"Z"Drive - Less gain

[DJPsychic]

Just finished a Z Drive build via Tagboard (http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/01/hermida-zendrive.html)

The pedals sounds great! Really nails the elastic Dumble OD thing. But I'm wondering if there's a way to decrease the amount of gain.

I'm using the suggested 500k Gain pot, but I'm finding myself setting it to the lowest setting,  with the Volume at about 75%. I'd like to have a more flexible gain pot.

Is it as simple as lowering my Gain pot value?

Any help always appreciated 

[PRR]

OTOH: 
"More drive from a Zendrive?"

Maybe you two can just trade pedals?

[DJPsychic]

OTOH: 
"More drive from a Zendrive?"

Maybe you two can just trade pedals?

LOL Good idea!

[Steben]

strike 

[DJPsychic]

Besides trading pedals, are there any other suggestions 

[Steben]

Why do you want that setting?
Thing is, if you want that setting, it seems you have it. Or do you want more fine tuning of the gain?

You could swap the 10k gain pot with a 5k one and change the 1k resistor with a 5k one for example.
Or use a 2k pot and a 8k2 resistor.

[DJPsychic]

Yes I'd like more control of gain

At 1/4 turn there tone is pretty saturated with distortion. Would be nice to have more "headroom"

The gain pot is 500k, per the layout I posted.

[MikeA]

Yes I'd like more control of gain... At 1/4 turn there tone is pretty saturated with distortion. Would be nice to have more "headroom"...

If you use an audio taper pot (500kA) for gain in place of your 500kB, you'll have more control over the low end of gain.  Or a 250kA gain pot will give you the same low-end control, plus the top end (clockwise) will give you about the gain that you have with your current pot at 3:00.

Voice and Gain pots also interact.

[DJPsychic]

Yes I'd like more control of gain... At 1/4 turn there tone is pretty saturated with distortion. Would be nice to have more "headroom"...

If you use an audio taper pot (500kA) for gain in place of your 500kB, you'll have more control over the low end of gain.  Or a 250kA gain pot will give you the same low-end control, plus the top end (clockwise) will give you about the gain that you have with your current pot at 3:00.

Voice and Gain pots also interact.

I was thinking putting in a 250kA. Thank you!

[DJPsychic]

Voice and Gain pots also interact.

What did you mean by this? Do I have adjust the voice pot value as well if I change the gain? Sorry I missed that part of you post the first time I read

[antonis]

By changing VOICE pot setting you also change gain..
(Drive & Voice pots participate in gain in a opposite way...)

Neglecting R3 & R4, Gain is set by the formula 1 + DRIVE/VOICE..

[DJPsychic]

So I replaced gain with a B300k (I had one available). Gain is a little more subtle, but still wish I had more "clean" range on the pot. I have an A250k on the way, maybe that will help.

I'm also considering using a B250k for volume. Will this increase volume?

Thank you again

[MikeA]

You won't hear a difference between 250k and 300k on the gain pot.  And with the typical 20% tolerance of these pots, the "300k" you have in there could actually be anywhere between ~240k and ~360k.  You could substitute a 100kA if you're wanting more clean range and don't need higher gain.   

Sidebar: The difference between A and B taper pots of the same resistance is not the range, which is the same.  It's just how quickly or slowly the resistance increases as you turn it.  Said another way, a 250kB (linear) taper pot will measure around 50% (125k) when you set it halfway, at noon.  A 250kA (log/audio) taper will measure around 20% (50k) when you set it at noon.  But the fully CW and CCW settings are the same for both (~0 ohms and ~250k ohms, again given 20% tolerance.)

If you're looking for low gain, be sure to start with the Voice pot fully CW, that will give you the least gain for this pedal as antonis pointed out.

This Volume pot is just a variable voltage divider set up to reduce the output when you turn it CCW.  Increasing the value from 100k to 250k won't audibly change the output level when you turn either one fully CW.  I personally like A taper pots rather than B for volume, but that's just my preference and the levels would be the same. 

[Steben]

You won't hear a difference between 250k and 300k on the gain pot.  And with the typical 20% tolerance of these pots, the "300k" you have in there could actually be anywhere between ~240k and ~360k.  You could substitute a 100kA if you're wanting more clean range and don't need higher gain.   

Sidebar: The difference between A and B taper pots of the same resistance is not the range, which is the same.  It's just how quickly or slowly the resistance increases as you turn it.  Said another way, a 250kB (linear) taper pot will measure around 50% (125k) when you set it halfway, at noon.  A 250kA (log/audio) taper will measure around 20% (50k) when you set it at noon.  But the fully CW and CCW settings are the same for both (~0 ohms and ~250k ohms, again given 20% tolerance.)

If you're looking for low gain, be sure to start with the Voice pot fully CW, that will give you the least gain for this pedal as antonis pointed out.

This Volume pot is just a variable voltage divider set up to reduce the output when you turn it CCW.  Increasing the value from 100k to 250k won't audibly change the output level when you turn either one fully CW.  I personally like A taper pots rather than B for volume, but that's just my preference and the levels would be the same.

If only level / true volume is needed A taper corresponds more to our ear and brain interpretation of loudness.
"B" volume tapers are more interesting if you actually are controlling drive. It is fitting an A taper is given as an option here because the question is less drive.

[DJPsychic]

Thanks for the responses.

I have the  gain pot as low as it go, and volume at about 80% to get a useable distortion (for my tastes). At that setting it's just above unity. Ideally I'd like to get more volume and a wider "low gain" sweep. Gain pot anywhere past 9 o'clock (25%) is a bit
Over saturated. Maybe just not the circuit for me!

I've played on other "Z" variants and have good luck dialing in low gain tones

[Steben]

Check BluesBreaker pedal