Xotic EP-Booster

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 26 Nov 2009, 12:25

RomanS wrote:But there's no connection to the footswitch?
Sorry, I'm still a bit of a newbie, but I can't see how you'd switch the LED on/off with a common true-bypass/3PDT footswitch scheme?
Does the footwsitch simply switch off the power to the LED?

the switching scheme was left off of the schematic.you will often see fx schems drawn this way.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » 26 Nov 2009, 12:26

RomanS wrote:But there's no connection to the footswitch?
Sorry, I'm still a bit of a newbie, but I can't see how you'd switch the LED on/off with a common true-bypass/3PDT footswitch scheme?
Does the footwsitch simply switch off the power to the LED?

The ground connection is switched with the 3PDT.

I'm glad to see some interest.. are you going to build one ?
There's about a thousand posts about this pedal at TGP, but doesn't seem to be much interest here ?

I ran it up on the scope, and as I thought it does clip with a decent signal going in.. I'll try to take some pics and post them.

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 26 Nov 2009, 12:40

how does it sound anyway? do you like it?

RomanS · Post by **RomanS** » 26 Nov 2009, 12:47

Greg_G wrote:
The ground connection is switched with the 3PDT.

I'm glad to see some interest.. are you going to build one ?
There's about a thousand posts about this pedal at TGP, but doesn't seem to be much interest here ?

Yup, going to give it a try!

BTW, I DID notice that switching schemes are usually left off the schematic - but usually, the indicator LED is left off, too - that's why this one confused me a bit (esp. with that cap going to ground (instead of simply a resistor in series with the LED), and with the LED going to ground, not to a switch, on the schematic... - as I said, I'm still a bit of a newbie, while I can read a schematic, I don't always know what all the parts do...

)

Thanks!

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 26 Nov 2009, 12:57

what is that switched 15K series resistor supposed to be doing?

Greg · Post by **Greg** » 26 Nov 2009, 13:22

RomanS wrote:Yup, going to give it a try!

BTW, I DID notice that switching schemes are usually left off the schematic - but usually, the indicator LED is left off, too - that's why this one confused me a bit (esp. with that cap going to ground (instead of simply a resistor in series with the LED), and with the LED going to ground, not to a switch, on the schematic... - as I said, I'm still a bit of a newbie, while I can read a schematic, I don't always know what all the parts do... )

Thanks!

The reason I put it on the schematic is because it's not a common setup... having that cap to ground (which makes it flash like a camera when you switch it).
Also the resistor value is uber high for an LED resistor.
The cap is a tack on, so I'm guessing they has switching noise and had to band-aid it.

Good to hear you're building one..

Greg · Post by **Greg** » 26 Nov 2009, 13:29

RnFR wrote:what is that switched 15K series resistor supposed to be doing?

The 15K is a Bright switch and the 10/100uf cap switch is a Bass boost.

It sounds pretty good, but as I said.. it seems to me to clip and get a bit blatty on the Bass notes when you turn it up.

I got to try one of the Clinch EP-PREs next to it and I think that's nicer.
They run at 18 volts.. I didn't hear any clipping with that and it sounded more natural.
The Xotic seems to boost the bottom end a bit.

RomanS · Post by **RomanS** » 27 Nov 2009, 15:51

I breadboarded it - it works; didn't notice any clipping or blatty sounds, but I only have a Tele, no humbucker-equipped guitar.
The EP adds a bit of shimmer and seems to clear up the mids a bit; the bass switch is useful with a Tele, the bright switch not so much.
Overall, very nice - but not that unusual/special, the tone is not that different from most other "transparent"/"shimmery" boosters.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » 30 Nov 2009, 13:43

RomanS wrote:I breadboarded it - it works; didn't notice any clipping or blatty sounds, but I only have a Tele, no humbucker-equipped guitar.
The EP adds a bit of shimmer and seems to clear up the mids a bit; the bass switch is useful with a Tele, the bright switch not so much.
Overall, very nice - but not that unusual/special, the tone is not that different from most other "transparent"/"shimmery" boosters.

Glad to hear someone built it.. and also that it works right.

riffstroker · Post by **riffstroker** » 30 Dec 2009, 22:07

Are there any layouts or PCB Board for this project, outside there? Otherwise I had to make one

Is the schematic verified ?

elrengofa · Post by **elrengofa** » 31 Dec 2009, 00:36

im making a pcb layout, give me some minutes

elrengofa · Post by **elrengofa** » 31 Dec 2009, 01:44

hope you find it usefull

elrengofa · Post by **elrengofa** » 31 Dec 2009, 04:04

wow... 16 downloads in less than 1 hour...

you'r welcome

sinner · Post by **sinner** » 31 Dec 2009, 07:23

Thank you Elrengofa

I'll try to transform it into turretboard today, as I become addicted to those

riffstroker · Post by **riffstroker** » 31 Dec 2009, 10:12

Thanks a lot! Thats a great layout and PCB board

Didn't thought that someone can create one that fast!

JshDnls · Post by **JshDnls** » 31 Dec 2009, 11:36

Thank you very much, all of you ! You're doing some great work here and I'm very grateful that you're sharing this.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, what really sets these apart from other single JFET boosters ?
Other than its roots in an echo machine.

g0d5_g1ft · Post by **g0d5_g1ft** » 07 Jan 2010, 10:51

any one built based on Elrengofa's layout? is it really supposed to be that big of a board?

C1 0.047 is that F or uF? thank you!

riffstroker · Post by **riffstroker** » 07 Jan 2010, 12:53

It has to be uF. I'm building this little Xotic thing next week when i got my electronic parts

Greg · Post by **Greg** » 07 Jan 2010, 13:14

g0d5_g1ft wrote:any one built based on Elrengofa's layout? is it really supposed to be that big of a board?

C1 0.047 is that F or uF? thank you!

Yes, uF.

HEAD · Post by **HEAD** » 07 Jan 2010, 13:23

No, it has to be "µF" to be totaly correct.

Type "alt gr + m".

Xotic EP-Booster [traced]