metal simplex sound sample?

giantsteps · October 19, 2009, 03:31:02 PM

i'm curious about this pedal and would like to hear it. anyone using it out there? thanks!

p.s. tried breadboarding up the big muff lite idea. will have to try again...lol.

oldrocker · October 19, 2009, 09:51:30 PM

I don't know of any sound samples but I can tell you this. This little circuit rocks!!! This thing sounds like a 5 jfet distortion circuit. What I used were two 2N2222 transistors and a green 3mm LED. That combination sounded best to me.

giantsteps · October 19, 2009, 10:40:53 PM

breadboarded and yes this thing rocks...wow!!!!

used 2 mpsa13'sfor the trannies (it's what I had on hand) and after a couple of diode attempts found i liked a zener diode more than the led. there is a little bit of a "cranked marshall with the guitar volume turned down a bit" vibe.

how was output volume affected for you guys? i feel like it's a little bit below unity gain cranked.

gigimarga · October 20, 2009, 01:10:12 AM

Quote from: giantsteps on October 19, 2009, 10:40:53 PM
breadboarded and yes this thing rocks...wow!!!!

used 2 mpsa13'sfor the trannies (it's what I had on hand) ...

I like this little wonder circuit too, but I can't believe that you used 2 x MPSA13...I've tried to use 2 x BC549C and I had a lot of noise $:-\$

giantsteps · October 20, 2009, 10:32:39 AM

wasn't terribly noisy. i may have gotten luck on the pair i had...will use sockets so i can try a bunch of combos....

any idea how to get a little more volume out?

gigimarga · October 20, 2009, 10:59:23 AM

Maybe using a larger output pot, but I think you must to lower the output cap with the same scale factor...maybe someone more advanced like me will help you

giantsteps · October 20, 2009, 10:44:42 PM

whoops!!! so i did some double checking and found that my output cap was connected to the base, not the collector of the 2nd transistor...

NO issues with output volume now...the mpsa13's are load as hell...i replaced the 2nd one with a 2n2222

the zener diode imparts a tubey glassyness to the sound...what a great pedal...thanks for all the suggestions...

chris

Ripthorn · October 21, 2009, 12:13:06 AM

What was the voltage on the zener?

giantsteps · October 21, 2009, 11:17:19 AM

How would I measure the diode voltage?

Ripthorn · October 21, 2009, 11:50:10 AM

Every zener diode has a "zener voltage" which is the reference voltage it would supply if oriented in the power supply section with the anode shunted to ground. For example, a 9.1V zener diode with its cathode connected to >+9.1 V and the anode connected to ground would always produce a voltage in the rest of the power supply section of 9.1 V. If you don't know, what are the markings on the zener?

oldrocker · October 22, 2009, 07:28:29 AM

The cool thing about using an LED is it lights when u pick. I brought it to the outside of the enclosure. A friend played through it and couldn't stop watching the LED flashing to his picking. To him it was magic. Especially since I enclosed in an Altoids tin and had in my front shirt pocket. Such big sound in a small package.

giantsteps · October 26, 2009, 10:43:18 PM

haven't quite figured out the voltage measurement of the zener diode yet. but i got it at radioshack, which means that it is either the 5.1v or 12v model.

here's the quirky observation:

i have the diode "backwards" in the circuit. the cathode points the wrong direction. i know that zener diodes allow voltage both ways. here's the kicker. it sounds terrible the "right" way.

the "wrong" way i'm getting this great vh1 tone. really brown. tight bottom end. lots of harmonics. a little bit of hiss. will address with some careful cap placement.

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metal simplex sound sample?