Hello! Issues with my Aion L5 preamp

[hereonmars]

Hey all,

I had posted previously on this forum under a previous user name but for some reason I can't track it down. Been a couple years.

Anyway, when Aion announced they were going to make this PCB I jumped on it. I got it all together and then life happened for about a year, and I came back to it. I have the board together and working pretty good, but I've got a couple weird issues:

1- the filter knob completely cuts the volume out when I turn it all the way down. I don't recall it working quite like this on my L5 amp that I used to have. How are the filter, mid and frequency knobs supposed to interact? When I turn the frequency knob, I don't hear much of a difference in the sound. My 2nd channel kind of always has that "cocked wah" sound.

2- the channel switch LEDs and the Compressor LED do not light up at all. I tried checking the voltages on the LED pads when engaged and disengaged and there's nothing going to them. Same thing with the compressor. The compressor is definitely working, I can hear the volume swell when it's engaged.

3- more of a question- I'm using an old Alesis AC 9v 830 mA adapter for this. I thought I read somewhere that a higher voltage sounded better or less noisy. Does anyone know if this supply isn't adequate?

Thanks all, really cool forum and people. I'm looking forward to posting more.

Randy

http://www.hereonmars.org

[Droogie]

Something is definitely up with the filter and frequency. The filter just goes between six increasingly brighter frequencies; the frequency should definitely sweep from almost bass to well into upper mids/treble. The mid control should either boost or cut the frequency.

[hereonmars]

Hi! Yes precisely what I was thinking, it doesn't make sense that the filter knob would completely cut out the signal. Any idea if the adapter I'm using might not supply enough voltage or current?

[gordo]

I know my adapter is putting out around a 1000ma but I'd be surprised to find that it would only affect that function.  I'd check to make sure you don't have pots swapped and then the usual solder reflows and parts quadruple check.  Send over photos and work on getting voltages, the usual routine.  Polarity on LED's is good etc?

I wouldn't go to a higher voltage.  I thought that was my fix for the problems I was having but it's only temporary.  I was using a Yamaha 12vac and after about 10 minutes the regulators would go into thermal shutdown.  I had all kinds of headaches using a Line6 adapter and the magic fix was a Voodoo Labs AC.  Ironically I bought it to run my Line6 stuff.

[hereonmars]

awesome y'all, really appreciate it. It'll take me quite a bit of time but once I get the opportunity to check everything I will update. One question- is there a sticky thread in one of the forums that has the recommendations on which voltages are best to check? I know it's going to be different for every pedal, and God knows there's probably a billion of them here. But if there's a certain pin on certain types of IC's in the circuit, or any of the transistors, I suppose that would help.

Thanks!