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Dirtbag 3205 distorted repeats. What else to try besides listed in doc?

Started by octa805, March 21, 2013, 04:05:05 PM

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alanp

Didn't see this thread, sorry.

From my experience with my v3205 -- choke back on the Level knob. Also, dial back your guitar's volume. The Cool Audio chips really can't handle a lot of input.

Then pick up a Multiplex board and have your mind blown as to the clarity in comparison :-/
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octa805

Quote from: alanp on April 14, 2013, 08:15:18 AM
Didn't see this thread, sorry.

From my experience with my v3205 -- choke back on the Level knob. Also, dial back your guitar's volume. The Cool Audio chips really can't handle a lot of input.

Then pick up a Multiplex board and have your mind blown as to the clarity in comparison :-/

ha. that is not encouraging at all.

I'd go for MN3005's but they seem impossible to find.

As it is, I have my most challenging & expensive build (and probably best looking) that I don't really care for. Bummer.

I need to go for the smallbear fakes and a double-delay of some sort I guess.

madbean

Series resistance with the inputs of the two BBDs does seem to have a positive effect in reducing distortion on the v3205s, I've found. This is something I'm incorporating into the re-design. On the older Dirtbag, one more thing you can try is remove C15 and then put a 1uF and 100k or 220k in series in that spot. This will provide a bit of signal limiting on BBD1.

octa805

Thanks. I might try that.

Sorry if I'm coming off as a whiny broken record. I love your products and have bought, built and been impressed by them all. Just a touch underwhelmed on this version.

I'm going to buy some cheapy BL's from Smallbear and perhaps go the double-delay route w/ the fake MN3005's. I just can't get around this needing some more headroom and higher voltage sounds like the only way to get there.

I do have one question, running at higher voltage make the compressor run portion run a bit tighter?

madbean

Not at all. I agree with you that the v3205 implementation just is not as good as other BBD types. But, I am also pretty confident it is not a deficiency in design as much as a problem with using that technology in this particular circuit. The DMM sounds best at 15v, and that limits our options if the project is going to be accessible enough to a wide variety of customers. And, frankly, that's why I have hesitant to re-release it. I think the changes I've made for 2013 have improved the project overall, but I haven't signed off on it completely yet.

Of course, I could change the approach and design it around 4 of the (8 pin) BL3208s to get the same delay time, and it would be an improvement. But, then we lose the option of MN3005 because I cannot fit that many 14 pin BBDs in a 1590BB enclosure without going SMD on some of it. And, in the end you will basically be building the EHX Memory Boy which you can already buy for $100 used (it uses 4x 3208).

Alternatively, I could make it into the vintage DMM, with positive ground, MN3005 only and require a 24v supply. But, that's going to make people unhappy for obvious reasons :)

Anyway, I'm not trying to "unload" here. Just explaining my thought process on this project and where it is going. Here's a snippet of the series resistor mods I've implemented for the 2013 version in case that is helpful.


octa805

appreciate the insight. I don't envy you. Trying to make everyone happy (or even most people happy) is a pretty thankless chore.

especially cranky internet people :)

I'm going to try the BL's and see if I can live with it. If not, I'll venture into double delay territory or the mythical hunt for legit MN3005's. :)

at this point, it's not even money for me, I'm just obsessed.

juansolo

Quote from: octa805 on March 21, 2013, 04:05:05 PM
Question 1--I built up the v3205 dirtbag about a month back using all of the updated revisions per the build doc. Still getting pretty hissy repeats and can't seem to bias it out. Did a lot of research on here and then I read this post by bean:

Yep, I built mine originally with V3205's and it was nasty. Where it can work well enough in an Aquaboy, in the DMM it was pretty pants. I never used it until I converted it to use MN3005s. Night and day difference in quality.
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octa805

well, good to know there is hope

now, do I gamble with mn3005s online? haha . crud.