capacitor equivalent to no input cap?

[Cabezahead]

I tried so hard to figure this out without filling up the forum with 'noob' questions... but... I couldn't help this one.


I'm working on thie pedal - and I got it down 'cept that it pops when you switch it.  This is solved straight up with an input cap - but...  It sounds better without it.

I've tried everything from .001 to 2uf...  Nothing does it.  So - got a suggestion?

[R.G.]

That's no problem.

A. Straightforward Approach:
There are two ways to do this. One is to simply make the input cap bigger until you like the sound. 2uF doesn't do it? OK, make it two *thousand* microfarads. Of course, this gets to being a size problem.

The second solution is to use an input buffer. If your input wants a really, really, no fooling DC coupled input, put an NPN, PNP, JFET, MOSFET, or opamp buffer in front of it that will. The buffer can be made to use tiny capacitors for inputs and provide a true DC level to the circuit in question.

The limitation of the straightforward approach is that it is a brute force approach, and may be missing something obvious about what's happening. Which leads us to...

B. Clever Approach:
Look at your circuit and actually understand what is causing it to sound better if you use no input cap, then do something to either change the need for an input cap, or change the size of the input cap down to something reasonable. This does have the requirement that you actually understand what's happening in the circuit *and* in your ears that make one sound better than the other.

[Cabezahead]

ain't got time to be clever.

I really wish I could take the time to sit down and learn what the hell i'm doing... But i'm a full time music major workin' nights.

I'll try something from the straightforward section.  :-)


Thanks a bunch R.G. You're patience does not go unnotcied at this forum.

-CH