What makes the TS-808 'shimmer' on the high notes?

[markeebee]

I don't know anything about epistemology.

[petemoore]

  Electron resonance.
  They see the paths the other electrons have taken countless times in 1 circuit, and this well worn path is less resistive as time wears on, played enough, it allows electron resonance.
  That means it is a great thing but will be lost [or be less than fully developed] if not played almost continuously.
  Don't deprive future players of their HF resonance.
  The pedal cannot hear the comments, only recognizes anything when being played.
  Generally the A-440 or detuned version of 'A" tuning...this frequency is the first to wear-in. G's and C's and then #'s and flats respectively. It is probably a good idea to play in A-flat more often, or detune the instrument so as to 'hit' the resonances which may still need loosening up.

[johanp]

Who would have thought that this discussion would evolve into a conversation abouth post-modernism  
Everyone has his own preference for good sounds, that's just plain evident. If you feel this means we cannot discuss the TS schematic and it's relation to "sweet" highs, that's ok, but please don't let this discussion escalate into a philosophical conversation.


Anyhow, if I can round up the things that have passed along:
-the (unknown) diodes
-the buffering stage
-use of tantallum/film caps over ceramic/electrolytics
-something about mixing the input and outputs in a noninverting amplifier designs (http://www.bteaudio.com/articles/TSS/TSS.html).
- the .047uF cap and 51pF in the clipping stage
- the .22 caps in the tone circuit

[DougH]

I agree with whoever mentioned this, but the only thing you have that is anything close to a "clone" would be the TS7. You can toss the fulltone and Polish thing out of the mix because they are really different circuits. You can't draw generalizations about "replicas" when they really aren't replicas...

A much more interesting comparison would be the 808HW compared to a stock off-the-shelf 808, or even a TS9. For the record, my COTS TS9 has plenty of high-freq "shimmer" but it would be fun to compare it to an 808 at some point. Another fun comparison would be with an SD-1, as we know that it is a very close yet slightly tweaked TS808/TS9. Most of the bow-tweak replicas/mods/derivatives etc are deliberately tuned differently because there is some aspect of the TS sound that person preferred over other aspects he dispensed with- which is kind of the point anyway. So a comparison to something like that is pointless. "Other than the active 3-band EQ it's the *same* thing"...Err...No, not really...

[Paul Marossy]

A much more interesting comparison would be the 808HW compared to a stock off-the-shelf 808, or even a TS9.

Yeah, but IMO even that is really not a fair comparison when you factor in the loose(r) tolerances of the parts used in a late 70s TS808 compared to a new hand made one with modern made components which are much more consistent.

I would think if you are comparing a new factory made vs a new re-issue that you couldn't really tell a difference, unless they are using 2% tolerance resistors and that sort of thing.

[DougH]

Yes, I was referring to comparing a HW to garden-variety 808 you could pick up at Sam Ash today.