[F.R:]

Unconventional question.

When I setup the compressor everything works soundwise, but I can't get the LED meterbridge running, I resoldered everything, triple checked Resistors etc. Rebuild the LED meterbridge. But it won't work.

I case I f***ed up completly, can I run the compressor without having the potentiometers set up? SO I can work with it "blindly" at least?

[JPK]

Yes the compressor can work without the LED meter.
Check you didn't reverse the LED's.
What is the revision number of the PCB ?

[F.R:]

Revision is the Scematic 2.1 PCB rev 1.4

I did in fact setup the LED the wrong way at first. bought some new LEDs cause I heard they're done if setup wrong, and soldered a 2nd set with the added PCB part given, but still didn't work, maybe I killed the IC's?

[JPK]

Reversing the LED's won't destroy them.
What DC voltages do you get on U8 pin 13, against 0V? does it changes when changing P4?
What DC voltages do you get on U9 pin 2, against 0V? does it changes when changing P5?

[F.R:]

Following measurements:

U8 Pin 13 to 0V-TP : 0,444VDC
U9 Pin 2   to 0V-TP : 1,277VDC

no changes on turning p4/p5

[JPK]

Check the solder joints on U7 and R36.
Check U7 = TL431A.
What are the DC voltage on the 2 pins of R36, against 0V?

[F.R:]

Solders are good U7 is the TL431A

Voltages on R36 are 15,9V left 2,49V right

[JPK]

All good!
Can you report the DC voltages on all the pins of U8 and U9?


For 14 pins, same principle.

[F.R:]

Are the Voltages dependant on any input source or is it just the Box that has to deliver it's +/-16V? From what I "guessed" from the scematics they aren't, but I'm quite a newbie.

[JPK]

U8-pin 5, 7, 9 and U9-pin 7, 9, 11 are all connected together and receive the sidechain generated control voltage. This voltage depends on the input signal and on the PEAK pot position. You can check if these pins do receive this voltage.
The other pins are independent of the input signal.

[F.R:]

Hope this image gets uploaded properly^^

[JPK]

It didn't!

[F.R:]

la502 measurement

[JPK]

It looks like D12 cathode is not connected to V-.
Check that you have -15V on CN1 pin9 (pin1 = white dot).

Also U9 pin4 and pin5 should have the same value.
Check the connection between U9 pin5 and trimmer P5 center pin.

[F.R:]

resoldered. cn1 pin 9: -16.02V

U9 Pin 4 1.38V
U9 Pin 5  2.49V

[JPK]

Check the connection between U9 pin5 and trimmer P5 center pin.
Try replacing U9.