[Edwood]

OK, I realize the pic of the board above is upside down, so keep that in mind when looking at these numbers.

This time, thanks to Mister X's Xcellent advice, I am reading with the ground at the signal input, and NOT the power input.

Makes more sense now.

BUFR
-12.16 -12.16
0.000 0.000
12.16 0.001
12.16 -12.16

OPALR
0.000 -12.16
0.000 0.000
0.000 0.000
12.16 0.000

BUFL
-0.001 -12.16
0.000 0.000
12.16 -0.004
12.16 -12.16

BUFG
0.000 -12.16
-0.001 -0.001
12.16 -0.003
12.16 -12.16

OPAG
0.000 -12.16
0.001 0.000
12.16 -0.001
-0.001 0.001

How does this look now?

-Ed

 

[Edwood]

DAM**T!!!!!

Still doesn't work.

I swapped out the TLE, so it's definitely not the problem.

I get really thin distorted sound, which is stronger in one channel and when I plug headphones in I get really loud popping sounds.

Like the ground is getting shorted or something.

I've gone over the everything with a magnifying glass, and there are no solder bridges. Checked continuity, everything seems fine.

I guess I'm going to have to scrap this board and start all over.

-Ed

 

[__redruM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood Like the ground is getting shorted or something. I've gone over the everything with a magnifying glass, and there are no solder bridges. Checked continuity, everything seems fine. -Ed

Use an Ohm meter to check for continuity between input L,R and G. Check output as well. I've had trouble with the wire I use bridging connections. If even one of the conductors bridge between connections, it is enough to cause issues. And even in a magnifying glass it is hard to see.

There shouldn't be an 0-ohm continuity between input L, R, and G or output L, R, and G. While your at it, check IL to OL,OR, OG and IR to OL,OR OG, and IG to OL,OR, OG

 

[Earwax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood DAM**T!!!!! Still doesn't work. I swapped out the TLE, so it's definitely not the problem. I get really thin distorted sound, which is stronger in one channel and when I plug headphones in I get really loud popping sounds. Like the ground is getting shorted or something. I've gone over the everything with a magnifying glass, and there are no solder bridges. Checked continuity, everything seems fine. I guess I'm going to have to scrap this board and start all over. -Ed

Is this happening with the amp in a case or still out in the open? It does sound like you've got a ground problem somewhere, either unintentionally shorted somewhere or an open connection. Output ground needs to be isolated from the case on a Pimeta.

 

[Dreamslacker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood DAM**T!!!!! Still doesn't work. I swapped out the TLE, so it's definitely not the problem. I get really thin distorted sound, which is stronger in one channel and when I plug headphones in I get really loud popping sounds. Like the ground is getting shorted or something. I've gone over the everything with a magnifying glass, and there are no solder bridges. Checked continuity, everything seems fine. I guess I'm going to have to scrap this board and start all over. -Ed

I felt something was fishy when you posted the pictures of it in a case. Take it out and it'll work (you might need to change the TLE2426). The -ve rail is being shorted to ground in the case. You'll need to isolate the input DC jack from the case.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by __redruM Use an Ohm meter to check for continuity between input L,R and G. Check output as well. I've had trouble with the wire I use bridging connections. If even one of the conductors bridge between connections, it is enough to cause issues. And even in a magnifying glass it is hard to see. There shouldn't be an 0-ohm continuity between input L, R, and G or output L, R, and G. While your at it, check IL to OL,OR, OG and IR to OL,OR OG, and IG to OL,OR, OG

Tested for continuity between input L, R, and G.
No "beeping" so no shorts there. Same goes for output.

No zero ohm between input L, R, and G or output L, R, and G.

IG to OG = 6.44M Ohm
IG to OR = 12.76k Ohm
IG to OL = 12.76k Ohm

IL to OG = 6.48M Ohm
IL to OR = 59.4k Ohm
IL to OL = 59.4k Ohm

IR to OG = 6.47M Ohm
IR to OR = 58.7k Ohm
IR to OL = 58.7k Ohm


I think the OPamp(s) and/or buffer are toast.
Which would really suck.

-Ed

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreamslacker I felt something was fishy when you posted the pictures of it in a case. Take it out and it'll work (you might need to change the TLE2426). The -ve rail is being shorted to ground in the case. You'll need to isolate the input DC jack from the case.

The thing is.

It's never been in a case yet.

And I've kept it away from metal, it's resting on wood table, or piece of paper.

Oh, and this is the Pimeta, not the Mint I showed pics of in it's case.

-Ed

 

[Dreamslacker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood The thing is. It's never been in a case yet. And I've kept it away from metal, it's resting on wood table, or piece of paper. Oh, and this is the Pimeta, not the Mint I showed pics of in it's case. -Ed

Have you got a picture of the amp in it's current state?

 

[__redruM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood When I plug headphones in, even with the volume all the way down, There is loud popping right as I plug them in, only when they are being plugged in. Like there is a short somewhere in the ground of something. -Ed

Did you have issues before this? I have made a point of never disconnecting and or connecting while the power is on. The PPA docs say never to do this. Though the pimeta docs don't quite say one way or another.

Any other pimeta owners done this?

On the PPA (if done slowly) this frys the buffers. You might try rotating your buffers to see if you get a channel working... Also it should be possible to bypass the ground channel entirely, and connect input ground to output ground. If do this, certainly disconnect output ground from the Amp first, and try with input ground first disconnected and the connected to input ground on the Amp.

 

[Dreamslacker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by __redruM Did you have issues before this? I have made a point of never disconnecting and or connecting while the power is on. The PPA docs say never to do this. Though the pimeta docs don't quite say one way or another. Any other pimeta owners done this? On the PPA (if done slowly) this frys the buffers. You might try rotating your buffers to see if you get a channel working... Also it should be possible to bypass the ground channel entirely, and connect input ground to output ground. If do this, certainly disconnect output ground from the Amp first, and try with input ground first disconnected and the connected to input ground on the Amp.

It shouldn't be an issue with the Pimeta since the BUF634's have output current limitation unlike the HA3-5002 buffers in the PPA.

 

[Edwood]

Yep, fried an AD8610.

Had one more left, works now. Thanks, everyone.

Makes alot of sense that it was the OPAG that was fried. The loud popping noises when plugging in anything, and the distorted collapsed sound. Sounded alot like when the DC jack shorts into the case and collapses the virtual ground.

At least it was good practice for desoldering SMT parts.

Well, I'm not quite ready to join the ranks of the growing "Mr. X Flunky" team.

-Ed

 

[Edwood]

Ready to case up!

And yes, I have insulated DC jacks.

But I learned that lesson with the CMoy already.

-Ed

 

[individual6891]

Looks good, what's next in line?

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by individual6891 Looks good, what's next in line?

Maxed out Pimeta and then a Dynahi.

-Ed

 

[Icy006]

Excellent work! I'm considering similar parts to what it looks like you used. How do you like the sound, and what headphones do you typically use with it?