Warm Audio Tone Beast - Troubleshooting Help?

[stustustu]

Been lusting after a Tonebeast for a while as a good value front end Colourbox with some tonal options. Got one for a steal with the upgraded 990c+ opamp. Powers on fine and most of the controls work fine, but I can't get the Tone Control section to have any effect on the sound at all. The seller says the difference is subtle but I can't detect ANY change for most of the controls at any combination of input/output gain. Seller isn't a scammer (the 990c+ is present, item was in original box and he included the original WA opamp). Would appreciate any help diagnosing the issue!

Here's what I've tried:

Sources: SM58 in mic input, then electric guitar in the hi-z nput.

Output: from the balanced line out to the aux input of my ec1 (just using this as headphone amp for testing purposes, the ec1s preamp is not in the chain)

Gain levels: I've tried all 3 of the problematic tone switches at all possible combinations of input/output gain knobs at 6/9/12/3 o'clock increments.

The issue is with the following 3 x switches in the Tone Control section (all other controls appear to operate correctly)

"Discrete Amplifier" - the opamp selector doesn't have any audible effect when switching between x731 and X18 (now the 990c+)
"capacitors" - capacitor selector doesn't have any audible effect when switching between vintage and clean
"output transformer" - transformer selector doesn't have any audible effect when switching between nickel and steel

The "tone" and "bypass" buttons in the Tone Control section have an audible effect when pressed, but no combination of in/out of these 2 buttons results in the 3 x problem switches having an audible effect on the sound.

Pictures included: tone control panel showing which controls do and don't have an audible effect


Any other questions let me know. My ears aren't exactly golden but I feel like I should be able to hear a difference when I turn or press the tone controls on a pre!

Thanks!

 

[sr1200]

If you have something like voxengo span or plugin doctor, you should be able to see if those switches are indeed doing anything. Weather or not you're going to be able to hear it, may depend on the material going through, but at least you can verify is its working or not.

I've never heard a capacitor make a difference in a signal path other than changing values of it. Between types of caps... i can't hear it either. Same could be said about the transformer. Unless you're saturating the transformer, all of my tests have nulled between using a nickle/steel/anything else. When they start to saturate, then theres a little bit of a difference. Depending on the DOA involved (i dont know that ive used a 990c) there are subtle differences, usually in the top end from the tests ive done. The biggest difference ive noticed was going from a germanium DOA to a "regular" transistor. The germanium had some different harmonics thing happening.

Again, something like plugin doctor might be able to shed some light on the situation and if theres actually a difference in the component switching.

 

[kags]

Try pulling one opamp (they’re socketed) and then see if the selector makes a difference. Also- do the switches use relays to re-route the audio?

The capacitor switch is incredibly subtle on most sources, the opamp and transformers should be noticeable, but not a huge impact for most cases.

 

[craigmorris74]

It seems backward to have a 990 in a piece that’s supposed to generate color.