Digital override?

[Red2112]

Hi everyone,

Just thought I would share this with all of you...

Since I traded my Boss GS-10 due to digital artifacts in distortion mode, for a Focusrit Compounder, aim now left without a distortion pedal.

Since my DIY stompox projects are not working as they should (at least not yet), I decided to go shopping for a new distortion pedal...la, lala, lala, we are off to see the wizard...

So, my first reaction was to buy the ever faithful Boss.  First because they are built like a tank, and second, they are cheap. So I tried a Boss "Metal Core", which is a better substitute of the "Metal Zone", with out the hiss and more bottom end.  I tried it with a Yamaha Pacifica and a Peavy Classic 30, to my supprise, the digital artifacts was ALSO present in this pedal, no matter how I had it set, when strumming E bar chords, that harmonic distortion was present three out of ten strokes.

I told the salesman there (which is also a guitarist), "hey man, do you hear that?"  At first he said no!  So, there aim looking like a fool and telling myself, dude your ear is f*** up, or your ear is so fine, you could hear a pin fall on a hay stack.  After some fine listing, the guy said "oh yeah I can hear it now"...Thank God!

He said, try out the TC stuff, they are all analog, so I did. He pulled out a TC "Classic Distortion", and man, what a difference!  I have always been a big fan of TC stuff and which I have some gear from TC (Konnekt 24D, M-One XL and now a Classic Booster + Distortion which is a remake of there holy grail of the 80´s).  The thing is crystal clear (like most of TC´s stuff), has a great noise gate and it´s almost none coloring with boost or distortion.

What aim trying to get at is, is the digital artifacts in distortion a specific Boss issue (as the same thing was happening to me with the Boss GS-10) or dose this happen to anything that has an IC in it?  I don´t know if the "Metal Core" has a IC in it, but for example, the MXR Distotion + has the 741 IC, the Ibanez Tube Screammer has the S470FM IC in it, just to mention a few...

How come some other guitarist don´t realise this?  Anyway, just my 0.5€ on the issue.

Good care and keep on jamming!

[Auke Haarsma]

IC doesn't mean digital. Digital is when the analog sound is converterd to digital (A/D) then processed and reconverted to analog (D/A). What you are hearing is, I guess, completely analog opamp (IC is the OpAmp in this case, if I'm right) clipping. Or is the metal core a digital pedal?

[Auke Haarsma]

Oh, and if you don't have one, get a breadboard. Makes it mucho easier to build and debug fx Try the Omega, can't go wrong there!

[Red2112]

IC doesn't mean digital. Digital is when the analog sound is converterd to digital (A/D) then processed and reconverted to analog (D/A). What you are hearing is, I guess, completely analog opamp (IC is the OpAmp in this case, if I'm right) clipping. Or is the metal core a digital pedal?

Hi and thanks ponq!

Thanks for the clarification regarding digital, I didn't use the right meaning in word terms  Yes I have heard DAC overrides in my humble studio with my gear, and no, this is not the same (well almost), as it dose distort like when you override your converter in some way.  I don't know if the Metal Core is digital, I only tried it at the shop.  What strangest me, is that in my case with my GS-10, these artifacts would only happen with distortion effect, and again when I tried the Metal Core at the shop. Curiosity is that there both from Boss, and another curiosity is that I haven't seen any comments on the issue on reviews or forums. Aim a strange fellow, but not that much    I didn't have the Metal Core settings high or over the wall, so I don't get way the clipping was happening 

When you override the DAC´s, you just turn down the input signal, but the Metal Core or my ex-GS-10 would clipp even at low settings, so sorry but I just don't get it.

Breadboard? I have seen that said on this forum, but how's the breadboard, any pics?  As for Omega, no Idea what that is...is it some type of pedal project?  Omega used to make great rist watches, that's all I know 

One thing that has opended my eyes with the TC Booster + Distortion pedal, is the fact of how much other pedals color and modify your sound! Aim amazed really.

Thanks ponq.

Best regards,

Mike

[Auke Haarsma]

You're welcome Mike! Well, here's a pic I just took of both the Omega and a breadboard



A breadboard is that white board on the background. You can just plug in the resistors, caps, trannies etc without soldering. This makes it easy to test an effect, and also to change components or values. The omega is the most recent ROG project (check runoffgrove.com) and is very very nice booster/OD. I thougth you may like the Omega. And since it's a relatively simple circuit (just a few components) it's a good one to do, if other projects give too much trouble at this time.

Omega: http://www.runoffgroove.com/omega.html

[Red2112]

You're welcome Mike! Well, here's a pic I just took of both the Omega and a breadboard



A breadboard is that white board on the background. You can just plug in the resistors, caps, trannies etc without soldering. This makes it easy to test an effect, and also to change components or values. The omega is the most recent ROG project (check runoffgrove.com) and is very very nice booster/OD. I thougth you may like the Omega. And since it's a relatively simple circuit (just a few components) it's a good one to do, if other projects give too much trouble at this time.

Omega: http://www.runoffgroove.com/omega.html

Hi again ponq,

Oh man, aim just not lucky...check this out..
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=712.40

Ok, now I know its called a breadboard!    The thing is that aim living in Spain, and somethings have different names... Thanks ponq, yep, as you can see I got one!  I just thought it was the most logical thing to buy beeing a newbie as aim    A similar thing happens to me when buying stuff, I asked for a stereo jack and a mono jack for inputs, and the dude gives me a jack with three pins and another with for pins!  Next time I´ll ask for Switchcraft jacks, at least they seem to be the same all over the world!  When your a newbie, even something like that throughs you off...huh, three pins, four pins..now what 

Thanks for the info ponq, will give the Omega a try, seems ok and now I know it not a watch 

Thanks ponq,


Good care