Anyone might know what is wrong off the top of their head?

http://hackaweek.com/hacks/?p=131

I made that on a breadboard today. When I plugged the jack into my lap top, I couldn't hear anything.

so I cranked the volume ALL the way up, & could barely make out the song. Thing of it is, there was a LOT of static playing through.


I figured I screwed up somewhere, so I made it on a breadboard. I got the same thing.

Capacitors seemed to be the correct size. I've swapped chips. I've swapped speakers. I've swapped my lap top for an ipod. Still same thing.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

If the source's volume was set too high it would clip at the input of the LM386 and sound like static except I would expect it to be loud. You write "there was a LOT of static playing" so may be this is it. Try lowering the output volume on the laptop or iPod.

There is a lot it could be. If I was looking at it the first place I would look after lowering the input volume is the jack and its wiring that you are plugging into the source (LT or iPod). Next I would use headphones to make sure there is audio out of the source. If this checks then I would make sure all of the grounds are connected and look carefully at the NC pin 7 in the data sheet. I've had a rash of NC (not connected) and "reserved" pins that have to be connected somewhere for the device to work.

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If the source's volume was set too high it would clip at the input of the LM386 and sound like static except I would expect it to be loud. You write "there was a LOT of static playing" so may be this is it. Try lowering the output volume on the laptop or iPod.

There is a lot it could be. If I was looking at it the first place I would look after lowering the input volume is the jack and its wiring that you are plugging into the source (LT or iPod). Next I would use headphones to make sure there is audio out of the source. If this checks then I would make sure all of the grounds are connected and look carefully at the NC pin 7 in the data sheet. I've had a rash of NC (not connected) and "reserved" pins that have to be connected somewhere for the device to work.