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Colorsound Power boost noise issue

Andy Betts

A while ago I posted regarding transistors etc for a Colorsound Power boost clone pedal I was working on. Well, after many months I've actually finished 2 of them... They are identical to an original right down to the size of the PCB.and the components used. There is one slight difference in so far as the first board was a direct print from an Eagle layout, the second board was a 121 trace of an original PCB, only slightly different from the eagle board.

 

This is the Eagle board

This is board 2, a 121 copy of an original Colorsound Power boost PCB, and also a photo of an original

 

The component side is like this.. mine is on the left, the genuine PCB is on the right. The pots on my board are mounted to the board like the original... Just from the other side. The reason for this is purely down to the thread length on the pots. The thread on my pots isn't long enough to go through the PCB, and then through the enclosure as well.

 

20264850_10155652356109783_7777668817152516572_n.jpg?oh=d17440c16b7064d06164d2a2c9783dba&oe=59EEEC46 

 

The schematic used was this one..... a simple circuit which is basically a pre-amp that boosts the volume and treble and bass.

 

 

The components on the first board were all brand new, where the components on the 2nd board were mostly NOS for a visual vintage vibe.

 

I have an issue on both boards that I'm trying to troubleshoot, and currently i have reached out to 2 DIY effect pedal forums with no real resolution. i'm hoping someone here may be able to point me in the right direction, i'll try to give as much information as possible.

 

I have a cycled ticking noise that increases in volume when you turn the volume up on the pedal. it's not affected by the guitar volume, and stays there even when you turn the guitar down. Check out this video.

 

This video is unavailable.

 

This video is unavailable.

 

This video is unavailable.

 

The last video shows a slight earth problem that may or may not have anything to do with the noise. i thought i'd include it anyway.

 

I have taken voltage readings off my pedal, and compared them to the readings from a genuine pedal (I'll say at this stage that my pedal is exactly the same as the genuine pedal as regards component values)

 

Genuine Pedal voltages

Battery: 18.84V

Q1 C 6.43V B 3.92V E 3.54V

Q2 C 11.53V B 6.44V E 5.82V

Q3 C 10.19V B 2.77V E 2.23V

 

 

My voltages:

Battery: 18.80V

Q1 C 6.37V B 3.90V E 3.52V

Q2 C 11.36V B 6.37V E 5.74V

Q3 C 10.54V B 2.75V E 2.19V

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  • 0

    Ok chaps... Updated video.

     

    This time I've ran the pedal through my live stage system.

     

    The result is there is still an audible motor boating noise, and I'm at a loss as to what could be causing it

     

    This video is unavailable.

  • 0 in reply to Andy Betts

    We need to see that noise on a scope !

     

    Can you record it as a .wav file somehow - idelly direct - not though  a speaker and microphone.

     

    Does it do the same in this rig with the shorting plug instead of the guitar.

     

    MK

  • 0 in reply to michaelkellett

    That's a good question.... i'll try it again tonight with the shorting plug and see if it happens.

     

    Regarding recording it..... I'll see what i can do

  • 0 in reply to Andy Betts

    Another update.

     

    I didn't get a chance to test it with the shorting plug (to be honest, I forgot)

     

    However, I wired it into an enclosure intending to take it to work to try there..... The noise has virtually gone at high gain once it was wired into the enclosure. With the gain turned right up, you can barely hear it, maybe it's wiring.

     

    The wire I used when I did the last video above was thin 24 AWG wire, where the wiring I used in the enclosure was 22 AWG. There is a significant difference in the thickness, and the 24 gauge wire being thinner is a lot more prone to breaks than the 22 AWG. Could this be a contributory factor? I've noticed that the wiring in the original Power Boost pedals is the thicker. Dodgy wiring, dodgy soldering or both could have contributed to this noise I guess.

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  • 0 in reply to Andy Betts

    Another update.

     

    I didn't get a chance to test it with the shorting plug (to be honest, I forgot)

     

    However, I wired it into an enclosure intending to take it to work to try there..... The noise has virtually gone at high gain once it was wired into the enclosure. With the gain turned right up, you can barely hear it, maybe it's wiring.

     

    The wire I used when I did the last video above was thin 24 AWG wire, where the wiring I used in the enclosure was 22 AWG. There is a significant difference in the thickness, and the 24 gauge wire being thinner is a lot more prone to breaks than the 22 AWG. Could this be a contributory factor? I've noticed that the wiring in the original Power Boost pedals is the thicker. Dodgy wiring, dodgy soldering or both could have contributed to this noise I guess.

Children
  • 0 in reply to Andy Betts

    I loaned the pedal to a guy at work, he took it home, plugged it into his amp and it worked faultlessly.... I'm thinking I've got to look for some sort of root cause in my house. Michael Kellett has tried it with no issues, the guy in Australia has built one and tried it wit no issues, and my friend at work has tried my pedal with no issues.... It's only me that appears to have the issue. the only issue he had was with some noise/humming he believes that was because he was using crappy cables... Certainly no oscillation or motor boating.

     

    This is annoying, and frustrating, but at least it's getting me closer to a root cause.

     

    I'll take the pedal home tonight and try the shorting plug in it to see if that cancels out the slight bit of noise that's there at high gain.