Simple Compressors

[Fleetdog]

I've been lookong at DIY pedals for quite a while now and time and time again I've seen the orange squeezer come up.  Is that because it's a simple circuit that's relatively easy to toss together or because it osunds so awesome?  I'd love to breadboard up several designs and then build my favorite for real, but my parts collection is pretty slim at the moment so I'll need to give mouser a call before I try any of them.  Any suggestions of other simple but good sounding comps I should order parts for while I'm at it?

[brett]

Hi
The OS is certainly simple and cool.  However, most people describe it as subtle.  This may be due in part to variation between FETs, so you might consider buying a few from different sources, or ordering different types (2N5484/85/86, J201).  As well as Mouser, you might consider Small Bear, who stocks lots of DIY gear.
cheers

[col]

I didn't rate the orange squeezer I built, it just didn't do it for me. There are a few simple optical compressors floating around that do the job far better IMO. I have successfully used optocouplers in the ones I have built in place of the LED/LDR combination and they have all worked well.

[markm]

You may want to try out the Flatline compressor. 

[jmusser]

If you do a search, (and if i'm remembering the name correctly) there was a compressor made by Walco that someone built, that I thought was an awesome sounding DIY compressor. I think a couple builders had noise problems with it, but the original sound sample from the build was really good. If you want to try it, I have the schematic stored somewhere, just PM me. The schematic I have, had the transistor subs on it, instead of the original RCAs or whatever they used that you can't find anymore.

[markm]

If you do a search, (and if i'm remembering the name correctly) there was a compressor made by Walco that someone built, that I thought was an awesome sounding DIY compressor. I think a couple builders had noise problems with it, but the original sound sample from the build was really good. If you want to try it, I have the schematic stored somewhere, just PM me. The schematic I have, had the transistor subs on it, instead of the original RCAs or whatever they used that you can't find anymore.

Or.....
You could look here>>>>>>>>>>http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album76/WALCO_Layout 
Mine is fairly quiet but, is overly squishy.
Someone posted some mods for this circuit awhile back but, they didn't work overly well. 

[Hanglow]

I really like the OS, although it's much more limited in where it is useful than a Ross I made for a friend.

Certainly worth a build. Listen to some dire straits for the sound of it

[mac]

When I breadboarded the OS I did some mods to make it more versatile:
• 50k pot instead of the 1.5k R11
• Decreased C7 to 1uf and made R12 a 100k pot with center lug connected to a 22uf cap to gnd, so as to change the R.C constant, which went from 1/4 of the original time to 4 times.
• Made R5 a 10k trim to find the best bias for a given fet.

Mark Hammer proposed a pot, say 250k, instead of R2 to make different fets work better.

Tried with a led/ldr, isolated with electric tape and lights off... just tube candles...

mac

[col]

I posted some info here on my build of the Walco unit which you should be able to find if you do a search. I eventually gave up on mine as I couldn't reduce the hiss to a giggable level and I know other people have had the same problem. It does sustain for ages though!
There are stripboard layouts available for the Ross and MXR compressors which work very well and sound fantastic. I also really like the optical compressor in "Advanced Projects for the Electric Guitar" by J Chatwin. There is nothing advanced about this, it is a very simple circuit and it works perfectly.

[mac]

I also really like the optical compressor in "Advanced Projects for the Electric Guitar" by J Chatwin. There is nothing advanced about this, it is a very simple circuit and it works perfectly.

Do you have a schematic to post or send? (without © issues?)