I'm working on an distortion with a wide array of diode switching options. I'm using a 6 way rotary switch and so far I have 5 ideas, I need 1 more, but I can't think of anything very different from my other choices:
4148/914 Symetrical
4148/914 Asymetrical
Germanium
Silicon (4001)
LED
Can anyone offer a good suggestion for a 6th option?
Mosfet as a clipping diode? search the forum for how to do it (I believe its the shakah clipping thing)
or mix a setup. like 1 LED and 1 41005 sounds cool.
Schottky.
Schottky diode sounds cool. What do they sound like? Do I use them just like regular diodes? How would I know what voltage I would want?
Edit: I got confused, I thought you meant Zener- what exactly is a schottky diode. Isn't it similar to a 1N4001?
Schottkys are 0.35V (half of silicon). They are "hard" edged like silicon, not "soft" like Ge.
What about Schottky/LED or any other highly asymetrical setup (e.g. 4 1N4148 one way, 1 1N4148 the other).
It produces slight octave-up tones and harmonically rich distortion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schottky_diode
The behavior of a fast silicon diode with the forward voltage drop of a Ge diode (well.... close).
I didn't see schottkys at small bear, where can I get them?
Edit: Nevermind, I found them...
I use 1N5818 for most situations needing a Schottky. The 1N5817 & 1N5819 are two other related diodes with different PIV ratings.
Is it ok to have all of these diodes connected to a single trace at one end, with each pair (or group) attached to it's own lug on the 6-way switch, with the pole attached on the circuit to where the other end of the diodes would go, or should I use a 2way rotary switch and have each pair isolated? The first way is simpler, I just don't know if it will have one sucking issues, or something like that.
my limited knowledge pushes me to say isolate them, but i'm fairly new to this whole game and diodes are a strange beast to me at the moment...
Perhaps this will help more than my nonsense rambling above:
Here's the two scenarios (I'm going to mount all of the diodes on a separate PCB to make it easier to fit in the enclosure).
In the second scenario, the two switches represent the different sides of the same 2 way 6 pole rotary switch.
(http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/3795/diodeswitch1qo9.gif)
(http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/831/diodeswitch2kp5.gif)
#1 will do fine. Having the ends of all those other diodes won't affect anything.
Actually my inner audiophilish tone-nazi says it will have some unknowable, but subtle effect. but it's a freeking fuzz-thing, so it won't hurt a damn thing.
Ron
Looks cool!
I had this weird Idea before, But I dropped it. :D
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=50722.msg379604#msg379604
Diode mania incarnate :icon_eek:
http://www.elixant.com/~stompbox/smfforum/index.php?topic=38581.0 :icon_cool:
Damn. Now I have to get a 7 way switch.
Just get a 2-12pos rotary from smallbear - then you'll have room to expand.
I came up with 8 clipping stages for my modded TS808:
Toshiba 1S1588 - symmetrical 1:1
Toshiba 1S1588 - asymmetrical 2:1
1N914 - symmetrical 2:2
1N914 - asymmetrical 3:2
1N456 germanium - symmetrical 1:1
1N456 germanium - asymmetrical 2:1
LED - symmetrical - 1:1
LED - asymmetrical - 2:1