Aion Blueshift

[TNblueshawk]

So I have been working on my quarantine family and basically building 10 pedals at the same time. First 8 fire right up. Then I get to my 2 Blueshifts. Both are completely dead. Not a single sound so it would appear I have fundamentally done the same thing wrong, maybe. Built one with stock bypass and one with minimal bypass.

Two quick questions.

1. Is there a mechanical connection between the boards? By that I mean I don't have the boards connected by header pins. I've used a different larger enclosure and have laid them flat.

2. How is the larger board grounded and how does it get voltage? The small board gets grounded and has the 9v connection.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

From the looks of some of the previous builds, there are some header pin connections between boards. 

[EBK]

Did you use wires where the header pins would normally go?

[aion]

Yes, the header connections are definitely required! If you're not sandwiching the boards and instead doing them side by side in a larger enclosure, you'd need to run wires between each of the header pin pads. (Some of them are just grounded on one side and used for structure only - but you'd be on your own to figure out which ones, so it's safer to just run all of them.)

It may pick up extra noise though, I don't know. All the wires that would normally be less than half an inch in length are now going to be ~4".

[TNblueshawk]

Well I am actually glad to hear this! Easy fix. Thanks.

[TNblueshawk]

Well the good news is I have sound. The bad news is no chorus effect. Trimmers and toggles don't change the sound at all. Time to troubleshoot.

[TNblueshawk]

Finally dug into this. Swapped out the BBDs but no dice.
Bypass works and when you kick it on volume goes up, LED comes in but no chorus.

Anyone have thoughts on what might be the top few issues?

[Scruffie]

Voltages

[TNblueshawk]

Voltages

  As soon as my wife is done dragging me around looking for 6 cabinet knobs    I'll get some. Since there are a gabillion IC's I'm hoping you just want the BBDs or all gabillion?

[Scruffie]

Voltages

  As soon as my wife is done dragging me around looking for 6 cabinet knobs    I'll get some. Since there are a gabillion IC's I'm hoping you just want the BBDs or all gabillion?

After that traumatic experience, I'll let you off with just the BBD's to start

[TNblueshawk]

Alright Scruffie, it was so traumatic, should see the price of 6 knobs!, I couldn't read voltages yesterday.

Here are the following voltages: I'll show the range of large fluctuations otherwise I'll pick the halfway point of those that don't have a large fluctuation.

IC3:         IC4:                 IC8:             IC9:         
1: 0        6.43                6.45                0         
2: 3.1     3.1                  3.08                3.1
3: .87     0                       0                   2.97
4: 6.02   3.1                  3.09                 6.02
5: 6.43   4.5 to 5.9         4.3 to 5.9         6.43
6: 3.08    .5 to 1.9         .6 to 2.0            3.08
7: 2.9     3.72 to 5.05     3.8 to 5.0          3.95
8: 2.9     6.02                 6.02                 3.97

[Scruffie]

Bias on IC3 is too low but otherwise, in range.

Next up, companders.

I'm a cruel mistress.

[TNblueshawk]

Bias on IC3 is too low but otherwise, in range.

Next up, companders.

I'm a cruel mistress.

I don't scare easily   

I did have it biased properly per the docs at one point but I think I fiddled with the trimmers after and thus the bias being off on IC3.

IC2:        IC11:
1: .95      .78
2: 1.84    1.86
3: 1.84    1.86
4: 0         0
5: 1.84    1.86
6: 1.84    3.07
7: 2.94    3.07
8: 1.84    1.86
9: 1.84    1.86
10: 1.84   3.07
11: 1.84   3.07
12: 1.84   1.86
13: 9.21   9.21
14: 1.84   1.86
15: 1.84   1.86
16: .95     .78

[Scruffie]

Do you get any tone change when you adjust the switches?

Just checking the BBD's aren't passing audio but static... best way to check that would be audio probe on pin 7/8 of the BBD.

Otherwise, voltages for IC1, 5, 7 & 12.

[TNblueshawk]

Do you get any tone change when you adjust the switches?

Just checking the BBD's aren't passing audio but static... best way to check that would be audio probe on pin 7/8 of the BBD.

Otherwise, voltages for IC1, 5, 7 & 12.

Nothing changes the tone. Not the switches nor the trimmers. I get no static in terms of when I kick it on but have not probed. I'll get the probe out tomorrow.

When I kick it on there is a slight volume increase and the tone has a slightly brighter tone . But after that nothing changes it.

It reminds me a few years back when say you might get some bad BBDs that pass signal but don't do anything else. I got the Cool Audio and other ICs from Smallbear so I feel they are good.

I'll report back tomorrow.