What matters - what doesn't

[MoltenVoltage]

Magnetic Parts Tray + Harbor Freight Tools = 

[bobp1339]

You can't use Texas Instruments 4069 and 4066 ICs in the MXR Envelope Filters!!!   Use Fairchild for best results.... grrrrrrr

[bobp1339]

Build a compressor...  I was amazed at how much that *improved* my guitar sound... Even the drummer's wife commented on it 

[Taylor]

Tubescreamer fans: A twenty year old JRC4558D chip sounds no better than a new JRC4558D chip. Save your money, forget the mojo and hype, and buy the new chip. Truth is, there are better IC's out there for the TS-9/808: RC4558, RC4559, NE5532, TLO72, to name a few.

Better is subjective. In my specific case testing proved the stock TA75558P best and the vintage RC4558P 2nd.

Since you did this test for yourself, and you're the only one using the result (I assume, anyway) I have no problem with this. BUT, I have read a number of reviews of totally ridiculous audio tweaks where the listener "proves" to themself that the tweak works, even when it can be shown through measurable scientific observations that it does not.

Quantum dots improve CD player "imaging" - but only for 10 CDs, then the quantum dots are all used up.
Genesis - the $13,400 power cable - nevermind the 20 cent wire it plugs into.
Put this wood thing in your listening room. "I really like the flexibility of tuning you can get by moving them around the room. Most importantly, they made the sound more natural - smoother, with more harmonic decay. Everything was less etched, less hifi."
Put this ultrathin mat on top of your CD when it's in the player, and it will sound better!

And on and on.

The point isn't that you are one of these crazy people - I'm sure you're not. I'm sure you really do hear the difference. I'm just saying that it's quite common for people to really hear something which isn't there. It's an interesting psychological phenomenon. What I take from it is that it's useless to try take someone else's word about how things sound - especially when all involved agree it's a minor difference at best.

[bobp1339]

You can't use Texas Instruments 4069 and 4066 ICs in the MXR Envelope Filters!!!   Use Fairchild for best results.... grrrrrrr

Actually, you can!  You just have to play with the resistor on the ground side of the voltage divider for the clock.  The schematic calls for a 100k. I used a 100k trimpot in it's place, adjusted down until the sound stopped. Then I slowly turned it up until the sound came back.  Works great! The final value was about 37k.

peace

[FlyingZ]

Tubescreamer fans: A twenty year old JRC4558D chip sounds no better than a new JRC4558D chip. Save your money, forget the mojo and hype, and buy the new chip. Truth is, there are better IC's out there for the TS-9/808: RC4558, RC4559, NE5532, TLO72, to name a few.

Better is subjective. In my specific case testing proved the stock TA75558P best and the vintage RC4558P 2nd.

Since you did this test for yourself, and you're the only one using the result (I assume, anyway) I have no problem with this. BUT, I have read a number of reviews of totally ridiculous audio tweaks where the listener "proves" to themself that the tweak works, even when it can be shown through measurable scientific observations that it does not.

Quantum dots improve CD player "imaging" - but only for 10 CDs, then the quantum dots are all used up.
Genesis - the $13,400 power cable - nevermind the 20 cent wire it plugs into.
Put this wood thing in your listening room. "I really like the flexibility of tuning you can get by moving them around the room. Most importantly, they made the sound more natural - smoother, with more harmonic decay. Everything was less etched, less hifi."
Put this ultrathin mat on top of your CD when it's in the player, and it will sound better!

And on and on.

The point isn't that you are one of these crazy people - I'm sure you're not. I'm sure you really do hear the difference. I'm just saying that it's quite common for people to really hear something which isn't there. It's an interesting psychological phenomenon. What I take from it is that it's useless to try take someone else's word about how things sound - especially when all involved agree it's a minor difference at best.

If the did not upgrade the manufacturing process in 20 years would they still be in business? The point is that the chips ARE different, better or worse is up to you to decide.

As far as general internet claims and mods I consider them all varying depths of bull.

[Taylor]

Yeah, but in general the sort of improvements they make have to do with decreased noise, better thermal handling, etc, where either it's only better (unless you like noise) or it doesn't matter for what we do (unless you play your TS inside volcanoes). There are a lot of parameters in ICs that are more or less meaningless for stompboxes.

I don't really have any feelings one way or another regarding Tubescreamers. I don't have one and never really wanted one (I play bass, FWIW). I just think the importance of stuff like this is somewhat overblown, as compared to, for example, the difference between two caps with the same nominal value but 30% tolerance. People don't seem to consider socketing all their caps and trying 20 of the same nominal value, even though this can often have a much more noticeable difference than ICs.

[FlyingZ]

Yeah, but in general the sort of improvements they make have to do with decreased noise, better thermal handling, etc

Exactly and that affects "tone"

I used a vintage 4558D chip because I had one and it sounded a little better. Would I pay extra to buy one? No

Would I pay extra for vintage 4558P's for Orange Squeezers?....  Yes, lucky I still have six left

People don't seem to consider socketing all their caps and trying 20 of the same nominal value

From experience if you have a "special sounding" pedal measure the exact values. I lost out on a great design because I could not reproduce the exact same tone and the prototype was dissembled 

[Taylor]

Do you really think less noise and higher temperature handling change tone? Maybe for Merzbow, noise=tone, but for most musicians, I don't think so. I think maybe you're saying that whatever they have to do to change those parameters effects sound, and maybe that's the case. I don't think it matters enough to worry about. For me.

[FlyingZ]

SS amps are better in every way then tube amps. I'll keep my tubes thanks.

[Taylor]

Hmm... what? Is that part of this discussion we've been having, or are you starting a new topic? Not sure where you're going with that.

[FlyingZ]

I was trying to say changes to make something cheaper and/or better can have a big impact on sound without altering the specifications.

It's really not a big difference between the 4558 chips. Use them if you have them. I agree with you that 99.99% of all internet mojo claims are false.

[doitle]

SS amps are better in every way then tube amps. I'll keep my tubes thanks.

I recently went in and asked one of our professors thus: "Are there any tubes left around here I could try to play around with to learn tube design?"

He said: "I don't think so... We haven't taught a class with tubes since 1970. Why do you want them anyhow? Nobody uses tubes anymore. 'Cept some diehard holdout guitar players, and if they think they can hear a difference they're just kidding themselves."

[trendyironicname]

i'm kidding myself.

[bobp1339]

I will continue to kid myself then...

[grolschie]

This thread should perhaps be sticky. 

[Talon5051]

He said: "I don't think so... We haven't taught a class with tubes since 1970. Why do you want them anyhow? Nobody uses tubes anymore. 'Cept some diehard holdout guitar players, and if they think they can hear a difference they're just kidding themselves."

When I was getting out of tech school (1994) I was reading up on tubes and mentioned that in a job interview.  The interviewer was not impressed.  I was lucky to get the job.

[petemoore]

  Oh, that was a good one Pete !
  he he ha ha ho ho !

[Barcode80]

If you don't have a specific value resistor or capacitor, you can string two or more of them together to get the desired value. If you can't find the exact resistor, one that is within 5% is OK unless the circuit calls  for extreme tolerance.

well, you actually wouldn't string the capacitors together, they behave opposite of resistors. you add caps in parallel to add the values, don't you?

[CodeMonk]

For leads or other parts that need to be soldered but may be a bit corroded or dirty, you can use a simple pencil eraser to clean the leads.
Here is one that has both a pencil and pen eraser. You can use the pen side for more stubborn dirty leads.