test the sound of a lot of different clipping diodes fast and without trubble??

[solderman]

Hi
This is some thing most of you probably allready have or do but to some it might be useful. It has been usefol to me. Its a fast and easy way to test different sets of clipping diodes, build your self a test bench like the one below. Connect it to a rotary switch and you have an instant sound test at your finger tips. I have rigged mine to handle both symmetric and asymmetric clipping. It can handle up to 3 clipping pair to compere at the same time. (Mind the scale on the PCB when printing if you want to use it)








//Solderman

[Andi]

That's quite neat.

I built myself a PCB that held a load of different clipping combos and a rotary switch all in one - it can be plumbed into any appropriate circuitboard in place of the stock clippers.



And then built it onto the side of a TS style overdrive:

[svstee]

I prefer something like this
http://www.storm-software.co.yu/diy/index.php?project=flexi_clip

[solderman]

That's quite neat.

I built myself a PCB that held a load of different clipping combos and a rotary switch all in one - it can be plumbed into any appropriate circuitboard in place of the stock clippers.



And then built it onto the side of a TS style overdrive:

Hi
Really nice. Gives a wide range of possibility's.
I use mine more as a reusable test bench with out having to solder the  diodes to select what type of clipping I want and connect it to test designs on my Breadboard.

//Solderman

[obblitt]

Ok. I hope this works as a question. I realize certain ways of wording this can render the question un-answerable. I'm going to try and not look like too much of an idiot.

I'm planning on building a TS clone with some mods. Namely switchable op-amps (brown and 4558), and a diode warp control. I'm wondering since you two have both done this type of thing, what two clipping diodes/LEDs/transistors etc. will yield the most varying effect? More specifically, the two smoothest clipping types with the two most varying sounds.

Is that answerable? I feel like "smooth" is not a very subjective kind of thing. I pretty much want to stay far away from anything close to the RAT or similar.

Ideas? It's my impression that Germanium diodes will give me the smoothest clipping, yeah?

[petemoore]

  Check out AMZ 'warp control', pot as variable resistor varies the clipping threshold.
  LED's clip the highest of any one element, except zeners.
  Beyond a clipping threshold [~somewhere~ above BTB LED's, depends of course completely on the peripheral equipment], the OD or Distortion becomes a boost or dirty boost, though diodes can be strung in series [see zeners for high Ft diode] for higher Ft voltages.
  Ge's have the lowest clipping threshold.
  How 'soon' or how hard the signal is clipped depends on both things:
  what the clipping thresholds are for the _/+ signal swings.
  What the voltage swings are of the incoming signals +/- portions. If the voltage never swings as high as the clipping threshold, no clipping occurs.
  Higher signal input voltage [boosted signal or louder guitar] has a similar effect to what lowering the clipping threshold does, the signal clipped harder, or, it spends more of it's time above the clipping threshold. This tends to make sharper knees when the Ft is met, that translates to a sharper or harder sound, HF rolloff caps may be used to reduce some of the harmonics generated, possibly optimizing the tone of a diode configuration.
  These harmonics are treated to further changes by other equipment.
  At thresholds nearer what the opamp is capable of, the opamp contributes to the distortion to a greater degree.   

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Good idea using the IC socket. I just made up a little circuit on vero that allows me to switch between 5 pairs of diodes with a rotary switch. Not a bad idea allowing room for replacing some of them in the socket though, I approve!

[Andi]

For "smooth" I like either led + IN914 in parallel with IN914, or LED & IN914 in parallel with LED.

Asymetrical always sounds smoother to me.

[obblitt]

That's funny, because I'm actually working on incorporating the warp control you linked to in a TS clone I'm planning soon. I wanted to blend smoothly between two very different but both smooth types of clipping.

[obblitt]

For "smooth" I like either led + IN914 in parallel with IN914, or LED & IN914 in parallel with LED.

I can't imagine those are very different sounding from each other? Or am I mistaken? I'm still learning my stuff.

I'm really just trying to blend between two different clipping sounds and want the control to be really active and useful, I'm trying to get two pleasant sounding extremes  - any further thoughts?

[Andi]

You're absolutely right - those two sound very similar indeed, to the point that I doubt I could tell them apart in a blind test.

For contrast I liked both the combo I mentioned and the twin MOSFET from the AMZ site.