From the man himself!

[gez]

Interesting snippet at bottom of this thread (8 down):

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?s=8d253b34545e91722e4fb385dc8a4e24&threadid=1455660

[Mark Hammer]

Interesting.  I've always operated under the assumption that invertor-based circuits sounded best when the first stage was hit with a hard signal, and less gain was actually being requested from the invertors themselves.  It appears that I was on the same track as Craig all this time, and didn't know it.

[gez]

Interesting.  I've always operated under the assumption that invertor-based circuits sounded best when the first stage was hit with a hard signal, and less gain was actually being requested from the invertors themselves.  It appears that I was on the same track as Craig all this time, and didn't know it.

Mark, at one time I would have agreed with you, but running the chips at around the 5V mark (without an op-amp buffer/booster) seems to bring them to life and, if you add another stage or two (to keep gain lowish in each stage), there's really not much in it.  Interesting that the Lama did the 5V thing by dropping some of the supply with a resistor to the Vdd pin.  At 9V though, I'd be inclinded to agree with you - they do tend to sound better driven by an op-amp.

[Mark Hammer]

There are two aspects to what I suggested, one of which is certainly countered by your experiences with 5v powering, and another of which is not.  The extra op-amp gain stage up front provides an added opportunity to shape the tone of the input signal in ways that can yield more desirable tone.  That may also be true in the 5v context as well, except that it would involve buffering and tone shaping, with considerably less emphasis on the drive aspect.  For instance, I like to stick a bypass cap in the volume pot between my op-amp input stage and the invertors.  Just like bright switches on amps, and compensated volume pots on Fender guitars, you hang onto more of the treble as you turn down, which creates a different tonal balance in the "drive signal" feeding the invertors.  Occasionally, I can get what sounds like "instant Rickenbacker" to my ears, by providing an overall lower level of drive with an emphasis on the mids and treble feeding the invertors.

That is certainly not "better" than 5v powering.  rather, as I say, it provides an "opportunity" for useful tonal shaping.  That tonal shaping could conceivably be created anywhere else ahead of the circuit, such as in another pedal, but having it customized for, and built into, the overdrive is helpful in getting what you want when you want.

[Rafa]

Well it seems I really dont understan whats the tlak about, I enetred the page and there were just a few coments of some guys, If this is about the last yup its interesting, nice to know when modifyng ODs.
Cheers
Rafa

[TELEFUNKON]

Well it seems I really dont understan whats the tlak about, I enetred the page and there were just a few coments of some guys, If this is about the last yup its interesting, nice to know when modifyng ODs.
Cheers
Rafa

[Sir H C]

Well it seems I really dont understan whats the tlak about, I enetred the page and there were just a few coments of some guys, If this is about the last yup its interesting, nice to know when modifyng ODs.
Cheers
Rafa

Craig Anderton designed the inverter based fuzz back decades ago.  Had it in his book, one of the cornerstones of DIY.  It is cool to have "the man" comment on his circuit.

[Rafa]

Oh now I see its Craig himself!!!

[aron]

In general, I don't like the dual RED LEDs that much. I'd rather use series silicon diodes.

Interesting about the Tube Sound Overdrive.

[Sir H C]

But there is just something cool about a fuzz lighting up when you clip it.