Drip Opto 3 Instruction And Build Manual

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ver 3

opto

optical compressor

Instruction and build manual revision 1.0

atom version

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Page 1 3 opto optical compressor Instruction and build manual revision 1.0 atom version copyright 2008 | gregory lomayesva...
Page 2 Although this board can be assembled and Built into a functioning optical compressor. Due to the high voltages and possibilities of Human error , drip electronics | gregory lomayesva Hereby assumes no liability for injury/damage/loss which might unintentionally occur. This manual is intended for information purposes only.
Page 3: Warnings|Caution
It is important to cover a few safety tips and cautions before you begin. 1. This project has high voltages, at some places on a live board voltages can be upwards of +300v @ 380 mA. It is not a terrible amount of current/voltage , and I have been Warnings|caution shocked many times for foolish mistakes such as forgetting the unit was powered on while servicing it etc.
Page 5 features 1. the pcb has been designed around the circuit and not the compo- nents. Creating the shortest paths to each important connection 2. pcb uses 3 oz copper 3. a new ground plane has been added using the heaviest gauge of of copper possible .
Page 6 AC , readily available power transformers the ver3 is a whole new design and layout based on the can be used , eliminating the need for custom jobs.
Page 7 3oz copper ,it equates to a 15 mm wide trace as compared to commercial pcbs meager usage of 1 oz copper and .5mm wide traces. please enjoy this latest release from drip electronics.
Page 8 , the opto 3 (light blue) seems to hold it’s wired opto3 pcb and other LA style compressors. ground in comparison with a brand-x point to point unit.
Page 9 all machines calibrated to 0 db digital with 1k test tone vintage la2 was running on filtered ac studio mains.
Page 12 reduc- gain 2 tion 2 STEREO hook up hookup ADJUST/ LIMITER POWER 12ax7#1 12ax7#2 12bh7a 6aq5a RESPONSE frequency SWITCH LAMP tube tube tube tube POTS response capaci- ATOM ELECTRO- LYTICS output trans- former meter POWER sw/top meter AC IN optical reduction/ input trans- GROUND...
Page 13 info|how to start to start is simple , using the build order on the facing page , you will begin by placing all the components on the pcb, and solder them into place . 2 notes on soldering : always clean your tip of excess solder after each use , ALWAYS CHECK FOR SOLDER BRIDGES after each component is soldered.
Page 14 tools: to start the project you will need some basic tools. Depending if you have purchased a pre-drilled enclosure. or if you are fabricating your own case. for basic assembly you will only need a few tools. solder/wire snips/needle nose pliers/wire strippers/screw driver and solder one of the most important tools will be your soldering iron .
Page 15: Parts|Info
parts|info...
Page 16 , and they work great. drip electronics makes limited runs of opto cells every 8 weeks . each drip optical cell is crafted by hand using heavy gauge pure copper and a 3oz copper double sided pcb with sol- der mask.
Page 17 parts|resistors|info The original resistors in a vintage unit are carbon composition allen bradley 1/2 watt +/- 10-20%. Carbon comp resistors are believed to have a ‘warmer’ sound then metal film resistors. Yet often at a price of more noise and less reliability. there are alternatives to consider in your selection, a company called ohmite has a new carbon comp resistor brand called ‘Little Demon’.
Page 18 Most all the resistors that you use will be 1/2 watt except for r29 4.7k and r34 22k these will be 2 watt resistors (metal oxide). In different camps of thought , some say higher wattage resistors have less noise , feel free to experiment with this. NOTE :DO NOT USE 1/4 watt resistors! however tempting this might be .
Page 19 positive + parts|capacitors|info for the project you will use two types of capacitors , electrolytic which are one way components that must be aligned in the proper direction . and non polar type caps that can be placed in any direction please take note of the electrolytic , and use caution.
Page 20: Electrolytic Capacitors
Electrolytic capacitors : NOTE :electrolytic caps must be aligned properly. there is a ‘positive’ and a ‘negative’ lead. on the pcb , the positive side is marked with a plus ‘+’ symbol. Electrolytic caps can explode if placed in reverse. The pcb uses 6 electrolytic capacitors : positive + negative-...
Page 21 10UF @ 450V ATOMS 47-100UF @50V 22UF@450V Electrolytic capacitors | legend...
Page 22 C5 : capacitor 5mm thick trace The c5 capacitor (10 uf@450v) plays an important part in the signal path. positive + It is the last stop before the audio 12bh7a side hits the output transformer. c5 capacitor tube the original capacitor is an electrolytic 10uf@450v capacitor .
Page 23 @ 500v c8a / c8b .001 @ 500v .01 @ 500v 68pf 68pf .02 @ 500v .02 @ 500v .02 @ 500v mica mica .1 @ 400 axial 500pf .1 @ 400 optional xcap c13 500pf mica axial .1@400v ceramic @500v mica non electrolytic capacitors | legend c11 .01@500v...
Page 24 non electrolytic capacitors Choosing capacitors for your project can be daunting , there are so many choices available . most radial and axial leaded caps will fit. On the original unit all .01 and .02 capacitors are ceramic . (z5u rated , most seem in the 1-2 kilovolt range , although caps rated for 500v will do fine in all instances) there is nothing special about ceramics , they are low grade standard duty capacitors,...
Page 25 Many people use the ‘orange drop’ Variety of caps, either the 716 or the 715 series. They are reliable polypropylene capacitors often used in guitar amps, and the ‘sound’ of them is liked. they will need to be the 600v range. The codes to identify them are : 102J : .001 cap 103j :...
Page 26 this cap is in the amplifier section of the pcb located above the 12ax7. the orginal unit uses a ceramic 2kilovolt z5u there is a large enough footprint to use orangdrops here. these two caps are c8a and c8b the original unit uses a .03 cap so these two values in parallel create a .03 .
Page 27 for c9 you should also use a 2 kilovolt ceramic .02 capacitor , orang drops or equivalent my be used here if space is available Located above the 6aq5a tube , you will find these foot prints the 150 pf cap is c14 on the schematic , a variable cap was normally implemented here , but a simple 150pf mica cap works best.
Page 28 Variable capacitors : The original caps for c4 and c14 are the arco 465 variable mica trimming capacitors rated at 175 volts and are adjustable from 75pf to 380 pf. You can use a fixed value cap in place of using the arco’s. pf ceramic for c4 (rated for 300v) 150 pf ceramic for c14 (rated for 300v)
Page 29 parts|diode|info...
Page 30 diodes to second filtering capacitor (40-100 uf@450v the original circuit used standard issue 10 cent 1n4007 diodes which can still be used for the pcb. the diodes should be rated for 1amp @ 1000v minimum. B+ power rail the transformer HV puts out about 500v but the startup Surge could be more , 600v diodes could be a little too close to the edge of their operating specifications stick to the 1000v type.
Page 31 NOTE : the diodes are one way devices , they must be placed In the proper direction or damage to other components may occur. Diodes are very sensitive to electrostatic charges. Bulletin PD -2.382 rev. D 12/00 take notice of the arrow symbol in between the diode foot- CATHODE prints.
Page 32 parts|octal.socket|info For attaching the optical cell to the pcb , you will use a 8 pin pcb mount octal socket. ceramic works best for this. It is important to note that it is essential to align this Properly. In the above photo you will see how the socket is numbered. once you have marked your octal socket , align the socket Take notice of the inner circle and small indent .
Page 33 parts|vu. It is often asked ‘who would use anything other then their ears when using the compressor to control the gain and reduction?’ It is possible to use an off the shelf economy model VU meter, but the compressor is hyper fin- icky about the vu meters it likes.
Page 34: Xlr Connectors
Normally you can wire your xlrs as xlr connectors shown below , but i find that using the ground lift set up for both in/out xlrs pin 1 (as illus- trated on the next page) works best. the xlr out pad #1 on the pcb is now linked to the reduction ground .
Page 35: Ground Lift
troubleshooting | mods ground lift ground to solder tag next to xlr ground to solder tag next to xlr socket socket in some situations when interfacing your unit with other equipment a ground lift is helpful in eliminating many different types of unwanted noise or hum often associated with ground loops and interference.
Page 37 the small grey wire is the electrostatic shield (6k88vg model) ground this wire parts|power transformer|info highvoltage center tap red/yellow lowvoltage center tap green/yellow high voltage red/red heaters 6.3 volt green/green primary Black/black...
Page 38: Power Transformer
Power transformer : The traditional power transformer for the circuit requires a transformer of 250-0-250 volts center tapped @ 40 milliamperes and a secondary of 6.3 volts center tapped @ 2 amps. The primary can be the USA 110v or the European 240v The allied electronics 6k88vg transformer works very well for USA builds , It is center-tapped and has minimal noise...
Page 39 transformer connections : take note of the arrow . refrence the fred mfg’s schematic ‘xcap’ AC mains rf for proper placement filtering cap. of ‘freds’ ceramic works best to conserve space. now you will begin to hook up the various transformer leads to their Corresponding pad on the pcb.
Page 40: Troubleshooting
troubleshooting transformer mounting Incorrect way of attaching wire to board correct way of attaching wire to board it is absolutely important that you grind off the paint when here in this picture it shows how to wire the power transformer Attaching the transformer as illustrated above.
Page 41 dc refrence circuit: lv ct tap : LOW VOLTAGE CENTER TAP (6.3V) you will use one radial leaded electrolytic in the dc refrence section of the board , i prefer to use this last once the unit is assem- bled and running . but i find this circuit in conjunction with ground lifting circuits ensures the most quiet interfacing with other gear .
Page 42 star ground layout : To create the transformer star ground , first it is a good idea to use a dremel and clean one of the transformers ‘Legs’ so you can make a solid contact with the case and this ground point.
Page 43: Transformer Wiring
IEC power socket (type c14 chassis inlet) troubleshooting note : For your power cord , you will use the IEC style inlet , since the fuse is mounted on the pcb , you will transformer wiring not need the fused version . NOTE : DO NOT USE POWER CORDS DIRECTLY WIRED TO THE PCB! This practice is dangerous and under no circumstances...
Page 44 parts|fuse|info The fuse is a 250v 400mA(.4 amp) SLO BLO mouser no# 576-0313.400HXP The clips used to attach the fuse to the pcb are littel fuse : 3AG PC clip mouser number 576-01220083h once installed fuse should snap right in. NOTE : take notice of the direction that you mount these clips .
Page 45 Audio transformers : TRANSFORMER SPECS : Input primary impedance :600 ohm Secondary impedance :50k split Frequency response :20-20khz max. mW : max Dbm : +15 output primary impedance : 15k ohm split secondary impedance: 600 ohm frequency response : 20-40 kHz max dBM : +15 max mW (split winding is not required)
Page 46 Audio transformer : sowter 4383c input transform- alignment mark it is important to elevate the input transformer at least a 1/16 or 1/8 of an inch off the board , this will prevent the pads on the pcb from shorting out on the case of the x-former. when soldering , be careful as not to apply too much solder because it can travel through the pad and puddle up at the base of the pin on the other side and possibly short the pin to the transformer...
Page 47 Audio transformer : sowter 8940b output transformer before you install the output transformer , you must jumper one of the ground selectors . under most circumstances jumper the ‘red gnd’ this grounds the transformer to the reduction ground circuit like on the Original point to point unit.
Page 48 utc a-10 or ha-100x hook up once you have mounted the transformer to the case , use the above diagram to hook the transformer to the pcb. you will not use the xlr pads on the pcb , and instead just Directly wire the input xlr socket to the transformer.
Page 49 utc a-24 the a-24 input transformer installation is shown in the illustrations . it is important to solder bridges as shown in red on the top illustration. pad# 13 is located on the pcb footprint for the output transformer. you will also connect the xlr socket directly to the transformer using the bottom diagram.
Page 50 input transformer schematic output transformer schematic NOTE : taken from the sowter web site / credit to their respective owner...
Page 51 For jensen transformers use part numbers : jt-10k61-1M and jt-11p-1 to: input transformer pad 4 (blu) to: output transformer pad 13 (yel)
Page 52 parts|tube|info There are many brands of tubes to choose from , new old stock (nos) and also newly manufactured brands. The compressor works well with just standard issue tubes of no fancy na- ture. Yet as with so many things you can explore the highly prized Vintage tubes like telefunken,rca,and amperex.
Page 53 parts|tube.socket|info The tube sockets are a very important part of the project, Try to use hi quality ceramic pcb mount sockets. moulded plastic will work , but often have poor contact with the tubes. Sometimes compressing the metal contact in the socket itself will help insure a good connection.
Page 54 Grid resistors : Near the 12bh7a tube socket you will find 2 resistor footprints marked ‘GRID’ On point to point units people often encounter Oscillations when using sowter transformers. it is now essential that these jumps : spots on the 12bh7a tube are used by a 1k resistor the optional grid next to the 12ax7 there are a few jumps on the board , with these you will simply...
Page 55 power switch (spst) 6amp rated : the power switch now has a place for a snubber network on the pcb. CDE part number : 104M06QC100 (.1 cap in series with a 100r 1/2 watt resistor) simply install the snubber and solder , this will help eliminate any popping transients at shut down of the compressor.
Page 56 parts|ground|info on the pcb there are 4 grounds you will need to ground to the case. the ground marked pwr/gnd is the ground for the filter caps and other power circuitry. this ground will go to the star ground at the power transformers base. power ground located on pcb...
Page 57 potentiometer ground mod here is a trick that some guitar amps use. simply solder a wire to the case of both the gain and the reduction potentiometers then connect the wire to the audio star ground located at the base of the xlr in socket. some pots don’t take too well to solder so try a test spot.
Page 58 parts|misc|info solder tags : This project will require the use of solder tags for very important Connections like the individual grounds and the transformer star ground. Please use these or something compara- ble. These connections are some of the most important of the project . pre-bent solder tags with an added lock washer teeth are best, they help insure a solid contact.
Page 59 parts|potentiometers|info NOTE : it is ok to use linear taper pots for the gain and reduction control , they will be much quicker in their response meaning the gain and reduction will be a bit sensitive or touchy. (1/4 watt pots seem to work here also instead of 2 watt rated) The original compressor used mil spec 2 watt carbon pots(allen bradley).
Page 60 parts|potentiometers|hookup stereo adjust / limiter response Located near the 6aq5a tube socket , you will find to sets of pads for hooking up the pots for limiter response and the stereo adjust. for these to positions you will use 3/8 in vishay trimmer pot. mfg#: m64w105kb40 since these pots are rarely used i wanted to avoid the hassle having yet another run of wires throughout the case .
Page 61 if you choose to use standard pots here is how to connect them . pad 3 on stereo adj. is a ground if you use shielded wire (not- Necessary ) Connection of these pots is Pretty straight forward. you will hook them up as illustrated here.
Page 62 NOTE : For this project I recommend using at least 22 gauge wire for most connections gain potentiometer (100k) hook up for the gain and reduction pots you will need a pair of shielded wires cut in the configuration as shown in the illustration, clipping the unused for most pots , any easy method is to use a marker and label them wires.
Page 63 in the above illustration , it is shown how the wire runs for both pin 2’s of the reduction and gain should be laid out. here is an example of the routing path you will make for your gain pins 1 and 3 and reduction pins 1 and 3 wire runs , since the wire is shielded , your signal is protected , so make sure to use enough wire to make the run without too much strain on either side of the connection.
Page 64 on the ver 3 pcb the gain 2 pad now has an extra pad marked N.c. this pad is now tied into the audio ground , and can be used to connect the shield wire. (adding extra support for this connection) ive had great success with connecting the shield wire to this along with con-...
Page 65 step #3 compleated circuit...
Page 66 reduction potentiometer Wiring the reduction pot is identical to how the gain pot is wired. simply repeat the gain pot preparation and steps. using the pcb pads above. NOTE : be careful not to leave too much exposed wire when soldering to the pots. Accidental shorts can happen over time , use shrink tubbing if necessary.
Page 67 zero adjust potentiometer if you want to connect a pot here is the wiring diagram. since the pads are close to accommodate the trimmer, be careful not to create solder bridges. this pot adjusts the position of the needle on the vu meter when the meter is set to monitor the reduction.
Page 68 parts|switches|info You will use 3 toggle switches for the build : 2 ) spst (single pole single throw) switches one for the power switch and one for the limit/compress selection switch. 1 ) dpdt (double pole double throw) switch for the meter selection switch. For the power switch use at least a 6 amp rated switch.
Page 69 routing : limit/compression switch (spst) : you will need to cut one piece of shielded 2 conductor wire as shown in the illustration. connect to pads on pcb marked SPST L/C SW. use the below illustration as an example. NOTE : for routing your wire run , use the same path in the bottom corner of case as the gain and reduction pin 1 and 3 wire runs .
Page 70 parts|switches|hookup meter selection switch (dpdt on/ this switch is used to change the vu meter from monitoring the output of audio to the monitoring of reduction this connection is actually very easy . the two sections marked ‘meter SW’ are also labelled ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ these were added just to clarify one side of the switch from the other.
Page 71 Knobs Depending on the type of potentiometers you use , you will need to purchase 5 knobs for : 1: gain 2: reduction 3: stereo adjust (optional) 4: limiter response (optional) 5: meter zero adjust (optional) You can select these on basis of your personal Aesthetic, molded plastic works great here.
Page 72 parts|chasis|info There are many different styles of cases that you can choose for your project, from steel to aluminium, both seem to work well. Aluminium will be easier to drill and cut for things like the IEC socket. NOTE : it is very important that the case is vented to allow the heat from the tubes to dissipate.
Page 73 parts|NE-2. The ne-2 neon is used to regulate voltage in the metering section. There is no polarity for it , so hook it up in any position. The zero adjust pot will effect the brightness of this light as it adjusts the vu meter in gain reduction mode. In some positions it will turn it off Completely.
Page 74 parts|bill of materials this is a standard list of materials and supplies. you can use this list to reference items to better suit your Budget and your preferred brands of components. some of the parts were arbitrarily Selected , there are other brands you may prefer. on certain things like the case,meter and tubes you will have to choose to fit your own needs and price points.
Page 75 parts|bill of materials hexfred rectifier (diode) mouser#844-HFA06TB120PBF capacitors .4 amp slo blow fuse (standard size) mouser part#576-0313.400HXP 10uf@v450v electrolytic (cde mallory tc72) Allied Stk#: 852-9089 (cde mallory tc72) fuse clips for mounting fuse to pcb Allied Stk#: 507-0192 (atom TVA 1705 450V) mouser : P/N 01220083H |desc : 3ag pc clip (littel fuse , fuse clips) .1 @ 400v...
Page 76 resistors : POTS : 1 mallory (CDE) .1/220r @600v ‘quencharc’ snubber network 100k AUDIO TAPER (for gain control and reduction) pt#504m02qa220 . (will use one for power switch ‘pop’ control (aka rc PEC 2 WATT CARBON :Digi-Key Part Number KA1041S28-ND network snubber) 1MEG LIN TAPER (for st adj, limiter response and zero adj.)
Page 77 165-200$ Universal audio : Uaudio.com (support) ADL :anthonyadl@aol.com (845 255-4695) drip electronics will be fully manufacturing the t4bs every 8 weeks. studio electronics also has original urei t4bs enclosure : the pcb is 15.75”x6” wide , you will need a case at least 5” high to fit...
Page 78 assorted 1/4-1/2” stand offs with screws. radio shack # 276-195 20.6 mm (13/16”) solder tags (lugs) Terminals ‘LUG LOCKING TINNED#4’ mouser#534-7311 (for #4 screw size) mouser#534-7330 (for #8 screw size)
Page 79: Parts|Cross Reference
parts|cross reference GRID/1K C7D 40UF@450V GRID/1K C7C 40UF@450V R5/68K C7B 40UF@450V R6/68K C7A 40UF@450V R7/2K R9/220K 22UF@ 450V (DC REF) R10/1.5K R11/68K C1 .O2@500V R12/2.7K C2 .1@400V R13/220K C3 .1@400V R14/470K C4 68PF@500 (UNLABELD) R15/470K C5 10UF@450V R16/68K C6 .01@500 R17/10K C8A .01@500V (UNLABELD) R18/1K...
Page 80 troubleshooting | mods troubleshooting | mods dc refrence circuit primary RF filter ‘x-cap’ oscillation filter once again thes two illustrations are for the VEr 2 pcb , and are already implimented into the ver3 pcb. although this circuit is implemented in the ver3 PCB i thought i would important for ver 2 builders to see how ever subtle, these two circuits aditions can help this example .
Page 81 : opto72 the opto 72 is a combination of the classic telefunken v72 circuit combined with the reduction section of the la2 compressor. the pcb uses the la2 series type transformers and ef-86 tubes giving deep tone of the v72 and smoothness of la- style compression.
Page 82 opto3 dc the opto3 dc has the same features as the Atom version 3 opto Except uses dc for its tube heater. Using an onboard universal filament transformer ,eliminating the need for a custom transformer job.