AW: Re: Germanium Diode Filters?

[Don Tillman]

   From: Haible_Juergen#Tel2743 <HJ2743 at denbgm3xm.scnn1.msmgate.m30x.nbg.scn.de>
   Date: Fri, 08 Nov 96 17:00:00 PST

   Anyway, I am still wondering why it is like this and not the other way
   round. Germaniums *do* have a "smoother" rounded threshold,
   don't they? So a rounded threshold can't be the whole story ...

They sure do have a smooth threshold!  The strangest thing about
running my guitar through the germanium diode clipping circuit was
that the curve was so smooth that as the input volume level changed
the timbre of the distortion remained almost constant, and the output
volume changed.  Log amps show a similiar effect.  As do sitars; the
sproingy buzz continues as the volume decays.  So it sounds nothing
like a tube amp.  

But that's just a simple diode clipper.  It's entirely possible that a
ladder filter built with germanium transistors or FETs would sound
really nice.

  -- Don