Unistage Screamer (idea for a distortion circuit)

[DougH]

Update- I neglected the LPF on the collector:

[petemoore]

  Emitter input is an unusual path.

[DougH]

Yeah, it's weird but it works. It actually sounds pretty good too.

[petemoore]

It actually sounds pretty good too. 
  That's what counts !
 

[earthtonesaudio]

Using the emitter as the input means the output is non-inverting. 

[Ben N]

Is that the only difference?

[earthtonesaudio]

There are quite a few differences to using the emitter input rather than the base.  Input impedance is extremely low.  The high frequency (radio) response is much better, not that we need it for guitar.  Also, it has high voltage gain but a current gain of less than one.

When you add the JFET input buffer, it starts to look like a differential pair circuit like you see on the input of most op-amps.  The JFET gate can be thought of as the non-inverting input, and the BJT base as the inverting input.  If you added a resistor to the drain of the JFET you could take another output there, and have differential input and output, a.k.a. phase splitter.

[~arph]

It actually sounds pretty good too. 
  That's what counts !
 

Yes!, so how does it sound  (please take the hint)

[DougH]

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=72629.msg587989#msg587989

[~arph]

..so, like a freshly baked apple pie. Nice very warm and sweet. 

But you're right I should breadboard it, it's not that complicated.