Different Transistor for LPB-1 Booster

doitle · July 23, 2009, 04:15:17 AM

I will probably be trying that next newfish. I've got 30 J201s courtesy of Aron and his store.

Either a FET booster or maybe doing somethign with these tubes I'm swimming in... I've got 9 12AT7s, 6 6205 Subminis and a 6112 Submini here beside me. Plus two tube radios to fix / make amps out of / stare and and never come close to understanding.

doitle · August 11, 2009, 02:34:47 AM

I finally got around to converting the design from the breadboard to a protoboard. I think I might have even done a decent job this time! Sadly I am lacking a DPDT switch and a DC Jack so I'll be heading to Radioshack first thing in the morning for those. Also a plastic enclosure. This might be my first real working build all boxed up! I'm so excited! I'll be sure to post some pictures or clips. Not sure if anyone will be interested as the LPB-1 is a pretty darn boring and simple build but I am ecstatic.

Also as an aside I noticed my previous post about the tubes I got and the radios... Well my stable of parts has increased so much since then... Is it possible to have PAS? Parts Acquisition Syndrome? If so I've got it. I'm like entrenched in parts and bobs and things. I'm definitely buying things faster than I can build with them and faster than I can even learn how to use them properly.

earthtonesaudio · August 11, 2009, 07:20:55 AM

Uh oh, PAS before finishing the first build. You are hooked, my friend!

doitle · August 12, 2009, 01:14:14 AM

Oy, doozy of a time building this thing with none of the proper tools... Using needle nose pliers to make holes bigger in the enclosure... using engraving bits in a Drill to try to sand off bits of plastic sticking out, trimming my Protoboard with tinsnips causing the entire thing to snap in half and now my circuit is somewhat precariously held together by the merits of one plucky resistor

I'm down to installing the pots now and realized mine have the little metal tab... I can't figure out how to bend that out of the way. I stuck the pot in a vice and tried to bend it with pliers but it's too strong... Any ideas?

Scruffie · August 12, 2009, 01:30:50 AM

Quote from: doitle on August 12, 2009, 01:14:14 AM
Oy, doozy of a time building this thing with none of the proper tools... Using needle nose pliers to make holes bigger in the enclosure... using engraving bits in a Drill to try to sand off bits of plastic sticking out, trimming my Protoboard with tinsnips causing the entire thing to snap in half and now my circuit is somewhat precariously held together by the merits of one plucky resistor

I'm down to installing the pots now and realized mine have the little metal tab... I can't figure out how to bend that out of the way. I stuck the pot in a vice and tried to bend it with pliers but it's too strong... Any ideas?

I used to cut that metal tab off with my wire snippers, however... I since discovered a pair of needle nose pliers willl easily snap it off if you bent it to the side... this is my suggestion

doitle · August 12, 2009, 03:34:34 AM

I tried the same thing as I tried before, pliers while it's in a vice and it came right off... Very odd. Anyhow I finished the build. It's in an enclosure... and it doesn't work :/ It's extremely quiet, like you disengage it and it's 4 times as loud. It also only works in a tiny range of the pots and I wired one of them backwards...

Hopefully I can salvage this somehow tomorrow... Here are a few pictures as promised.

doitle · August 14, 2009, 01:52:25 AM

I got it working! I plugged in the input and output cables to it backwards... -_-

At least it was an easy fix! Anyhow I got it all boxed up and did a little demo of it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ssgs6nHbjI

I'm having a lot of fun with this little thing. I can't wait to start on my next project now!

earthtonesaudio · August 14, 2009, 07:27:47 AM

Congrats! Sounds like you also learned some useful lessons along the way. Remember the "plugged in backwards" trick. Later, when you have more experience, it's tempting to believe you couldn't possibly make that mistake, but a little humility goes a long way in debugging.

jacobyjd · August 14, 2009, 08:11:32 AM

Heh...on my breadboard setup, I have my I/O jacks labeled in giant, black lettering on both sides of the plate they're mounted on, so there's no confusion. I still get 'em mixed up:

IN OUT

earthtonesaudio · August 14, 2009, 12:44:43 PM

I take a slightly different approach: nothing is labeled, so I have to do a continuity test every time! Which is a little more work, obviously...

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Different Transistor for LPB-1 Booster