Hardwire chorus INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS NOW oh bawls

ThePrettyDamned

Knew it was too good to be true!

Been messing with it all day and it sounds really great, dialled it in for great funk sounds.

However, it has a volume drop when engaged - click it off, and I have a louder signal. It's running after a visual sound son of Hyde, which is buffered.

Any thoughts? It could ruin a brilliant pedal.

mike_l

how is it powered?

Is it in an FX loop, or in front of the amp?

ThePrettyDamned

Isolated 9v supply from harley benton power plant junior.

Sits in front of the amp, but after my drive. So it's still before the preamp.

Does it when the son of hyde is on, too. So if I am playing, then click the chorus off, it goes pretty loud!

randomhandclaps

I've never noticed it.  When I get a moment this eve I'll try it and let you know whether yours is just a massive freak.

ThePrettyDamned

Cheers mate, much appreciated.

It's not a headroom issue either - no clipping. And if I raise the volume of comp or distortion (before chorus in chain) they happily get louder - just not as loud as the chorus disengaged.

steamabacus

Maybe it's broken?
:-/


(Not very helpful, I know)

ThePrettyDamned

Haha maybe!

I'm wondering if there is an internal trim pot that sets the output level. I'll have a gander later.

steamabacus

Just a thought - is it a stereo chorus? Does the level drop happen on both outputs?

ThePrettyDamned

It is stereo, but I only have one amp. I'll try the other output in a little while and let you know, but I'm using the labelled mono out.

Paul_C

have you tried a battery in it, in case it's the power supply?

ThePrettyDamned

Paul_C;343068" said:

have you tried a battery in it, in case it's the power supply?

Good idea! I'd be surprised if it is the supply but best check. I've got a spare somewhere, I'm sure.

mike_l

If not batteries are £1-50 in the pound shop.....

Dave_Mc

Batteries are £1.50 in the pound shop?!?!?!?!?!?!

ThePrettyDamned

Nah, £1 at mine

mike_l

Really, I get them for 50p

randomhandclaps

Right, didn't get around to doing this last night so just done it.  On my board (with buffers before) there was absolutely no volume drop. I then took it of my board and tried it in isolation and still no drop.  You one just sounds like it might be a cretin, dude. 

ThePrettyDamned

Okay, cheers mate, that's useful info.  

I'll play with power supplies (I have a plug, and probably a battery handy) and open it up if that doesn't fix it to see if there is an internal trimmer.  I'll also knock together a recording and take a picture of my pedal chain. Expect updates later

EricTheWeary

How much signal drop? Quite often you hear effects like chorus ( tremolo is notorious for this) as slightly quieter than the non affected sound, just in the nature of it. Some kind of level adjust would be a great thing on all such pedals. Is it only the two pedals running off the Harley? The total load on that is 600mA which isn't that high.

ThePrettyDamned

EricTheWeary said:

How much signal drop? Quite often you hear effects like chorus ( tremolo is notorious for this) as slightly quieter than the non affected sound, just in the nature of it. Some kind of level adjust would be a great thing on all such pedals. Is it only the two pedals running off the Harley? The total load on that is 600mA which isn't that high.

Hmm, actually that's true - each output puts out 120ma IIRC.  Maybe not enough to get the killer headroom. 

ThePrettyDamned

Okay, apparently current draw is 80ma and I'm not sharing with anything else so it won't be that.  It powers up fine, so I supply enough for it to work. 

*sigh*

ThePrettyDamned

It gets worse.

Okay, so here is a very rough, quick recorded sound demo.  NO VOLUME DROP.

I was pleased, but also concerned - intermittent problems are hard to cure...

However, after the first distorted riff, the chorus wouldn't work - the LED lit but there was no signal at all from the pedal (fine bypassed).  SO...

Power issue still?  Unplugging it and replugging it in fixed it, and it's workin again (hence the second riff with chorus on). 

Excuse poor playing. 

SHIT SON.  I'm worried