Maplin noisegate kit

[stallik]

Many years ago I built a noisegate from akit supplied by Maplin in the UK. I believe the kit was an LK43A.
It's a really nice little gate but was long ago discontinued. I'd like another so anyone any idea who actually designed the Maplin diy circuits? I've tried contacting Maplin directly but only received " before my time mate" answers

[Kipper4]

Trace it or send it to someone who can and make your own?

[gritz]

Hi stallik, I just dug out an old Maplin catalogue (from 1990!!) and there's a noise gate kit (also described as a dynamic noise gate) in the "projects and modules" section, code LK43W. No schematic unfortunately and the only real info is that the project was covered in Maplin magazine (volume 9) issue 40, page 72. It's quite possibly a design by R.A. Penfold - he did a lot of design for them at the time and there's every possibility that it ended up in one of his books. If you're really lucky (or patient) then you may find it on the net somewhere, or perhaps somebody on a hobby electronics forum has the magazine, or a pdf of it. Sorry I can't be more help.

Edit: Aha, there's a reference to the LK43A here: http://archive.ampage.org/threads/1/fxgd/000899/Boss_NS-2_adds_harshness_to_tone-1.html

Perhaps R.G.'s / Mark Hammer's elephantine memories might be able to shed some light...

[stallik]

Thanks guys, I think I'll have to trace it. Not something I've done before so it's about time I did. Not using it as a noisegate though it works well for that, instead, I put a footswitch in there and use it as a kind of slow gears thing. Very controllable and adjustable.
I'd like to make the whole thing a little more compact pcb wise. Will post my results when I'm done

[Steve Newton]

Very simple and non fussy gate. Musical and usable.

Here's some quick and dirty photos of the build instructions and schem.

http://www12.zippyshare.com/v/15889020/file.html

Will do a better job tomorrow evening when (if) I can get my old scanner working.

[merlinb]

Hi stallik, I just dug out an old Maplin catalogue (from 1990!!) and there's a noise gate kit (also described as a dynamic noise gate) in the "projects and modules" section, code LK43W. It's quite possibly a design by R.A. Penfold -

Does it use the NE570 or NE571, plus a dual opamp, by any chance?

[stallik]

Hi merlinb, yes, NE571 & MC1458N  to be precise. Do you know the circuit?

[MrStab]

the BOM in the link Steve posted uses both those IC's, looks like that might be the one

[Steve Newton]

It is the one. The article I posted is the original article from the Maplin magazine that was turned into the kit. The instructions that came with the kit were basically this.

I built 6 or so back in the distant past and still use a couple today.

[stallik]

Nice one Steve, only just got to a workstation to unzip your file and it is definitely the one. Thanks

[MrStab]

how does this stack up against the MXR Noise Gate? there are a shortage of DIY-friendly gates, would be cool to hear this in action. could be a bit like the EA trem, how it came from an obscure magazine article but is still in use

[stallik]

Never used the MXR so can't compare but this one is effective as a noisegate, has 3,6,12 and 0 db cut settings on a rotary pot, plus another pot to adjust the release volume. It was intended  to be on all the time, hence the 0db position but I found that it could also do the slow gears thing so I added a footswitch to use it as an effect rather than just a noisegate.
I've been using mine for years and want another, Steve built several and still uses a couple... Can't be all bad

[StephenGiles]

I built this and it was OK.

[Steve Newton]

Never used the MXR gate so can't compare. But this is a very "forgiving" gate. Not jittering or overzealous release "snapping" of the signal.

All the claims on the first page of the instructions are accurate. I'd record some examples but the units I still have are miles away in a bag of leads, power supplies and other "utility FX boxes" for live gigs.

Here's the, slightly, better scans - http://www29.zippyshare.com/v/96831273/file.html

[Roger Martin]

Does this Maplin noise gate resembles the Boss NS-2 BOM ?
IMHO Boss NS-2 sucks tone....in the end of note it will sound MMMWEEPPPP !
It's like the threshold isn't strong enough to filter the noise.

[Kipper4]

Thanks Roger
This ones going onto my ever growing list of must does.
Since i cant bring myself to debugg the Tonepad noisegate i built.

[PRR]

Schematic alone, cropped and contrasted:

http://i.imgur.com/tzfjQq2.gif

Two opamp and the NE571x chip, clean implementation.