Orange Squeezer + Diode Compression OpAmp?

[remmelt]

Hello people!

I am going to try and build an Orange Squeezer next. I saw it uses one half of a 4558 and I thought it would be nice to try the Diode Compression OpAmp in that slot. You know, the 2nd beginner project.

1) Will that work?
2) Will that be worthwhile? If it doesn't change the sound, I'm sticking to the IC.
3) Am I right in assuming the OS only uses one half of the 4558? I'm new to ICs.

Thanks again!

[Mark Hammer]

The biggest drawback of the Orange Squeezer is that it packs all its functions into one op-amp.  Normally, you need to stick a high gain stage in to acquire the suitable envelope voltage to drive the control element (an FET in this case).  In the OS's case, the gain stage also serves as the output stage of the device, meaning that there is no way to separate the desired properties of the envelope from the desired properties of the audio output.  If you look at the OS page at generalguitargadgets, I posted a modified version that uses both halves of a dual op-amp.  I still don't think it is perfect, but it improves on a number of things that are sub-optimal in the OS, and people have said good things about it.

Happy to talk you through it if it interests you.