DF2 vs DS1

[Canucker]

so I keep reading that a DF2 (distortion feedbacker) is a DS1 with the feedback feature added....I have both pedals and my DS1 sounds nowhere nearly as good,,, I've also read that the main chip in the DS1 was changed in the mid 90's and my DS1 is from the early 2000's. My DS1 feeds back like mad when i turn up the distortion and it only sounds good when its turned up so I have to turn it off immemidatly between songs. The DF2 only feeds back when I make use of the distortion feature. Both pedals have always behaved they way I described since I got them. Any ideas why they sound so different when they're suppose to essentially be the same thing?
Also if I try to use the DF2 with my power supply it sounds like theres is constant extra bad sound....like the feedback feature is just going and going and going but not that loud and with awful tone. Has anyone had success using it with a power supply?

[goamp]

Hi Canucker
the DF2 is really not comparable to a DS1, because it contains a large number of additional components, including logic ICs. There is the essential part of the DS1, consisting of a transistor gain stage, Op-Amp and two clipping diodes, but that does not mean the two pedals are essentially the same. As for your problems, I'm afraid that I cannot help you, as I own neither of the pedals at the moment. I only have the schematics and so I know that there is huge difference between them.   

[Vince_b]

Even if many people think that the DF-2 is just a DS-1 with an added feature, it's not the case. Like goamp said, the circuits ain't the same so this is why they do not sound the same. The distortion of the DS-1 is really tame compared to the DF-2.

About your problem with a power supply, I don't know what to tell you. Whether I use my DF-2 with a battery or with a DC-Brick power supply, it doesn't make any difference, there is no "awful tone" always going on.

[Paul Marossy]

Also if I try to use the DF2 with my power supply it sounds like theres is constant extra bad sound....like the feedback feature is just going and going and going but not that loud and with awful tone. Has anyone had success using it with a power supply?

Do you have a wah pedal on your pedal board? It could be that the inductor in your wah pedal is picking up EMI from your power supply and your DF-2 is amplifying the heck out of it. It happened to me once with my Metal Zone and it took a while to figure it out. All I had to do is move the power supply to the opposite side of the pedal board from the wah pedal.

If that is not the case, then get a good power supply. Cheap power supplies (unfiltered, unregulated) will inject a lot of noise into your system, especially with mega high gain distortion pedals.

[Jdansti]

Hi- I just posted something on your other thread about the LED problem that might apply :

Apparently certain Boss pedals can by very picky about the power supply you use. See this article: http://www.bossarea.com/other/aca.asp.

Also: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=86461.0

My understanding is some Boss pedals expect you to use an unregulated 12v PS and an internal circuit drops the voltage to where the pedal is happy. If you plug a 9v PS into your pedal, the voltage might drop too low for it to work properly.

Check and see if there is a label on the bottom of the pedal that says, "use Boss ACA adaptor". If so, you might just need to get the right PS. The other thing that would confirm this is if it works normally on a 9v battery connected to the 9v battery clip in the unit.

[Jdansti]

Regarding having to turn your guitar volume down when you're not playing to avoid feedback, have you considered using a noise gate at the end of your effects train or in your effects loop?  This would automattically shut the signal off when you are not playing.

[Paul Marossy]

Regarding having to turn your guitar volume down when you're not playing to avoid feedback, have you considered using a noise gate at the end of your effects train or in your effects loop?  This would automattically shut the signal off when you are not playing.

But it won't work if you are getting unwanted feedback while you are playing...  

Noise gates have their uses. But you got to get a good one or they just don't work well and they will make you frustrated. That's been my experience anyway.

[Jdansti]

Regarding having to turn your guitar volume down when you're not playing to avoid feedback, have you considered using a noise gate at the end of your effects train or in your effects loop?  This would automattically shut the signal off when you are not playing.

But it won't work if you are getting unwanted feedback while you are playing...  

Noise gates have their uses. But you got to get a good one or they just don't work well and they will make you frustrated. That's been my experience anyway.

That is true.

[Seven64]

If the df2 says boss aca adaptor you just need to remove the diode and resistor in parallel at the spot where the 9v hits the pcb and install jumpers.  I did this in 2 bf2s and an hm2 and it worked fine

[Paul Marossy]

If the df2 says boss aca adaptor you just need to remove the diode and resistor in parallel at the spot where the 9v hits the pcb and install jumpers.  I did this in 2 bf2s and an hm2 and it worked fine

Oh yeah, I forgot about that one. 

[Canucker]

Glad to have people who know what they're talking about back me up on the "these pedals are not the same" claim. I'm using a PA9B Godlyke Power-All 9V Digital Power Supply Basic Kit...so not a cheap power supply. No wah peadal in my chain. DF2 into an Ibanez Delay Cham (CD10) into an Ibanez Pan Delay (DPL10) into a Korg Tuner....but even with just the DF2 I get noises when using a power supply. ...and the pedal seems to eat batteries kind of fast.

[Canucker]

If the df2 says boss aca adaptor you just need to remove the diode and resistor in parallel at the spot where the 9v hits the pcb and install jumpers.  I did this in 2 bf2s and an hm2 and it worked fine

I would never mod this in any way for fear of messing something up...it only fix things if it stopped working all together.