The Arcadiator - PWM Fuzz

[Freppo]

Here is a new creation from me :)



More info and a verified vero layout in my blog:
http://parasitstudio.se/

I hope you like it :)
/ Freppo

[IvIark]

Haha, awesome as usual matey

[Synsound]

That is fantastic. I cant wait to start on one.
I just finished soldering the Flawed Logic today.
I know this isn't the Flawed Logic page but I did Have a Quick question about it. It seems to gate very quickly (espescialy the higher the note. When I push it with a boost it sustains much better. I also noticed that when the J201 was removed it basically sounded the same. I'm not the most knowledgeable with electronics. Could you tell me if this early gating could be due to a bad J201 or if this should be expected. If need be I can just box a SHO boost into it. Just wanted to get the creators thoughts. I love the resonance control and the range of sound i get otherwise.
Thank you for sharing your work.
I'm off to check out the new vero now!

[Freppo]

Cool

The Flawed Logic works best with hot humbuckers, so a boost in front is a good idea if using low output pickups. If I was doing the Flawed Logic today I would use the other half of the TL072 for a gain-stage at the input to increase the sustain. Maybe I'll do a MK2 version some time with small improvements like this.

Since most of my creations are logic based, they all suffer from being gated because of the comparator that squares up the signal to logic levels. So that's something to keep in mind if you build the Arcadiator aswell.

The J201 should only affect the modulation when you engage the LFO. Is the modulation working without the J201? I actually had a discussion with a friend the other day about the J201 in the Flawed Logic Fuzz, because I originally set it up as a variable resistor, but decided to decouple one leg of the transistor for a reason I can't remember now, so exactly what the J201 is doing now, of if it's even needed is unclear  :P

[Synsound]

Well, I went back and played a bit. It does still modulate without the J201 but with it in the effect of the modulation is more clean.

It seems I will have to order a bit for the Arcadiator. Do you think NTE4069 would be ok to sub for th"CD"?

[Freppo]

Yes, the NTE4069 should be ok. :)

[Travis]

This is so cool! I hate wiring toggle switches and pots so much, but I so wanna build this :P

You're such a wiz freppo

[Synsound]

Parts have been ordered! I cant wait. This is right up my alley.
I'll post up once i get it done. I hope i get it before
 Christmas so I can solder and ignore the in-laws.

[Synsound]

I just finished the circuit and tested out...
Holy Cpap this is bad ass! Nice job on the design. I think this will be one of my new favorites.

This may sound goofy but could you give a brief description of the controls. I'm just trying to get a better idea of what is truly happening and figure out what switches I want to make stomp switches. Some things like LFO rate and switch are obvious to me but I am unsure on the pw/oct switch, oct switch, what the blend is actually blending.
I'm pretty sure mode is for oct up or down selection.
A nut shell explanation would be helpful.

All I know for sure is that this is crazy fun.

Thanks

[boratto]

Guys i am in ecstasy with the demo vid... just one question, is there a way to add a gain control to the unity?

[Freppo]

I'm glad you like it! :)

CONTROLS
PWM switch - this toggles between 'pwm' or 'octave up'
WIDTH pot - this controls either the width of the square wave (pwm) or the intensity of the octave up

BLEND pot - mixes between 'either PWM or Octave up' and the 'Octave Down'

OCTAVE switch - This toggles between one or two octaves down
MODE switch - this turns the Octave down on or off (except when the LFO is on)

(MODULATION)
LFO switch - turns on/off the modulation that is alternating between one or two octaves down, or:
MODE switch - Toggles between either one or two octaves down or just one octave down and unison or a choppy tremolo of the octave down (depending on how the mix is set)

RATE and LEVEL doesn't need explaining :)

I hope it makes more sense now. You could find alot of sounds:
* Straight square wave fuzz
* PWM square wave fuzz
* Square wave fuzz with Octave up

* Either of the above blended with either one or two octaves down
* Straight octave down (one or two octaves down)

* Modulation of one or two octaves down blended with either of the first three
* Choppy "tremolo" of either one or two octaves down that can also be blended in various ways

cheers / Freppo

[Freppo]

boratto wrote

Guys i am in ecstasy with the demo vid... just one question, is there a way to add a gain control to the unity?

I'm afraid it's not possible to add a gain control.  The signal needs to be as square-wave as possible to operate. It's because the pedal is working with digital CMOS logic that operates at either +9v or ground (1 or 0's).

[boratto]

ok.. and embed a lpb-1 boost  (as a boost knob) does make any effect?

[Synsound]

On Freppo's flawed logic circuit I had to add a boost to drive the effect. On this one I didn't find it necessary.
Thanks for the control breakdown.

[Synsound]

I found my stupid and punched it in the throat.
I had a hard time with the controls at first because the blend didn't seem to blend anything. After you were kind enough to break down the controls I thought I would listen again but no change. I went over the board with a magnifying lens and couldn't find any bridges. As I started to verify continuity in and out of the blend pot, I realized that it was a 500R instead of the kilo you specified. Swapped it out and everything in the world began to make sense.
I thought it was cool when it didn't work right and now I will never turn it off.
Thanks again

[Synsound]

On the boost topic:
Putting my SHO before this I get more sustain but it opens the gate with the slightest touch. Not very desirable.This may be able to be trimmed out with the trim pot but I haven't  tried.

[Freppo]

Glad to hear you found your problem with the blend pot
Adjusting the gate trimmer should allow for better sustain with the SHO without being to sensitive. But if that doesn't work you could try to increaste the 2.2nF cap at the first inverter to 3.3nF or even 4.7nF

cheers
/Freppo

[Synsound]

[Freppo]

Wow, looks great! :D

[Kinski]

How important is the 200kC pot? Could I use a 250kB instead?