MI Audio - Tube Zone 6-Knob Version [Schematic]

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bucksears
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Post by bucksears »

Ok, got the layout done - would like some extra eyes to go over it for any problems/errors that might be found.
I'll get that online sometime today.

Thanks,
Buck

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Güero 2.0
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Post by Güero 2.0 »

bucksears wrote:Ok, got the layout done - would like some extra eyes to go over it for any problems/errors that might be found.
I'll get that online sometime today.

Thanks,
Buck
Ok, I got these extra eyes that you refer.

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bucksears
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Post by bucksears »

Ok, here it is:

http://www.4thlevelmedia.com/smallpics/ ... Layout.jpg

It's big, so I didn't want to embed it on the page; I made it hi-res so you can zoom in and read the part values. EDIT** best to right-click/save-as this file and view it in Picture Manager, etc so you can zoom out. Like I said, it's a large pic.

Let me know if anything doesn't make sense, or if there are any visible errors.

Once it's been proofed, I'll post a ready-to-etch (actual size) layout in hi-res bitmap, probably; it's been my experience that they print out less 'fuzzy' than JPGs when it comes to artwork like this.

Thanks,
Buck

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Post by mysticwhiskey »

Thanks for the layout bucksears, looks good to me apart from one detail: C10 on the schematic is 2.2uF, whereas on your layout it's marked as 10uF.

Other minor improvements I might suggest are an orientation marker for the IC, and also if you include the component values for the IC, transistors and pots then you've got a self-contained layout.

Cheers!

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Sweetalk
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Post by Sweetalk »

Thanks for the layout! I will test mine this week

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bucksears
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Post by bucksears »

mysticwhiskey wrote:Thanks for the layout bucksears, looks good to me apart from one detail: C10 on the schematic is 2.2uF, whereas on your layout it's marked as 10uF.

Other minor improvements I might suggest are an orientation marker for the IC, and also if you include the component values for the IC, transistors and pots then you've got a self-contained layout.

Cheers!
Done, done and done.

http://www.4thlevelmedia.com/smallpics/ ... Layout.jpg

If nobody sees any problems/errors, I'll upload the ready-to-print-size one later. This all is based on the schem in the PDF at the beginning of this thread, so these should work together as a package.

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bucksears
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Post by bucksears »

Ok, here's the ready-to-print PCB. It's high-res, but should not need resizing.

http://www.4thlevelmedia.com/smallpics/ ... ea_PCB.bmp

Let me know if there are any issues/corrections that need to be made.

Thanks,
Buck

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sst4270
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Post by sst4270 »

Thank-you.

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bucksears
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Post by bucksears »

No problem - I've had some issues printing from Windows Picture Manager and/or Windows Fax/Picture viewer as they try to resize slightly.
I create these layouts from Adobe Illustrator so I create them in actual size and print straight from there to PNP Blue.

Buck

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Post by sst4270 »

Since you're using AI. I suggest you save as a PDF instead of BMP. Then it's easier to print to scale.

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flybird
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Post by flybird »

PDF is better!!!!

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Post by kabi »

great work everyone, just finished this :D

regarding the PCB image, i just resampled it to 300DPI with Irfanview and it came out just the right size. Now, about the pedal:

It definitely does sound like the Tube Zone i've heard on clips over the internet, plenty of gain when you need it and one of the most flexible and responsive tone stacks i've personally come accross. It's not a metal monster, per se, but an interesting pedal and build overall

I've attached some enclosure and gut pics. My etching is far from being perfect and i'm getting lazier and lazier on the wiring work (didn't even used shielded input and output wires on this one), however it's not noisy at all, even when running at 18v (with the internal charge pump) and with the drive cranked all the way up

Only thing i noticed is that with the volume pot maxed out, the output is even, if not a tad lower, than when the pedal is bypassed. Just an observation, perhpas it's designed that way?

again, a million thanks to everyone in this forum, tons of infos here that make our DIY life easier :wink:

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seedseed
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Post by seedseed »

Iam not sure if you guys are all reading the schematic on page one but there is a error i found in it when i built one for myself the output must come out from the collector of the last transistor not the emitter as it will be to quiet if coming from the emitter. It also means that the presence doesn't really work properly unless you take the output from the collector on the last transistor. thought i would mention it encase anyone was finding that

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kabi
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Post by kabi »

seedseed wrote:Iam not sure if you guys are all reading the schematic on page one but there is a error i found in it when i built one for myself the output must come out from the collector of the last transistor not the emitter as it will be to quiet if coming from the emitter. It also means that the presence doesn't really work properly unless you take the output from the collector on the last transistor. thought i would mention it encase anyone was finding that
i second that. the presence trimmer effect seems to be very subtle

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bucksears
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Post by bucksears »

seedseed wrote:Iam not sure if you guys are all reading the schematic on page one but there is a error i found in it when i built one for myself the output must come out from the collector of the last transistor not the emitter as it will be to quiet if coming from the emitter. It also means that the presence doesn't really work properly unless you take the output from the collector on the last transistor. thought i would mention it encase anyone was finding that
Ok, I'll update it and save all as PDFs.

So of the three components connected to the emitter trail (R1, C20 and R17), what connects to the collector and what stays connected to the emitter?

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Post by chriscustom »

bucksears wrote:
seedseed wrote: So of the three components connected to the emitter trail (R1, C20 and R17), what connects to the collector and what stays connected to the emitter?
Look how this is done.
Attachments
MI-Audio_TZ.pdf
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seedseed
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Post by seedseed »

yeah it's correct as in it comes out of the collector on the last transistor before the output. but your schematic is the most accurate one. All did you was just mistake the emitter for collector on one transistor. all you have to do is wire your schematic's transistor up the same as in that in schematic but use your schematic on page one and you'll have a fantastic unit. Thats what i did with mine and the guys in the band fight over who's going to use it. It's actually rather amusing to watch.

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bucksears
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Post by bucksears »

Thanks guys - that's what I thought.
I looked at my board (in progress) this weekend and I THINK I can just move one leg of the .22uF cap over to the collector junction so I don't have to etch/re-populate another board.

I'll update the PCB and layout when I have a chance, maybe this weekend.

Thanks again,
Buck

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Post by rcustoms »

TUBE MASTER pcb.pdf
TUBE MASTER PCB
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TUBE MASTER PCB AND PARTS.pdf
TUBE MASTER PCB AND PARTS
(35.07 KiB) Downloaded 554 times
clipping stage A and B PCB.pdf
CLIPPING STAGE A AND B
(3.64 KiB) Downloaded 461 times
clipping stage A and B PCB AND PARTS.pdf
CLIPPING STAGE PCB AND PARTS
(13.89 KiB) Downloaded 434 times
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seedseed
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Post by seedseed »

wouldn't it be easier just to build that schematic on a piece of vero board rather than have to do all that etching seems like your making it harder than it is. It's still only one audio channel like any pedal is should easily fit on one board run your pots input output switch bingo one pedal everyone is happy i put a charge pump on mine so i have more head room for bass sounds much nicer on 18v. Bit like running your car on a higher octane fuel so you have a touch more grunt to it.

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