creation audio labs mk 4.2.3 boost killer looking box

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polarbearfx
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Post by polarbearfx »

sounds pretty good. A little bland. But good. what do we got here? anyone have one?

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indyguitarist
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Post by indyguitarist »

polarbearfx wrote:sounds pretty good. A little bland. But good. what do we got here? anyone have one?
yes - an artist I do work for has one. I haven't opened it up yet, I just assumed it was a general transistor boost with a step up circuit for the voltage.

I may be back to work on his gear in a couple of weeks, I'll try to get a chance to open it up and take some pics front/back.

bw

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Post by Bernardduur »

Any idea yet?
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soulsonic
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Post by soulsonic »


Goop alert!
"Analog electronics in music is dead. Analog effects pedal design is a dead art." - Fran

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Post by soulsonic »

Also, this video gives me a damn headache. This guy ruins a perfectly good switch to repair the broken one, instead of taking time to desolder it from the board. Just awful to watch.
But it gives you a good view of what's inside this pedal.
"Analog electronics in music is dead. Analog effects pedal design is a dead art." - Fran

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Post by Intripped »

yeah definitely this guy is irritating

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rockola
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Post by rockola »

The video is also illuminating. I've never cracked open a 3PDT, I had no idea some (all?) of them are that flimsy.

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Ben N
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Post by Ben N »

Flimsy? I dunno. They're not the greatest, but they work well enough for me, certainly for a $2.60 part, and unlike the old Carling x-types, they don't melt at the mere sight of a soldering iron. It looks to me like ole Brad was bad mouthing the switch to justify his own ham handedness. The switch is not intended to be serviceable; the body has no problem handling downward pressure when you don't first pull it apart. Still, it was cool to see it done--a lot more interesting than if he had simply done the sensible thing and (a) ordered the pcb mount version of the switch, instead of the solder lug version, and (b) removed it and installed the new one, like soulsonic said.

Circuit-wise, though, I can't imagine what might be interesting about this thing. It seems to me that anyone marketing what is almost certainly a bog-simple, bog-standard textbook circuit or a very close variant thereof has got to goop (not to mention put it in an enclosure several sizes larger than necessary), or else admit to the world that there is nothing to see here, and certainly nothing to justify the $150 price tag. Got to save the mojo.

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Post by deltafred »

It's a pretty dumb idea cracking open a switch that is machine crimped and hoping to get it back together as tight with a pair of pliers.

Yes it's a PITA desoldering 9 connections but if you want to repair stompboxes it's something you have to learn how to do.
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Post by Ben N »

deltafred wrote: 20 May 2020, 11:03 Yes it's a PITA desoldering 9 connections but if you want to repair stompboxes it's something you have to learn how to do.
Not with a half decent rework tool.

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Post by lead2203 »

This goof recently took apart ..."to fix"...haha ...one of those Vox mini amps with the nutube. It's hard to watch. In the end he blamed the manufacturer for his inability to fix it. If you try to give him any constructive criticism or help in the comments, he just deletes it. The guy annoys the sh*t out of me. YouTube has been a blessing and a curse for humans...haha.

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Post by soulsonic »

I just made the mistake of browsing some of his other videos... seems to be all about covid-19 conspiracies now... guess this is what I should expect from a person who pokes around the inside of a live tube amp with a bare finger while firmly hold the ground with his other bare hand.
I am now truly sorry for posting his garbage here. My apologies.
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Post by soulsonic »

Sorry, to keep talking about this guy, but OMG, I just looked up that vox nutube amp video, and he keeps complaining about how Korg sent him (hundreds of $$$ worth of free nutube stuff) and he just can't figure out how to use it because the pin spacing doesn't match with a breadboard. The daughter card they sent with the eval board has exactly correct pin spacing for a breadboard! I wonder if Korg feels foolish for giving this idiot freebies with nothing in return except him slagging on their products because he's too stupid to be able to repair or use them.
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Post by okgb »

He's got that " common man " vibe and not afraid to look foolish [ I think or maybe he is ] probably appeals to the anti voodoo mojo expert I know, you don't know types.

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Post by Ben N »

He's ok when he sticks to what he (more or less) knows--tube amps, preferably old ones on eyelet/turret boards (although even for those there are way better channels on Youtube). I like his dumpster diving videos. As for the Vox mini amp, that was bad butchery, but speaking from personal experience, the real fault is with Korg for their poor quality, "not my problem" warranty policy and general screw-the-customer attitude. Brad would never have gotten his mitts on that poor little thing if Korg had done the right thing.

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Post by modman »

soulsonic wrote: 21 May 2020, 00:02 Sorry, to keep talking about this guy, but OMG,
... it's about him being an absolutely self taught part changer with no real knowledge. Just a DIY hack really, but somehow, he has the balls to film all his mistakes and keep you watching. But he is a youtube hit... beause of the sheer amount of vintage amps he 'serviced'
I can't watch this guy anymore, it's too frustrating to watch... especially when he digs into anything solid state. Bottom line, where I have a problem is: the Guitologist gives the impression he's making a living repairing and selling amps - I do not believe it. He's making money on youtube allright.
But his channel is a gem: he documented three different Tweed Deluxes, but mostly made videos about the cheaper amps, pa amps, series filament amps etc...

Good thing I found this guy -- but most of his videos are on facebook only:


Check the layout issue at 2:00

In the end, if you come across a rare amplifier (it need not be expensive) - what is your excuse for not documenting the unit on youtube for your fellow ampoholics, 5, 10 ....... years from now?

maybe I should split this topic :lol:
Is everybody now able to edit their own posts?
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Post by plush »

modman wrote: 21 May 2020, 10:06 Good thing I found this guy -- but most of his videos are on facebook only:


Check the layout issue at 2:00

Oh, yer old magnetic coupling. How come, Marshall?..

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Post by Ben N »

modman wrote: 21 May 2020, 10:06 ... it's about him being an absolutely self taught part changer with no real knowledge. Just a DIY hack really...
Not so unlike some "professional amp techs" I have come across. Some common stuff he handles fine (finding bad solder joints, replacing electrolytics, cleaning pots and sockets, finding bad tubes); other stuff is like a car crash that you can't help but look at. I find it entertaining for the most part, at least when he's working on stuff.

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Post by modman »

Ben N wrote: 21 May 2020, 19:18
modman wrote: 21 May 2020, 10:06 ... it's about him being an absolutely self taught part changer with no real knowledge. Just a DIY hack really...
Not so unlike some "professional amp techs"
You are right... he's allright with amps as long as they are old school, Fender type. Seeing him deal with solid state is toe-curling -- like looking at myself in the beginning :D

I have a lot more problems with this alleged 'professional amp tech' Skip Simmons in that Fretboard Journal podcast... he only services old tube amp, admits not knowing how a transistor works, does not own a scope because he "did not learn that way", is not able to calculate a cutoff frequency for a filter and expresses his surprise that a small coupling cap in a cathode follower doesn't completely kill the signal, etc. etc. He thinks he has some information to share because of all the bullshit on the internet. Which internet I wonder.

For me, a DIY hack who learned everything online, this is just incredible... that he's making money. But is he really? He boasts (!) about not charging by the hour like the other guys... well that's absolutely correct if you don't want to learn to use a scope.

Maybe if you're a commuter, you can try these 2 hours episodes of yacking and waffling about anything really, but when an interesting question pops up the answer is always "we could be yacking about it all day, why don't you just try it"?
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