News:

Forum may be experiencing issues.

Main Menu
Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Topics - AwesomeTyler

#1
Open Discussion / TC ELECTRONICS WARNING!!
April 24, 2017, 10:58:12 PM
Just wanted to give a heads up as to my recent experience with TC Electronics and see if anyone here has experienced similar. I'm apparently far from being the only person that's had this kind of experience with them.

Bullet point, to keep myself from getting out of hand:

-Bought a Ditto X4 in September ($250+tax)
-Never leaves the studio
-Seven months later it just stops working
-Go to TC for Warranty repair (1 year manufacturer coverage)
-Find out they're owned by a different company ('Music Group')
-Music Group doesn't give a crap
-Just keep telling me to update firmware
-....There hasn't been a firmware update for the X4, but I follow their steps anyway
-Finally get to warranty
-They tell me to ship it out to some general elec shop in Florida (I pay shipping)
-Check reviews
-2/5 stars
-Apparently tons of music companies use these places to cover their warranties
-"Took weeks and sent back still broken"
-Find out I need original receipt of sale
-Find out I have no warranty because I don't have it
>:(

$250 for one pedal from a company that calls themselves boutique and they essentially sold me a $250 paperweight. Unbelievable. Also found out that the standard warranty could be 3 years, if you register your pedal within 90 days....Something that is advertised nowhere.

All this work just to screw their customers. I'll never buy TC Electronics again. If only 24bit DIY loop pedals were a viable option.
#2
I recently made a trip to an absolutely awesome place in Atlanta called ACK Radio Supply. It's run by a couple of gentlemen and lady, all of which SERIOUSLY know their stuff. They also happen to carry just about every electric component under the sun, including different brands. I Definitely suggest it if you happen to be in the area, even if just for the relief that such a place still exists. They all hangout by the parts cabinets in the back while you callout your parts list to them. You call it out and go down the list (literally did this with the Moodring shopping list up on my phone) and they fill little baggies with what you're calling for and label it.

The downside of this is that you don't get to checkout the components yourself, aside from the cool stuff they have hanging up in their storefront, which is rather small. After I was done with the parts, I checked out and went on my merry way. After I'd left, I remember thinking that $30 was a helluva lot for a handful of resistors and a few caps, so I take a look and notice that almost all the resistors are metal film Vishay-Dale RN55D (BADASS!), a few of them Xicon, and the caps are ceramic dipped or multi-layered..which I probably won't use, seeing as that I can't be certain of the material.

ANYWAYS..tl;dr - It looks like all the resistors I got were 1/8 watt instead of 1/4 watt, and I'm unsure of whether or not they can still be used with the Moodring board.

Would there be any discernible/noticeable differences if I use these resistors, if I can even use them at all? I've recently read that the power rating of a resistor is directly related to it's potential contact noise.

Thanks in advance!  ;D

-Tyler

#3
Hey Everybody!

Am still in the midst of ordering everything I need for all the boards I ordered in large, bulk orders. It's a scary thing for sure.
My first question is: What differences can be found in the properties of electrolytic caps? I'm wanting to order everything from Mammoth as they offer the Nichicon 'audiograde' electrolytic caps, but was unsure of the difference. The only things that have convinced me these caps are better are a few different threads on different forums (diyaudio, diystompboxes) that speak of these caps as if they're obviously the better option. The other thing that's convinced me is that I've busted open all my pedals since starting this venture and they all seem to have a few of these same electrolytics in there..Fulltone, MXR, EHX, etc..

My second question is: Being that poly caps have been proven better for audio circuits, why wouldn't they be used in all areas where caps are needed as opposed to the variation found in these and other builds? Piezoelectric effects of ceramics being the particular curiosity here. What's the deal with how each type, make, and model effect tone?

Thanks in advance everybody. You guys are amazing.  :D

Regards,
Tyler