Klone Science

[atreidesheir]

It will never sound as sweet as Henry Kaiser's platinum riffage through the crystal lattice.

[JakeFuzz]

Almost done. Just need to populate and finish the Refractor which will be tomorrow. I spent an hour trying to figure out why my harmonic responses on the Chimaera weren't looking normal then I realized I switched two caps  Had to take those plots all over again.

[icecycle66]

I would like to keep up with this.

[madbean]

I support this...as long as I am #1 (j/k j/k).

Seriously, Paul: this is awesome.

[JakeFuzz]

Thanks Brian! I wish spectrum analyzers were cheaper so I could own one personally. They are an excellent tool for designing effects.

All the plots are taken I just need to put them together into easy to understand charts. I also took plots for my Kingslayer in different diode configs, an Apis with LM313's, A Fulldrive II, my Lavache, A Screwdriver clone and an EHX Soulfood. Those may come later as I process them. Very surprising results from just switching around the clipping diode types on the KS!

[thesameage]

science is cool!

[pickdropper]

Have you played around with software based analyzers?  I often use Spectra Plus to generate FFT Swept Sine waves to a DUT and then analyze the frequency response with the program.  The cost of entry is a lot lower than buying a hardware Spectrum Analyzer.

[JakeFuzz]

Ooh that's pretty cool! I have never seen anything like Spectra Plus before ill have to check out the demo software.

A long time ago I was playing around with the idea of building a serious pedal design/test rig with some National Instruments DAQ stuff. I think there must be a way to use their cheap USB DAQ systems and a Labview license to build a multifunction spectrum analysis tool. Those DAQ interfaces only cost around $200 (I think we have lots of them floating around my lab!). Ill look into it.

[pickdropper]

The DAQ interfaces might be a good way to go.  I considered those for a test system a while back and didn't use them, but it's been long enough that I don't remember the reason.

Yeah, let's look into this.

[JakeFuzz]

Uh oh. I think I done screwed something up! I went to go put the first frequency plots together tonight and the Refractor and Chimaera are right on top of one another (as expected) but the Sunking has some odd high and lower end behavior. I am thinking I may have messed up some of the switch hard wiring. I am going to repopulate tonight an maybe re-run the Sunking hopefully tomorrow night. What do you guys think? These plots are with the gain at 75% and at three tone settings. On another note is everyone okay with these plot formats?

[icecycle66]

Don't go in expecting to prove any particular thing. Remember to simply gather the data.
Yes, be sure that everything is connected properly but don't say you screwed up when you've collected the information exactly right.

You're doing a good thing, don't taint it with expectations.

[JakeFuzz]

Yes but I also want to report data that is accurate and the discrepancies we see here I think are too large to attribute to transmission line losses or some weird additional capacitance. I don't think it would hurt to go back and repopulate the SK and run it through another time; it does have some additional capacitor switches which I may have hardwired incorrectly which could show what we see. Ill triple check!

[GrindCustoms]

That plot format is perfect to me, easy for anyone to get an idea of what is going on too.

Agreed that there might be a little bug with the SKII, looks like your right about one of the switch not hardwired correctly.

If everything turns out ok, the silver box should take off Canuck land this week. Been able to have my friend/customer willing to ship you it even if i don't win my bet.

[Bret608]

Don't get me started...I have to think a lot about data presentation in my day job, so I tend to geek out over this stuff!

I think the way you present the plots makes perfect sense. The top version more or less captures the full range of human hearing (the Frequency axis), and the bottom version lets you zero in a bit. I think we all know how important that extra detail will be when attempting to generate a statistically significant statement of the impact of different amounts of unicorn tears. 

[jtn191]

So far the Sunking's really close to the Refractor except in the low end w/ tone at 25% right?