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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: Lenougat on February 16, 2021, 11:53:00 AM

Title: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: Lenougat on February 16, 2021, 11:53:00 AM
Hi Everyone !

I've just finished my last project, but need some help for troubleshooting.
Here it is :
- i've got two circuits in the same box : a Klon Centaur (with its own embedded buffer), and an OCD, with a JFET buffer i've added before the circuit. The buffer is used only in "mix" mode, depicted below.
- there a 4PDT switch to choose between two modes :
     + serie (or "stack"), where both effects are stacked. I've added a blending circuit kit, to mix the wet signal with the dry using a pot.
     + parallel (or "mix"), where both effects use the same dry signal. Both outputs are linked to a 25k pot to allow me to mix the two signals, or to choose to run only one circuit if the pot is fully on one side or the other.

Everything works as it should, but... :
- in the "mix" mode, when the "mix pot" is goes close to the full OCD position, I've got a kind of slight "whisper" or "white noise" in the background. Not a problem when playing, but the pedal is not silent. This white noise is kind of annoying hen the "bright mode" of the OCD is on.
- in the "stack" mode, I've got a strong white noise, stronger with the "bright mode" of the OCD.
- there are pops when I engage the effect, and when I use the 4PDT switch
- the strangest thing (according to my current knowledge...) : I've got a Dyna Comp and a Crybaby before that box in my sound chain. If they are engaged, on the "mix position", I've got nothing coming out from the amp, except "white noise". So, if my pedal is the first of the chain to be on, no problem. On the other hand, if there's something running before it, no sound. And when i'm on "stack", my wah produces a whistle.

I'm posting a screenshot of the general scheme, if it can help ! I do not dare yet to put pictures of the inside, I'm not so proud of my spaghetti wiring  :icon_redface:
Do you guys see anything I've missed, or something I must change to make it work better ?

Thanks for your help !!

Alex

Edit : I didn't write anything on the pedal, sorry about that...  :P
The green pots are the regular Klon and OCD controls (+ the bright mode in the middle of the OCD pots). The switch in the center is the stack/mix control. The white knobs are the "mix" and the "blend" pots.

(https://i.postimg.cc/SJtPkXzJ/Screenshot-Klon-OCD.png) (https://postimg.cc/SJtPkXzJ)

(https://i.postimg.cc/QFh2dB8D/Box.png) (https://postimg.cc/QFh2dB8D)
Title: Re: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: duck_arse on February 17, 2021, 08:48:01 AM
you will need to show us your circuit diagrams, all of them, so that we might check for input and output coupling caps, etc.
Title: Re: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: iainpunk on February 17, 2021, 05:50:26 PM
i suggest you lookt at this link:debugging guide (https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0)

cheers, Iain
Title: Re: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: Lenougat on February 18, 2021, 02:56:06 PM
Here are the schematics :
- Klon kit (from Aion)
- OCD kit
- JFET buffer
- Blender

Iain : I'm going into deep debug this weekend, but I would like to make sure first that I didn't miss something obvious about the signal chain, just regarding how the different pcbs are linked. For example, I'm "dividing" the guitar signal when using parallel mode. I was assuming that it's electric current, it is a parallel assembly, so the voltage should be the same in both circuit. But perhaps I'm totally wrong...
Tomorrow I will rewire the whole thing to use effects separately, without buffer/blender, etc. Only one effect at a time, in and out. I'll see if I can reproduce some issues that way.

(https://i.postimg.cc/RNKJnZVM/Blender.png) (https://postimg.cc/RNKJnZVM)

(https://i.postimg.cc/3kh4jQd2/Buffer.png) (https://postimg.cc/3kh4jQd2)

(https://i.postimg.cc/dh974Nyp/Klon-kit.png) (https://postimg.cc/dh974Nyp)

(https://i.postimg.cc/6758SVV3/OCD-kit.png) (https://postimg.cc/6758SVV3)
Title: Re: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: iainpunk on February 18, 2021, 08:52:15 PM
i think i found it!!!!

when the thing is in parallel mode, the signal comes from the bypass switch and goes through the other switch to the mixer, and the send is connected to the first klon circuit, this mixer send is a buffered signal, BUT there is another buffer also connected, which is trying to push silence, thats not good for either buffer, and it works bad. its kind of the same with the ocd input.

cheers
Title: Re: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: Lenougat on February 19, 2021, 12:11:26 PM
Ok !
I must admit I don't get these buffer stories correctly   :icon_biggrin:
I was thinking that both circuits would be "equivalent".
I'll try again after removing the OCD buffer. Klon's buffer can be bypassed manually by a switch on the PCB.

Thanks for the time you've spent trying to read my handmade scheme ! I'll keep you advised about the results !

Alex
Title: Re: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: KarenColumbo on February 19, 2021, 12:16:39 PM
Both thumbs up for ye, man. I cobbled together an Aion Klon clone and an OCD of my "own" making. Love those two in series! Nice idea letting them bunk together in a tin can!
Title: Re: Klon Centaur + OCD in a box
Post by: iainpunk on February 19, 2021, 05:52:23 PM
QuoteThanks for the time you've spent trying to read my handmade scheme !
i was like reading Hieroglyphs, Rune, and French mixed

its not about removing the OCD and Centaurs buffer, but its about where you placed the switches.

this ought to work
(https://i.postimg.cc/Ty0PJzYw/centaur-and-ocd-mixer.png) (https://postimg.cc/Ty0PJzYw)

cheers, Iain