Help with Rockman Sustainor 200 refurb

[axeonic]

Greetings All,

I'm new in this forum and I'm hoping this post goes to the proper topic.

Recently I bought Sustainor Model 200 (Aug 1988, S/N 16834) on ebay. I cleaned all pots, jacks and switches with contact cleaner. I want to change all electrolytic capacitors as recommended on rockman-gearup.com. (Unfortunately I was not able to register there for some reason).

Apparently, sourcing proper parts appears to be challenging. Filtering radial caps 1000uF/25V have 8 mm lead spacing which are impossible to find. 10 mm spacing appears to be standard these days. Can I use those instead?

Also, 3,3 uF/50V axial cap is non existant. Can I use film (metallized PPS) cap of the same value instead, like this one, I think it will phisically fit: https://www.tme.com/us/en-us/details...b06l16-5cbulk/

(I was checking for parts on Farnell, Digikey, TME, Mouser, Newark).

The guy I bought the Sustainor from advertized it as Duble IC. Is there any way I can check that by looking at the PCB? From the forums I got the impression Double IC models were released in 1989.

Thank in advance for any input/help/guidance.

Best Regards,
Goran

[tbonuss]

So...I *think* all the double IC (aka Lead Leveler) versions were *always* done by piggybacking another switching IC in there...the part circled looks too neat to be a double. If its a Lead Leveler, its pretty obvious in the ones I've seen as there are solder blobs, which really seem out of place. They may have done it a different way too...but I don't think so.

You can definitely hear the difference between the two if you play a Lead Leveler 200 (also the XPR and XP100) compared to the 100s or the non Lead Leveler 200s. Bend a note hard with max gain, if it goes very hollow when it sustains, its a Lead Leveler, the non-lead levelers sound much more like a traditional (albeit heavy) compressor, and don't hollow the tone nearly as much.

Hope this helps.

.

[The Dude]

I find several 25 & 35V 1,000uF caps with 7.5mm lead spacing, which ought to be close enough, at Digikey, You'll have to check the other dimensions for fit.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/...m7S5u0nGozOJAA

I assume the 3.3uF caps are coupling caps (no schematic here). If so, the film caps would be fine if they fit (though more expensive). If not, I also find axial can caps at Digikey.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/...k5AB05BUojKJAA

With modern caps, you can usually up the voltage to the next level and they will still fit because modern caps are physically smaller. That said, if it were me, I'd do an in circuit ESR test of the caps first and leave them be if they test good.

[g1]

If you are willing to use a cap in a non-axial package like that film cap, why not just use a radial electrolytic there instead of axial?

Here is another picture of the 'double-IC' (piggyback arrangement).

[axeonic]

Thank you all for your input.

I will then use higher voltage 3.3uF and 1000uF with 7.5mm lead spacing.

That piggyback arrangement doesn't seem to difficult to execute. Would someone be able to help me with that?

Device on my PCB is Toshiba TC4066BP. Can I use any of these I found on Digikey?

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/...43XPOUADDBg6gA

Best Regards,
Goran

[g1]

That piggyback arrangement doesn't seem to difficult to execute. Would someone be able to help me with that?

You would need the schematic. There are wires added that run from some of the top chip pins to other components. Without the schematic it is not possible to know where to run those wires.
It is not just simple stacking of 2 chips.

[tbonuss]

I think that thing is just a switch so that the lead leveler is off on clean modes. There is an additional Lead Leveler circuit I think...but who knows for sure...

I've never found a schematic, and I've tried.

[axeonic]

Yeah, I couldn't find proper schematics as well but this, which is probably useless... www.geocities.ws/diygescorp/rockmansustainor.zip

I also found this photo https://rockman-gearup.com/download/...=333&mode=view

It appears that most of the pins on a piggyback IC are shorted with a piece of wire but a few.

I was hoping there is someone out there with this Double IC mod who could post some closeup pics from both sides

Best,
Goran