So the RS Mini amp has been MIA for years and only expensive old-stock on FleaBay... I mean $60 isn't going to break me, but then I came across this mini battery powered guitar amp sold at Guitar center for $23. Reviews seem good and I watched some videos on youtube about it.
Any comments on this thing as a suitable replacement for the old RS Mini Amp as a testing device for hobbiest amplifier service (Car audio amps)?
Honeytone N-10 Guitar Mini Amp Black | Guitar Center
Any comments on this thing as a suitable replacement for the old RS Mini Amp as a testing device for hobbiest amplifier service (Car audio amps)?
Honeytone N-10 Guitar Mini Amp Black | Guitar Center
Do you truly remember the Radio Shack Mini amp?
It wouldn't launch your guitar-hero career. It was hardly adequate for wire-tapping.
If so, if the RS MA would really work for you, this is probably 2 cents "better", especially if you (if you can!) bypass the middle bit.
It wouldn't launch your guitar-hero career. It was hardly adequate for wire-tapping.
If so, if the RS MA would really work for you, this is probably 2 cents "better", especially if you (if you can!) bypass the middle bit.
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I modified one of an old pair of battery-powered "Walkman-style" speakers (probes and a volume pot) for the same purpose.
The other I'm also still using for music, with a 2" driver upgrade.
The other I'm also still using for music, with a 2" driver upgrade.
I can try. Apparently the board is all smd though. I’m picking one up Friday. I see where you by-passed the tone section. There is also an overdrive section near the input as well as that one cap to ground getting cut out. To be honest I may try it as is out of the box first to see how 'bad' the output tone looks on the scope when putting this inline with a frequency generator. Mainly the purpose of this device is to follow low voltage audio paths, but I also remember using an RS Mini amp to find fuzzy OpAmps or causes of them on amplifier PCBs. It was handy but not hardly a 'pro' device.
I also thought of maybe going to some old computer repair shop and try to find a single battery amplified speaker there. That would probably do just as well to be honest. I do remember the RS Mini amp had a rather HUGE gain and sensitivity though.
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PRR,
From your changes to the circuit:
You after removing the 470nF cap, it is just open?
or is ground reconnected, but now it only has the
removal Xs. ?
Without that tone pot for guitarists to fiddle with
they'll be forced (limited) to the tone pot on their axe.
But then if this little bugger over drives into clipping
there probably isn't much "tone" in that pot anyway.
From your changes to the circuit:
You after removing the 470nF cap, it is just open?
or is ground reconnected, but now it only has the
removal Xs. ?
Without that tone pot for guitarists to fiddle with
they'll be forced (limited) to the tone pot on their axe.
But then if this little bugger over drives into clipping
there probably isn't much "tone" in that pot anyway.
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I found this site with some just -ok- pictures of the insides.
Danelectro HoneyTone Repair & Modifications
Danelectro HoneyTone Repair & Modifications
Too bad the prices on the Heathkit IT-12 have gone up into the few hundred $ range; now there's an audible signal tracer you could accidentally touch the B+ of a tube amp to its probe tip - the green eye would just wink, maybe hear a loud click.
Instead of blow the input cap and op-amp following.
Instead of blow the input cap and op-amp following.
I wonder if bypassing the tl072 on the left would help. I bet it would shake the house with clean vibes then.
Man. I went to 3 different used computer/repair shops yesterday, and NONE of them have any kind of amplified computer speakers. I cannot believe it. I figured they'd have boxes of old crap! Looks like I'm definitely going to just go and get this little guitar amp then.
I do not know exactly what you are looking for, but there are many small digital amps for a few bucks. E.g. this long thread TPA3116D2 Amp , perhaps this is the post you would be looking for TPA3116D2 Amp
So I got this HoneyTone today. Seems it'll be alright for testing. its got a bit of a hiss at high volume but I'll get used to it. One thing I may do is install a tweeter somehow so that I can hear the upper range better later on. For now it'll be just fine without modification.