calling scott schwartz...ad3208 mods.

Started by swt, January 27, 2004, 08:53:46 AM

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swt

Hey!. i have to say that the ad 3208 it's amazing. I really like it. I've got it working with a 3208 and a 3205. Got a couple of qs for you. Does it matter what ic goes first in the chain?. Also...mine it's a bit below unity gain...shall i change the 10k resistor in the first op amp section to a bigger one, or maybe the 10k res in the output stage one?. Can i subs the tl072 for a 4558?. Because i found it a bit trebly for my tastes, and i think it comes from the jfet input stage. Or maybe make the 470p cap in the feedback loop bigger?, or the 47p in the output?.
I know these are a lot of questions, but it's and incredible good pedal and want to have it modded to my taste for gigs. Thanks a lot for any reply!!

Scott Swartz

Answers below.

..............Does it matter what ic goes first in the chain?..............
No, doesn't matter.

..............it's a bit below unity gain...shall i change the 10k resistor in the first op amp section to a bigger one, or maybe the 10k res in the output stage one?................
It could be a parts issue or a marginal SA571, so you may want to try subbing the the chip.  Or it could be just a result of tolerance stackup on parts throughout the circuit.
If its parts tolerance, you can change the 10K dry signal input resistor on the output opamp section (the 10K that connects to the "A" on the schem) to 7.5 - 9.1 K for a little gain on the dry signal.  Do not change any other resistor as changing the other resistors associated with the opamp sections will will screw up the emphasis/de-emphasis networks.                              

................Can i subs the tl072 for a 4558?.....................
Yes, no problem

..............Because i found it a bit trebly for my tastes, and i think it comes from the jfet input stage. Or maybe make the 470p cap in the feedback loop bigger?, or the 47p in the output?...............
Don't change the cap values since they perform the emphasis/de-emphasis and they have to be those values.  If you turn the delay level down, the direct signal should be very close to the bypassed guitar signal.  If the direct is more trebly than bypass, you have an issue in the emphasis/de-emphasis networks, probably a cap or resistor of the wrong value.

swt

hey Scott!! Thanks for the quick reply!. I'm getting a good delay sound, but it sounds as the repeats beguins to lose high one after another. As it gets higher in pitch through time. Is this normal?. I thought that analog delays should get lower and dirtier repeat after repeat, right?. What can be the cause of this?. I have the balance trimmers in the middle cause i didn't heard any difference moving them ( i was testing it at low volume....mmmm). Mark gave me an incredible explanation about how this balances works, maybe you've got some good tips to share too.
Anyway...thanks for an amazing design, this is ready for gigs out of the workshop.

swt

I've found something interesting....most of the delays, including the dm3 and champ that this delay is inspired from, uses a compresor stage of ne571, then the expander stage, while in this schem calls for the expander first, and then the compressor. Is this right?. Or maybe some typo of the schem?. Maybe this is what i'm hearing strange...

Scott Swartz

The AD3208 does use compression first, then expansion.

The pin numbers won't tell you whether it a compression or expander section, since the chip has 2 identical functional blocks, one on pins 1-8, the other on 9-16

swt

ahh!! excuse my ignorance!!!. Any ideas about the repeats thing??

Scott Swartz

On the repeats, to my ears the repeats on this or any other analog delay lose a little highs and lows on each repeat and become sort of midrangey and blurry.

This is why they sound more "atmospheric" than digital.  I would have to hear yours to know if its working normally.

Can you post sound clips?  Or compare it to the clips on the PT-80 page, they sound very similar.

swt

Hey Scott!. I can't post soundclips but i can definitely email a short one to you. I have two analog delays, an ibanez ad99 and a deluxe memory man. Both of those delays behave similar, and in the eh, when the feedback is high, it does the regeneration thing, but it keeps the pitch. In my Ad3208, if i set for longer repeats, it sounds as a guitar feedbacking, going higher in pitch like a distortion feedbacker, and if it does the regeneration thing, it goes really high!. I've changed the ne571, for a ne570, but it does the same. Any ideas?