Tube boost + overdrive running off a 9 volt battery

[merlinb]

My plan is to run it all off a 24v Electro Harmonix power supply from Amazon. It doesn't state the amperage,

If you mean this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Electro-Harmonix-US24DC-100-24V-Power-Supply/dp/B0042RHT4M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1303290789&sr=8-1

It is rated for only 100mA, so it does not have enough juice for this project.

[Ratbones]

I see, so I really only need to use the regulators to drop the 24v down to heater voltages pretty much.  That simplifies things a lot.  Thanks for the reply!

EDIT: Didn't see the post above... Damn... Why didn't I think to CLICK the picture... I guess I assumed if it's hefty enough to run those pedals it should do fine! Foolish...

[Dongle]

You can also try a voltage divider... (2 x R)

[Brian_L]

I got mine all put together and working
Need to test some different tubes, as it sounds great as a clean boost with the gain dialed down, but I don't care for the  breakup it gives me. Hopefully I can find a tube that has a nicer crunch to it. I only have AT7s at the moment, but have some AU7s on the way. It sounded pretty good with an old GE 12AT7 in it, but I didn't have a tube protector on it and crushed it when I stepped over my pedal board 
I have the plates running at 27v, I am using an HP deskjet printer adapter for power  (I have 3 of them )  they have 15v and 32v outs. so the 15v line goes through a 7812, and the 32v line goes straight to the plates. Great little pedal 
Great thread!

[keravnos19889]

hi there,
can i ask you what transformer u recomend for the valvecaster because alla i try 9-12-17 V  500 ma or higher where humming like hell..  With a 9V battery i have decent volume but for 30-40 min


tnx

[zambo]

I like 1spot 9v adaptors. they are quiet all the time. I had bad luck with adjustables as well. I have had boss and dan electro ones work as well.

[iccaros]

I got mine all put together and working
Need to test some different tubes, as it sounds great as a clean boost with the gain dialed down, but I don't care for the  breakup it gives me. Hopefully I can find a tube that has a nicer crunch to it. I only have AT7s at the moment, but have some AU7s on the way. It sounded pretty good with an old GE 12AT7 in it, but I didn't have a tube protector on it and crushed it when I stepped over my pedal board 
I have the plates running at 27v, I am using an HP deskjet printer adapter for power  (I have 3 of them )  they have 15v and 32v outs. so the 15v line goes through a 7812, and the 32v line goes straight to the plates. Great little pedal 
Great thread!

Brian
I was just doing some test with some 12Volt tubes I have been working on an amp with. the 12u7 (not a miss type) and the 12AE7. Both meant to run at 12V (12.5 with 12.5 heaters). they both sound as good, if not a better overdrive not so squashy..  as 12AU7 at 12 volts. But move to ~25 (no more that 28 as 30 is max plate voltage for these tubes), and amazing sound.. I played for over an hour going back and forth. The 12AE7 sounded best.  This plate starvation design produces a harsh distortion, this is why you see a lot of people going to higher voltage. But with these tubes, which were made for car radios.. Well they rock. With the 12AE7 I can get a nice TOOL, even could do some rage like distortion at max gain. Since it has two different triode types, a beginning low gain section and a higher gain section, it sounds more like a power tube overdrive.. 

just what I have learned over the last two weeks.
In my 30volt I also use a 5751, known as the preamp tube of choice for SRV..
I like the 12AE7 the most.Best sound, more dynamic range as its in its element.
The only downside, the 12AE7 takes .4 amps for heaters. The 12U7 takes 150MA for heaters. So with my little pedal (size) and using a 12V regulator on the heaters, using the pedal case as a heat sink, well it gets hot drawing that much current.. It can handle it.. I hope.. But its wierd picking up a pedal and it is very warm

[muckey pup]

hi i am new to fx building and my valvecaster is not a booster but an unbooster even with all pots at max there is less volume ?
can anyone check my build for mistakes
muckey pup

http://s1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/muckeypup/

[muckey pup]

no pic?

[muckey pup]

sorry i canot get the pic to show?
but you can use the link
thanks
muckey pup
[/img]
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/muckeypup/caster.jpg

[Anon]

I have the plates running at 27v, I am using an HP deskjet printer adapter for power  (I have 3 of them )  they have 15v and 32v outs. so the 15v line goes through a 7812, and the 32v line goes straight to the plates. Great little pedal 
Great thread!

How did you get those HP printer adapters to work? I have 3 of them laying around and all I got was a loud hum when I used them

[Brian_L]

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

[muckey pup]

no one

[pentadactylon]

Hi all people, I´m new here....
7 days & 7 nigt reading 114 pages, more pics, and youtube video, about Valvacaster. I´v saw some people pin point components to the socket, other on PCB, many wiring cable (large or short).  My question is: there are any sound diference (or also interference, hum, hiss) using long wires?

[frequencycentral]

sorry i canot get the pic to show?
but you can use the link
thanks
muckey pup

Pretty tough to debug a photo, got any voltages for us?

[BarnyardBill]

Does anyone know of a good perfboard layout for the valvey?  I am accustomed to perfboard, but translating a vero board can be tough.  Please Help

[tasos]

hello...i have heard about warming out tubes on amps....do we need to warm up this tube too?

[deadastronaut]

@muckeypup.

at a glance i see your using those metal dc sockets....they can give you grief with a tip negative pedal...

it did on my pedals when i tried them, use plastic (isolated) ones...

just a thought!....

[tasos]

@muckeypup.

at a glance i see your using those metal dc sockets....they can give you grief with a tip negative pedal...

it did on my pedals when i tried them, use plastic (isolated) ones...

just a thought!....

+1

[1878]

I used those jacks on the first ever pedal (Uglyface) I built. It lived in a plastic enclosure for a while, and I had a terrible time finding out what was wrong when I boxed it up in an aluminium Hammond for the first time !!