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

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Sweetalk
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Post by Sweetalk »

Well people, I grabbed my Tube Zone and traced the schematic. I hope you like it!
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MI Audio - Tube Zone 6-knob.pdf
Mi Audio - Tube Zone 6-Knob
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Sweetalk
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Post by Sweetalk »

Ups!!! first mistake!!!... C2 is backwards. It's a filter cap, negative to ground of course. :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

Do like anyway! Thanks!! :thumbsup
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

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Post by salocin »

Thanks for the schematic!

How does the pedal sound compared to the demos on their website? http://www.mieffects.com/TZ.htm

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Post by Sweetalk »

salocin wrote:Thanks for the schematic!

How does the pedal sound compared to the demos on their website? http://www.mieffects.com/TZ.htm
Sounds pretty much lithe the demos. I prefer to run it on 18V, it's very quiet and has a LOT of gain. For me too much sub-bass, nothing that a mod can't fix!. When I have time I'll build a clone and mod it to polish the few things that I don't like.

This is the version traced:

Image

Image

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Post by culturejam »

The pot marked "Char" seems somewhat similar to the "Nature" control on the Honey Bee. Or am I over simplifying?


Sweetalk, do you have images of the unit that you reversed? I don't doubt your work, but we'd love to have some good shots of the board for the archive. Thanks

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Post by Sweetalk »

culturejam wrote:The pot marked "Char" seems somewhat similar to the "Nature" control on the Honey Bee. Or am I over simplifying?


Sweetalk, do you have images of the unit that you reversed? I don't doubt your work, but we'd love to have some good shots of the board for the archive. Thanks
I want that too but I don't have a good camera, only a cell phone. The close photos are REALLY crappy. The board it's like the picture I posted, dark blue/green double sided, metal film 1% resistors, 2 carbon resistors (the 8M2 and the 100ohm 1W), metal film can capacitors, the pots are marked with an italic "F". The wiring it's OK in general, but some shrink tube and some of these (I don't know how they call in english :scratch: )
Image
will be very nice. The way that they soldered the LED and the resistor it's AWFUL, it's too much work to put one more resistor to the PCB?. The jacks are very good (in my country are labeled as chinese Neutrik),

If I can get a camera I'll post more detailed pictures (also for my collection!!)

The Char pot seems to me like a very common mod to the TS (and other opamp based distortions) to set the distortion freq. In some Zendrive schematics that are around the net (I don't know if any of them is correct) the Voice control it's something like the Char here. In the practice if you have low gain the Char does nothing, as the gain goes up stars to be more effective. Cuts some bass and muddyness but to me still has a LOT of sub-bass.

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Post by culturejam »

Sweetalk wrote:(I don't know how they call in english :scratch: )
Zip-tie. :)

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Post by Sweetalk »

culturejam wrote:
Sweetalk wrote:(I don't know how they call in english :scratch: )
Zip-tie. :)
Thanks!!! I'm one word wiser now!!

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Post by Sweetalk »

Sweetalk wrote:
culturejam wrote:The pot marked "Char" seems somewhat similar to the "Nature" control on the Honey Bee. Or am I over simplifying?


Sweetalk, do you have images of the unit that you reversed? I don't doubt your work, but we'd love to have some good shots of the board for the archive. Thanks
I want that too but I don't have a good camera, only a cell phone. The close photos are REALLY crappy. The board it's like the picture I posted, dark blue/green double sided, metal film 1% resistors, 2 carbon resistors (the 8M2 and the 100ohm 1W), metal film can capacitors, the pots are marked with an italic "F". The wiring it's OK in general, but some shrink tube and some of these (I don't know how they call in english :scratch: )
Image
will be very nice. The way that they soldered the LED and the resistor it's AWFUL, it's too much work to put one more resistor to the PCB?. The jacks are very good (in my country are labeled as chinese Neutrik),

If I can get a camera I'll post more detailed pictures (also for my collection!!)

The Char pot seems to me like a very common mod to the TS (and other opamp based distortions) to set the distortion freq. In some Zendrive schematics that are around the net (I don't know if any of them is correct) the Voice control it's something like the Char here. In the practice if you have low gain the Char does nothing, as the gain goes up starts to be more effective. Cuts some bass and muddyness but to me still has a LOT of sub-bass.

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Post by atreidesheir »

MI Audio has some of the best looking boards I see. I am always delighted to see superior workmanship.
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Post by mictester »

culturejam wrote:
Sweetalk wrote:(I don't know how they call in english :scratch: )
Zip-tie. :)
Or "Cable tie"
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Post by Sikor »

culturejam wrote:The pot marked "Char" seems somewhat similar to the "Nature" control on the Honey Bee. Or am I over simplifying?
I do not know how Nature knob works, but Character in TZ is a pre-overdrive bass control.

It's written in "In Depth" section:
http://www.mieffects.com/TZ.htm

Sweetalk, do you have images of the unit that you reversed? I don't doubt your work, but we'd love to have some good shots of the board for the archive. Thanks
Here photo of the guts I made earlier:
Image
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Post by bucksears »

Bumping this one......starting PCB layout design.......

Is that trimmer on the board used for the 'Presence' control?

Thanks,
Buck

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Post by quaternotetriplet »

thanks man.. this is nice OD here.

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Post by bucksears »

One thing I've noticed on the schematic:

The Vcc in the lower left (connected to R14 - 100 - 1W res), but what does that connect to?
I checked the pinout of the LM833 and pin 8 is Vcc; on the schem, it's going to V+

Not sure how those should be assigned, but I'll work around it for now.

Thanks

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Post by Bernardduur »

Vcc is the power you get from the DC jack. it first goes through the 100R resistor, then it is V+ to power the parts!
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Post by Greenmachine »

mictester wrote:
culturejam wrote:
Sweetalk wrote:(I don't know how they call in english :scratch: )
Zip-tie. :)
Or "Cable tie"
Or "zap-strap". 8)
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Post by RnFR »

bucksears wrote:Bumping this one......starting PCB layout design.......

Is that trimmer on the board used for the 'Presence' control?

Thanks,
Buck
my guess is that it is the trimmer. because wired as is, it looks like it would crackle due to the DC on the pot. plus, i don't see any "crackle ok" knobs anywhere! :wink:
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Post by Sweetalk »

RnFR wrote:
bucksears wrote:Bumping this one......starting PCB layout design.......

Is that trimmer on the board used for the 'Presence' control?

Thanks,
Buck
my guess is that it is the trimmer. because wired as is, it looks like it would crackle due to the DC on the pot. plus, i don't see any "crackle ok" knobs anywhere! :wink:
The presence control is a trimpot.

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