Mid Cap help. D'Lite clip

[stelligan]

Have a new personal D'Lite build powered up. Sold my first build and it was sounding great, but looking rather weathered from all the constant fidgeting with it. Now trying to get this one up to snuff. I have become addicted to tweaking amps, I guess.

Is it taboo to use something other than a .01 or .05uF mid cap? This is with a .01uF and I am still not getting what I want from this. Initially had a .05 there. I guess Tone shaping advice requested. I guess I'm looking for more honk. 250k Audio pot at noon. Thanks.

http://www.jonesin.org/Dave/Dbone.mp3

[heisthl]

Assuming you're playing with the mid boost off - The "honk" you seek may be the mids that carry through the treble cap. try subbing in a 500pf for the 390pf or at least try a different 390pf, yours may be way out of spec.

[skyboltone]

Jeepers Stelligan. Daaaaaaaang that was sweet. I'm not sure what it is you're looking for tonally but what you have now sounds pretty good to my ears.

[stelligan]

Assuming you're playing with the mid boost off - The "honk" you seek may be the mids that carry through the treble cap. try subbing in a 500pf for the 390pf or at least try a different 390pf, yours may be way out of spec.

Henry,

I have a 330pF there now. And - OOPS - I haven't installed a mid boost yet!! That may get me home... I should really move the PAB and OD switches to the back panel and put Mid boost and maybe a mid cap switch up there for Fenders and Gibsons. Are .01 and .05 the tried and true values?

Thanks

Jeepers Stelligan. Daaaaaaaang that was sweet. I'm not sure what it is you're looking for tonally but what you have now sounds pretty good to my ears.

Thanks skyboltone!
I feel like this build is a little more scooped sounding. I'm trying to hang a little more meat on the tone - especially when using the bridge pickup. I must resist mounting this chassis in it's cab until I am satisfied that the tone it is where I want it to stay(for now ) . I tend to be in a hurry to mount them - then continually yank them in and out while tweaking.....

I don't say this often enough, but I am most grateful for this site. It has provided me with a hobby that is very satisfying. One that I never saw myself pursuing. I just don't know what I will do with all the amps I will undoubtedly end up building. I am beginning to hook my friends up with them for pretty much the price of parts. Next up for my private pile 'o amps is a 100 watt Funkified HRM(I marvel every time I pick up that chassis - THANKS). The payback for me is the learning and interaction with this friendly community. Now when I finally shock the shit out of myself - I may change my tune.........

[adlibmusic]

Dang Stelli, that sound mighty fine to me!!!
Loren

[drpastorbob]

Could one of you please elaborate on the details of the mid-boost circuit/switch for me? I too am still in search of more "honk" and am still a real novice at building amps.

Thanks,

Bob

[heisthl]

The mid boost is quite simple really, in boost mode the treble cap is a .002 allowing mid frequencies to pass through the treble pot. When off the 390pf is seriesed with the .002 for a treble cap value of 326pf. You can use a relay if you want foot control.

[drpastorbob]

The mid boost is quite simple really, in boost mode the treble cap is a .002 allowing mid frequencies to pass through the treble pot. When off the 390pf is seriesed with the .002 for a treble cap value of 326pf. You can use a relay if you want foot control.

Thanks Heisthl. I'm going to add the circuit to my build. Now where to put that switch......

[markmalin]

Have a new personal D'Lite build powered up. Sold my first build and it was sounding great, but looking rather weathered from all the constant fidgeting with it. Now trying to get this one up to snuff. I have become addicted to tweaking amps, I guess.

Is it taboo to use something other than a .01 or .05uF mid cap? This is with a .01uF and I am still not getting what I want from this. Initially had a .05 there. I guess Tone shaping advice requested. I guess I'm looking for more honk. 250k Audio pot at noon. Thanks.

http://www.jonesin.org/Dave/Dbone.mp3

Stelligan,

Is this a stock D'Lite, or did you mod anything from the Brownnote design? Also, what are you using for transformers? I'd also be curious to know if you sourced your own parts or used the BN kit??

Thanks!
Mark

[markmalin]

The mid boost is quite simple really, in boost mode the treble cap is a .002 allowing mid frequencies to pass through the treble pot. When off the 390pf is seriesed with the .002 for a treble cap value of 326pf. You can use a relay if you want foot control.

Hi Heisthl,

That .002 cap, do you use an Orange Drop there, or a ceramic?

Mark.

[heisthl]

I use a PS series Orange Drop (or in rare cases an Xicon MPP).

[stelligan]

Dang Stelli, that sound mighty fine to me!!!
Loren

Thanks Loren. It's getting there. Seems like they are sounding better faster than they used to.
Hey! Where did you hide all those backing tracks?

Dave

Stelligan,

Is this a stock D'Lite, or did you mod anything from the Brownnote design? Also, what are you using for transformers? I'd also be curious to know if you sourced your own parts or used the BN kit??

Thanks!
Mark

Mark,

I got the chassis from BrownNote and everything else from Antique Electronics or Mouser. Normster was gracious and generous enough to post a D'Lite BOM in the files section a while back and it includes part numbers and all. It is likely still there. Iron is actually Antique's Vibrolux replacement and is a bit wimpier at 180ma. OT is their 50 watt "Fender" replacement at 2/4/8 ohms. I think the BrownNote OT in my original was a little smoother, but not quite as loud. I believe it is close to one of the "tweaked" layouts that is on the BN forum. 120uf, bright cap, 150/220 on clean and OD, "traditional" presence circuit, different dropping string(3k3/15k/10k), 150k FET sim resistor, a .001uf/330k to ground off pin 6 of OD tube. I built one much like this one to cheer up an old bandmate that was in the middle of losing his spouse last fall/winter. I liked the sound and had enough spare parts from sourcing his build - so, I built this one.

Hope this helps,
Dave

[markmalin]

Mark,

I got the chassis from BrownNote and everything else from Antique Electronics or Mouser. Normster was gracious and generous enough to post a D'Lite BOM in the files section a while back and it includes part numbers and all. It is likely still there. Iron is actually Antique's Vibrolux replacement and is a bit wimpier at 180ma. OT is their 50 watt "Fender" replacement at 2/4/8 ohms. I think the BrownNote OT in my original was a little smoother, but not quite as loud. I believe it is close to one of the "tweaked" layouts that is on the BN forum. 120uf, bright cap, 150/220 on clean and OD, "traditional" presence circuit, different dropping string(3k3/15k/10k), 150k choke sim resistor, a .001uf/330k to ground off pin 6 of OD tube. I built one much like this one to cheer up an old bandmate that was in the middle of losing his spouse last fall/winter. I liked the sound and had enough spare parts from sourcing his build - so, I built this one.

Hope this helps,
Dave

Dave,

Thanks -- that's a huge help. Interesting that you noticed a difference between iron. I ended up sourcing my own from Heboer, but in retrospect I wish I had bought the standard Fender replacements. Maybe it would have sounded more true to what I hear on BrownNote's forum. Normster must have removed the BOM -- I just checked and didn't see it at his website. Too bad, I would have liked to see what the differences are between his parts list and the one I came up with

Thanks again for the info. By the way, that's pretty cool that you were able to be an encouragment to your old band mate. I can't imagine going through that.

Cheers,
Mark.

[Structo]

Did you really use a 150 ohm choke resistor?
I dropped mine from the stock 500 to 330.

And the PT?
Brown Notes stock PT is 300 ma.

Moss is now shipping a different OT with the 44 and I wish I had that one....


I have mine real close to the tweaked layout.

I need to try the treble bleed on the OD.
I seem to have this ultra sonic fizzy thing going on.

When you say "traditional presence", do you mean like a Dumble or the way Brown Note has it wired?

Mark if you need a BOM, PM me with your email addy and I will send you one.

[stelligan]

Did you really use a 150 ohm choke resistor?
I dropped mine from the stock 500 to 330.

My bad, I meant 150k FET sim resistor. My choke resistor is still 500. Dumble presence. I wish I could figure out why some builds need that treble bleed on the OD and some don't. I think heisthl likes cheap coax - to bleed some highs. And yes the PT is much wimpier, but I liked the sound of the amp I had built for a friend - so stuck with it. That amp is referenced here:
https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... c&start=15