Dirtbag 3205 distorted repeats. What else to try besides listed in doc?

[alanp]

Didn't see this thread, sorry.

From my experience with my v3205 -- choke back on the Level knob. Also, dial back your guitar's volume. The Cool Audio chips really can't handle a lot of input.

Then pick up a Multiplex board and have your mind blown as to the clarity in comparison :-/

[octa805]

Didn't see this thread, sorry.

From my experience with my v3205 -- choke back on the Level knob. Also, dial back your guitar's volume. The Cool Audio chips really can't handle a lot of input.

Then pick up a Multiplex board and have your mind blown as to the clarity in comparison :-/

ha. that is not encouraging at all.

I'd go for MN3005's but they seem impossible to find.

As it is, I have my most challenging & expensive build (and probably best looking) that I don't really care for. Bummer.

I need to go for the smallbear fakes and a double-delay of some sort I guess.

[madbean]

Series resistance with the inputs of the two BBDs does seem to have a positive effect in reducing distortion on the v3205s, I've found. This is something I'm incorporating into the re-design. On the older Dirtbag, one more thing you can try is remove C15 and then put a 1uF and 100k or 220k in series in that spot. This will provide a bit of signal limiting on BBD1.

[octa805]

Thanks. I might try that.

Sorry if I'm coming off as a whiny broken record. I love your products and have bought, built and been impressed by them all. Just a touch underwhelmed on this version.

I'm going to buy some cheapy BL's from Smallbear and perhaps go the double-delay route w/ the fake MN3005's. I just can't get around this needing some more headroom and higher voltage sounds like the only way to get there.

I do have one question, running at higher voltage make the compressor run portion run a bit tighter?

[madbean]

Not at all. I agree with you that the v3205 implementation just is not as good as other BBD types. But, I am also pretty confident it is not a deficiency in design as much as a problem with using that technology in this particular circuit. The DMM sounds best at 15v, and that limits our options if the project is going to be accessible enough to a wide variety of customers. And, frankly, that's why I have hesitant to re-release it. I think the changes I've made for 2013 have improved the project overall, but I haven't signed off on it completely yet.

Of course, I could change the approach and design it around 4 of the (8 pin) BL3208s to get the same delay time, and it would be an improvement. But, then we lose the option of MN3005 because I cannot fit that many 14 pin BBDs in a 1590BB enclosure without going SMD on some of it. And, in the end you will basically be building the EHX Memory Boy which you can already buy for $100 used (it uses 4x 3208).

Alternatively, I could make it into the vintage DMM, with positive ground, MN3005 only and require a 24v supply. But, that's going to make people unhappy for obvious reasons

Anyway, I'm not trying to "unload" here. Just explaining my thought process on this project and where it is going. Here's a snippet of the series resistor mods I've implemented for the 2013 version in case that is helpful.

[octa805]

appreciate the insight. I don't envy you. Trying to make everyone happy (or even most people happy) is a pretty thankless chore.

especially cranky internet people

I'm going to try the BL's and see if I can live with it. If not, I'll venture into double delay territory or the mythical hunt for legit MN3005's.

at this point, it's not even money for me, I'm just obsessed.

[juansolo]

Question 1--I built up the v3205 dirtbag about a month back using all of the updated revisions per the build doc. Still getting pretty hissy repeats and can't seem to bias it out. Did a lot of research on here and then I read this post by bean:

Yep, I built mine originally with V3205's and it was nasty. Where it can work well enough in an Aquaboy, in the DMM it was pretty pants. I never used it until I converted it to use MN3005s. Night and day difference in quality.

[octa805]

well, good to know there is hope

now, do I gamble with mn3005s online? haha . crud.