KVR Audio

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:34 pm

I prefer modulation delay over vibrato. It provides a similar kind of ethereal quality without being overly warbly. Of course, if you're going for a My Bloody Valentine thing, only a vibrato will do and then you'll probably want to combine it with some heavy compression and filtering.

Agreed about tremolo. It sounds awesome even when used over the top. For whatever reason, I don't use it nearly as much when I program synths.

SJ_Digriz · Post by **SJ_Digriz** » Sat Aug 24, 2013 1:33 am

Since we had a bit of a DIY moment, I thought I'd put this here instead of starting a boring stand alone thread. I've been at an amp building seminar with Bruce Egnater. It's been tremendous. The guy is a first class nice man. And, I got to build this amp, which I finished today, bench tested, then rocked out for a bit ... Amazing Brit styles tones. Now I really need to work on my pedal DIY skills.

Guts ...

Prior to adding the shroud

morelia · Post by **morelia** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:02 am

This is what I have now:

TC Electronic Polytune
MXR Smartgate
MXR Custom Comp CSP202
Jim Dunlop 535Q Wah Pedal
Electro Harmonic Little Big Muff
Electro Harmonix Metal Muff
TC Electronic Flashback Delay
TC Electronic Corona Chorus
TC Electronic Shaker Vibrato
Voodoo Lab Tremolo
TC Electronics Hall Of Fame
TC ELlectronic Ditto Looper

I just have to figure out what order to go with into my (nil FX Loop) Orange Dual Terror. Will be powered by a one spot unit with three daisy chains so I hope it will handle the power needs. Hopefully I'll get a chance to work on the pedal board construction soon.

On the board there will also be a switch box for the dual terror and an AMT SS-20 which needs a different power supply. I suppose I could use the FX loop of the SS-20 and just use the Orange DT setup pretty clean.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:40 pm

SJ_Digriz wrote:Since we had a bit of a DIY moment, I thought I'd put this here instead of starting a boring stand alone thread. I've been at an amp building seminar with Bruce Egnater. It's been tremendous. The guy is a first class nice man. And, I got to build this amp, which I finished today, bench tested, then rocked out for a bit ... Amazing Brit styles tones. Now I really need to work on my pedal DIY skills.

Guts ...

Prior to adding the shroud

why not post this in the diy forum?

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 7:10 pm

morelia wrote:This is what I have now

Try this configuration:

1. TC Electronic Polytune
2. Electro Harmonic Little Big Muff
3. Electro Harmonix Metal Muff
4. Jim Dunlop 535Q Wah Pedal
5. TC Electronic Shaker Vibrato
6. Voodoo Lab Tremolo
7. AMT SS-20
8. MXR Smartgate
9. MXR Custom Comp CSP202
10. TC ELlectronic Ditto Looper
11. TC Electronic Corona Chorus
12. TC Electronic Flashback Delay
13. TC Electronics Hall Of Fame

You could try moving the SS-20 earlier in the chain than that, I just happen to like the sound of wah, vibrato, and tremolo going into distortion, plus the method above gives you the options of having them both post- and pre-distortion.

I suppose I could use the FX loop of the SS-20 and just use the Orange DT setup pretty clean.

It's a good move. This is why I originally got into pedal distortion, I really don't like what distortion does to chorus, delay, and reverb.

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:18 pm

SJ_Digriz wrote:

Strange to see a heatsinked chip on what otherwise seems to be a variant of some basic/classic design all around. There seems to be a choke so it probably isn't B+ (high voltage) regulation. And the heatsink seems too small for heater regulation for all those tubes.

What the heck is it?

SJ_Digriz · Post by **SJ_Digriz** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 6:58 pm

Kingston wrote: Strange to see a heatsinked chip on what otherwise seems to be a variant of some basic/classic design all around. There seems to be a choke so it probably isn't B+ (high voltage) regulation. And the heatsink seems too small for heater regulation for all those tubes.

What the heck is it?

The amp is A/B. The heatsink, I'm not looking at the diagram right now, but if I remember right it's just for the "tube warmer" and misc other stuff off the 2nd feed of the transformer. I know it is not on the main rail to the pre/power tubes. It really doesn't need to be big, but it is actually needed.

The choke was an interesting conversation. He chose it because "it works extremely well", "it's old school" and "it looks cool". That was kind of some of the point of a good part of the design. There are obviously other ways to achieve the same thing the choke provides. Or, just not have one. FWIW, this amp does not hum at all, even on the high channel cranked.

It's a single channel amp, but it has 3 inputs with different gain staging. Pre 1 and 2 are the gain, 3 is step down/step up for the effects loop and 4 is the Push/Pull for the power tubes.

There is also a negative feedback loop for the Presence and Density controls.

SJ_Digriz · Post by **SJ_Digriz** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 7:00 pm

Hink wrote: why not post this in the diy forum?

to be honest, I didn't even know there was one on here.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 7:35 pm

SJ_Digriz wrote:
Hink wrote: why not post this in the diy forum?
to be honest, I didn't even know there was one on here.

well you do now and I hope you'll stop by every now and then...some cools stuff

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=180

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:01 pm

SJ_Digriz wrote:if I remember right it's just for the "tube warmer" and misc other stuff off the 2nd feed of the transformer. I know it is not on the main rail to the pre/power tubes. It really doesn't need to be big, but it is actually needed.

I see, a heater/filament regulator heat sink then. Indeed a literal tube warmer for the common light bulb part of the tube. Just seemed to be a bit on the small size with those two output stage power tubes. I've used something like triple sized ones for similar projects.

Even though I'm sure mr. Egnater thought this through, it's something to watch out of it's running past maybe 80 degrees celcius and right next to that electrolytic cap that really doesn't like heat. If that regulator chip or electrolytic dies, so do all of the tubes if you don't happen to be there to switch it off. Not immediately, but this is one of the reasons tube heater regulation is sometimes frowned upon.

The danger is so real the Chinese actually sometimes design a far too hot regulator chip and heatsink glued into an electrolytic cap on purpose on consumer appliances. In other words a self destruct timer. You know, for the warranty.

You can optimise the heat to match a certain electrolytic so it last just the few years it needs to and forces the customer to buy a new product.

Dean Aka Nekro · Post by **Dean Aka Nekro** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 10:43 pm

Just IMHO have your Smart Gate before both your dirt pedals. You will probably need to try it in your FX Loop as well as where it seems to fit best in your pedal chain. The only things that go before my suppressors/gates are wah pedals. If you do run into more noise than you are happy with then the most elegant solution would be to grab a used NS-2 which has a loop built-in which is again IMHO works great, Just don't place full on overdrives, distortions or fuzzes in that loop as it'll cut into wanted signal (It works just great though with boost/ODs set as more like a boost inside the loop)

Anyway you have yourself a lot of options there and it'll go along way. I won't bother to list any of my bits as you've got everything covered really so I'll spare everyone, My taste is questionable at best morelia

I just have to add that Uncle E has no room to talk...This is a man whom deliberately fits his guitars with GOLD hardware of all things plus is proud of it. Enough said. Seriously though it does to me also list like a logical setup to start off with that Eric's posted

Best to all as always

Dean

SJ_Digriz · Post by **SJ_Digriz** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 11:22 pm

Kingston wrote:I see, a heater/filament regulator heat sink then. Indeed a literal tube warmer for the common light bulb part of the tube. Just seemed to be a bit on the small size with those two output stage power tubes. I've used something like triple sized ones for similar projects.

If I remember right, that second feed to the filaments is really, really low voltage (something like 6 VDC?). So, not much heat to dissipate.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Mon Sep 02, 2013 12:41 am

Dean Aka Nekro wrote:I just have to add that Uncle E has no room to talk...This is a man whom deliberately fits his guitars with GOLD hardware of all things plus is proud of it.

Can you say "sustain"?

SJ_Digriz · Post by **SJ_Digriz** » Mon Sep 02, 2013 12:45 am

Uncle E wrote:
Dean Aka Nekro wrote:I just have to add that Uncle E has no room to talk...This is a man whom deliberately fits his guitars with GOLD hardware of all things plus is proud of it.
Can you say "sustain"?

can you say back ache

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Mon Sep 02, 2013 2:13 am

Uncle E wrote:
Can you say "sustain"?

yes but you cant hear me so why bother?

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