TC-500 // Versatile Tracking Compressor for 500 Series.

[earlfsmith]

So exited  8)

 

[Sabbath]

Hi Guys,

I'm waiting on the knobs shipment to arrive this week. Your kits should ship next week

Also good news... Mouser has the That 4305 in stock 

I'm working on the build guide this week and I will send you the BOM this weekend.

Cheers

Great work!!!
Are you planning to make more kits in future?

 

[uptownsquash]

Hello! I believe my two kits are in the mail. have you finished up the BOM for this project?
Im looking forward to building these!

 

[elskardio]

Hello! I believe my two kits are in the mail. have you finished up the BOM for this project?
Im looking forward to building these!

Hi, yes all the kits were shipped last Wednesday.

I just finished writing the Build Guide. I will email all the infos tomorrow including the Mouser cart.

Thanks

 

[uptownsquash]

Hi, yes all the kits were shipped last Wednesday.

I just finished writing the Build Guide. I will email all the infos tomorrow including the Mouser cart.

Thanks

Awesome! thank you!

 

[elskardio]

Hi Guys,

I just emailed the Build Guide and the Mouser Cart to the email address associated with your Paypal account.

Also, That Corporation is having difficulties supplying parts to their distributors due to the pandemic. Currently Mouser has the SOIC version of the 2181A VCA in stock. I've included a small PCB adapter with your kit so you can use it for your TC-500.

Stay safe 

 

[JMan]

Receive your email with the guide, and the kits just arrived at my door!  I’m so pumped to build my pair of these — will be ordering components today or tomorrow.  Thank you so much for this project!

 

[JMan]

Man, when I received the guide/BOM, the whole Mouser cart was in stock.  By the time I placed my order a few days later, quite a few things were already back ordered, some now estimated as far out as April!  I guess I’ll have some time to work on other projects while I wait (not the worst thing), but I was really looking forward to completing this project over the holidays.  Lol knowing how those backorders tend to go (esp during the pandemic), I probably won’t be building my pair until summer!

 

[elskardio]

Man, when I received the guide/BOM, the whole Mouser cart was in stock.  By the time I placed my order a few days later, quite a few things were already back ordered, some now estimated as far out as April!  I guess I’ll have some time to work on other projects while I wait (not the worst thing), but I was really looking forward to completing this project over the holidays.  Lol knowing how those backorders tend to go (esp during the pandemic), I probably won’t be building my pair until summer!

I just updated the Mouser Cart and everything is in stock except the 2 following items:

- 2 x THAT 4305, expected around 2021-01-18. That's not too far
- 4 x Switch Cap, in stock at Digikey (https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/e-switch/1RWHT/271578)

Happy new year!

 

[JMan]

I just updated the Mouser Cart and everything is in stock except the 2 following items:

- 2 x THAT 4305, expected around 2021-01-18. That's not too far
- 4 x Switch Cap, in stock at Digikey (https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/e-switch/1RWHT/271578)

Happy new year!

Happy new year!

I already placed my order (the backorder time estimates weren't too bad when I did, so I just went for it, and then they immediately got pushed WAY out).  I'm fine with waiting, but it's awesome that you are putting in the effort of updating the cart.  Thanks for your hard work!

 

[JMan]

I got impatient and ordered replacements for the parts that I had on back order.  Started soldering tonight, and I gotta tell you, I hate you for using these surface mount ICs!  ;D

 

[JMan]

I was working through the resistors and I have a question.  R2 is listed in the BOM as 10k, but a little further down, it lists R1-R4 as 1k5.

Which of these values is the correct one?

 

[JMan]

I was working through the resistors and I have a question.  R2 is listed in the BOM as 10k, but a little further down, it lists R1-R4 as 1k5.

Which of these values is the correct one?

Okay, so looking at it today with fresh eyes, I caught my mistake.  There are resistors R1-4 on the main board AND separate R1-4 on the switch board.  So all of the switch pcb values are 1k5, and those resistor numbers on the main board are the other various values listed in the BOM.  Hope that's helpful if anyone else is as slow as I am. 

 

[elskardio]

Okay, so looking at it today with fresh eyes, I caught my mistake.  There are resistors R1-4 on the main board AND separate R1-4 on the switch board.  So all of the switch pcb values are 1k5, and those resistor numbers on the main board are the other various values listed in the BOM.  Hope that's helpful if anyone else is as slow as I am.

Hi JMan,
sorry for the late reply... the new post notifications are not working for my account 
Yes all the switch PCB resistors are 1k5.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Happy soldering!

 

[JMan]

Finished up the soldering on my pair this evening.  Haven’t tried to pass audio or calibrate yet (too tired by the time I finished), but I did power one of them up and nothing fried!

However, it looks like I only received the 2181 adapter boards & headers for one unit.  Any chance I could get them for the second unit?

This was a fun way to spend a few evenings!  Thanks!

 

[elskardio]

However, it looks like I only received the 2181 adapter boards & headers for one unit.  Any chance I could get them for the second unit?

I will mailed them to you this week 

 

[JMan]

I will mailed them to you this week 

Much appreciated!

On an unrelated note, has anybody else been working on/finished this project yet?  It’s always fun to see/hear about a work in progress or the finished gear in action!

 

[MHanson]

If you don't like em ... send them to me ...

I have one up and running.  I was also missing adapters and header boards for my second unit. 

One of mine is working without any issue, the other is built but waiting for back ordered VCA's to arrive.

Enjoy,
Michael

 

[JMan]

If you don't like em ... send them to me ...

I have one up and running.  I was also missing adapters and header boards for my second unit. 

One of mine is working without any issue, the other is built but waiting for back ordered VCA's to arrive.

Enjoy,
Michael

Ha, well, I certainly didn't mean to imply that I don't like them!  I haven't run any audio through them yet, but I wouldn't have bought the boards if I wasn't excited about the project, and I was impressed by the demo video.

I know it's a fairly straightforward build and doesn't require a lot of community input (as long as you aren't like me, prone to getting in my own way), I just thought it would be nice to have some activity on this thread.  Glad to hear one of yours is up and running! 

I'm going to have to fashion a TS -> Alligator clip cable for the calibration procedure.  I don't have one of those lying around, though I have what I need to make one.  Speaking of that, I suppose the proper connection would be signal (VCA test point) to tip, and...ground to sleeve?  Does the sleeve connection even matter here?

 

[elskardio]

Speaking of that, I suppose the proper connection would be signal (VCA test point) to tip, and...ground to sleeve?  Does the sleeve connection even matter here?

Yes and Yes