Hey everyone!
Man I love these builds! I have just a few questions, none of which are troublesome, but are nagging me none the less.
I searched this thread long and hard, and I've already reinspected the board and found no glaring issues... I will be inspecting the opamp (which is a pre-built Red Dot), and reflow solder to the switches along with other parts of the board to be sure there are no cold joints or bridges, but I figured I would ask these questions first in case there's a glaringly obvious symptom.
Before I continue I just want to say that some of these questions/issues may simply be a combination of ignorance and incompetence, so feel free to treat them that way
a) I built two VP26s and one of the attenuators is considerably more stiff than the other. They don't behave too different from one another, if I were to quantify them the second build (the less stiff attenuator) is slightly louder by 1-2db at the same relative attenuation. I don't know if this is simply a result of two unmatched pots, or if I may have applied the solder tip too long on the leads... just wondering if other people experience the same issue. Not a big deal, I can match the levels by ear/sight in the DAW if needed.
b) When engaging the phase switch I notice what sounds like intermittent clipping... a sound that isn't present if the phase switch is left disengaged. This happens with both preamps for some reason. The "clip" or distortion occurs intermittently as I am playing, and it seems to reaction to higher "electrical SPL levels" or something; it acts somewhat like a threshold, present with a louder strum/snare hit but isn't present with slighter/softer strums or hits. Once again it does not occur when the phase switch is disengaged... its not clipping in my DAW to be sure this wasn't digital clipping, nor the Microphone (tested it with another micpre).
Is there another element in the chain that could cause higher input levels to become more distorted only when out of phase? I don't think its the traffo, but I can ensure there are no cold joints there. Is there perhaps another element of the board that would react this way? It sounds beautiful without the phase switch engaged, and has helped me fine tune my mic placement skills nonetheless!
c) The Pres run hot, which is to be expected of the API style preamps, however when running the input Gain to its extremes while using the attenuator, the signal tends to break up when distorted. Almost as if it cuts out if the gain is too hot (again the attenuator is working so it is not digital clipping, and its more than analog "distortion" as it cuts out). Could this be related to the behavior experienced in my previous question? Am I just ignorant of analog clipping behavior?
Thanks in advance for any responses, if I keep proper gain structures (and try not to saturate the gain too hard), and keep everything in standard phase the sound is beautiful on both preamps. I am very pleased with the results, and hope you all can offer some guidance, I have a few more VP26s and 2VP28s to build as well... keepin busy...
rock n roll
Man I love these builds! I have just a few questions, none of which are troublesome, but are nagging me none the less.
I searched this thread long and hard, and I've already reinspected the board and found no glaring issues... I will be inspecting the opamp (which is a pre-built Red Dot), and reflow solder to the switches along with other parts of the board to be sure there are no cold joints or bridges, but I figured I would ask these questions first in case there's a glaringly obvious symptom.
Before I continue I just want to say that some of these questions/issues may simply be a combination of ignorance and incompetence, so feel free to treat them that way
a) I built two VP26s and one of the attenuators is considerably more stiff than the other. They don't behave too different from one another, if I were to quantify them the second build (the less stiff attenuator) is slightly louder by 1-2db at the same relative attenuation. I don't know if this is simply a result of two unmatched pots, or if I may have applied the solder tip too long on the leads... just wondering if other people experience the same issue. Not a big deal, I can match the levels by ear/sight in the DAW if needed.
b) When engaging the phase switch I notice what sounds like intermittent clipping... a sound that isn't present if the phase switch is left disengaged. This happens with both preamps for some reason. The "clip" or distortion occurs intermittently as I am playing, and it seems to reaction to higher "electrical SPL levels" or something; it acts somewhat like a threshold, present with a louder strum/snare hit but isn't present with slighter/softer strums or hits. Once again it does not occur when the phase switch is disengaged... its not clipping in my DAW to be sure this wasn't digital clipping, nor the Microphone (tested it with another micpre).
Is there another element in the chain that could cause higher input levels to become more distorted only when out of phase? I don't think its the traffo, but I can ensure there are no cold joints there. Is there perhaps another element of the board that would react this way? It sounds beautiful without the phase switch engaged, and has helped me fine tune my mic placement skills nonetheless!
c) The Pres run hot, which is to be expected of the API style preamps, however when running the input Gain to its extremes while using the attenuator, the signal tends to break up when distorted. Almost as if it cuts out if the gain is too hot (again the attenuator is working so it is not digital clipping, and its more than analog "distortion" as it cuts out). Could this be related to the behavior experienced in my previous question? Am I just ignorant of analog clipping behavior?
Thanks in advance for any responses, if I keep proper gain structures (and try not to saturate the gain too hard), and keep everything in standard phase the sound is beautiful on both preamps. I am very pleased with the results, and hope you all can offer some guidance, I have a few more VP26s and 2VP28s to build as well... keepin busy...
rock n roll
