[sdiy] diode war

[Toby]

on 10/7/02 1:22 PM,  at synthos at xs4all.nl wrote:

> Y'ellow Y'all,
> 
> I am experimenting with clipping/distorion etc. In the basics
> it's just an opamp with two diodes anti-paralel in the feedback loop.
> Or, like in the big muff, three diodes in series in both directions.
> ->>>-
> -<<<-
> I like the simple design, as it is the clipping component that reveals
> its audio qualities this way. I tried several of the diodes I had
> about the house.
> 
> [black] I first had two black ones (no type #, sorry): Familiar fuzz sound.
> Then I tried 3 by 3 regular standard diodes (those orange glassy ones that
> open @ 0.7 volt), like the big muff does. That's relatively sweet/warm,
> I imagine that this is due to the fact each diode opens up slightly
> different.
> 
> [blue] I now have blue LEDs in them (open @ 1.5 volt), they sound fairly
> clean.
> That is: this is just clipping, not a distortion. Cool as in not warm.
> 
> [red] I'll make a switch to hook the semi-transperant light-red LEDs in again,
> as those sound crazy in the midrange. Wow!
> 
> So the QUESTION is:
> What's _your_ favourite clipping component?
A FET.


Or germanium and silicon diodes in the feedback loop of an op amp, each
pointing the opposite direction as the other.

toby
-- 
discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end.