Tape Saturator?

[Consul]

You know, that patent brings up an interesting irony...

Ampex got a patent for an invention to reduce tape saturation and here we are trying to put it back in. :green:

It's all good, though.

And my crack at RS was only meant to be a joke. I've done plenty of parts shopping there.

 

[Moby]

So how do you overdrive a transformer?

You can saturate transformer with some portion of DC voltage :green:
With gap change some nice sound saturation is possible.... :roll:

 

[NewYorkDave]

Yes, you can AC-couple your signal to the transformer, then draw a variable DC current through the primary to control the amount of saturation. As you increase the current, primary inductance will fall and so will bass response, however.

 

[Consul]

So you would want to use a transformer with a very high primary inductance, then?

 

[soundguy]

After looking at that schem, I bet if you are using a fatso WITHIN a mix, say on a drum buss or something like that WITHIN a mix (not talking about main LR buss application here) you could probably use two ts808's on that buss and get a very similar sound I bet. Build up a little box with two tube screamers or something. Easy way to save yourself $1500.

Has anyone ever tried this? I bet it would get you "close enough" when all you need is "close enough".

dave

 

[Steffen]

here is my little qucktest circuit and some soundsamples....

this is the original clip
http://home.t-online.de/home/micro.wave/forum/Tapesimtest/orginal.mp3

this is the clip played thru the circuit above
http://home.t-online.de/home/micro.wave/forum/Tapesimtest/with_emphasis.mp3

this is the clip played thru the diode clipper only but without the pre/ deemphasis.
http://home.t-online.de/home/micro.wave/forum/Tapesimtest/without_emphasis.mp3

this was just a short test to find out how the pre and deemphasis influnces the sound.
I pushed the volume a little too much to make the effect more audible.

all files are normalized to the same peaklevel!

after that test I think that one of the secrets why tape and vinyl records sound so cool
is the record/playback frequency curves (remember the RIAA kurve on vinylrecords)
even this stupid diode clipper sound punchier and warmer with a little emphasis . . .


steff

 

[Steffen]

hmmm, can someone check it? they play fine here.... :roll: :?: :musique:

 

[Ethan]

Play fine here.

 

[rafafredd]

also plays fine here.

I had some info I´ve copied on my HD and as I couldn´t find the original URLs, I´ve complided it in a ZIP file and put online for you:

http://hps.infolink.com.br/rafafredd/diode_clipers.zip

I hope it´s not a big problem to put this online. I really don´t want to cause any trouble for me or this place, so if you want this info, download it and save it now. It won´t be online tomorrow.

I hope someone can find the time to experiment with all the good info on those files. I thinks this thread is very interesting!!!

Don´t forget to unzip the files before viewing it, or you won´t get the pics.

 

[jrmintz]

Don't shoot me, but I've been using the Crane Song Pheonix plugin for Schmo Tools lately and I find it excellent for individual tracks and/or the stereo bus. I also have a 1/2" stereo Scully 280 that I rebuilt and I find the plugin to be good enough so that if I'm feeling lazy I'm perfectly happy to use the plugin and not hassle with the tape machine. This month, anyway.



:guinness: :sam:

 

[Consul]

I was able to play all three files fine. And I must say, your little circuit makes quite a bit of difference. I liked the one with pre-emphasis the best. Think you could share a little more about this with us?

 

[Consul]

Okay, I went back to take a closer look, and I see how it works, now. Your circuit looks more straightforward, too.

So what did you use for pre- and de-emphasis? An RC network like I've seen in some RIAA preamps?

Thanks for the files. I do rather like how the circuit sounds.

 

[Bauman]

I like it Steffen!!

 

[Steffen]

[quote author="Consul"]Okay, I went back to take a closer look, and I see how it works, now. Your circuit looks more straightforward, too.

So what did you use for pre- and de-emphasis? An RC network like I've seen in some RIAA preamps?

Thanks for the files. I do rather like how the circuit sounds.[/quote]


I used my sontec clone for the emphasis
(preemphasis: channel1 hi shelv fullboost at lowest filterfreq,
deemphasis: channel2 hi shelv fullcutt at lowest filterfreq, so the
overall frequency response is linear)

this was just a short test....there is a lot to improve (a simpler
filternetwork but with variable response curves, the clipping stage with single si-diode has a very hard knee.... but there´s lots of info to modd it in the files fabio posted
I´m sure this can be a nice unit when the cicuit gets proper tweaking....

steff

 

[Consul]

[quote author="Steffen"]I used my sontec clone for the emphasis
(preemphasis: channel1 hi shelv fullboost at lowest filterfreq,
deemphasis: channel2 hi shelv fullcutt at lowest filterfreq, so the
overall frequency response is linear)[/quote]

Well, I guess that works. :grin: You could design an RC network to do the pre- and de-emphasis, I'll bet. I have that passive filters book thing that NYDave posted some time ago. I would say it's now time to crack into it, but I backed it up onto DVD and I currently have no DVD-ROM drive. :sad: Maybe later...

this was just a short test....there is a lot to improve (a simpler
filternetwork but with variable response curves, the clipping stage with single si-diode has a very hard knee.... but there´s lots of info to modd it in the files fabio posted

Would the Ge diodes give a softer knee, then?

I wish I could do more than just kick around theory. Unemployment sucks.

 

[ebartlet]

[quote author="Consul"]
Would the Ge diodes give a softer knee, then?
[/quote]

Ge diodes have lower forward bias, but not necessarily a softer knee.

Check out the diode clipper article rafafredd made avabible for download (above)

 

[clintrubber]

I've been pleasantly surprised by Ge. Well, not surprised, since it's clear why, but OK. Let's use 'rediscovered'.

Like:

* The 'boutique-version' of the TS9 uses Ge- & Si-diodes anti-// for asym. distortion.

* The FuzzFace FX-pedal in Ge-incarnation (BJTs) sounds really nice when compared with its Si-version. We're talking at least about other Vbe-characteristics and lower current gains (w.r.t. Si) here though.
The musicality of this circuit (w.r.t. 'touch-sensitivity') is great.

Ge diodes have lower forward bias, but not necessarily a softer knee.

I thought they usually had a softer knee as well, but I bet you're right, not necessarily.

Bye,

Peter

 

[AMZ-FX]

[quote author="rafafredd"]also plays fine here.
I had some info I´ve copied on my HD and as I couldn´t find the original URLs, I´ve complided it in a ZIP file and put online for you:
http://hps.infolink.com.br/.../diode_clipers.zip

I hope it´s not a big problem to put this online.[/quote]
Most of those files are from my site... I wish you would not post them in this manner, especially since the originals are available online for free at http://www.muzique.com/lab/main.htm

Look at the Warp controls and the Saturation controls...

regards, Jack

 

[rafafredd]

Sorry.

I just deleted the file. I´ve posted it because I couldn´t find the link at your site, when I´ve looked for it. And, as I knew you were a regular in here, I though it wouldn´t be a real problem. I apologise.

Rafael

 

[AMZ-FX]

Not a big deal Rafael... bookmark that link! :grin: :grin:

It's just better if people can go to the original post in case there are updates or additions, and they might find other useful ideas and articles.

Best regards, Jack