I'm having some problems here... i got it to literally fire up :D! i get some sound but, when fuzz is on 0 i got some sparks and the classic burnt plastic smell - it's been a while since i made fire on 9v! i also just listen to the 8bit sound. not like in the demos where it is more fuzzy... i'll keep checking what mistakes i made.anyone tried it? also some minor things: it's a 18x17 (wrong in the description) and why use a 3PDT? it can be a DPDT, right?
even with the led, since it's connected to the board, we only use the first 5 lugs of the switch. that's the only part of my circuit that it's working well:D!
Look at PCB pdf, they use 3PDT, but one column is not connected at all, so DPDT is fine, or SPDT if you don't need that LED. I built this too, no fire, but no sound either. Failed to found the problem so far.
This one is verified, and both circuits seem very similar : https://dirtboxlayouts.blogspot.com/2019/07/dwarcraft-devices-robot-devil-w-mods.html Unless i'm mistaken, it seems the IC wiring differs a bit?
The IC connections are the same, minus the addition of some 100nf caps - 4040s have 11 outputs, and 4049 has six hex inverters to choose from so it can look like different connections on a vero layout, but they're electronically equivalent.
I'm incorrect about the 4040 upon review - the pins do matter as they correspond to frequency divisions - but they're correct here - pins 7 and 9 - connected via switch just like the robot devil.
Maybe I'm showing my greenhorn here, but I found some differences - The schematic shows output comes from level 3, through the 1uf coupling capacitor - not level 2 - also - the 100k resistor on the very right should connect octave 2 and level 2 - and the 100k top row 15 should connect fuzz 2 and level 2. Everything else looks okay so far as I can tell
So, basically, we should : 1- swap level 2 & level 3 2- remove the 1M resistor that's it? I should be able to try tomorrow (or in the next days), I will let you know how fine it works
The 1m resistors are anti pop resistors before the input cap and after the output cap. They don't affect the performance of the audio circuitry in any way. I Should have mentioned that in the post.
Hello, So I just built it, and it kinda works : I get the distorted sound as expected, and the octave led indicator lights up when I rock the switch, but I don't hear the octave sound. I just finished the built, and haven't really closely inspected everything, so it can very much be an error on my side :) Maybe also it's my 4040, because i am unsure if it is buffered or not. Also, despite being an easy build, I noticed a couple things which could lead to wiring errors : there is an "octave" pot, an "octave switch" (-1/-2oct), and an "octave on/off" switch... So maybe i messed up a couple things here :) It's getting late here, so i won't get into any troubleshooting right now, but I will let you know tomorrow how things go :)
I am really enjoying that octave-down pedal... THank you FuzzHead for another great layout!
I'd have a couple questions about possible mods : 1- Is there any way to increase output level a little bit? (it reaches unity gain, but i wish I could get a little more volume when needed) 2- The distortion pot is a volume pot, not a gain pot, so it seems that the fuzz gain is fixed... Is there any way to add a fuzz gain pot (or toggle switch)? 3- Is there any way to damp the sub octave square wave a bit? I tried with a Lowpass filter pedal after the Whoctahell, and it was great (less harsh, less robotic), so i am considering trying to add a simple fixed lowpass after the suboctaver...
is the distorted square noise supposed to sort of always be on? what I mean is if the strings on guitar are not being struck do you still hear a distorted signal? or should it be dead silent? I did the fixes suggest by Orion Tonehunt and it does sound better. however I'm not exactly sure what the spdt is doing.
Very interesting, looks like a Robot Devil in disguise
ReplyDeleteCompared the schematics and you're dead on - starve is removed and there's a few filtering caps added - other than that it's a dead copy
DeleteI'm having some problems here... i got it to literally fire up :D! i get some sound but, when fuzz is on 0 i got some sparks and the classic burnt plastic smell - it's been a while since i made fire on 9v! i also just listen to the 8bit sound. not like in the demos where it is more fuzzy... i'll keep checking what mistakes i made.anyone tried it? also some minor things: it's a 18x17 (wrong in the description) and why use a 3PDT? it can be a DPDT, right?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a 3pdt was chosen to include an LED indicator - you can use a DPDT on/on just omit the LED
Deleteeven with the led, since it's connected to the board, we only use the first 5 lugs of the switch. that's the only part of my circuit that it's working well:D!
DeleteLook at PCB pdf, they use 3PDT, but one column is not connected at all, so DPDT is fine, or SPDT if you don't need that LED. I built this too, no fire, but no sound either. Failed to found the problem so far.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteSo it hasn't been verified yet, right?
I'm afraid not..!
ReplyDeleteThis one is verified, and both circuits seem very similar : https://dirtboxlayouts.blogspot.com/2019/07/dwarcraft-devices-robot-devil-w-mods.html
ReplyDeleteUnless i'm mistaken, it seems the IC wiring differs a bit?
The IC connections are the same, minus the addition of some 100nf caps - 4040s have 11 outputs, and 4049 has six hex inverters to choose from so it can look like different connections on a vero layout, but they're electronically equivalent.
DeleteOh, thank you for your insight : I wasn't aware about that, and thought the ICs were wired differently...
DeleteI'm incorrect about the 4040 upon review - the pins do matter as they correspond to frequency divisions - but they're correct here - pins 7 and 9 - connected via switch just like the robot devil.
DeleteMaybe I'm showing my greenhorn here, but I found some differences -
ReplyDeleteThe schematic shows output comes from level 3, through the 1uf coupling capacitor - not level 2 - also - the 100k resistor on the very right should connect octave 2 and level 2 - and the 100k top row 15 should connect fuzz 2 and level 2. Everything else looks okay so far as I can tell
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe 1 m resistor between output and ground should also be eliminated
ReplyDeleteThank you, Orion TOnehunt
ReplyDeleteSo, basically, we should :
ReplyDelete1- swap level 2 & level 3
2- remove the 1M resistor
that's it?
I should be able to try tomorrow (or in the next days), I will let you know how fine it works
That's all I can see different from the schematic currently - please let me us know how it goes! Thank you!
DeleteThe 1m resistors are anti pop resistors before the input cap and after the output cap. They don't affect the performance of the audio circuitry in any way. I Should have mentioned that in the post.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteSo I just built it, and it kinda works : I get the distorted sound as expected, and the octave led indicator lights up when I rock the switch, but I don't hear the octave sound.
I just finished the built, and haven't really closely inspected everything, so it can very much be an error on my side :)
Maybe also it's my 4040, because i am unsure if it is buffered or not.
Also, despite being an easy build, I noticed a couple things which could lead to wiring errors : there is an "octave" pot, an "octave switch" (-1/-2oct), and an "octave on/off" switch... So maybe i messed up a couple things here :)
It's getting late here, so i won't get into any troubleshooting right now, but I will let you know tomorrow how things go :)
User error indeed (i used the wrong IC instead of 4040) :)
DeleteYou can tag it verified, it works as expected and sounds raw!
Thanks KG!
DeleteI'll tag it ASAP.
Thanks to you, Fuzzhead ;)
DeleteI am really enjoying that octave-down pedal... THank you FuzzHead for another great layout!
ReplyDeleteI'd have a couple questions about possible mods :
1- Is there any way to increase output level a little bit? (it reaches unity gain, but i wish I could get a little more volume when needed)
2- The distortion pot is a volume pot, not a gain pot, so it seems that the fuzz gain is fixed... Is there any way to add a fuzz gain pot (or toggle switch)?
3- Is there any way to damp the sub octave square wave a bit? I tried with a Lowpass filter pedal after the Whoctahell, and it was great (less harsh, less robotic), so i am considering trying to add a simple fixed lowpass after the suboctaver...
is the distorted square noise supposed to sort of always be on? what I mean is if the strings on guitar are not being struck do you still hear a distorted signal? or should it be dead silent? I did the fixes suggest by Orion Tonehunt and it does sound better. however I'm not exactly sure what the spdt is doing.
ReplyDelete