Roland AS-1 Sustainer

[ElectricDruid]

One other parameter where LDRs vary is in how long it takes them to go from their light to dark resistance. And for some it isn't symmetric either, so they'll go from dark to light fairly quickly, but take longer to go back to full dark resistance. This can be used to give a quick attack/long release, and it may be that the original LDR had such a characteristic.

Putting in a different LDR that reacts faster would then require a cap to slow the response down. Roland engineers being who they are, they foresaw that and left a spot for it. Nice work.

HTH,
Tom

[Souleyman]

Yep Tom, and I see the only one way for today. I buying all available now TO-5 LDR's and just will test all of them to choosing the best.

By the way the topic starter wrote about very big volume drop of effect. It was on my own AS-1 too with the original LDR. But now with my new VT33N1 it's really loud! With full Compression I use now only half turn of Volume for equal to the bypass volume of guitar.

Now I've changed the modern resistor in parallel with LDR to the same vintage as others. And you can see two holes on the left side from LED. This is for that electrolytic. But as I wrote I like the sound without it.

[PRR]

As you say, this is "too simple".

I'd really expect ~~500K across the LDR to limit the gain rise (and oscillation). Or maybe ~~500pFd to give low treble at max gain.

The main time-rate is the LDR, and many LDRs will be "too fast" for clean audio.

The half-wave action, and Darlington input network, are other cheap-outs.

There are better compressors around. Enjoy this one "for its faults".

[Souleyman]

For its faults — absolutely.

It has his own sound. I like it more how an effect than the compressor.
And of course this is collection component.

And by the way the BOSS CS-1 not so simple but has more ripple artifacts on decaying.

Here was my post about it but you RRR saw and replied it too:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=118742

Both of them are very funny devices. But as with not the first versions of CS-1 where engineers tried to fix bugs of the V1 they lost "that sound". [emoji4]