Tube boost + overdrive running off a 9 volt battery

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I have an order in to Mouser for a bunch of parts for some charge pump/regulator kits though, so I'm hoping to put something together for a functional 12V Valvecaster with low noise and higher output.  I run it off a 9V 400ma adapter to play with.

I suppose that you are starting this project off with a REGULATED adapter?

You are not going to get rid of the whine without a regulated adapter or some form of filtering circuit.

[CheopisIV]

I suppose that you are starting this project off with a REGULATED adapter?

You are not going to get rid of the whine without a regulated adapter or some form of filtering circuit.

Yeah, the 9V adapters are regulated and filtered, but the 12V is from an external HDD and whines like a stuck pig.  I also have an old 18V laptop adapter that works well with no noise.

[Anon]

I don't get any hum, I have the 15v going through a capacitor/7812/capacitor setup, and it's really clean
Actually the output is powering all my pedals at 12v

I was wondering how you wired it. I had the 35V side going to the anodes and the 15V side going to the filament. I used a 7812 to convert the 15V to 12V. All I got was a loud hum with all the HP printer adapters. All of the grounds were connected properly. When I went back to the 15V radio shack adapter there is no hum

that is filtering, I bet you money if you put the HP power supply to a o scope you would see a ac spike from the Switching power. Make sure your adapters say filtered and not switching..  Computers can having low frequency switching.. as they are no bothered by the noise at those frequencies. but audio equipment.. That is another story..

I have a 30v dc adapter from RS that is dead quite.  but hook up the HP printer one and I get noise..

Is there something I can build to filter out the hum?

http://www.beavisaudio.com/projects/Huminator/index.htm

I built the Huminator and it didn't work. the HP adapters still hum like crazy. the adapters are old so they must be the switching type. I was wondering what are the model numbers of the the regulated HP adapters.

[iccaros]

I don't get any hum, I have the 15v going through a capacitor/7812/capacitor setup, and it's really clean
Actually the output is powering all my pedals at 12v

I was wondering how you wired it. I had the 35V side going to the anodes and the 15V side going to the filament. I used a 7812 to convert the 15V to 12V. All I got was a loud hum with all the HP printer adapters. All of the grounds were connected properly. When I went back to the 15V radio shack adapter there is no hum

that is filtering, I bet you money if you put the HP power supply to a o scope you would see a ac spike from the Switching power. Make sure your adapters say filtered and not switching..  Computers can having low frequency switching.. as they are no bothered by the noise at those frequencies. but audio equipment.. That is another story..

I have a 30v dc adapter from RS that is dead quite.  but hook up the HP printer one and I get noise..

Is there something I can build to filter out the hum?

http://www.beavisaudio.com/projects/Huminator/index.htm

I built the Huminator and it didn't work. the HP adapters still hum like crazy. the adapters are old so they must be the switching type. I was wondering what are the model numbers of the the regulated HP adapters.

Any one with two voltages will likely heterodyne. Try a single voltage one and one that if had a led takes a second to power up.. On the side note Radio Shack has a 30volt DC with a switch to make it 13

[ThunderShowers]

Welp, from 9 volt to 24 volt. I. I'm blown away.

[ThunderShowers]

Question, how many problems Would I create by doing this for the input bright switch.

It lets some of the full signal bypass through the resistor so the input is less mud, while all the highs go through the cap, still having some full low end there. (47kr works good for even more brightness) Just wondering if the parallel Resistor could cause harm somewhere in the path..?

[red_92]

i have a question for you 
i saw that the tone pot adjusts the trebble,but i want to add another pot that gives me the posibility to adjust the bass because sometimes the valvecaste is just to bassy-where should i put that pot ? and what value should it be?

[ThunderShowers]

Well, my above post is a bright switch, which will cut the bass at the very beginning of the signal chain.

I don't really see why putting the input as a pot lug #2, and putting each one of those caps on either lug, then to pin 2 of the 'castor wouldn't work.

EDIT: apparently, It doesn't. Herp derp, i guess I need help as much as you.

And Now i have three knobs, all of which can be described as "Gain" I am on a total Roll right now.

[iccaros]

Well, my above post is a bright switch, which will cut the bass at the very beginning of the signal chain.

I don't really see why putting the input as a pot lug #2, and putting each one of those caps on either lug, then to pin 2 of the 'castor wouldn't work.

EDIT: apparently, It doesn't. Herp derp, i guess I need help as much as you.

And Now i have three knobs, all of which can be described as "Gain" I am on a total Roll right now.

Once you lift the to ground part of the pot, then it becomes an adjustable resistor with either booting bass or treble through the tube.. So in effect a Gain pot.
but go to page 29 of this link -->  //[url="http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard1/Common_Gain_Stage.pdf%5B%5CURL%5D"]http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard1/Common_Gain_Stage.pdf[\URL]
Read this.. It explains a lot.. you can ignore the math on the first reading to get to what you want.

[ThunderShowers]

Well, my above post is a bright switch, which will cut the bass at the very beginning of the signal chain.

I don't really see why putting the input as a pot lug #2, and putting each one of those caps on either lug, then to pin 2 of the 'castor wouldn't work.

EDIT: apparently, It doesn't. Herp derp, i guess I need help as much as you.

And Now i have three knobs, all of which can be described as "Gain" I am on a total Roll right now.

Once you lift the to ground part of the pot, then it becomes an adjustable resistor with either booting bass or treble through the tube.. So in effect a Gain pot.
but go to page 29 of this link -->  //[url="http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard1/Common_Gain_Stage.pdf%5B%5CURL%5D"]http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard1/Common_Gain_Stage.pdf[\URL]
Read this.. It explains a lot.. you can ignore the math on the first reading to get to what you want.

haha, I'll read it again, I suppose. Gotta get a Good tone knob somehow.

[red_92]

~failed post~  please delete it

[ThunderShowers]

I personally like the 64 uf (In my case, bargain bin caps from the locals stores old stock.)

Clean headroom on the second stage, so you can max out that and then edge in the first stage to get a nearly clean boost (Totally clean with a 12ay7)

Tone control is the same style as the old Fender Deluxe; Treble Cut on one end, bass cut on the other, and a nice middle ground. I'm not sure if the values are 100% the best, but they do WORK.

[iccaros]

like it ThunderShowers
I like the folding metal accents. good work

[ThunderShowers]

like it ThunderShowers
I like the folding metal accents. good work

Fact: they're to cover where I wasn't thinking and drilled holes in the wrong spot.  

Notes on that build: The tone control hardly works with the Sovteks; I don't get much low end with them.

[newfish]

Late to the party - I *did* bring a bottle, though...

My board is currentl lacking 'Mojo', and I was all-set to build a(nother) Rangemaster.
I found an NPN Ge device, and was about to start breadboarding, until I saw this.

Am currently waiting for some 9-pin sockets and a 12AT7 to arrive.  this looks like an excellent project - thanks to Matsumi, Dano and everyone else who has chipped in with mods / add-ons etc.

The only issue I have is *mounting* the Tube.

My current thought it so have the socket on a pair of (1cm / roughly 1/2" - or as long as can be fitted) screws, inside a standard (BB) sized box.  This way, at least *some*of the Tube is out of harm's way, but is not physically sat (shorting) against the bottom of the box.  Mounting from the top also negates the need to drill cooling-vents into the top of the box, and will most likely give a quick and easy Tube change.

The screws will be fixed to the top of the box with lock-nuts, and again round the socket's "ears" (above and below), so as to minimise any knocks / bangs.

Does anyone have any opinions on this?

Cheers!

[ThunderShowers]

The only issue I have is *mounting* the Tube.

What you've come up with has been done, and does work. If you want to be a little more adventurous, turn the box sideways in orientation, and put the tube coming out the side, with your input and output jacks on either side of it. If you plug into it with straight connectors, they should shield the tube from the sides, and the tube will be not sticking out where you could stomp on it. It's a chopped down version of my custom made boxes (See page 120.)


Also, try my tone control layout as well as the stock one, I need opinions always.

[newfish]

The only issue I have is *mounting* the Tube.

What you've come up with has been done, and does work. If you want to be a little more adventurous, turn the box sideways in orientation, and put the tube coming out the side, with your input and output jacks on either side of it. If you plug into it with straight connectors, they should shield the tube from the sides, and the tube will be not sticking out where you could stomp on it. It's a chopped down version of my custom made boxes (See page 120.)


Also, try my tone control layout as well as the stock one, I need opinions always.

Yes - I can see why wouldn't be cost-effective.  Cool-looking creature though. Am impressed!

Think I'll stay with the 'top-mount' - as that's within my skills with metal ( \m/ )...

12AT7 arrived today, so just waiting for the sockets now.  May get some screens / covers as extra precaution.

Cheers!

[ThunderShowers]

Hogod, it sounds good (with the new tweaks) but i still can't play worth shit

[red_92]

i still want my tone eq and now i found a passive tone corrector-
http://i11.tinypic.com/2ynkzrs.png

will it work installed after the valvecaster? i kow it will cut some of the boost because it's a passive eq but that's not a problem for me ( i will have 2 valvecasters in series so i'll still have an acceptable boost;the advantage of a passive schematic is that it won't produce hiss)

[newfish]

Wow.

Finished, un-boxed as yet, and working.

This is such a simple, excellent build.

The point-to-point aspect is a little fiddly, but Dano's diagram is as clear as can be.

Wired as 'stock', and running a 12AT7 (ecc81), there's a decent amount of grit and boost available.

"We're gonna need a bigger pedal board..."