Condor & Speaker sat sim finished pics ...

[MartyMart]

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/Martys-layouts-and-photos/CondorSSSbox1

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/Martys-layouts-and-photos/CondorSSSguts

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/Martys-layouts-and-photos/ConSSSPod

Done, a few "marks" to the finish but my fault for laquering before drilling the
jack socket holes  !! 
Nice Ultra blue status LED's and a green for power up status.
9v PSU connection only.

MM.

[stm]

Congratulations for the build.
Is that small lever switch for changing between Fender and Marshall response?

[MartyMart]

Congratulations for the build.
Is that small lever switch for changing between Fender and Marshall response?

It's not connected yet, I was going to use it for some "thinning out" as I'm finding
the combo a bit Bass heavy at the 'mo
I changed the 47n after the fet on the condor to a 15n and that helps, but i could use a bit
more high end .... suggestions ?
I used the recommended 33n condor caps and resistor change for more highs, but still
find it a bit boomy.
In general, it's a great sound and improves the Pod a great deal

MM.

[stm]

You can get more high end if you replace the four 22k resistors in the two low-pass stages with 18k.  This will move the upper cutoff from 4kHz to 5kHz, which is quite typical in speaker cabinets.  If too much brighness, change back one pair of resistors to the original 22k value (on one of the two stages).  If even more brightness is desired, then change the resistors on one of these stages to 15k.

[MartyMart]

After some "trial and error" I have 15k's and 33n's in all four slots.
Wonderful   still has all the "body" but some more brightness too.
I guess, this has changed to a nice "smaller combo" tone, but I love it .

Thanks stm,

Marty.

[stm]

After some "trial and error" I have 15k's and 33n's in all four slots.
Wonderful :D  still has all the "body" but some more brightness too.
I guess, this has changed to a nice "smaller combo" tone, but I love it .

Thanks stm,

Marty.

Good it is working for you.  I assume you mean 3.3n in all four slots (instead of 33n)?
This change certainly softens a lot the high frequency cutoff transition. I would try have the capacitors at least with a 2:1 ratio in each stage. Stock they are 3.9n and 1n, so almost 4:1 ratio (this produces a peak in the response like a 1.5 dB Chebyshev or similar).  With a 2:1 capacitor ratio you have a response like a Butterworth filter.  With a 1:1 response you are more on the Bessel side, with very slow and soft knee for the high frequency transition.

Another thing you might try is with the stock values lowering the 3.9n caps to 2.2n and if not enough, then start reducing the 22k resistors to 18k.

Besr regards.

[MartyMart]

   oops, I should make this clearer :
Here's everything that I've adjusted ....
47n from J201 drain is now 15n
First tone stack around U1a/U1b,  the pair of 47n's are now 33n's
U2a/U2b stack is now 4X 15k's with 2X 3n3's and the 2X 1n's to ground.

What may be nice here, would be to use a dual gang 25k for one 'set' so you
could "shape" things quite a bit, to taste .... would this work ?
So replacing a pair of 22k's with 3n9 ( 3n3) from wiper ...
rergards,
Marty.

[stm]

OK, now it makes sense!

Instead of a dual pot, you can use a DPDT switch to add 15n in parallel with each 33n cap for the Low-end setting stage.  This will let you choose between Large and Small cabinets, to tag a name to it.

You can apply a similar approach to a pair of 15k resistors on one of the High-end setting filters. Switch them between 22k and 15k and maybe that'll be enough to have different high end settings.  You can tag this control as 10" or 12" speaker size, being the first naturally more bright than the second.

Those two switches plus the Fender/Marshall mid hump switch will allow you to control the low-end, mid-range and high-end of the speaker sim.  In addition, you can use three position switches (ON-OFF-ON) if you think there are three settings you might like for each of the cited parameters.

Regards.

[jmasciswannabe]

I have just started home recording with a PC (that is inevitably to slow), Presonus firebox, and Cubase LE. Anything I can do to eliminate plugins is wonderful and the project you have been working on Marty is looking like a great one! Thanks for throwing out your discoveries and thanks STM for the speaker and cabinet size switches idea ! I am really hoping that this project will "liven" up my guitar tone a little bit and make it less direct sounding. Not to hijack the the post, but I was wondering if you all are using any of the ROG amp sims before the Condor and SSS. I read in a previous post that this would be a great idea.   

[MartyMart]

I have just started home recording with a PC (that is inevitably to slow), Presonus firebox, and Cubase LE. Anything I can do to eliminate plugins is wonderful and the project you have been working on Marty is looking like a great one! Thanks for throwing out your discoveries and thanks STM for the speaker and cabinet size switches idea ! I am really hoping that this project will "liven" up my guitar tone a little bit and make it less direct sounding. Not to hijack the the post, but I was wondering if you all are using any of the ROG amp sims before the Condor and SSS. I read in a previous post that this would be a great idea.   

Well, I decided to put both the SSS/Condor in this one box, both switchable in/out.
I've tried quite a few things "upfront" of it, with equal success :
Line 6 Pod
Shaka Tube
English Channel
Matchbox
Big Muff
TS-9
I think it would be a great unit for your recordings, the adjustments are only for my
particular taste, but seem to work very well with these, in particular the Pod, who's
own "speaker cab" setting, sounds dreadful compared to the condor.
Good luck with it

MM.