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Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:41 amby huggernaut
Ryan wrote:So I don't know if that sucker works with the Elements as it wasn't borned yet.. but I think it would... but it's flimsy... you probably have spiders in Australia that could break it.
Terrifying Australian Spiders of Doom!
Hmm...
Band name?
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:41 pmby Ryan
I bet the spiders are already using that band name and you do not want to mess with their legal team... imagine how awful lawyer-spiders would be!
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:58 pmby CBA
Hey thar...
Real quick question: What makes the Elements GO as it were? I've read a few places that it uses some silicon innards and I've read a few places that it uses some germanium innards, along with the LED clipping and all that stuff that I don't understand.
Probably no simple answer, but I was just wondering, because there seems to be a few different answers on different sites.
THONKS!
C
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Sun Jul 08, 2012 4:17 pmby sylnau
Hey CBA,
From the user guide:
The middle position is open, no clipping diodes at all.
The bottom position is asymetrical clipping which is a mix of silicon diode clipping with the other side open.
The upper position is LED clipping.
Mine is from the first batch.
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Sun Jul 08, 2012 4:49 pmby goroth
In addition to Syl's info, the Elements uses NE5532 op amp gain stages. It sounds all kinds of awesome.
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:40 pmby Ryan
Hey Christian,
It's a pretty simple answer for sure and I always show the guts off for anybody interested in that kinda thing. The Elements is made to GO by 4 dual op amps. I use 5532s but they're socketed for experimentation, users can plug in any dual op amp they want and they do all sound different.
The clipping stage is visible on the pcb as well, there's a total of 7 diodes used. For the symmetrical clipping setting, up position, there's 4 red LEDs (~2V), 2 for each gain stage. The asymmetrical clipping setting, down position, uses a germanium diode (.3V) paired with a white LED (~3V) for the low gain stage and a silicon diode (.6V) paired with nothing for the high gain stage.
The full gut shot of the Elements is on page 1 post 1 of this thread, feel free to link it to anybody curious about what's in there!
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:28 amby stillborn
I just wanted to stop by and say that the elements is my favorite distortion pedal I've used thus far.
That is all, and thanks for showing awesomeness that has surpassed time and space, Ryan.
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:09 amby CBA
Ryan wrote:Hey Christian,
It's a pretty simple answer for sure and I always show the guts off for anybody interested in that kinda thing. The Elements is made to GO by 4 dual op amps. I use 5532s but they're socketed for experimentation, users can plug in any dual op amp they want and they do all sound different.
The clipping stage is visible on the pcb as well, there's a total of 7 diodes used. For the symmetrical clipping setting, up position, there's 4 red LEDs (~2V), 2 for each gain stage. The asymmetrical clipping setting, down position, uses a germanium diode (.3V) paired with a white LED (~3V) for the low gain stage and a silicon diode (.6V) paired with nothing for the high gain stage.
The full gut shot of the Elements is on page 1 post 1 of this thread, feel free to link it to anybody curious about what's in there!
Cooooooooooool. Yeah, I actually searched for and looked at the gutshots for the The Elements before asking, but I'm all
and then
and then
and then
and then
and then
again and then
and then
and then
and then I repeat all that.
If you're still reading... yes thanks for the info! I can identify germanium transistors every once in a while, and I guess sometimes op-amps, but I kinda have to know they're there in order to find them.
Good to know that there's such a variety in there. Obviously it's really only the sounds that matter, but I like to know how that ass is created.
My birfday is on Friday the 13th; already have a The Elements, but thanks again for offering the discount and building such excellent effects!
C
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:47 pmby Ryan
I hear you buddy, I'm always curious about circuit topologies too...
The Frazz is 4 transistors and a 386 chip amp, that's what makes it go.
Badass birthday this year for you, very cool! In lieu of a birthday pedal I hope you get a massive pizza, 48" at least.
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Wed Jul 11, 2012 3:59 amby Waterpilot
stillborn wrote:I just wanted to stop by and say that the elements is my favorite distortion pedal I've used thus far.
That is all, and thanks for showing awesomeness that has surpassed time and space, Ryan.
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:12 pmby Ryan
stillborn wrote:I just wanted to stop by and say that the elements is my favorite distortion pedal I've used thus far.
That is all, and thanks for showing awesomeness that has surpassed time and space, Ryan.
Woops, I missed this post yesterday! Thanks for stopping by and I'm really happy you're digging the Elements and I thank you for your awesome display of awesomeness as well!
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:51 pmby futuresailors
Wait. So could I like, change a diode/LED to make it even higher gain?
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:59 pmby Ryan
Well, you could make the clipping more aggressive for sure.. you could have more series stages of it or swap in all GE diodes for the lowest clipping threshold possible.. even add diodes to ground off the op amp outputs ... you betcha there's room for experimentation.
You can also change the gain of the pedal by changing a couple resistors on the pcb, the gain for both stages is set by a resistor (say a 100k) over another resistor (say 1k) so you have 100k/1k and a gain of 100.. there's two spots in the circuit where you can change that ratio for more gain. I've tried to dial it in so it's in the most useable/not crazy noisy range but a guy like you could pop in some trimpots and have the option of more gain.
With way more gain, especially in the high gain stage, you're mostly just going to get more compression and noise though.. it's wound up quite high already and it's at a threshold of diminishing returns where if you go higher it doesn't necessarily sound better... although the first 50 or so Elements were running hotter... I lowered it since a few people found it too noisy.
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:15 amby futuresailors
More gain, compression,
andnoise? You don't say!
And plus steampunk pretty much mandates that I mess with it.
Re: The Elements May 2012 - Binary Code Message
Posted:
Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:33 amby Ryan
Shoot me an email and we can go over where those resistors are! But I just have to say to everybody reading this thinking they're going to hot-rod their Elements, in my opinion it isn't worth the effort and the risks of hosing up the pcb are much greater than the rewards... it's gain is very carefully set to be hot as heck without excessive noise...