Madbeans Poindexter Octave pedal too loud

[Ridgeback]

I built this pedal a long time ago and love the sound but it's too loud so it's been sitting in storage. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to tame the volume on this circuit?  Mine literally goes from off (no sound) to practically 5x unity gain in a 2% turn.   Is there a way to change something in the circuit so that unity is more around "noon" on the knob?  Thanks!

[Mark Hammer]

Stick a resistance in series with C12 to reduce the gain of the output stage.  Start with 470R and increase from there if the volume drop isn't substantial enough.

[duck_arse]

I wonder why the circuit shows the VOL as 50kB. changing that to 50kA might do the trick.

ohh, also, welcome to the forum. also, it's nice to post a link, at the very least, so's we don't need to run about looking for a circuit.

[Ridgeback]

Thanks guys and sorry for not posting the circuit.  Read the FAQ's and saw that sometimes it's not ok to post circuits. 

[Ridgeback]

I wonder why the circuit shows the VOL as 50kB. changing that to 50kA might do the trick.

ohh, also, welcome to the forum. 

So just substitute an audio taper? Makes sense.

Thanks for the welcome!

[Ridgeback]

Stick a resistance in series with C12 to reduce the gain of the output stage.  Start with 470R and increase from there if the volume drop isn't substantial enough.

I might have some spares in this range to try.  Thoughts on switching the volume pot taper from linear to audio suggested above?

[Mark Hammer]

The taper will change how "quickly" the volume control goes from silence to loud.  It will NOT, however, change how loud the pedal can get.  Your initial post hinted at, but did not really identify (for me, at least), whether this was purely an issue of "dialability" or overall level.  If being able to dial in something sizzling at the same volume as bypass is the goal, then yes, changing from linear to audio taper will accomplish that.
In this instance, the duck was spot on, and I was overkill arse.

Change the pot.

[Ridgeback]

The taper will change how "quickly" the volume control goes from silence to loud.  It will NOT, however, change how loud the pedal can get.  Your initial post hinted at, but did not really identify (for me, at least), whether this was purely an issue of "dialability" or overall level.  If being able to dial in something sizzling at the same volume as bypass is the goal, then yes, changing from linear to audio taper will accomplish that.
In this instance, the duck was spot on, and I was overkill arse.

Change the pot.

Correct.  It's not the output overall (yet).  The volume pot just goes from off to huge in a tiny turn of the pot.  Super difficult to dial in unity.  I'll try the audio taper pot first to see if that does the trick (which I suspect it will) and go to the resistor as you suggested if necessary.  Thanks guys!  I'll report back.

Scott

[Mark Hammer]

It comes up occasionally that a trick which used to be employed in the music and hifi audio industry, back when we were all so much younger and naive, was using linear volume pots instead of log taper ones.  Some young underinformed tyke would come into the store, try out an entry-level stereo or guitar amp, be blown away by how loud the thing was with the volume knob set to 9:00, and think "Man, this thing is going to be REALLY loud when I turn up to 1:00 or 3:00!".  It didn't help that both sales staff and customers also thought that 20W was exactly twice as loud as 10W.

[Ridgeback]

Too funny on the hifi audio trick.  Still waiting on the new pot to arrive from Small Bear for the Octane clone.

On a similar note, I have a Smallbeans Zvex Fuzz Factory clone called the Zombii.  For me it has the exact same issue with volume ramping up far too quickly.  It too uses a linear knob for volume control.  This build has a really small enclosure with tiny 9mm right-angle pots.  The circuit calls for a 5kB linear pot. I was hoping to try a 5kA log/audio pot but the closest Small Bear has is a 10kA.  Can I sub the 5kB with a 10kA?  Circuit enclosed.  Not sure what effect the extra 5k on that pot will do overall...