Is there anyone here who is a master at circuits?

[Bencuri]

I want to make a simple circuit on stripboard. I have the block diagram. It is very simple but I am a total beginner. Is there anyone here who could help me convert the diagram to stripboard layout? Once I have it I could move on soldering the things in.

[betwixt]

Yes, but I suggest you post in the elemental questions forum on edaboard.com for a wider range of advice. Its like VideoHelp but caters for electronics design and construction rather then video topics.

Brian.

[pandy]

IMHO before soldering you can try to simulate your circuit (and learn how to convert idea into schematic) by using one of many free but very high quality electronic circuit simulators.

I can recommend:
https://archive.org/details/mc12cd_202110
https://www.analog.com/en/resources/design-tools-and-calculators/ltspice-simulator.html
https://qucs.sourceforge.net/


But there are other free simulators https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_electronics_circuit_simulators?useskin=vector

If you provide details then i'm sure we will try to help you.

[jagabo]

Prototype on a breadboard.
https://www.amazon.com/BOJACK-Values-Solderless-Breadboard-Flexible/dp/B08Y59P6D1

You should also clarify: analog or digital?

[thecoalman]

Is this useful for your needs?

https://www.falstad.com/circuit/

I'm only aware of it because it can be embedded on phpBB forum.

[johnmeyer]

Prototype on a breadboard.
https://www.amazon.com/BOJACK-Values-Solderless-Breadboard-Flexible/dp/B08Y59P6D1

Yup. What he says.

[Bencuri]

Why I am looking for an expert is because I need this diagram to be shown in stripboard format. I am a beginner so I can't do it myself:


[Attachment 84802 - Click to enlarge]


Besides if you link guides, I don't mind. But the problem is, I noticed most guides assume you have a basic knowledge of electronics, and they don't describe stuff that those people who have no clue about electronics don't know. However, I noticed the essential things needed to convert the block diagram to stripboard design is knowing how the routing situations look on the stripboards. Now that is what most guides don't really show one by one, that information is scattered among lots of different guides. So, if you know any guide that focuses on the routing situations only and shows how the different ones look on the stripboard, that kind of guide would be very useful for me. For example, here are 2 other circuits on this image. I encircled the routing situations that I would like to see how they look on the stripnboard. If I could see them, I could already start converting simple block diagrams myself:


[Attachment 84803 - Click to enlarge]

And I am only interested in the stripboard, the breadboard is out of focus now. I can easily cut stripboards and build them into housings.

[pandy]

Buy universal PCB ( https://www.raypcb.com/universal-pcb/ ) and made circuitry but... i see your circuit is typical impedance converter on FET - usually such circuitry is used to attach condenser microphone to normal amplifier input - but... but in normal capacity microphone capsules this kind of circuit is already implemented... so... if you share what is your goal (purpose of circuitry) then it will be easier to advice you.

Btw it looks like you are searching for some PCB layout editor... perhaps KiCAD can suit your expectations?

Personally i would do different PCB layout than you provided. (definitely bad component placement and weird / too long signal paths).

[Bencuri]

I want to do it on stripboard, I already found editor but I am not sure about routing solutions on the stripboard. But I am starting to understand it as I am discussing this on other forums and some people are showing me those.

I want to do what you see on the first image. A buffer that reduces the volume on the output with 50%. I need this as an 'active' pad before my guitar pedals in the pedal board. My guitar signal is too strong for them and they distort. So I need this equipment as 1st in the chain after the guitar.

[pandy]

I want to do it on stripboard, I already found editor but I am not sure about routing solutions on the stripboard. But I am starting to understand it as I am discussing this on other forums and some people are showing me those.

I want to do what you see on the first image. A buffer that reduces the volume on the output with 50%. I need this as an 'active' pad before my guitar pedals in the pedal board. My guitar signal is too strong for them and they distort. So I need this equipment as 1st in the chain after the guitar.

Fine for me - stripboard is a universal PCB so should be OK for such small circuit.
Unless you are using piezoelectric pickup then FET buffer can be not the best choice but should work.

Kicad results, probably not optimal but not even tried TBH:


[Attachment 84822 - Click to enlarge]

[Attachment 84823 - Click to enlarge]

[Attachment 84824 - Click to enlarge]

[Bencuri]

Thanks but why the two jack outs?

[pandy]

Thanks but why the two jack outs?

1 input, 1 output and 1 jack for power - this is based on description - "module between existing infrastructure" - use this as proposal not mandatory.

As pointed earlier it was easier to me made such thing in KiCAD than setting account on for example online EasyEDA or similar online CAD, just used parts from default library not even trying to make it as ready to be manufactured - also placed tracks on top side so it can be visible with components and i used THT parts not SMD so it can be easier for you to recreate it on veroboard.

[Bencuri]

Could you check if my adaptation of that circuit is correct?:


[Attachment 85021 - Click to enlarge]

[betwixt]

Putting my electronics designer hat on - and I've been doing it for almost 60 years, the design may not do what you want anyway. If its purpose is to reduce the volume between guitar and some effects unit, and it is to go 'in line', you should really match the input and output impedances. The input impedance is very high at more than 1 Million Ohms but the output is much lower, nearer 5,000 Ohms. Assuming the guitar would normally connect directly, adding this impedance jump will have other effects. Its difficult to say what because it depends on the individual guitar and cables but it will probably change the guitar sound quite a lot.

You might do better with nothing more than a potentiometer wired as a simple volume control. It will make the volume drop adjustable and a big bonus is it needs no power source. I suspect the schematic you found is for matching a crystal microphone to an amplifier, not a guitar.

Brian.

[Bencuri]

You might do better with nothing more than a potentiometer wired as a simple volume control. It will make the volume drop adjustable and a big bonus is it needs no power source. I suspect the schematic you found is for matching a crystal microphone to an amplifier, not a guitar.

Brian.

About this the guitar pedal maker who suggested this "active pad" solution (not this particular circuit) said:

"if you add another volume pot(doesn't matter if in an external pedal) the sound of the guitar will be darker, because the 2 pot would be in parallel and it's like the difference of 250k and 500k potentiometer, because everything passive you add to the chain, will make the sound less powerful and darker. Like some esquire has the option to completely bypass the volume and tone pots.
you could have a buffer in a pedal and that way you would preserve all the sound, there are some pedals that are buffer and booster so you can set the overall volume."

Turning down passive pots does change the sound as well. That's why Fender invented treble bleed to counterbalance it. There is one thing i don't understand though: why the pedal maker suggested the active pad, instead of a passive pad with a single pot, and adding a treble bleed to that pad pot.

[pandy]

Could you check if my adaptation of that circuit is correct?:


[Attachment 85021 - Click to enlarge]

From my perspective you should cut horizontal copper stripes to keep traces short as possible (to avoid many problems).
So going from R1 - rearrange it to horizontal position (current is vertical) - cut trace under, similarly with C1 - rearrange from vertical to horizontal, R2 may stay vertical, R3 and R4 also can be left in vertical direction.

[Bencuri]

Could you check if my adaptation of that circuit is correct?:


[Attachment 85021 - Click to enlarge]

From my perspective you should cut horizontal copper stripes to keep traces short as possible (to avoid many problems).
So going from R1 - rearrange it to horizontal position (current is vertical) - cut trace under, similarly with C1 - rearrange from vertical to horizontal, R2 may stay vertical, R3 and R4 also can be left in vertical direction.

Okay but as I see that is the exact same arrangement like mine but only shorter stripes. I can do that even with my version too, getting rid of the unused segments with break points.


[Attachment 85030 - Click to enlarge]

What about the resistor and capaticor values and capacitor type? Some say ceramic is not suitable here.

[pandy]

Okay but as I see that is the exact same arrangement like mine but only shorter stripes. I can do that even with my version too, getting rid of the unused segments with break points.


[Attachment 85030 - Click to enlarge]

What about the resistor and capaticor values and capacitor type? Some say ceramic is not suitable here.

Nope - there are errors in your "PCB" - at least this is my impression - R1 in series with C1 feed signal to FET - in your previous "PCB" this was incorrect, in new one it may be fixed but populating R1 and C1 horizontally create this more obvious.
I didn't check values, also not simulated circuit so from my perspective you rely on unverified schematic.
Ceramic can be different - some ceramics are piezoelectric so they can act as microphone - use decent mylar (or comparable) capacitor - 47nF is quite small for audio so it may act as high pass filter (so in real circuit you may wish to increase it more).

[betwixt]

I wouldn't increase the 47nF, at the moment the 3dB lower frequency roll-off is only about 3.5 Hz so it wont have any effect on the audio but increasing it will increase risk of the JFET gate being damaged, they are very sensitive to static and excessive input voltage. Personally, I would still use a passive attenuator to avoid power problems. Notwithstanding the layout on the board, it will need screening and will need to be battery powered to avoid hum pickup and ground loop problems.

Brian.

[Bencuri]

But the active way is how it is done in guitar amps as well. The signal enters on the input, that is a preamp, and later on the effect loop there is a 50% reduction on the Effect Loop send.