Neutrino Diodes

[tenwatt]

The notes of the Neutrino says that D1 and D3 are TWO 1n4148's in series.  Do I just solder two 4148's together, end to end, with the positives in the same direction?

[maysink]

Yep!

[jball85]

If I remember correctly the two diodes in series are for asymmetrical clipping how could I add an on/on switch for switching between asymmetrical and symmetrical clipping? I would like a softer sound.

[jkokura]

Sorry, not quite. The two diodes in a row gives a different sort of clipping than one in a row. If you were to do two in a row on one side, and only one on the other side, that would give you asymmetrical clipping.

As for the putting the diodes on a switch, I recommend you check out this page for reading up on how switches work: http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/Switches/

Jacob

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

Does "stacking" diodes make any difference?

[jkokura]

Sometimes yes.

If for example you used three diodes stacked one way and two diodes stacked the other way, that would sound quite different than one diode each direction alone. If you stacked two one way and three the other way, it wouldn't sound much different than two one way and one the other way. Perhaps a small difference, but not major.

Does that make sense?

Jacob

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

I understand but I guess I worded my question wrong. On the BYOC orange distortion kit I built for someone there was a few options available in the diode clipping section. One of the provided options was to use 2 in one direction, 2 in the other which i guess would be considering stacking them? Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to try the mod before I let the pedal go. Have you tried doing this?

[jball85]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, so if I understand correctly the neutrino with the pair of two diodes in series  already has symmetrical clipping then?

Just a reminder to all of the soldering ninjas, I am a "Diode Destroyer" 

[jball85]

And thank you for that Beavisaudio link Ive snooped around on their sight before, but didn't catch that part, I just came down with an extreme case of rotary switch and dual volume pot gas. Awesome.

[jkokura]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, so if I understand correctly the neutrino with the pair of two diodes in series  already has symmetrical clipping then?

Yes. Anytime you have an equal number of the same type of diodes going opposite directions, that is symmetrical clipping.

Where it gets trippy is using different diodes going different directions. For example, try using two 1n4148 (typical silicon clipping diodes) going one way, with a 1n34a (typical germanium diode) going the other way. That's really asymmetrical, and mixing types at the same time!

Clipping diodes are a lot of fun to play with. Thing is, I really have found I just like boring symmetrical germanium clipping myself... I guess I'm boring.

Jacob

[jball85]

 I'll have to try some different combos, kind of like trying crack.