Neo Octavia Transformer Question

[petemoore]

Looking at the Neo Octavia at Runoff Groove...what kind of transformer is used with this build..I have those little RS [like I used In Bobtavia] and a couple Mousers I bought for Tychobrahe Octavia...and some other [Jawari?] builds that call for them.
 Anyone have comments about this ckt? ... It looks pretty straightforeward.
  Thanks

[brett]

Hi.  Don't let me dampen your enthusiasm, but I have found the tycho and other transformer-based octaves less musical than the old-fashioned Jimi-style transistor-based octavia.  The various takes on the Roger Mayer octavias around the web are all good.  There's one at Fuzz-central - www.fuzzcentral.tripod.com  - that's I'm building to replace an older version.  (I'll put the pcb up on my web page in a couple of days when I'm sure it works)  Having said that, I understand lotz of folk like the Tyco and it's relatives.  And yes, the Tyco transformer does a fine job for most other octaves.  They are simply there to do the phase splitting (ie either side of the centre-tap is 180 degrees out-of-phase with the other).  Which is fairly easy to achieve with a variety of transformers.  What my limited experience with different transformers tells me is that some transformers add a little bit more or a bit less "ringing" and distortion.  But other than that, you can't really go wrong.

If you'd like to try an octave effect with heaps of transformer ringing and distortion, you might try my "Dalekator" - a ring modulator-based octave and distortion effect.  But don't expect anything too musical to come out of it - it's seriously bent.  It's over here if you're interested: members.optusnet.com.au/~jethro.dog/gallery.html

Have fun!

[Aharon]

Looking at the Neo Octavia at Runoff Groove...what kind of transformer is used with this build..I have those little RS [like I used In Bobtavia] and a couple Mousers I bought for Tychobrahe Octavia...and some other [Jawari?] builds that call for them.
 Anyone have comments about this ckt? ... It looks pretty straightforeward.
  Thanks

The RS transformer is used for that one.
Aharon