preferred True Bypass method.

Tomby · Post by **Tomby** » 16 May 2010, 16:23

Hi!

I would like to know which True Bypass wiring do you prefer?
the standard one or the one with grounded fx in?

Is one of them better than the other?

Thanks!

mictester · Post by **mictester** » 16 May 2010, 19:44

Tomby wrote:Hi!

I would like to know which True Bypass wiring do you prefer?
the standard one or the one with grounded fx in?

Is one of them better than the other?

Thanks!

The advantage of the grounded input in bypass mode is that it prevents high gain circuits amplifying the input signal and introducing "bleed through" products.

I prefer to avoid the use of mechanical switching - it's always unreliable. I do sometimes use bistable relays if a customer demands "true" bypass, but mostly I use CMOS switching. It's entirely reliable, can be modified to do almost anything, and is usually cheaper than the mechanical options!

Tomby · Post by **Tomby** » 16 May 2010, 20:03

mictester wrote: The advantage of the grounded input in bypass mode is that it prevents high gain circuits amplifying the input signal and introducing "bleed through" products.

I prefer to avoid the use of mechanical switching - it's always unreliable. I do sometimes use bistable relays if a customer demands "true" bypass, but mostly I use CMOS switching. It's entirely reliable, can be modified to do almost anything, and is usually cheaper than the mechanical options!

Thanx for this answer.

So... why are most TB pedals wired in standard bypass. Is there some cases where grounded input wouldn't be recommanded.

(If not, I probably will wire all my switchs this way )

Searching for information about TB I found your posts about CMOS switching and will probably try this solution when I have time.

mictester · Post by **mictester** » 16 May 2010, 21:37

Tomby wrote:
mictester wrote: The advantage of the grounded input in bypass mode is that it prevents high gain circuits amplifying the input signal and introducing "bleed through" products.

I prefer to avoid the use of mechanical switching - it's always unreliable. I do sometimes use bistable relays if a customer demands "true" bypass, but mostly I use CMOS switching. It's entirely reliable, can be modified to do almost anything, and is usually cheaper than the mechanical options!

Thanx for this answer.

So... why are most TB pedals wired in standard bypass. Is there some cases where grounded input wouldn't be recommanded. (If not, I probably will wire all my switchs this way )

Searching for information about TB I found your posts about CMOS switching and will probably try this solution when I have time.

The only reason that grounded input isn't a good idea is that it can introduce a "pop" when switching due to the input capacitor getting charged and discharged unless you're careful.

I use various switching schemes, but always make sure that the input of a high gain effect is muted when in bypass.

DWBH · Post by **DWBH** » 16 May 2010, 21:48

One question: I have a vibe effect, much like the univibe (lamp flashing style) and I place it before my dirt pedals. Thing is, when I have both dirt pedals on, I can hear the lamp clicking. Is it a matter of switching or is it caused by daisy-chaining the power source?

mictester · Post by **mictester** » 16 May 2010, 23:06

DWBH wrote:One question: I have a vibe effect, much like the univibe (lamp flashing style) and I place it before my dirt pedals. Thing is, when I have both dirt pedals on, I can hear the lamp clicking. Is it a matter of switching or is it caused by daisy-chaining the power source?

It's almost certainly being transmitted down the power leads! A Univibe draw quite a lot of current. You should consider isolating the supplies to the Univibe from the supply for the other pedals. It could be easily achieved by something as trivial as feeding the positive supply to the other pedals through a resistor (maybe 47 ohms or so) and then have a fairly large value capacitor across the pedal supply (after the resistor) to smooth the supply out....

bajaman · Post by **bajaman** » 17 May 2010, 00:50

ah yes - power supply decoupling

bajaman

Tomby · Post by **Tomby** » 17 May 2010, 08:11

mictester wrote: The only reason that grounded input isn't a good idea is that it can introduce a "pop" when switching due to the input capacitor getting charged and discharged unless you're careful.

I use various switching schemes, but always make sure that the input of a high gain effect is muted when in bypass.

Ok, that's good to know.
Thanks a lot!

(Out of topic: I will sell a Guyatone Metal Monster soon, and have some other pedals with not much information. Do you think it could worth guts photos?
-GUYATONE: Metal Monster (don't like the sound but maybe some mods could interest someone)
-AMT SS-20: good sounding 3 channels little preamp (12AX7).
-TONERIDER: Super Lush Chorus (I created a recent post about it)
-BI Yang: X-Tone : Really cool chinese TS clone. (cf.: http://www.biyang.eu/Biyang_OD-8_X-Drive.html )
-Also got a Blackstar Dist-X but sine it's CMS I'm not sure it's really interesting (and I don't find it sounds so great.
PM me if interested or if you have questions, to keep this topic "clean")

xaaxaa · Post by **xaaxaa** » 26 Jun 2010, 21:04

(Out of topic: I will sell a Guyatone Metal Monster soon, and have some other pedals with not much information. Do you think it could worth guts photos?
-GUYATONE: Metal Monster (don't like the sound but maybe some mods could interest someone)
-AMT SS-20: good sounding 3 channels little preamp (12AX7).
-TONERIDER: Super Lush Chorus (I created a recent post about it)

Out of topic? Hell no!!

Worth showing the guts of these pedals? HELL YEAH!!

As soon as you can man!

JiM · Post by **JiM** » 26 Jun 2010, 22:20

mictester wrote:The only reason that grounded input isn't a good idea is that it can introduce a "pop" when switching due to the input capacitor getting charged and discharged unless you're careful.

Another reason against the grounded input is its incompatibility with the Millenium Bypass.

Tomby wrote:(Out of topic: I will sell a Guyatone Metal Monster soon, and have some other pedals with not much information. Do you think it could worth guts photos?
-GUYATONE: Metal Monster (don't like the sound but maybe some mods could interest someone)
-AMT SS-20: good sounding 3 channels little preamp (12AX7).
-TONERIDER: Super Lush Chorus (I created a recent post about it)
-BI Yang: X-Tone : Really cool chinese TS clone. (cf.: http://www.biyang.eu/Biyang_OD-8_X-Drive.html )
-Also got a Blackstar Dist-X but sine it's CMS I'm not sure it's really interesting (and I don't find it sounds so great.

One (unofficial ?) rule of this forum is : don't ask if you should post gutshots. Just do it !

And SMD (surface mounted devices - CMS is the french version) is no excuse : there are skilled people here who eat that for breakfast.