Soul Sonic - Crackle NOT Okay!

cpm · Post by **cpm** » 14 Mar 2011, 15:02

i have 2N7000's that are noisy, and other are pretty quiet.
the same way i have found some BS170 to be noisy too

i think it depends on the manufactures, i had even different batches from Fairchild with very different noise levels (at least when used in this kind of circuits)

Seiche · Post by **Seiche** » 14 Mar 2011, 15:11

i just substituted a 2n7000 into my SHO and could only hear a real difference when turned up all the way. The BS170 distorted more pleasing to my ears. But everything else (including noise) seemed pretty similar. Of course that wasn't proper A-B-Testing as I only built one SHO. I will try comparing the two sides of my CNO super duper once I put it back together.

Seiche · Post by **Seiche** » 16 Mar 2011, 07:56

Yeah I'm pretty sure he uses these now http://www.banzaimusic.com/BS170P-ZETEX.html
Supposedly they are also used by Zvex. I might have to give em a shot.

Pigyboy · Post by **Pigyboy** » 03 May 2011, 15:57

Hi,
Does anyone know the gain of this circuit in dB's or how to find out without having a scope to use?
Thanks,
Chris

Dirge for november · Post by **Dirge for november** » 05 Jun 2011, 15:14

Hi guys, I'm doing my first ever build with this vero layout. I have a question regarding D1. Is it possible to substitute this with either a 1n4001 or an 1n5819 (same as D2)?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm (obviously) a noob at this, and because I made a mistake with my parts order. I got a Zener with a way to high voltage. I could rush to the store and get a suitable zener, but that would be tomorrow, because it is sunday. I'm itching to try this baby out, so could you help me out on this one as soon as possible?
Thanks in advance, Dirge.

edit: the funny thing is, I see now that the original schem has a 1n5819 as D1. D2 just says 12v.

Dirge for november · Post by **Dirge for november** » 10 Jun 2011, 16:12

Excuse the bad pics, but this is my first ever working pedal build! Had lot's of headaches getting it to work. In the end it turned out the potmeter was fried. Debugging was a pain, but very educative.

Barcode · Post by **Barcode** » 10 Jun 2011, 16:27

Nice build Dirge! I notice you have a V2 Cool Cat OD in there. Could you possibly open it up and take some gut shots of both sides of the circuitry for us in the following thread? I'm pretty curious as to what is in the v2, since v1 was a Timmy and Danelectro was supposed to change it in v2.

https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic ... +overdrive

Dirge for november · Post by **Dirge for november** » 10 Jun 2011, 16:32

Thanks!

I will, though it's stuck in there pretty sturdy. I'm busy this week but next week i'll definitely get some shots! It's a great pedal for such a ridiculous price!

.Mike · Post by **.Mike** » 09 Sep 2011, 14:55

Hey guys,

I have a Crackle NOT Okay that is part of a multi-booster I'm building. I am getting a ton of parasitic oscillation (whistling) as well as AM radio reception on the input wire when I run the Crackle NOT Okay full blast into an AMZ Mini-booster. Unfathomable, right?

I was able to eliminate it by doing two things. The first was using a shielded wire with the shield grounded on one end. The input wire is only about 1.5" long, but it made a difference. The other was to add a 1000pF capacitor from the input to ground. This mostly removed the oscillation, and only reduces the signal by about 1/3 dB @ 10kHz (I think).

My question: Are there any better or more effective ways to filter the upper end without removing the "sparkle" it adds?

Thanks,

Mike

keeree · Post by **keeree** » 27 Nov 2011, 08:14

Hey y'all.

I am working on my first build of a stomp box, though I've done other projects in the past. I've tested these schematics through a SPICE simulation, and if that's a hint of what's to come, I'm floored. Doing up a board design now.

Thanks, SoulSonic, for a great idea for a first build.

Edit:
I meant to ask. You'd mentioned getting a non-polarized cap for C2. But I'm having issues finding it. Would you happen to have a part number? Thanks!

Seiche · Post by **Seiche** » 27 Nov 2011, 12:05

keeree wrote:Edit:
I meant to ask. You'd mentioned getting a non-polarized cap for C2. But I'm having issues finding it. Would you happen to have a part number? Thanks!

you don't have to get a non-polarized. Just use a regular polarized one or bipolar cap.

mictester · Post by **mictester** » 27 Nov 2011, 12:55

keeree wrote:Hey y'all.

I am working on my first build of a stomp box, though I've done other projects in the past. I've tested these schematics through a SPICE simulation, and if that's a hint of what's to come, I'm floored. Doing up a board design now.

Thanks, SoulSonic, for a great idea for a first build.

Edit:
I meant to ask. You'd mentioned getting a non-polarized cap for C2. But I'm having issues finding it. Would you happen to have a part number? Thanks!

You don't need a non-polarised capacitor there - an electrolytic rated at 16V or 25V will be fine - the positive end goes to the FET. You've also missed out the current-limiting resistor for the LED - put the highest value in there that you can get away with (to minimise current consumption) - start at 2k2 and go upwards so that the LED is just lit enough to be clearly seen on stage!

keeree · Post by **keeree** » 27 Nov 2011, 13:04

mictester wrote:You don't need a non-polarised capacitor there - an electrolytic rated at 16V or 25V will be fine - the positive end goes to the FET.

I don't think anything being seen on stage will be an issue for quite a while, as I'm not very good yet.

However, I asked Mr. Google, and I found a compatible part. I remember Soul Sonic saying on the second or so page that it's best just to get the part in the specs. It's a few cents either way, so not a big issue. UVP1E100MDD1TA is the one I found off Mouser.

mictester wrote:You've also missed out the current-limiting resistor for the LED - put the highest value in there that you can get away with (to minimise current consumption) - start at 2k2 and go upwards so that the LED is just lit enough to be clearly seen on stage!

As far as the resistor on the LED, it wasn't in the schems I pulled the bypass from, but then again, the schems were a little light in general. Could be why the sim never seemed to run the LED right... Not that I 100% trust a simulation... Thanks for the look-over.

Cortex · Post by **Cortex** » 02 May 2012, 08:24

I built this several times and it is my favorite incarnation of a SHO type effect by far. the only drawback for me is that it has too much boost even when the pot is turned completely down. any ways to resolve this? i never took the time to examine the schematic properly, but maybe by fiddling with the R4 resistor?

earthtonesaudio · Post by **earthtonesaudio** » 16 May 2012, 14:26

Swap the 1M pot for a larger value to get a lower minimum gain, but retain the maximum available.

Cortex · Post by **Cortex** » 17 May 2012, 08:24

Thanks for the input, I came to the same conclusion via experimentation and a little bit of thinking...but mainly by experimenting heh. The minimum setting of the 1M pot is just too much in a live situation, you end up being louder than the entire band.
It's very strange to me how many people here are using this kind of boost as an overdrive pedal. I use it in the end of the pedal chain, it is my last pedal right next to the amp. It does fantastic things to it. I use it to prepare the preamp with woofiness of bass and subtle grit, so that when I hit it with my Fulltone 69 clone or a tube screamer, it shines! Seriously, despite the common ordering of SHO + other pedals, you should try setting up your tone by leaving it last in the chain. It is an essential part of my tone and I almost never turn it off.
I'm using a Zetex brand of BS170, a huge bipolar cap, other components - standard. Sounds AWESOME

Willybomb · Post by **Willybomb** » 23 Jun 2012, 03:57

Gudday all, couldn't see an answer to a similar question earlier on: I can't get the 1n5242 locally - what can I substitute it with (I have a couple of 1n4001 kicking around..)?

soulsonic · Post by **soulsonic** » 23 Jun 2012, 05:25

You can use any 9v or 12v zener diode.

Seiche · Post by **Seiche** » 23 Jun 2012, 08:10

don't use 1n4001s, they are completely different.

Willybomb · Post by **Willybomb** » 24 Jun 2012, 00:17

Well, I went ahead and did it for the hell of it anyway (because that's what I had around) and it seems to be working fine. I'm guessing there's probably some tonal difference compared to the 1n5424 but it works and is bloody loud! Have I done the DIYstompbox equivalent of crossing the streams?

Soul Sonic - Crackle NOT Okay! [documentation]