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Has anybody done extensive experimenting with different clipping diodes in the 250+ circuit?  Any recommendations? 

With such a simple circuit, the diodes do a lot of the lifting regarding the texture of the distortion. It's also dead simple to breadboard. Try out arrangements you like and others you have been interested about. What do you typically like with hard clipping distortion?Try doubling up Ge diodes to avoid as much volume loss and compression. I personally really like 2x1 Si diodes. It's rather ordinary, but it's my go-to for the Rat as well. You could also try some of the techniques discussed by Jack Orman (e.g., series resistors, frequency-dependent clipping, etc.).

Doubling up the diodes to avoid volume loss is great.  Mine uses germanium and silicon combined in such a way.  You theoretically get a bit of the softer edge to the clipping with plenty of available volume.  Probably sounds somewhat similar to doubled up silicon, I'd guess though. Still, the increased volume flexibility is nice.

Thanks guys! I'm going to breadboard it out later, I was just looking for some pro options to try  ;D

I need to get this buttoned up soon.  I ran out of time  :P

What it needs is a rotary with 8 different clipping options.


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The VFE Distortion 3 has symmetrical silicon (250) and germanium (D+) for hard clipping. But the interesting bit is adding the soft clipping.

So, what Jimi said... 8 way rotary for each

Quote from: Aentons on April 30, 2022, 10:04:59 PM
The VFE Distortion 3 has symmetrical silicon (250) and germanium (D+) for hard clipping. But the interesting bit is adding the soft clipping.

So, what Jimi said... 8 way rotary for each

And a switch to add or remove the soft clipping.


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I'm on it guys!  8) I definitely be doing a layout for this soon.

I just did an extensive audition for clipping options.  I added a switch to my build to select between two options.  I chose BAT 46 (FV=.29) in the 2+1 configuration for the hard option and two 2N7000 (MOSFET clipping) for the soft option. This thing sounds great, I'm stoked. 

Thanks for all the suggestion, everyone!

I put red leds across the gain pot pins 1-3, and Bat 46 to ground (may have been 41).

https://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=30125.msg