Split my signal 6-ways

[KMS]

Hey DIYers,

I know I saw a circuit do this but I can’t seem to find it again and I’m not sure what I saw was what I really need.


I want to split my signal from my guitar before the signal goes into any FX or amp.

I would like to split it 6-way (that will leave some room for future stuff).

I want each of the six signals to be as strong (or slightly stronger) as my original signal and suffer no tone sucking.

I want each signal to be independent of the next so I get no power loss/addition when I patch in/out new signals.

How do I do this?

[ESPguitar]

WOW!!

I think you need an isolation tranny on each output, to prevent ground loops and to keep the signal level i think you need op amps?

I'm just thinking of R.G's design beacause i wan't to do something similiar..

RB

[R.G.]

A simple buffer will do the job in terms of signal. It's the grounding that will make you cry.

All you need to do for the splitter is to have a high input impedance, low output impedance buffer, perhaps with a touch of gain to give you that bit more signal. The high input impedance prevents treble loss on the input signal, and the low output impedance lets you drive multiple inputs. It might make sense to use a 1K to 4.7K resistor in series to each of the outputs to give some isolation from really perverse loads. A single opamp like the front end of the Adjusticator at GEO will do this.

If you use humbuckers and flail your strings, you'll need more supply voltage than the single 9V battery can provide because the pickup output is large and can demand more output voltage than the battery can provide. With single coils, you're OK.

About grounding:
What you're putting together will have a rat's nest of cords running from effect to effect. The shields on the cords will form multiple loops, possibly picking up AC hum; this will be especially prominent if you eschew batteries and run the whole mess from one DC power supply. The DC power ground goes to each effect, and so does the shield carrying signal ground, which makes a set of grounding loops which fairly demand hum.

Notice that there are some conditions where this will not hum; but it's set up to be prone to it.

Issues just like this are the reason I wrote the articles on the Spyder power supply and the two splitters, transformer and opamp. They help you ride herd on the hum.

Frankly, I think something like the opamp splitter should be part of every effect's wrapper. That would eliminate a lot of grounding problems.

[Satch12879]

+1; I'd probably do it with 3 dual opamps to get 6 channels.

Careful, the good isolation transformers are EXPENSIVE.

[R.G.]

Careful, the good isolation transformers are EXPENSIVE.

Yes, but acceptable transformers are available from Mouser Electronics, the Xicon Hi-Q line, for US$2.70 each. See the transformer isolated splitter, at GEO.

[KMS]

R.G.

I just finished reading all the text and reviewing the circuits.  I found the A/B/Y box over on GGGadgets which is your design.  Is the 42TMO13 transformer expensive?

I won’t be getting any parts from Mouser. I have an excellent supplier, Gateway Electronics and they are one of the best “walk-in /we-don’t-order-anything/ because-we-got-it-all” suppliers in the whole US.  Their in the top three if I remember correctly.  They used to supply for Mc Donald Douglas in St. Louis and I’ll bet they supply for Boeing now.  They got stuff that nobody else has, and loads of it in stock.  Last time I needed a match set of tranys they let me test all 200 they had. They are great, and they are a ten minute drive from my workplace.

I don’t know anything about transformer quality and they might have the 42TMO13 or they might not. How would I know for sure if a substitute is good, i.e. is there some inherent quantities data/spec that would be listed for every transformer that I could use in order to verify if the substitute was good enough?

Also, I think you were saying I can add six outputs to the single front-end-buffer?  If so, then would six outputs stages (like the two on the A/B/Y box) work out?

Also, all of my pedals are battery powered; I have already purchased 7 rechargeable Metal Hydride batteries and the charger. Kind of expensive, but I was trying to avoid the hum.  It looks like your Spyder Power Supply is what I need.

Thanks, and I hope this helps others who are also interested.  

[ESPguitar]

Thanks,

This was a very helpfull thread:D

So i have to ask R.G about your <improved A/B/Y splitter> (thread number two from the top on geo's first site)

If i just want a splitter (A/B) which of the parts can i jump over?

Thanks,

RB
Sorry,

I found the splitter instead on Geo..  :oops:

RB

[StephenGiles]

I think Rane do something that would work, try
Rane.com
Stephen

[StephenGiles]

Jakob Gyraf has a splitter on his site, and Craig Anderton's Spluffer would do the trick.
Stephen