Nice Vocal Chain under $200 - MOD RECIPE

[buschfsu]

ok i modded my tube mp studio last night. i used the On semiconductor ICs and the JJ tesla tube. i modded the electrolytics in the signal chain and thats about it (didn't mess with anything i could reach or get to easily)

the worst part was getting off that dam vu meter.

as for the sonics... i like my voice better with my EH 12ay7 but this thing wins hands down on bass DI duties. solid low end with enough harmonic distortion to make it sweet.

very happy to have an excellent sounding bass DI for 29+10 in parts.

 

[Sender]

Any news on which electrolytic caps to replace?

 

[buschfsu]

i emailed art and they sent me the schematic, just traced the signal from the input (c12,13,14,15) and so on...

 

[buschfsu]

http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&ext=1&groupid=317018&ck=

here's the scematic. yes i have some silver mica caps. i actually replaced c40 330pf with a 100pf and was woried that it would blow up the tube stage, but it seems fine.

 

[buschfsu]

great thanks!!

why C44 isn't that part of the meter circuit? did you mean C40?

 

[buschfsu]

interesting, so you recommend the burr browns over the MC33078? i used the MC and like it, but its socketed so ill try the burr browns tonight.

thanks

 

[lookn4tone]

Hi there

So I understand this fully

For the preamp:

Replace C14, C15, C17, C18, C23, C34 and C37 with Audio Grade Aluminum Electrolytic Caps, and the others with bipolar if available (otherwise aluminum electrolytics). Change the Op Amp and the tube and I'm done.

Now, for the Mic:

Change ALL caps; electrolytic (audio grade) and ceramics (wima polys). The cap count I have for the mic is as follows:

one 47 uf/50v
two 220 uf/16v
four 223's
two 224's
two 1G's
one 27
four 102's
one 8.2

Does this sound about right? Thanks for doing this!

Steve

 

[misterbill]

buttachunk,

Have you compared the modded Project Series MP against the modded Studio Series MP? Was just wondering how they sonically compare.

Thanks.

 

[rascalseven]

Anyone got the schematic to the Project series Tube MP that is the original topic of this thread?

JC

 

[living sounds]

buttachunk,

I've got a Tube MP Project Series here now, and it doesn't seem to be the same thing:
This one has got only 5 33p ceramics and 3 330p ceramics (+2 104s in the power supply section). There are only 2 metal film resistors inside the entire box, with all the rest being carbon. The 10uf electrolytics are small and wide rather than thin and large.
There are also two yellow poly caps (22n, 100n).

 

[living sounds]

There are tall and thin caps in there, too, but none of them are 10ufs... Are the poly caps in your preamp?

 

[lookn4tone]

Hi there

The two caps to the capsules on my mic are marked 1G, but I have no idea what the value is. Can you help me out to understand the coding here. I can't find it anywhere.

Also, what kind of caps do you recommend for the capsule? Thanks

Steve

 

[trancedental]

Used to have a Tube MP years ago & it looked different to those ones with VU meters.

These do sound great on DI Bass & I've heard of a few using them just for that purpose.

 

[lookn4tone]

Thanks for the info on the resistor (and for the info in general).

What voltage rating should I use for the Wima caps? I ordered 100V for all of them, but now think that perhaps I should have order 1 kV.

Also, have you changed the transistors? Any thoughts about using other types?

Many thanks again.

Steve

 

[mrc]

I stopped by Directproaudio in council bluffs looking for the studio or project version (to mod) today. They have the Tube mp on sale http://www.directproaudio.com/product.cfm?directid=53082 the version I got has most of the Blacklion mods done on it, still has the tl072CN 's in it though maybe a few other things, just got it apart.
mrc

 

[hrasco]

The the closest thing TI had in stock when I ordered were OPA2134PAG4 and OPA2132P. Will they work? What do the suffix letters represent?

Thanks for any info you can offer.

Hank

 

[hrasco]

These chips all have the same form factor and basic function. What I can't find is what is the difference, for example, between a 2132P and a 2132PA other than the price. (Of course I picked the most expensive ones for my "samples") :wink:

Hank

 

[csonics]

I have a couple of questions:

1. buttachunk mentioned 50V rating for the polypros on the mic. Should I aim for that rating for all of the mic caps?
2. Does anybody have mic cap values in relation with they're number (c1, c2, c3...)? Some of the caps on my 990 are unreadable.

Thanks,

-Mike

 

[Gus]

funny thread

 

[csonics]

I just modified my 990 per buttachunk's recommendations and it sound pretty darn good! Good call! I've noticed that the mic is kind of noisy. I didn't test the thing before I pulled it apart so I don't have a benchmark to test it against. Has anybody else noticed this we these mics?