Hi All,
I'm new to the forum and wanted to ask for an appx cost of building an Aquaboy DX with two MN3008's. I also wanted to ask how much delay time I might expect from such a build. Thanks so much for your help!
It looks like about $55 to populate the board using MN3008s ($15 each at SB). This includes resistors, caps, diodes, trimmers from Tayda; ICS and Vactrol from SB. Add on cost of 5 pots, switches, enclosure, jacks, etc. from wherever you prefer....
Build doc says about 550ms—not sure if that's for both 3008 and V3205.
thanks!
With two MN3008s, you'll get half that delay time.
The MN3005 is what you need to get the 550ms.
Ok, that helps clear it up. Thanks!
So, for the newbie question: Where the hell do MN3005's live?
The Aquaboy DX instructions and a search at small bear and on the forums all indicate that MN3005's (and MN3008's and MN3205's) are very difficult to obtain. The ebay route seems like a great way to get fleeced.
Or which chips would one suggest subbing to get a decent sounding 550ms delay for the Aquaboy DX? Is it worth building the pedal W/O those hard-to-find chips?
Thank!
Quote from: mrsmith on August 15, 2013, 09:28:18 PM
So, for the newbie question: Where the hell do MN3005's live?
They don't. Giant thread in the buy/sell area. No sense rehashing it all here ...
Use the v3205 if you need 550ms delay.
But if you're a new builder: This is one of the most difficult builds around.You need to get comfortable with a wide variety of troubleshooting techniques, or you could very well dump $70 down the drain. I won't say it's impossible. But almost one hundred builds it, it's the only build that's beaten me, and I've troubleshooted some very, very strange problems (heck, I couldn't even get the oscillator to work, and I've designed effects around that part of the circuit!).
There are a variety of very good sounding PT2399 delays that are better for beginners and intermediate builders.
Thanks, I've been going between building an analog delay pedal with modulation vs. buying one--I already have a decent digital delay. As the instructions say, there aren't very many analog delays with modulation, cheaper than $200. But it might be worth spending $150 on a Malekko or Carbon Copy. Or building the Zero Point SDX.
What Jon said. I started building one and read all the problems with it and just opted to sell it instead. There are others here that, I have been told, sound just as good as the abdx.
Quote from: mrsmith on August 15, 2013, 10:12:05 PM...Or building the Zero Point SDX.
^ This. I've built quite a few BBD based delays and I'm not building any more since the ZPSDX came along.
I used v3205's. You get a nice gritty delay with these. Had some trouble with the clock. Make sure you use the MN3101. PT2399 delays sound very good. I built the Multiplex Echo and it sounds fantastic. Trying to source MN3005's has become nearly impossible. Too many fakes and too expensive. I didn't bother!
The MN3101 instead of 3102 has to be an issue with the build, not the chip itself, need to look in to that more.
Alslo, yes 3005s are pretty much a bad idea but 3008s are still obtainable, and the DM-2 (which the Aqua Puss and subsequent Aqua Boy are based off) only had 300mS so I don't see why going with them is an issue if you *need* the extra headroom, they are easier to obtain... although i'm still slightly against using them as they dry up.
Or yes, the v3205 which bean has set up to be a decent substitute in this build, sadly after testing new ones vs older v chips vs MN3205 when I read all the complaints they are not what they were or even close to a 3205 but they are still very useable with the available tweaking.
Thanks for all the feedback. I'm leaning now toward building a Zero Point SDX or buying a cheaper analog delay with modulation; however, I really would like to develop my building chops, so a BBD pedal might be in my future.
One word: Multiplex with add-on Modulation board(s)! I know that's actually six words, but it still is a good option!! I'm playing a bit of Devil's Advocate here, as I'm in the process of building an MN3005 Aquaboy DX myself, but I got those chips from a very reliable source which was not Ebay. I've got three, will use those, and then it's either MN3205's or PT2399's. PT's make very nice delays!
Paul
Quote from: mrsmith on August 16, 2013, 01:01:57 PM
I'm leaning now toward building a Zero Point SDX
Again, are you a beginner builder? What have you built? I'm not trying to discourage you from building something, but the ZPSDX is still a very complicated build. Saying it's easier than an Aquaboy is kind of like saying that The Name of the Rose is lighter reading than Finnegan's Wake.
I've modded about 10 Boss pedals and built a handful of BYOC pedals, including the OD2 and their tremolo. I've also been soldering components for about 20 years. I'm confident about my building skills, I just haven't calibrated an analog delay, yet.
Quote from: mrsmith on August 16, 2013, 04:15:18 PM
I've modded about 10 Boss pedals and built a handful of BYOC pedals, including the OD2 and their tremolo. I've also been soldering components for about 20 years. I'm confident about my building skills, I just haven't calibrated an analog delay, yet.
LOL, okay, you'll be fine with the ZPSDX. I guess I saw the word newbie in an earlier post and ran with it. ;)
Yeah, I'm a newbie to the world of analog delay and procuring BBD chips, definitely. Thanks for all the support and input!
fwiw i just built an abdx and it fired up on the first go. it sounds incredible.
it was a hell of a build though. you need to be super-deliberate. measure every resistor to make sure it's the right value, etc, etc. read through the build document about 4 times and take notes. for instance not all the resistors and diodes that you'll need to do something different with have asterisks by them. it's a tad convoluted tbh, and to me that's the "genius" part haha.
someone around here (maybe aballen) made a checksheet that was helpful. hopefully he won't mind me re-posting it here.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtnklCWjdMa-dFZTZUw2YUlqV0NWMmxBY3hDSDR6YkE#gid=0