noisy blue clippper

[peterg]

I'm working on a Dan Armstrong Blue Clipper using the Tonepad layout. There is a lot of noise when strings are not played. Is this to be expected with this circuit?

[pinkjimiphoton]

yeah bro, try a fet kinda chip, or a low noise one. when these things are pumped, they make a lot of background hash.

[R.G.]

Noise?

Hum?
Hiss?
Crackle?
Whine?
Grunt?
Nagging?
Barking?
Belching?

[peterg]

Right. Noise is a vague word to use in this situation. I would say hum and hiss are the most accurate for what I'm hearing from the circuit. It's very loud at the output pin (6) of the chip. The belching is all me. 

Jim - the circuit uses at TL071 chip so my options for swapping are nil unless there is another chip with the same pinout that I don't know of.

[pinkjimiphoton]

tl081, ne5534, lm308, 741

all of 'em are single opamps bro, so any will do.  i found that this circuit is just hissy (add a small value cap to ground from the output of the effect) and tends to make  a lot of "blow"noise... just random hashy crap.

lower noise chip can help, but ya may wanna just shunt the noise to ground with a smallish cap as a PREemphasis filter,  take a look at the FAQ's here on the forum... you may be able to make a simple filter to deal with it.

i generally use mine as a booster after all my other stuff just for solos, and a humongo volume boost, so the noise gate takes care of it..

also consider adding a power supply filter to it, in line from the b+ add a 47-220r resistor and see if that helps. if it does, consider adding a 47-220uf electro to ground. there's a lot of tricks, the key is to find the one that works without demolishing your tone.

http://www.muzique.com/lab/hum.htm

[peterg]

Thanks Jimi!

[pinkjimiphoton]

hope it helps somehow, pete... keep us posted, bud1!!