D'lator DVD conversion

[angelodp]

I am getting another Dlator going specifically for my RedPlate amp. I opted for Reverb and a passive loop so this was something I wanted to add to the combo. I have an old discarded DVD burner and had success with this approach on my first so here it goes. I'll post when its all done.

[IMG:720:638]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... Dlator.jpg[/img]

[Structo]

Hi Ange,

Can you tell me the dimensions of that enclosure?

I've been searching for a flatpack PT that would work in a single rack height box.

I went with the stand alone fender reverb PT last time.
Worked well but I used a 3" tall Hammond box for it.
A bit on the large size.

[angelodp]

Sure, its 9.5 wide x 11 deep x 1.75 high

[mlp-mx6]

I've been searching for a flatpack PT that would work in a single rack height box.

I was thinking that a 12.6V Radio Shack xfmr feeding the little toroid that Hoffman sells for tube pedals might work together really well and be quite small.

[Mill Creek Audio]

Just bought a few of these, looked perfect for this project....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWNX:IT

240VAC toroid @ 50VA w/2 6.3VAC windings @2A each 1.5" tall

Check their other stuff, other voltages too....

[dcribbs1412]

Great info thanks Mill Creek
will be grabin a couple of those
btw your jazz/fusion really does rock very impressive recordings


do you have cd's for sale

[Mill Creek Audio]

Wow, thanks so much! I sold a suprising number of CD's (Live at Chris' Jazz Cafe in Philly) from my Myspace page and I will gladly sell one for $1.50 (including postage in the US) to anyone on this forum.

Back to topic... I've been putting a lot of thought into a D'lator type device since getting back into these amps again last year. Built several amps in the early 80's that turned out great, still in use by the original buyers.
For one, the extra 6V tap on the TXFR's mentioned above could be used for some relay switching. Maybe series or parallel FX in and out (foot?) if you have a few? Of course bright switches could be footswitched but the thing I've been thinking about most is building in a tube graphic EQ (maybe an optimized version of the one from a Super Twin?) that could be switched in and out with the OD channel. You could take a trigger from the amp to your loop box. There is all sorts of freq tailoring done in and around the OD to tweak it, wouldn't a dedicated EQ that sounded right help achieve that? You could even create a special loop point for it depending on where in your OD chain you wanted to place it. Or how about a switch like Boogie has assigning the EQ to clean channel, OD or both?

[bluesfendermanblues]

Wow, thanks so much! I sold a suprising number of CD's (Live at Chris' Jazz Cafe in Philly) from my Myspace page and I will gladly sell one for $1.50 (including postage in the US) to anyone on this forum.

Took at listen to your MySpace - really impressive quality jazz/fusion. Nice playing. You don't overplay the songs and you're not afraid of silence between the notes. Really nice tone as well.

[dcribbs1412]

Mill Creek Audio

I've been thinking about most is building in a tube graphic EQ (maybe an optimized version of the one from a Super Twin?) that could be switched in and out with the OD channel.

This is very interesting..using a 12au7 a few caps and some pots

[Structo]

Wow, thanks so much! I sold a suprising number of CD's (Live at Chris' Jazz Cafe in Philly) from my Myspace page and I will gladly sell one for $1.50 (including postage in the US) to anyone on this forum.

Back to topic... I've been putting a lot of thought into a D'lator type device since getting back into these amps again last year. Built several amps in the early 80's that turned out great, still in use by the original buyers.
For one, the extra 6V tap on the TXFR's mentioned above could be used for some relay switching. Maybe series or parallel FX in and out (foot?) if you have a few? Of course bright switches could be footswitched but the thing I've been thinking about most is building in a tube graphic EQ (maybe an optimized version of the one from a Super Twin?) that could be switched in and out with the OD channel. You could take a trigger from the amp to your loop box. There is all sorts of freq tailoring done in and around the OD to tweak it, wouldn't a dedicated EQ that sounded right help achieve that? You could even create a special loop point for it depending on where in your OD chain you wanted to place it. Or how about a switch like Boogie has assigning the EQ to clean channel, OD or both?

That would be interesting.
What I would like to do is build another ODS with the HRM controls on the front panel like a few builders here have done.

Being able to adjust the tone on the OD channel would be great instead reaching a compromise with the one tone stack for both channels.

[Mill Creek Audio]

"What I would like to do is build another ODS with the HRM controls on the front panel like a few builders here have done."

Built and modded dozens of amps that way, I had the same idea many years ago after building several clones and have found that any of the two channel Fender amps (from the Deluxe on up) make great chassis to do this with. I still sometimes use a '64 Vibrolux converted to a single 12" that I did back then (was not worth so much then!). DC heaters, relay switching, and a 3 way switch for different tone caps on the OD channel. It's a little killer! Lots of room in those chassis for loops etc. The lower noise from the DC heaters helped that amp to be really popular with engineers at sessions. I kind of liked the hi-fi sound it added too though I don't do DC heaters that much anymore.

[angelodp]

I was close to finishing this when I tested it and had some strange readings w/ B+ at some unusual nodes. I then realized that I had not grounded one of the 33uf caps and fixed that. I also had a funny deal with the radio shack light.... it was the opposite wire colors to my last build so I discovered that and switched the wires and it lit up.

Just tested it out and its a nice unit. I am wondering about my voltage readings.

B+1 - 335
B+2 - 308

Mains - 118vac

heater- 3.2 ( 4&5 ) & 3.2 ( 9 )

Only very lo hum at high volume.

Are my B+ cause for concern? New EH 12ax7

On my first Dlator ( identical layout 0 I am getting
B+1 - 330
B+2 - 250

I used a different type of resistor at the B+1 node in this first build, Its a
100k - J type ( grey cement looking ), as opposed to a 100k 3w in the later.


[IMG:960:601]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... G_3041.jpg[/img]
[IMG342]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... G_3023.jpg[/img]
[IMG733]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... G_3038.jpg[/img]
[IMG1041]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... G_3036.jpg[/img]
[IMG900]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/ ... phic-2.jpg[/img]

[Structo]

Hi Ange,
Looks great.

Are those voltages at the B+ nodes or at the pins 1 & 6 plates?

The schematic for the Funk PT calls for 368v on B+1 and 256v on B+2.

Measure your cathode voltage on the cathode follower, it should be at least 30v.

[angelodp]

Those are B+ at the nodes. Cathode follower is 25v ?



Are those voltages at the B+ nodes or at the pins 1 & 6 plates?

The schematic for the Funk PT calls for 368v on B+1 and 256v on B+2.

Measure your cathode voltage on the cathode follower, it should be at least 30v.[/quote]

[martin manning]

Ange, how about getting a complete set of voltages, all measured at the same time, as follows:

Line (VAC)
PT HV secondary (VAC)
PT filament winding (VAC)

After Doubler (before 15K dropping resistor) (DC)
Node 1 (after 15K dropping resistor) (DC)
Node 2 (after 100K dropping resistor) (DC)

Cathode of driver stage (pin 3, DC)
Plate of recovery stage (pin 6, DC)
Cathode of recovery stage (pin 8, DC)

This should tell all.

What was your process for filling in the original panel cut-outs? The result really looks great!

MPM