Tap tempo Dirtbaby, Afterlife, VFE Pale Horse

[ShredderNemo]

It's funny you mention the squeeling with the Pale Horse. I owned an early model Pale Horse a few years ago, and recall it squeeling when everything was turned up. I think this is a normal experience with this circuit.

Great work!

[cajone5]

No idea the cause but I've had this happen with a hot cake and solved it by swapping ICs (entirely different type, it was IC model specific in my case).

[Boba7]

It's funny you mention the squeeling with the Pale Horse. I owned an early model Pale Horse a few years ago, and recall it squeeling when everything was turned up. I think this is a normal experience with this circuit.

Good to know, thanks!

Yeah sometimes swapping ICs works. I had a squealing Demo Tape Fuzz that stopped squealing with an IC swap. In this case though it didn't work. But it really isn't a problem. The sound with all the knobs at maximum is just not usable!

[jonyoungyi]

Hey Boba7, thanks for paving the way! I'm about to tackle a Dirtbaby Tap Tempo with Guitarpcb.com's Tap tempo board.

I was curious about your C3 comment about the positive leg going to R38 (jumper)

Is this diagram how to wire it? (Attached picture)

Doesn't that mean R37 will not be connect to anything?

Please, let us know, thanks!

[Boba7]

Hey Boba7, thanks for paving the way! I'm about to tackle a Dirtbaby Tap Tempo with Guitarpcb.com's Tap tempo board.

I was curious about your C3 comment about the positive leg going to R38 (jumper)

Is this diagram how to wire it? (Attached picture)

Doesn't that mean R37 will not be connect to anything?

Please, let us know, thanks!

Oups I think I meant the positive leg goes to R37! And R38 is a jumper.

Don't forget to ground pin7 of the digital pot if using the Dirtbaby modulation and not the tap tempo board modulation.

[jonyoungyi]

Awesome, thanks for the help! I appreciate it! Excited to build this!

[kinski]

Hey, what is that 1590A relay bypass board?

[287m]

Hey, what is that 1590A relay bypass board?

http://diy.thcustom.com/shop/miniature-relay-true-bypass-kit/

[jonyoungyi]

Thought I'd update my Dirtbaby Tap Tempo build. Sadly, it didn't work well. I wasn't able to find a good PT2399 chip that didn't have white noise and sync'd with the tap tempo lights. Must have tried like 25 of them...

Everything else worked though! The tap, modulation, everything! No lfo bleed either, but that might be because I used RG174 shielded wire on my INs and OUTs.

I did notice the Feedback control, at max, would feedback like crazy, but also increase the volume to unbearable decibels! Worst I've ever heard.

Am I completely out of options? Is it my circuit that's causing the PT2399 to sound terrible?

This was going to be my V3 of this Reverb + Delay, but V2 sounds a lot better

[Boba7]

I wasn't able to find a good PT2399 chip that didn't have white noise and sync'd with the tap tempo lights. Must have tried like 25 of them...

All PT2399s have white noise, especially past 300 or 400ms! That's why I put a tone switch, to darken the sound (3 position) and achieve longer delays without too much noise. Or you could have a look at how the De Profundis or the Hamlet delay do it.
I raised the value of C12 (from 100n to 150n) cause I think it helps with the noise too.

I did notice the Feedback control, at max, would feedback like crazy, but also increase the volume to unbearable decibels! Worst I've ever heard.

My build will oscillate for sure, but not that loudly. You can try a pair of back to back 1N4148 from pin 1 to pin 2 of the feedback pot, it will limit the volume of oscillation. If it's too much limiting, then try a pair of red leds.
Also R4 is a larger value in my build, which helps.

Where do your PT2399 come from ? None of the ones I got from Tayda worked with the taptation chip, they couldn't sync. The good ones I got from Musikding sync better, some of them perfectly, some of them just well enough.

Oh, also, WOW that looks like an INSANE build!! We need a proper build report with gut shots!!

[jonyoungyi]

Dude, thanks for the replies and suggestions, I appreciate it!

Oh, I forgot to mention I'm using Madbean's 2015 dirtbaby. I compared the schematic and they were almost identical with just a few resistors/caps in different parts of the PCB.

I should also mention that I only did the following mods:

C13: Nope
C12: Yup, to 150nf
R4: Yup, to 22k
R35: Yup, to 56k
R37: Yup, to 120k
C10: Nope
C3: Yup, 2u2 to standard elec with + leg going to R37
R38: Yup, jumper
A100k: Nope, kept 100kB

haha I guess I could try raising C12 too and lower C13 to compensate for the dark tone/noise "ratio"

Thanks for the suggestion on the 1n4148 back to back! Not sure which feedback lug the negative side goes to, but won't be hard to figure out!

The reverb I put in the pedal is a GGG reverb with a SHORT brick and it is lacking haha My V2 I had a Tenebrion Reverb with a MEDIUM brick, which sounded so good! I guess I'll finish this off and start a V4 hahaha

[Boba7]

I built a couple 2015 Dirtbabies and I also had noise issue with them, that was quite frustrating.
So I raised C10 to 1,5n, and more important, I ran them with a charge pump, 18v instead of 9v. And the noise was gone. I never understood why.

Then I built my tap tempo Dirtbaby with a 2016 board, and I didn't need the charge pump.

Anyways, I know you have a lot going on in your build, but if you could try it at 18v for a moment, it could be interesting (and since both the taptation and the belton brick reverb are powered off regulators, I believe --though I'm not entirely sure-- you could probably try 18v for the whole pedal)

And then I want a build report with gut shots!!

P.S: regarding the 1N4148, since they're back to back, there's no problem with the negative side!

[Boba7]

(Just in case, here's my build report for a couple 2015 Dirtbabies: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=23978.0)

[jonyoungyi]

Dude, you have been so helpful! I'll check the specs for those 5v regulators and ICs to see if everything can handle the 18v. Worst case, I can just put a chargepump dedicated to the Dirtbaby. I should have space!

When it's all said and done, I'll post gut shots and all! It's really mess though! Those RG174 cables are a hassle...

Oh, I see what you mean by back to back!

Thanks again, will post back in a few days! *high five*

[Boba7]

Of course, I hope you get it sorted!

Did you check the voltages too? Once I had a bad 7805 that was giving out almost 7v instead of 5v, and the PT2399 went crazy...