Visual Sound Pure Tone Buffer

[aziltz]

So I've had a Visual Sound Route 66 for a very long time.  It's a great pedal, and I used to keep the compressor on all the time.  I was thinking about upgrading to the single version, the Comp 66: Comp, Preamp, Tone Control Toggle, Noise Reduction and Buffer all in one.

Then I build a BYOC 5 Knob Compressor, and I LOVE the eq options on this thing.  Its got a lot more presence than my Rt. 66 with the hardwired tone circuit.  Here's my problem, the Visual Sound Pure Tone Buffer really helps my sound get through to my amp.  I really notice when its gone, but I'm not sure I can justify using two compressors.  If I decide to go with just the BYOC, I would want to replace the '66 with a buffer.

Does anyone have any insight into what's behind inside the Pure Tone Buffer?  RG?  I realize how simple a buffer can be, a simple discrete or Op-Amp follower, so i'm not really looking for a schematic, but I'm wondering if there's anything special inside the Pure Tone?

[aziltz]

while we're at it, it be nice to know what type of Tone control the '66 uses.  I've noticed that the other forum guys refuse to trace the PCB, since its just a TS808 + Comp, but I'd be interested to know why it sounds so different from my 5 Knob, EQ wise.

I've read that its a TS-Tone Control, but in the VS shootout videos, Mr. Weil mentions it having a "Scooped" mids sound when the tone is active.


EDIT:  will all that, i just noticed that Visual Sound is releasing 2 New pedals:  http://visualsound.net/v2tt.htm, one of them is a clean boost with tone control.  Could this be the preamp and buffer from the '66?

[Mark Hammer]

The same buffer (assuming that's what it is) operating at 9v supply would be expected to behave a little differently than the same circuit operating with a 27v supply.  Most critically, as the gain setting goes up, a 27v supply provides fewer restrictions on clean headroom, and the peaks you create are the peaks that hit the amp.

[aziltz]

The same buffer (assuming that's what it is) operating at 9v supply would be expected to behave a little differently than the same circuit operating with a 27v supply.  Most critically, as the gain setting goes up, a 27v supply provides fewer restrictions on clean headroom, and the peaks you create are the peaks that hit the amp.

Mark, you bring up a good point.  After playing around with things for a while, comparing the sound between my two compressors, I prefer the curve on my new BYOC compressor.  The '66 does indeed have a scooped mid tone stack (mine doesn't have the switch) and it makes my Tele sound more like a Strat where the BYOC gives me more of what I like about my tele.

That said, the settings I had been using for the last 4 years on the Visual Sound was more of a Clean Boost/Preamp.  Very low on the Compression setting.  I think the input impedance of the VS buffer might have been causing a nice reaction with the drives I kept before it.  Kind of like running a SHO always on after drive pedals.  Still, without using the compressor, i notice when the buffer isn't there.  So I maybe have to find another way to get a buffer in there, after the drive pedals.  The noise reduction on the Comp 66 would have been nice too, but I would rather have a simple tone control and not a stack.

[R.G.]

All Visual Sound pedals use the Pure Tone Buffer. You might like the True Tone pedal, which should be hitting stores by now. Just a buffer with a single tone control and lots of headroom. EQ is the most personal thing about almost all pedals, and the one where opinions vary the most.

There are remarkably few "magic circuits" in Visual Sound products. People who are chasing magic circuits would be bored. But there is a huge amount of work with making good design tradeoffs, good ranges of control on the pots, and switch/control setups that work on stage in many settings.

[aziltz]

All Visual Sound pedals use the Pure Tone Buffer. You might like the True Tone pedal, which should be hitting stores by now. Just a buffer with a single tone control and lots of headroom. EQ is the most personal thing about almost all pedals, and the one where opinions vary the most.

Thanks RG, that sounds a lot like what I'm looking for.

[ericohman]

R.G, the True Tone pedal you were talking about, is that this clean boost pedal?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9oE3LAEkyg

I saw this video about the tone buffer thing. Pretty good demos on their YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOBn75-WN30


Anyone know what was inside that Pure Tone Buffer pedal that's now discontinued? Or at least something similiar... I guess it should be a simple project?

[R.G.]

R.G, the True Tone pedal you were talking about, is that this clean boost pedal?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9oE3LAEkyg

Yep, that's the boost I was talking about.

Anyone know what was inside that Pure Tone Buffer pedal that's now discontinued? Or at least something similiar... I guess it should be a simple project?

The Pure Tone thing pre-dated my time at Visual Sound. I think - and don't hold me to this - that it was the forerunner of the buffer we put in every pedal.