MXR - Custom Audio Electronics - Boost/Overdrive MC-402  [schematic]

All about modern commercial stompbox circuits from Electro Harmonix over MXR, Boss and Ibanez into the nineties.
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analogguru
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Post by analogguru »

Gila_Crisis wrote:this is another schem of the boost section, it comes from an italian forum.
the guy who traced it, reverse-engineered it from the MC401 Boost-Linedriver and it's verified!
oh well forget the flip-flop bypass section an build it with a normal true-bypass
the boost pot is a 100k lin, and R12 100k
Insane construction if it is really using a 1k/1k bias divider instead of using the second half of the op-amp as a buffer with a 100k/100k bias-divider for less overall current consumption (4mA only through the bias divider itself).

BTW, the schematic can´t be verified, only have a look at the wrong Led-orientation (beside others).

analogguru
There´s a sucker born every minute - and too many of them end up in the bootweak pedal biz.

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ryanuk
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Post by ryanuk »

Gila_Crisis wrote:this is another schem of the boost section, it comes from an italian forum.
the guy who traced it, reverse-engineered it from the MC401 Boost-Linedriver and it's verified!
oh well forget the flip-flop bypass section an build it with a normal true-bypass
the boost pot is a 100k lin, and R12 100k
Could some explain the switching for this schem - I'm interested to know howit operates. For starters wheres the switch? What type of switch is it?

RyUK

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Dirk_Hendrik
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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

+1.
Don't have a clue how those FET's should switch between in and out and have even trouble understanding which terminal is the Gate, source and drain. I can hardly imagine that schematic is verified as working if it includes the switching.
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

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ericsabbath
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Post by ericsabbath »

any news on the overdrive section schematics?

any tips on how to make the overdrive section smoother and a bit more middy (like a screamer)?
I love this pedal as a booster in both sections, but the overdrive sounds more like a distortion pedal

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okgb
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Post by okgb »

I don't think anyone feels it's worth the time to trace it
is it just an Dist + ? or worse , diodes to ground type
look at an ocd style conversion maybe
I agree , i like the clean boost section , but the dist side
is unusable that i gotta get rid of the one i have

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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

okgb wrote:I don't think anyone feels it's worth the time to trace it
is it just an Dist + ? or worse , diodes to ground type
Isn't a Dist+ a diodes to gnd type ? ;)

But yes, I agree. Not worth the bother. :mrgreen:
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

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okgb
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Post by okgb »

I meant or worse then an dist+ which IS a diodes to ground type
i got the guts if anyone wants a go

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Bill_Mountain
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Post by Bill_Mountain »

Sorry to bump but...

This thread is relevant to my interests because I’m looking to build a boost into a D+ pedal. If that’s really what this is I can save myself some time and energy.

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okgb
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Post by okgb »

Bradshaw had responded to ONE email from me , claiming it was capable of sounding good , [ curiously he c.c the his response to someone at dunlop - i think ]
you should be able to find one used for a reasonable deal , [ I have one that i started to socket the I.C. to try others in it ] someone had claimed being able to
get a reasonable santana sound , but you know neck pick up with allot of gain homoginizes anything , most other can't find a satisfying sound from it , I do like
the clean boost though

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Bill_Mountain
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Post by Bill_Mountain »

Just tried one.

It was terrible. It seems like the boost is after the overdrive channel???

And the overdrive tone was :slap: What were they thinking? They could have poached one of the many successful MXR designs. That boost was nice and clean though.

I had so much hope for this. I didn't want to believe any of the reviews. :(

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mikebud
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Post by mikebud »

I agree, more research is needed into this pedal.

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roseblood11
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Post by roseblood11 »

Why? The boost section is the same as in the MC-401, which was retraced in another thread. And the overdrive is just crap...

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Post by mikebud »

roseblood11 wrote:Why? The boost section is the same as in the MC-401, which was retraced in another thread. And the overdrive is just crap...
Why in order to make it better that is why.

I want somebody to mod this one, it just looks so cool, and is excellent build quality (at least exteriorly), like true bypass, upgrade components to better caps (if any) etc.

I'm not sure though, really, I'm not that technical in this department.

But the distortion is unique, not like others. If it could just be made cleaner it would be far more useful, better tone frequencies/cutoff, better response? In some cases it almost sounds like a speaker-blown effect.

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Post by Lorenzo-m05 »

Steven_M wrote: [ Image ]
Hi, I'm sorry for this necroposting, but could someone say me the value of C12 and C10 C11 C18? (in the link above)

Thank you in advance for your kindly replies.

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giudis
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Post by giudis »

Lorenzo-m05 wrote:
Steven_M wrote: [ Image ]
Hi, I'm sorry for this necroposting, but could someone say me the value of C12 and C10 C11 C18? (in the link above)

Thank you in advance for your kindly replies.


They are all 47nF :D

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Victor Nery
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Post by Victor Nery »

Greetings,

I've got one of these and had a chance to mess around with it. The overdrive section has a blatting sound problem, so when trying to fix it, I took the opportunity to trace the circuit (actually part of it till now). [img][https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy ... p-k-rw/img]

Following the signal with no power supply connected there's is no blatting sound, signal passes as it should (R2/R3 connection) but when I insert the power supply it starts blatting from the very input till a almost cracking sound at this point. Sits someone have any clue of what is happening? Thanks in advance.

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Victor Nery
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Post by Victor Nery »

Sorry, I don't know how to upload the images here. Here's the link for download: https://www.4shared.com/photo/ch79All5ei/402.html# I removed the fets that connect to the input and output. Problem remains the same as described. Here are the voltages. My power supply has an output of 7.98V.

1 - 2,76V
2 - 2.80V
3 - 2,53V
4 - 0V
5 - 2,53V
6 - 2,64V
7 - 2,90V
8 - 5,37V (that's the same as measured after R1).

Thanks.
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402.jpeg

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alexradium
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Post by alexradium »

The overdrive in reality is a fuzz, made with opamp with a starving supply to imitate a dying battery.
Values look appropriate for the circuit, you could swap the opamp with a good one to see if it changes.

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Victor Nery
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Post by Victor Nery »

I've already tried other opamps (TL072 and NE5532). I shorted R1 (470r in series with power supply) and got the same problem. I've also made sure to disconnect all the FETs (removed them) from the signal so they're not the cause. The signal with no power supply connected is strong as it should till it gets to the opamp. The thing is when I connect the power supply, the signal gets blatty at the first input (even when I tried a jumper instead of R1). Thanks.

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Post by Victor Nery »

I just finished the drive side of the circuit. Here's the schematic so far. Why can't I edit my posts so I don't flood the topic with updates?
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212sa34.jpg

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