGERS OF HIGH VOLTAGES IN ANY OF THE FOUR PROJECTS I MENTIONED?
RUBY
NOISY CRICKET
12V ALL TUBE AMP
RUBY TUBY

[ambulancevoice]

unless your powering any of them from the mains>>>transformer supply then yes
mains supply is commonly 230V, which is (i think) lethal
i suggest if you are using mains and transformer to power them, gain as much knowledge as possible so you dont stuff up and get hurt (DISCLAIMER: if you do use a mains supply, i take 0% resposibilty for any injury or accident that may occur to you when working with an ac mains supply!! you know how it goes!)

the normal ruby and noisy cricket can be powered by a a 9v or 12v (DO NOT GO OVER 12V!!!) dc adaptor with your typical dc 2.1mm dc jack, and according to the site with the ruby tuby (...) they can be powered by a dc wall wart too, i suggest using a 1000UF eletro cap and 12 + regulator to clean up the voltage if your adaptor isnt already regulated, like on the ruby tuby schem

[demonstar]

No, I will not be using a transformer I wouldn't imagine. Well I will but the one thats external to the amp and I'll just plug a 2.1mm jack in. I think I'm going to build the noisy cricket with the option to use a DC jack or batteries. I'll be using 9V so I guess for that plan I'm safe from being fried! I don't know about most other folks here but I'm scared stiff of high voltages. I don't even like the static shock off the car. lol.

[ambulancevoice]

i love static shocks

[XinTX]

Good luck XinTX. Let me know how it goes please. I'm favouring the cricket at the moment.

Well, I finished up the perfboard layout over the weekend.  This is going S-L-O-W because:
1)  This is my first shot at doing an audio circuit
2)  I haven't soldered in more years than I care to admit
3)  I'm making this as small as possible as I'm trying to get it to fit into an Altoids can

I've gotten all the components on the perfboard now and the board is just about a 1 1/4" square.  Now I just have to hook up the pots and jacks.  Guess I shouldn't have tried fitting this in such a small space though.  I am doing away with the power switch and I'll use the jack insertion to switch on.  Probably should have deleted the LED as well.  Hopefully I'll finish it this week (as in, it will either make sound or smoke). 

[demonstar]

I crammed my first two projects onto tiny little pieces of stripboard but I've learnt life would be a lot easier if I spread it out a bit when theres room in the enclosure. It means theres more room for alterations.
It still feels good fitting as much as possible in a small space then getting it working. Well i think so. My two projects haven't worked first time but I soon got them working.

[XinTX]

Well, it's working and it all (somehow) fit in the Altoids can.  But it works and makes guitar sounds okay. 

But for some reason I do have some hiss.  And the 'grit' circit seems to make almost no difference (other than raising the volume and hiss levels a bit).  Any ideas where I might look? 

[demonstar]

Unfortunately I'm sorry I can't help because I don't have the "know- how" but thanks for letting me known how it's going I'm finding the ruby and noisy cricket sound really interesting builds.

[XinTX]

Well if you do the cricket, don't do what I did and try and cram it all in a small space.  I think I may have a bit of stray solder or a whisker that's causing the problem.  But, since everything is so tight I'm not going to tear it all apart to fix a little hiss (especially since it does what I want, which is to be a small practice amp used only with headphones).  I just wanted the challenge of seeing if it could be done.  Now I'll try to do another and give myself some room to breathe and see how it works.