"Titan boost" wooah momma !!

[MartyMart]

I like John Hollis circuits and this looked like an interesting Booster.
The transformer is a bit hard to get hold of ( in the US ) so I guess thats
why it doesn't come up too often.
If you can find something close to the 1kOhm secondary and 20kOhm
primary, I'm sure that it would work just fine.
It has a very nice "full" sound with a touch of high end lift too.
Definately has its own "character" which must be due to the transformer
used, I used a TL082 op amp and a slightly bigger input cap, otherwise
its exact.
It's tone is great and when it pushes my tube amp, the resulting "crunch"
seems different to other "boosters" - I'd say its a bit warmer/darker
sounding.
Well worth a try, if your after a good booster circuit.
I will add the SWTC to it, for some more flexabillity.
( Stupidly wonderful tone control) BTW  :wink:

Marty.

[MartyMart]

What, 96 views and "NO ONE" interested .....   :shock:

OK, I just built a VERY UNIQUE booster then  :wink:

I'll start the marketing strategy tomorrow !

Lets see.......
"Unique Mojo"
"Transformer Mojo"
"Hand built Mojo"
"True bypass Mojo"
"VERY limited run Mojo"
"1% resistor Mojo"

...... That should do it !!

Marty.

( BTW This thing sounds FANTASTIC )

[jmusser]

Well Marty, you already know my feelings on it. As I said, I have only made one boost, and it was the Titan. It is a wonderful sounding circuit, and maybe the ones that all other boost have to be compared to. I did a review on it awhile back, that others may have read, and talked it up quite a bit. I believe R.G. has a Mouser substitute for the weird Maplin transformer on GEO, so that's no longer an obstacle either. The octave section I have made switchable on mine, and really fits the boost well. It's not heavy and ovewhelming like any other octave you have built, because it's driven by a boost, so it's well worth having for the cost of 4 germ diodes and a DPDT switch to go between the two. I have a little schematic drawn up. If anyone else is interested on how to switch between the two, just send me your E Mail address and I'll pass it on. Like Marty says, it's a great little circuit, and sounds great even with my solid state Crate amp. I play through mine pretty often, and trade between it and the 3 Legged Dog. Both make my amp sound great, although different.

[soggybag]

I'm working on one right now I just need a few parts and a few hours of spare time to finish it up... I'll post some pictures and comments when I get there.

[Karmasound]

don't really have much to add other than that sounds really interesting.

I made an FA-1 clone with a tl082 chip in it and it was my favorite chip in there by far.

[soggybag]

I just finished up my Titan boost. I used the Mouser 42TM42006 transformer. The boost seems to be very weak. I checked everything and it appears to be correct. I rebuilt everything on a breadboard for more testing.

has anyone built this with the Mouser transformer? Any suggestions to getting more output?

[bwanasonic]

Sounds interesting, but I can't seem to find the schem. The original source link seems to be out of commision.

Kerry M

[jmusser]

Soggybag, I just checked out the two transformers. The part number for the Mouser, is supposed to be 42TM006 BTW. Both it, and the Maplin LT44, show the same input and output impedence. 20K primary, and 1K secondary. I can't get to my schematic, since I'm at work, and like Bwanasonic says, John's site is not coming up, but I'm guessing that you need to turn the primary and secondary around, and use the secondary 1k ohm for the primary. All the transformers I know of in pedals are turned around like that, to give a step up. I can't remember for sure, but I'm guessing this is one is no exception. Bwanasonic, if you want the schematic, just PM me, with your E Mail adress, and I'll send it to you when I get home this evening.

[soggybag]

Thanks for the reply. I had been thinking I should play around with the transformer. I'll post something after I do...

[Doug_H]

Sounds interesting, but I can't seem to find the schem. The original source link seems to be out of commision.

Kerry M

Wow, that's too bad. I think I might have his stuff archived on a cd somewhere. I'll have to look for it...

Doug

[soggybag]

Thanks, you were correct I had the transformer backwards. Now there's a big boost! I'll have to experiment some more to formulate an opinion on the sound.

I planning to add the octave effect. I ordered a switch from Futurlec so it may be a while til am completely finished, they are notoriously slow...

Speaking of the octave effect I have a handful of 1N34s and was thinking it might help to match them, any suggestions on the matching process? My multimeter gives a mv rating in the diode test mode. I had been thinking to use this number as a system of matching diodes.

[lightningfingers]

Marty, have you tried putting the Ge diode bridge after the transformer? I made mine switchable :wink:

[jmusser]

I can answer that Lightningfingers. He tried it, but didn't care for it, but at least I talked him into trying it. I like it myself.

[lightningfingers]

Yeah, me too...its subtler/cleaner than, say, a Superfuzz or Tycobrahe.....

Do you notice a slight volume drop when using the octave "version"?

[jmusser]

I'll have to pay more attention next time I play it, but from memory, it wouldn't be a lot of difference. It seems like it transistions fairly smoothly from boost to octave. Being in front of a boost, the octave just acts differently. It seems like it just gives an overall warmth to the tone, if you just switch from one to the other without changing the guitar controls at all. I'm not sure what the differences in tone would be with a tube amp, but with my solid state amp, it's pretty dramatic, and gives what I call "the watery tone". It's the tone you get right before you're into overdrive, and makes your guitar more dynamic and responsive. It and the 3 Legged Dog, make it seem like I'm not even playing my equipment anymore. The 3 Legged Dog, is the next step in the evolution of tone from clean sounding tube tone, to tube overdrive. Both are tone miracle workers with my rig!