Fullclone OCD not sounding as good as i thought it would?

[Milotic]

Hey guys

I recently finished a fulltone ocd using a stratotrasto schematic and a vero layout.  I love the sound I'm getting from it.  The chords are very gainy, crisp and ring through quite nicely.  But when i play solos or single notes, it sounds a bit dull and not as full as i like.  I'm running this pedal through a marshall dsl50.  On the pedal i crank the volume, the tone and have the drive at 0, I'm just using this pedal to boost the lead 2 channel.
I followed the schematic diagram exactly, except for C7.  For C7 i used a 1uF Bipolar capacitor instead, since i that was the lowest value.
Would this capacitor be causing the issue?  or should i increase the voltage to 18v to push it to the limits!


thanks.

[Marcos Camara]

To get a good gain on the ground, I use the Tube Screamer to push him before. The sound is awesome! Sorry for the bad english writing...
I'am brazilian. 

[Milotic]

i used a ts7-808 and it was pretty good.  but playing chords sound better on the ocd, but for leads and solo, the ts7-808 wins.

[MartyMart]

If you mean the large 1uf output cap, that should be tantalum.
There is talk of this and all the other tone shaping caps being ceramic for that "tone"
I'm not so sure but there may be some more "gritty character" from that.

C7 as far as I see is a small pwr supply bypass cap, poly with electro's here so bipolar .... ?

It's just a slightly modified VooDoo Labs sparkle drive .... I don't get the "hype" personally.
The small mosfets clipping (internal diode) is right in the conductance range of a 1n914 type diode 0.6-0.7v .... not much change there then.

MM

[Milotic]

i used a electrolytic non-polarised/bipolar capacitor for C7.  Im not sure if it is the right cap thou.  and i did used a 1uF tanal.
I think i was hyped up too much for the ocd and when i finished it, it didnt seem all that =S.  But it still a pretty good boost.

I'll post voltage across all IC, diodes, transistors and etc, (when i can afford a new battery) if i have too.
http://media.photobucket.com/image/stratotrasto%20ocd/flo0987654321/ocd_vero2v14-Torchy.png
heres a link aswell, just to make sure we are referring to the same C7.

[MartyMart]

Yeah, C7 is a 100n "poly" or Mylar or ceramic cap, just extra filtering so no "biggie"

MM

[Milotic]

The ocd has developed a new issue.  when its plugged it and activated i hear alot of noise.  The noise sounds like the king of noise you would hear if you put a sea shell over your ear.
Who or what can be the culprit?  My guess would be grounding.

any ideas?

[MartyMart]

Use the "what to do when it's not working" thread and post voltages etc.

Without all that it's impossible to guess what's up.

Earth problem = Hum
Other problems = mid/high noise

[Milotic]

Voltages

Battery 8.32v, at start.  8.12v after all measurements.

Q1, 2N7000
S= 7.65v
G= 7.07
D 7.04

Q2, 2N7000
S 6.85
G = 7.60
D = 7.60

IC, TL072CP
1 =3.35
2 = 3.76
3 = 2.55
4 = 0
5 = 6.92
6 = 5.97
7 = 6.96
8 = 7.56

D1, 1N4148
A = 7.75
K = 0

D2, 1N34
A = 7.02
K= 7.17

Changes:
C7 = 100nF ceramic
IC = TL072CP
C2 is 68nF MKT capacitor.


thanks.

[MartyMart]

OK - did you use the Stratotrasto veroboard layout ?

You have a problem with the VB or 1/2 voltage rail
Q2 G & D should be at 1/2 battery voltage as should Q1 S

D1 cathode should be full battery voltage, sure you don't have that reversed
as it looks like one diode drop value away from your battery value ?

IC pins 1-2-5-6-7 should all sit at about 1/2 battery voltage.

So check over your whole pwr section and the VB 1/2 pwr section.
That's the caps/diode, 2 x 10k's,( R7 R5) 470k (R4) and the link to the 2n7000's

EDIT - battery draining too fast so you do have a short somewhere from + to ground.
MM.

[Milotic]

i compared the veroboard layout to my ocd clone and i noticed a fatal error.  epic fail on my behalf.  i soldered a jumper in the incorrect place.  Instead of 13,C to 13 K, i soldered it to 13,J.  ill go fix that then see what happens.

Guess what!.  Its fixed.  thanks for everything Martymart.   

[MartyMart]

GREAT !!
Glad to have helped out a little :-)
I have an issue with mine, gain comes on way too quick and has almost no range to it !!
Also the gain pot wire seems backwards
back to the drawing board !

MM.

Sorted out, gain 1 & 3 are reversed on the layout compared to the tone/vol pots.

[Milotic]

i get oscillations, like a fuzz factory with my gain, when its cranked. 
Other than that, i don't think i can help you yet.  I only recently started making pedals.

anyway good luck with your pedal and thanks again.