Q On The Orange Squeezer

[Paul Marossy]

About the JFETs, any opinions on which ones sound better? The MPF102 or the 2N5457?
I 'm not necessarily concerned about how transparent it sounds, I just want it to sound good. (I used sockets for the JFETs, so I can play around with different ones...)

[bettycat]

I tried a lot of different transistors in the OS and ended up with the 2N5457 JFET. To my ears this transistor is the most "musical" of all.

[hardi_ami]

bettycat, how does your OS sound ? I finished building mine and I honestly think that in the state it is now, it sucks ... lots of noise, compression almost not noticeable. Maybe I've got something wrong in the circuit. Someone else on this forum told me he had also lots of noise, is it your case ?

paul, I used 2N5457 too, but I don't like this pedal ..

Michael

[bettycat]

bettycat, how does your OS sound ? I finished building mine and I honestly think that in the state it is now, it sucks ... lots of noise, compression almost not noticeable. Maybe I've got something wrong in the circuit. Someone else on this forum told me he had also lots of noise, is it your case ?

paul, I used 2N5457 too, but I don't like this pedal ..

Michael

I´m sorry to hear this Michael - I´m totally happy with my OS clone and it´s for sure the best of all of my comps. I built my OS clone with the PCB from J.D. Sleep and I used high quality parts only, metal film resistors (1% tolerance), film and tantalum caps, original NOS 1N100 diode and a 4558 IC in a socket. I use it only for pronouncing my attack and to add this little squaih for chicken picking - I never use it to add sustain !!!!
If you have no errors on your board, than I guess it´s simply a question of adjustment. I think you have an external volume control pot like on my unit, right ? If so, set if for approx. 1:00h. Inside the comp you will find an internal 10k trim pot for the BIAS adjustment. Setting this control is a little bit difficult but once set right, it´s meant to forget. It should be set by turning it up (clockwise) most the way, then hitting the strings on the guitar. Now turn it counter-clockwise until the sound cuts out. Them SLOWLY turn it back clockwise until the sound comes back. If you turn it back until the sound just barely comes on, you will not get as much volume as if you turned it further, but will get more SQUASHING compression on the attack. If you turn it further, for more volume, you will not have as much SQUASHING. Try some settings to see where you like it. Then mark your favorite setting and you should be able to leave it there. For clean sounds, low settings are best. The sound is not as clean at higher BIAS. And at higher settings the noise level will increase !!!

If have set my unit for maximum squashing with the external volume pot set to 1:00h. That´s where it starts to shine and to sound wonderful, give it a try.

As for the transistors, I put sockets in my unit and ended up with the 2N5457, the J201 and MPF102 have more gain but are also noisier. Matching the JFET´s is not necessary for this unit. You can also try to use a TL072 instead of the 4558 to degrease the noise level but the 4558 sounds better to my ears. Hope this helps.

[Paul Marossy]

OK, so how do I get a hold of some 2n5447s? Small Bear?

[bettycat]

OK, so how do I get a hold of some 2n5447s? Small Bear?

Yeppp, that´s where I bought my 2N5457´s

[Paul Marossy]

Ok, thanks. I need to order a few things from Small Bear anyway...
I have several different opamps to try, but I'm starting out with the JRC4558D first, though.

[analogmike]

If you have no errors on your board, than I guess it´s simply a question of adjustment. I think you have an external volume control pot like on my unit, right ? If so, set if for approx. 1:00h. Inside the comp you will find an internal 10k trim pot for the BIAS adjustment. Setting this control is a little bit difficult but once set right, it´s meant to forget. It should be set by turning it up (clockwise) most the way, then hitting the strings on the guitar. Now turn it counter-clockwise until the sound cuts out. Them SLOWLY turn it back clockwise until the sound comes back. If you turn it back until the sound just barely comes on, you will not get as much volume as if you turned it further, but will get more SQUASHING compression on the attack. If you turn it further, for more volume, you will not have as much SQUASHING. Try some settings to see where you like it. Then mark your favorite setting and you should be able to leave it there. For clean sounds, low settings are best. The sound is not as clean at higher BIAS. And at higher settings the noise level will increase !!!

Excellent tuning decription, see my Juicer manual on my web site for the exact same words just edited a bit above   :wink:

BIAS TRIM POT: This is on the inside of the pedal on the circuit board bottom left. It is labelled OS BIAS. This is the only tricky adjustment. It should be set by turning it up (clockwise) most the way, then hitting the strings on the guitar. Now turn it counter-clockwise until the sound cuts out. Them SLOWLY turn it back clockwise until the sound comes back. If you turn it back until the sound just barely comes on, you will not get as much volume as if you turned it further, but will get more SQUASHING compression on the attack. If you turn it further, for more volume, you will not have as much SQUASHING. It is a fine setting, I recommend marking the factory setting (if not already marked) and trying a bit on either side to see where you like it. Then mark your favorite setting and you should be able to leave it there. I like it set for equal volume ON and OFF when the volume knob is about 11:00. For clean sounds, low settings are best. The sound is not as clean at higher BIAS

have fun!

[MarkB]

Paul - I used the 5457's - actually the NTE equivalent (457? 458?) and mine sounds great.. very punchy.  My PRS clean into the OS and direct into a tube DI sounds like 'hey nineteen'.
"-)

[Paul Marossy]

Thanks, I may try those NTE parts since the local electronics store sells NTE stuff. I have had pretty good results with NTE stuff thus far.

[bettycat]

If you have no errors on your board, than I guess it´s simply a question of adjustment. I think you have an external volume control pot like on my unit, right ? If so, set if for approx. 1:00h. Inside the comp you will find an internal 10k trim pot for the BIAS adjustment. Setting this control is a little bit difficult but once set right, it´s meant to forget. It should be set by turning it up (clockwise) most the way, then hitting the strings on the guitar. Now turn it counter-clockwise until the sound cuts out. Them SLOWLY turn it back clockwise until the sound comes back. If you turn it back until the sound just barely comes on, you will not get as much volume as if you turned it further, but will get more SQUASHING compression on the attack. If you turn it further, for more volume, you will not have as much SQUASHING. Try some settings to see where you like it. Then mark your favorite setting and you should be able to leave it there. For clean sounds, low settings are best. The sound is not as clean at higher BIAS. And at higher settings the noise level will increase !!!

Excellent tuning decription, see my Juicer manual on my web site for the exact same words just edited a bit above   :wink:

BIAS TRIM POT: This is on the inside of the pedal on the circuit board bottom left. It is labelled OS BIAS. This is the only tricky adjustment. It should be set by turning it up (clockwise) most the way, then hitting the strings on the guitar. Now turn it counter-clockwise until the sound cuts out. Them SLOWLY turn it back clockwise until the sound comes back. If you turn it back until the sound just barely comes on, you will not get as much volume as if you turned it further, but will get more SQUASHING compression on the attack. If you turn it further, for more volume, you will not have as much SQUASHING. It is a fine setting, I recommend marking the factory setting (if not already marked) and trying a bit on either side to see where you like it. Then mark your favorite setting and you should be able to leave it there. I like it set for equal volume ON and OFF when the volume knob is about 11:00. For clean sounds, low settings are best. The sound is not as clean at higher BIAS

have fun!

Sorry Mike, I didn´t know that this description was taken from one of your manuals. I found it some time ago in a thread on the HC Effects Forum and it described exactly how the BIAS trim pot in the OS works. So I saved it to have it at my hands if I should need it. But I´m glad you pointed out where it comes from.