Distortion Pedal Redux

[VenomBallistics]

The TS-808 circuit has input and output transistors added and a multivibrator that flutters the audio back and forth between the clean and the distorted signals. The distortion circuits are exactly the same.

"Vr" indicates the 4.5V floating ground at both the 4.7K pictured AND the 10K you cut off.
It is NOT the same
With the gain pot (500k) at zero, it provides a gain of 10.8, which stays under breakover of the diodes while producing a signal that can better survive the passive filters used for tone control before it reaches the buffer amp.
If you read the notes provided with the schematic, you will also see a reference to "SW" which is where you can edit out the flip flop in favor of a much easier to understand DPDT switch to do the same thing.

The last ones I built, I used 14 pin DIP sockets in the NFB loop to facilitate parts swapping, much like a breadboard.
the diodes can be replaced with LEDs in either symmetric or asymmetric arrangements. Resistors and pots for min gain and range of adjustment. Bypass caps .... a lot of modding and tone exploration can be done here.

 

[Audioguru]

Yes, I cutoff the useless 10k resistor. I also notice than the 1k resistor and 0.22uF capacitor cut most mid and high audio frequencies at and above 727Hz. BAD!

 

[VenomBallistics]

Yes, I cutoff the useless 10k resistor. I also notice than the 1k resistor and 0.22uF capacitor cut most mid and high audio frequencies at and above 727Hz. BAD!

which is yet another area for modification.
you must also bear in mind that these devices are not something we'd ever want in the signal chain of our HiFi equipment.
we are not really trying to reproduce a sound, but rather produce one. sculpting bending slicing and dicing is part of the tool kit.
if you listen to the end of Pantera, Cemetery Gates, you will encounter an example of a harmonic that will have you worshiping that rolloff. At concert stack volume ... lets just think happy thoughts ... I'm sure it's somewhere in the Geneva convention, or should be.
Despite all the elements that should eliminate shrill tones from the instrument, it has not stopped player from trying, and succeeding.
Ibanez sold thousands of them across various generations from the TS 808 TS5 TS9 and TS10
It has a market segment and a legacy neither you nor I could hope to lay claim to. I'm not going to argue with them. Ibanez accomplished something rather grand with it, because it's not "BAD" in it's intended application. It helped put their kids through college and them in sports cars.

 

[Audioguru]

Pantera, Cemetery Gates has too much high frequency shrill noise for me because my PC plays hifi pretty well so it does not have a treble tone control for me to turn down.
It sounds much better with my hearing aids removed because I have normal-for-my-age (75) high frequency hearing loss and the hearing aids make it sound like hifi again. When I was young with normal hearing I never liked to hear acid rock.
I suspect that all rock musicians and their fans all have high frequency hearing loss then they cannot hear how bad their shrill distortion sounds to people with normal hearing.

 

[SparkyCal]

I feel like I am watching a professional electronics tennis match. I’m trying to follow along but the only thing that I sort of understood is that the voltage divider part is our fake floating ground.

Let me know what you guys decide. . Whose serve is it next?

 

[SparkyCal]

Pantera, Cemetery Gates has too much high frequency shrill noise for me because my PC plays hifi pretty well so it does not have a treble tone control for me to turn down.
It sounds much better with my hearing aids removed because I have normal-for-my-age (75) high frequency hearing loss and the hearing aids make it sound like hifi again. When I was young with normal hearing I never liked to hear acid rock.
I suspect that all rock musicians and their fans all have high frequency hearing loss then they cannot hear how bad their shrill distortion sounds to people with normal hearing.

I’d be happy just to hear the damn thing. Lol

 

[VenomBallistics]

I feel like I am watching a professional electronics tennis match. I’m trying to follow along but the only thing that I sort of understood is that the voltage divider part is our fake floating ground.

Let me know what you guys decide. . Whose serve is it next?

sorry about that ... funny thing is, I knew AG from another, now defunct forum called "Dutchforce".
We weren't at all close then, but I can't figure out why he's so adversarial here. He wasn't this way before.
If you comb through, you'll see a few exploration and construction tips that I hope help you ... like using a 14 pin DIP socket in the NFB loop for hacker friendly ease of parts swapping and tone control modification, and or replacement.
I play the instrument, and I was once exactly where you are right now.
Once you have a solid working specimen, the experimentation can begin. This will teach you a ton about what you like and don't like in guitar gear.
I'd also recommend a cheap DIY IC based amp project in the 5 - 20 watt range to serve as a whipping boy that you can repair easily.
Hopefully you won't have to. but there's always the potential to do not nice things to an amp.

 

[SparkyCal]

Thank you. AG, Bertus , Harald and others such as yourself, have been very patient and helpful. No complaints here.