Multiple FX in one enclosure

[primalphunk]

I'm putting 4 effects in one box and I was wondering if anyone can give me some helpful tips on what to watch out for in this scenario.  Do ground loops or other sources of noise become a bigger problem in this situation?  Any advice from others that have done likewise will be appreciated.

[petemoore]

High gain ckts. might require shielding for noise.
 You can put them in separate shielding [boxes?], or try shielded input and or output wires...could be none of this is necessary depending on what ckt's and the layout...
 Power supply questions are what I still have not the answer...I suppose just add up the current draw and make sure it can be met...but ground loops etc.
 I don't know enough about multiple power supplies to say more than I have wuestions ^ I would find answers to before proceeding...

[Peter Snowberg]

In the same box you won't have to worry about ground loops or extra noise. I presume these are all effects you can power from the same supply. It's much harder to combine PNP fuzz faces with more standard circuits. Stick with negative ground effects and you're in good shape.

The only other advice I could lend here would be to use switching jacks so that you can still use the effects individually, or insert something between stages, or change the order of the effects.

I do this using Switchcraft #12A jacks for inputs of downstream effects. If you give each effect an output jack (switchcraft #11) and also wire those outputs to the switching tab of the next effect's #12A jack, you get everything in one box and the flexability of seperate effects and more. Works GREAT!

-Peter

[ExpAnonColin]

I do this using Switchcraft #12A jacks for inputs of downstream effects. If you give each effect an output jack (switchcraft #11) and also wire those outputs to the switching tab of the next effect's #12A jack, you get everything in one box and the flexability of seperate effects and more. Works GREAT!

-Peter

A la modular synth... I did the same sort of thing with the PU "beta" build.

-Colin

[petemoore]

Yes has great reads on this subt. Check: The Juggler and Jimi in a Box articles. etc

[primalphunk]

Thanks to all you guys that responded to my general query about building 4 effects in one enclosure.  Just for grins here are a few more details regarding what I'm trying to do on this project.  

I've built an orange squeezer, modified an old TS5 that has been laying around my house unused, am planning to build a scrambler clone & also planning to build RG's Neutron(Mutron III workalike).  Now I really don't know if I'm asking for trouble trying to cram all of this into just the one box(the possibility that the Neutron may whine too much has me a little nervous) but I think I'm going to forge ahead.  I'm using pcb's from general guitar gadgets because I'm really slow with perfboard and don't know how to make nice circuit boards yet.  This is also all fitting into a half rack space right next to my rps10(it can get noisy some times too).  The enclosure itself is two cases from old cd rom drives that I had laying around.    

My intent is to use this with a GCX audio switcher by voodoo labs.  So I don't feel the need to connect these boxes internally in series but I have used basic dpdt true bypass switching on the front panel for each item just in case I'd like to turn them off.  There are seperate inputs and outputs for each effect.  As of this time I want to use a single dc jack and will probably build an 'ultra clean' power supply(general guitar gadgets has this pcb) for it if it will give me enough juice for all 4 of these effects.

Anyway...that's about all...I'm sure it will take me a long time to finish it but I'm well on my way.

Thanks again for all the help and if you've got any more tips I'm always open to a little constructive criticism.

James

[Peter Snowberg]

It sounds like a neat box!

I hope you can post pics when it's built. Best of luck on the construction.

-Peter

[NaBo]

hey primal... have you finished this project yet?

i'm gonna be building a whole bunch of 3-in-1 boxes soon, so i can DEFINITELY benefit from your experience

give us an update when you get a chance  

[radio]

I d once build 4 effects in one box of wood,"post-shielded"

with.5mm alu inside box. I got plenty of grounding noise

until I replace switchcraft-jacks by isolated type!

However no Obsidian Rat was inside the chain was:

-Compressor(error type),Dist+ clone with 4*gain,
-Wahwah type twin-t as tone circuit,finally optical tremolo

12V switching type power modul inside,but no advanced
routing ie series switching no parallel available.

JME

[primalphunk]

hey primal... have you finished this project yet?

i'm gonna be building a whole bunch of 3-in-1 boxes soon, so i can DEFINITELY benefit from your experience

give us an update when you get a chance  

Ummm...I finished it some time back.  All the effects sound pretty cool and I'm enjoying just playing with it.    I used a single rail for all of the power and a 300ma wall wart powers it just fine(I used the charge pump for the Neutron Filter).  I also used rg174 to shield all the input and output wires just in case.  I would have posted pics a long time ago but I am without a digital camera.  Maybe I can take some pics of it the old fashioned way then scan and post what I can after they get developed.  :wink:  If you're interested just let me know.  

I'm actually working on a new box for the floor that I plan on putting at least 3 effects in.  I've only decided on two specific effects for it so far.  A TS clone with a warp knob and an uglyface.  I guess I'm about to find out what I need to do shielding wise with these guys to make sure everybody plays nice.  If I have to I can always put a small plastic(but shielded mind you) box within the bigger one wherever it seems needed.  That would be an extreme measure but whatever it takes.