QUESTION: Sometimes there is a "pop" when turning the pedal on/off. Why is that?
ANSWER:The pop is generated by the sudden change in the signal level going from the effect to the amplifier. In an effect such as the Luxury Drive (a boost), the change in level is effectively what the pedal is designed to do. Since the Luxury Drive, as well as all other T.C.Jauernig effects are true bypass, a small pop may be heard. Usually, this tends to decrease once the pedal has been on for a few minutes.
Let's talk in detail about this problem. There are basically three main factors and a couple of minor ones that contribute to this problem.
1. The input and output capacitors will always leak some small amount of DC current, no matter how good they are. When the pedal is bypassed, both capacitors are open circuited. While they are open, the current that leaks to ground will shift their voltage. Then, when the pedal is un-bypassed, the capacitors have to charge back up to their in use level. This is heard as a pop.
The remedy for this is to place a resistor at the out board ends of the input and output coupling capacitors. In the case of the Luxury Drive, as well as the Atomic FET-Boy, the input has a 1 megohm resistor, and the output a 100k ohm resistor. In most cases, this eliminates the pop after a few minutes of use.
2. Some pedals use a JFET, or CMOS style of bypass switching. The capacitance within these devices them selves can often be heard as a pop when switching the effect on and off.
The remedy for this type of problem is to ramp the voltage up and down when switching the effect on and off. This works, but tends to make the circuit more complicated. Some argue that this is not really true bypass.
3. For truly mechanical switches, as in the case of the Luxury Drive, the switch can internally bounce when the mechanical contacts touch.
There's not a lot that one can do about this one. Mechanical switches are just that, mechanical. But, they are the preferred method in use for most bypass switching in most true bypass applications. Theres a whole lot less to go wrong in your pedal with this method.
I have had users tell me that while using a DC wall wart/power supply, that the "pop" only occurs a few times, then goes away. I have also found this to be the case. Also, a high quality alkaline battery sometimes remedies the "pop" problem with a pedal.
Minor contributors to pop.
1. The enclosure itself is the ground side of your signal. When you hit the switch, vibrations from the switch can be transferred through the enclosure to your signal, and can be heard as a pop from your amp. Any effect that uses the enclosure as the ground will do this. Tap on your favorite Boss or Ibanez pedal sometime. Youll hear it through your amp.
2. Individual effect gain. If the effect is a gain type effect (as with a boost), depending on your level setting of that effect, the greater the possible voltage level mis-match when switching the effect on and off.
Hopefully Ive helped to answer some of your questions about that annoying pop.
QUSTION: Where's the distortion?
ANSWER:The Luxury Drive, MDl-T, and The Atomic FET-Boy are not that type of pedal. However, they can boost some of the lower gain pedals into gain nirvana.
They are "boost" devices. They are meant to boost the signal into other OD pedals, or just to push that tube amp a little harder.
QUESTION: Does the Tremolo sound vintage?
ANSWER: Check out what one user had to say. Harmony Central Tremolo Review. QUESTION: Do you have any "pro endosements"?
ANSWER: Yes, but I don't feel it neccessary to list them. Would I sell more pedals if I did? Probably. I always think of it this way: Would I sound like "so and so" if I bought the same gear they have? No.
So far in the year that I've been offering my gizmos outside the realm of my local area, the word of my pedals has spread quite far. Much farther than I ever thought. And all because people like the product.
Might I ever list endorsers? Sure, once this thing grows to the point where I can actually make a living, and I need to take the next step to grow the business. But only if they actually play it because they like it. Here's where I'll take a small name-dropping excursion. Guys like Greg Koch, Brent Mason, Buddy Whittington, Dan Walsh, and a several others use my gizmos because they like them. They sought them out on their own, or heard of them via another player. I don't pay them to use them. I have been asked by a few notable players to pay for their endorsement, and I won't do it. If you don't like it, don't use it. Not everyone is going to like my stuff.........and that's OK. |
