mid-fi clai(not) schematic!

[frequencycentral]

....felt I had a lot of noise and was not very happy.......But this is still quite a noisy little circuit. After an evening of tweaking I feel I have found some useful settings, but I'm interested if something is still creating more than usual noise.

Re hiss:

Yeah the fuzz hides the hiss. On my modded version with fuzz-lift the hiss is more noticable at slower delay times. I prefer to think of it as a 'bonus' white noise generator and phase it for whooshy coolness.  

Re pops:

Hiss is one thing, but I have something akin to static little pops on heavier settings (without fuzz)

The pops may be due to your LED/LDR combo. If the LED s going too bright.............you could try limiting it's brightness with a resistor/trimmer.

Yes it's a noisy circuit, and the fuzz lift mod really reveals the noise. It could do with better filtering. If I'm honest, I never enjoyed the stock Clari, that's why I modded mine into what it is now. I like the 'idea' of the stock Clari, but I think it could be implemented more effectively with a better envelope follower with attack/release controls. Still, a fun circuit to tinker with, and very inspiring to me personally. I'm glad people like my mods (beams with pride) !!

[Skruffyhound]

Thanks Rick, I'm enjoying it, just need to trim a little off the noise. Hiss at a constant background level can be treated, but these little pops and crackles are irritating. I used 100k for R8 and an ultra-bright the same as you, but maybe Banzai's ultra-brights are more ultra-bright than Rapids. I'll try adjusting R8, thanks for the tip. Fuzz lift pot also not so successful yet, 100k lin has a far too harsh ramp in the middle of the range, might as well be a switch, I'll try to figure something else out.

[frequencycentral]

Fuzz lift pot also not so successful yet, 100k lin has a far too harsh ramp in the middle of the range, might as well be a switch,

The fuzz lift always was a switch.

[jdub]

Not really much to do with the current conversation, but I recently breadboarded the Clari Cubed, and I gotta say this is one of the most original and versatile circuits that I've come across.  Great fuzz, cool echo, chorus, etc...and it's even got a sense of humor!  Doug, I salute you for your ingenuity as well as your generosity; Rick, kudos for excellent enhancements.  I am in awe of your respective skills, gentlemen.

Now that I'm done with the unabashed gushing, a quick question- anyone have tips on equalizing the volume discrepancies between fuzz and clean settings?  I'm getting a drastic drop when fuzz is lifted (understandable, considering the fuzz is a maxxed 386) and I'd just like to even it a bit, if possible...

[frequencycentral]

With the stock Clari(not), the fuzz needs to be there to drive the LED. With the fuzz lift on clean in the Cubed, there won't be enough gain (I don't think) to 'flash' the LED. So, although you could use a resistor to ground (after the output of the 386) on a dpdt together with the fuzz lift, you'd totally lose the envelope control element. This could be done with an LFO only version however, you'd just need to play about with the resistor to ground value to achieve unity with the fuzz lift.

There is definately another effect waiting to be born here: an envelope controlled PT2399 with good filtering and attack/release controls. I'd ditch the 386 (and fuzz) and use a dual opamp for input and output stages, maybe look at Rebote 2 for these and the filtering. The envelope element could be sniped from a pre-existing envelope fliter effect, anything that gives some contour control, attack and release. Maybe throw the Cubed LFO in there too. That would be one hell of an insane effect - should I design it do you think?

[jdub]

Absolutely, man.  Have at it! 

Actually, I have the LFO-only version boarded right now- that's where I'm getting volume discrepancy.  I'll play around with resistor to ground & see what happens.  BTW, has anyone played around with having both envelope and LFO options available? Possible to add a boost to fuzz lift to drive LED?

[Skruffyhound]

The fuzz lift always was a switch.

Yeah, I changed it for a 100K pot, actually I think you suggested it , but there is no gradual addition/ subtraction of fuzz just a very sudden change over within a few degrees in the middle of the pot - "might as well be a switch."

I was so pissed off with the noise, on what is actually a beautiful sounding effect, that I got up this morning and breadboarded the thing again (had to rip out some of those damn sub-mini tubes that have been hogging board space) so now I have two ...
The intention was to try to build some more filter into it and to get rid of the 386, without the mad fuzz and random popping this thing really makes beautiful very flexible sounds. Imagine my surprise when I returned to the thread and .....

So Rick, I vote a big yes for the new effect, exactly what I'm looking for, unless it's called the Clarinot not not not. The enclosure's going to be too expensive if we have to have that on the front.

[Skruffyhound]

Clari's piling up on top of Valvecasters here Rick, you've got to help me out man! Design the Clari-Uber-Tube-Caster-not and set my breadboards free Just change that 386 out with a sub-mini and we are half way there!

[pandy3000]

Hey i dunno if its just me being blind but its really hard to see the values of everything. the perf layout is so small. What is that D1 thing on the pots board? it says to board one RB?

[frequencycentral]

It seems that photobucket resized my layouts when I added the error notes. 

D1 on the pot board is the LED 'to board one R8'.

[dellamorte]

BTW, has anyone played around with having both envelope and LFO options available? Possible to add a boost to fuzz lift to drive LED?

i have this exact thing on my bench , i also made it where i can switch between an LDR and a phototransistor ( trans has a sharper/quicker response time)
with the fuzz off it still just drives the leds

[doug deeper]

there really shouldnt be much of a noise issue, maybe its a layout problem.

uninteresting.
i'll try harder.

[Skruffyhound]

i have this exact thing on my bench , i also made it where i can switch between an LDR and a phototransistor ( trans has a sharper/quicker response time)
with the fuzz off it still just drives the leds

How does it sound? Especially interested in the phototransistor. I was intending to try that when I get back to this project (again).

uninteresting.i'll try harder.

It's the most interesting circuit I've looked at, the circuit I've learned most from and the circuit that is most frequently on my breadboard, it's elegant, low parts count and produces great sounds. I perfed the Clari cubed, but the Clari(not) is also on the breadboard and I am drawn back to it again and again. So uninteresting is not how I would describe it Doug. It's a beautiful effect.

[dellamorte]

How does it sound? Especially interested in the phototransistor. I was intending to try that when I get back to this project (again).

sounds great actually ! the photo transistor gives a much faster response than the ldr . its really noticeable at faster settings , its much more choppy than the ldr.
i also added the feedback section of an echo base so it can self oscillate too.

[frequencycentral]

Just a thought. It's possible to tap a square wave off the output of the first opamp in the LFO circuit (ie tap off one lug of the speed control). It's going to be a pretty hot swing, from rail to rail, so would need to be suitably attenuated before using it to drive the LED (ie a biggish series resistor), but it might be fun to have switchable (of even mixable) square/triangle waveforms.

[doug deeper]

you've almost uncovered the secret of the pitch pirate!

[Barcode80]

now it's time to share that one Doug! 

[a soBer Newt]

Hello all.  I would like some help debugging this circuit. I built a mid-fi clai(not) like rick holts layout.  The distortion side of this circuit works just fine. I am having an issue with the delay portion. According to the schematic there should be sound at pin 16 on the PT2399. With the IC plugged in I do not get any sound at this point when the IC is removed I do get sound at this point. Any Ideas?

[frequencycentral]

Here's a (unverified) layout for the Clari(not) Cubed Deluxe. It has all the stock Clari features, plus the addition of:

- LFO mod (see the LFO schematic on page 4)
- Fuzz Lift mod
- Switchable source LFO/ENV (though I wonder if a pot would work to mix between the two?)
- pull-down resistor

There are four jumper on the board...........    ..............but all the pad for the controls are on the top edge..........

Please check it before building it, I'm not building it (unless some kind person wants to send me a board), as I've got a super-duper varient planned.........

........and big hugs, love, respect and adulation to Doug Deeper for the original circuit!

[edd101]

hi there!
its been a while since I built myself ClariNOT3. I like it VERY much, but I came across one problem that bothers me. When I use my guitar with hot pickups my Clari (in fuzz lift mod) distorts. So, lets say, I use clari as chorus and hit string hard I get some distortion!

Need some help here Is it possible to solve this

thnx

Ed