The fuzz tone I've been looking for - Triclops Fuzz

[jessenator]

if it is the OP90...anybody want to do a group buy? lol   they're like $5-10 per at some places, or you can buy out Rochester electronics' remaining stock (or weird-ass min quantity of 149 pcs) at $1.75 per ¯\_(ツ)_/¯   (or pay even more and buy through DigiKey's marketplace option...).

I do want to build one of these, and while other builds have some r@re chippies in them, at least a Rat's OP07 is cheap as chips. Something to consider for myself, anyway.

[jwin615]

I  think we should start a GoFundMe and get an OP90 to lars for confirmation.

[EddieClark]

I'll just buy it for the man. Give me a link

Side note... I just completely cracked the rhythm sound. I figured out why my rhythm sounds in the covers weren't quite right. This is a short clip from Today. First is just my recorded rhythm guitars. Then my guitars hard cut out and the actual song plays from the same point. Aside from volume level and a little EQ, I consider this nailed. Thoughts? I think a pedal can be built to be the in-between to make this work. The lead guitar sounds rely on the MSA Fuzz/Jordan Boss Tone circuit. The rhythm sound is not but is more than a Muff and Marshall

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/user-534440441/today-clip?si=22eca50849644248abb8279802517dfe&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing[/soundcloud]

[lars]

Wonder if the dm90 is a rebadged OP90? Or the OP90 is a modern derivative of whatever the DM90 was?

If I had to guess, I would say the DM90 was some kind of OTA, similar to the old CA3080. The pinout is exactly the same as a 741. You can drop the DM90 into a 741 circuit, as long as you use pins 1 and 5 to bias. Otherwise it performs terribly. I tried it in a DOD250 circuit and it worked, but sounded like garbage (I didn't try to bias it). When working correctly it mostly sounds like the gated fuzz of the Data Corruptor. So you're not far off building a Tone Virus and just using the fuzz.
And I'm not hurting for DM90's. In addition to the original one, years ago I bought the last two I had ever seen for sale online anywhere, so I have three...which is probably more than exist on some continents.

[jessenator]

I got the itch had to scratch. drew this up—just took the two circuits you mentioned, lars, drew it up in Eagle and added the trimmer

haven't gotten it proto'd/verified

[lars]

That looks great! Here was my proposed layout:


This was setup to use a CA3080 for the IC, since it sounded and behaved similar to the DM90 chip. At this point in the design I had ditched the ESR fuzz and ripped off the fuzz section of the MicroSynth. So basically this was a mashup of a Jordan Bosstone going into the MicroSynth.

Here are the parts I used:
R1 - 10k
R2 - 10k
R3 - 20k
R4 - 10k
R5 - 220R
R6 - 12k
R7 - 820R
R8 - B50K (Filter)
R9 - B10K (Bias)
R10 - 560k
R11 - 150k
R12 - 560k
R13 - 18k
R14 - 18k
R15 - B100k (Attack)
R16 - A100k (Volume)

C1 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C2 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C3 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C4 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C5 - .022uf Film   (223)
C6 - .022uf Film   (223)
C7 - 47pf ceramic
C8 - .022uf Film   (223)
C9 - 1uf tant or Film (105)*

Q1 - A417 NPN#
Q2 - 2N3638A PNP

IC1 - CA3080

*D1 - 1N4148
*D2 - 1N4148

# - This old transistor has an odd E,C,B configuration. You will have to bend your leads on a standard NPN transistor to conform to the layout. Hfe is in the 200 range.
* - Feel free to experiment with different diode types
The two pads marked "P" connected with a jumper.  The two pads marked "Y" & "Z" connected with a long jumper.
I think this was the recording of the circuit with those exact parts (it's been a while since I listened to this clip, I forgot how much that thing ripped!):
[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/larsjm/triclops-ms?si=a1e58e6199df4293a61fd9ffe1ea3bac&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing[/soundcloud]

[jessenator]

This was setup to use a CA3080 for the IC, since it sounded and behaved similar to the DM90 chip. At this point in the design I had ditched the ESR fuzz and ripped off the fuzz section of the MicroSynth. So basically this was a mashup of a Jordan Bosstone going into the MicroSynth.

Ahhh gotcha. So would you say the MicroSynth's circuit is more in-line (tone-wise) than the Bosstone? I'm assuming since your final design included it, but figured I'd ask anyway.

[EddieClark]

That looks great! Here was my proposed layout:


This was setup to use a CA3080 for the IC, since it sounded and behaved similar to the DM90 chip. At this point in the design I had ditched the ESR fuzz and ripped off the fuzz section of the MicroSynth. So basically this was a mashup of a Jordan Bosstone going into the MicroSynth.

Here are the parts I used:
R1 - 10k
R2 - 10k
R3 - 20k
R4 - 10k
R5 - 220R
R6 - 12k
R7 - 820R
R8 - B50K (Filter)
R9 - B10K (Bias)
R10 - 560k
R11 - 150k
R12 - 560k
R13 - 18k
R14 - 18k
R15 - B100k (Attack)
R16 - A100k (Volume)

C1 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C2 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C3 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C4 - .1uf ceramic (104)
C5 - .022uf Film   (223)
C6 - .022uf Film   (223)
C7 - 47pf ceramic
C8 - .022uf Film   (223)
C9 - 1uf tant or Film (105)*

Q1 - A417 NPN#
Q2 - 2N3638A PNP

IC1 - CA3080

*D1 - 1N4148
*D2 - 1N4148

# - This old transistor has an odd E,C,B configuration. You will have to bend your leads on a standard NPN transistor to conform to the layout. Hfe is in the 200 range.
* - Feel free to experiment with different diode types
The two pads marked "P" connected with a jumper.  The two pads marked "Y" & "Z" connected with a long jumper.
I think this was the recording of the circuit with those exact parts (it's been a while since I listened to this clip, I forgot how much that thing ripped!):
[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/larsjm/triclops-ms?si=a1e58e6199df4293a61fd9ffe1ea3bac&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing[/soundcloud]

It would be interesting to see more of a stripped down Microsynth circuit with a Boss Tone added at the end. The rhythm sounds are categorically OpAmp Muff. It's the lead sounds that Microsynth and Boss Tone contribute so much to. The key pieces of the Microsynth are the octave effects and the fuzz it contains. Adding the boss tone on top is what sends it over the edge for those super compressed leads. Here's a recording of HKK I did a while back with just the OpAmp into a JCM800 with a G12T-75 recorded with a C414.

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/user-534440441/test2-mp3?si=d080128de31242fbb1b8fcfecbf480f8&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing[/soundcloud]

[lars]

Ahhh gotcha. So would you say the MicroSynth's circuit is more in-line (tone-wise) than the Bosstone? I'm assuming since your final design included it, but figured I'd ask anyway.

I switched because the MicroSynth's circuit worked with the CA3080 I had. At that point, I thought I had fried my original DM90 I was using with the ESR graphic fuzz circuit (turned out, it was just a dead connection on my breadboard). Surprisingly, the ESR graphic fuzz circuit sounds very similar to a Microsynth when the DM90 chip is used. The current "Triclops Fuzz" pedal that I use on my board is just the old ESR circuit with the DM90. Here's some pics:


It's a pretty unruly fuzz with a ton of volume on tap. It works best as something you slam with an overdrive or distortion in front. The big red momentary switch is odd. I'm using it in place of what would normally be the filter control on the ESR. For some reason, it turns off the gated effect, so you can get some sustain out of higher notes. It will also freak out sometimes and make some weird buzzing noises when you release it. There's all kinds of weird voltage swings going on, but it's been working fine for years.

[JackSkellington]

Your work is great!
Though I know we are talking about about ESR graphic fuzz and Jordan Bosstone, I'm just a bit confuse without to see any schematics.
Do you keep it "secret" or you just don't have any picture of a final schematic?

[jwin615]

UTSource supposedly has some DM90s.
List as DM90, mfg-Delco, package-can
Unfortunately, no other info or photos.
$12 each, $7 USPS shipping
There's a Chinese seller on there with 300 as well. UTSource official says they have 33k...
Worth the $20 gamble? I don't know but here it is.
I submitted an inquiry. We'll see if they respond.
https://www.utsource.net/itm/p/9521661.html

[lars]

UTSource supposedly has some DM90s.

Judging from their stock picture, and the date code of 2002+, it's anybody's guess as to what they're selling. The best source for a real 8-pin DM90 IC is from old AC Delco radios from the 70's.

[LaceSensor]

Whilst this is totally awesome in its own right, for anyone wanting to recreate the SiameseDream era in the meantime, this guy smashes (pun intended) it out the park. The lead sound video is bang on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp5K8u3EsKA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCegzAXgpEA

[jwin615]

UTSource supposedly has some DM90s.

Judging from their stock picture, and the date code of 2002+, it's anybody's guess as to what they're selling. The best source for a real 8-pin DM90 IC is from old AC Delco radios from the 70's.

Lars,
UTSource got back to me after some back and forth. They confirm the Delco DM90s they have are 8 pin and have a total inventory of 7.
The cost + shipping seems a bit much mojo tax for me but figured I'd pass it along.

[EddieClark]

Hehe thanks! I made those videos.

Whilst this is totally awesome in its own right, for anyone wanting to recreate the SiameseDream era in the meantime, this guy smashes (pun intended) it out the park. The lead sound video is bang on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp5K8u3EsKA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCegzAXgpEA