Built in guitar amp Effect

[dj_death]

Hi ,I built this summer the 100W guitar amplifier MKII at esp and this week i finaly finished it after solving some oscillation problems (Thanks Rob). Now i'm thinking to built in one or two effects and i would like to suggest me some effects that are suitable in this case. I would really like a noise gate or something and i was wondering if the Q&D Compressor/Limiter/Noise Gate could be used. But i think that if i put it at the end of the audio chain (after the preamplifier) there will be a little problem, because i read at SSM2166P data sheet that the input of the chip can handle signals up to 1V. I've also built the mxr noise gate with fine results and i think that this is a good alternative. Also the effect supply is a little problem, because i have a power supply of +/-35V and i don't think that the 78XXs can handle this voltage.The only thing that
have in mind is a zener diode supply like that in the preamplifier. Any effect suggestions?

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

If you want to limit the input to the compressor chip to 1v, you can just use a passive divider (2 resistors) to do that, considering the max volts you can get from the previous stage.

[maarten]

I don't remember the exact Input Voltage of the 78xx; it should be somewhere in the range of 30 to 40 volts, IRRC. But in order to be safe, you could use the LM317K, which will accept a Voltage up to 40 Volts. The TO-220 package is less expensive than the TO-3 package (at least here in Holland).
Regards,
Maarten

[maarten]

I don't remember the exact Input Voltage of the 78xx; it should be somewhere in the range of 30 to 40 volts, IRRC. But in order to be safe, you could use the LM317K, which will accept a Voltage up to 40 Volts. The TO-220 package is less expensive than the TO-3 package (at least here in Holland).
Regards,
Maarten

[Peter Snowberg]

As you feed linear regulators with more voltage, their current consumption and heat output go WAY up. I don't ever like feeding 78xx or 79xx regulators with anything more than ~10 volts over their output voltage. You don't want anything less than 3 volts above output to keep the out stable.

I would install a secondary ~9-12VAC transformer for your effects.

You could use the +35v supply with big in-line zeners before the regulator, but they'll make some heat and it's far from an ideal solution. A new transformer will probably cost less than any other solution in the long run.

-Peter

[dj_death]

Thank you guys for responding, i checked the lm317 data sheet and i think that it's the best choice for me . Actually the preamplifer has an output of about 1.5V (caused by the soft clipping diodes) If i reduce the output signal with a voltage divider then i think that i will never get the maximum power of the power amplifier. Anyway i would apreciate
any suggestion of an effect that could be built in my amplifier. Do you think that any built in effect i'm going to use has to be true bypassed with a toggle switch? I mean in the case i use the Q & D compressor or MXR Noise Gate.