DEMO Delyk Up, Down, Daddy OC-07 Clone

[DGWVI]

Build Rating

5.00 star(s)

Another analog multi Octaver thang, and this one definitely gives the Octarock a run for it's money.

The lower octaves are essentially an OC-2, but they actually have decent volume output, while the upper octave is fairly close, though not identical, to JC Maillet's Super Fullwave Octaver. The direct blend also offers up some decent transparent boost.

This thing's clean - excellent tracking in all pickup positions, and fairly minimal audio artifacts given it's circuit topology.

Having owned an original years ago, I don't remember it being quite this nifty, but I'm loving this one so far.

I'll have to do a shootout between this and the Octarock before I decide which will actually be staying on my board, but I'll be honest and say it's probably this one


This first demo is almost all bridge pickup

And this one focuses on the neck pickup

As you can hear, it definitely responds to the different positions in a pleasant way, and tracks well regardless

EDIT- I put it in this 1590BB because id already drilled it out for another project that turned out to be bunk, so figured I may as well use it. It could fit in a 125b with top jacks, and no issues as it's designed for a 1590B, but eff all that jazz

EDIT mkii - I forgot to mention dialing in the octave up. It is an extremely small window on the trimpot, and while tedious to find, it pops out like quite noticably

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

Sounds fantastic! I have a pair of these boards but I've avoided building it because it seemed like a PITA with all of the resistors on end. Seems worthwhile though. Fantastic sounding unit!

 

[DGWVI]

Sounds fantastic! I have a pair of these boards but I've avoided building it because it seemed like a PITA with all of the resistors on end. Seems worthwhile though. Fantastic sounding unit!

That's kinda how I was before this one, too.. but, except for a faulty jFet, this one went smoothly

 

[DGWVI]

Vs Octarock

Honestly, can't decide between the two. They're definitely similar, but different enough that the choice is harder than I'd envisioned

 

[Robert]

Honestly, can't decide between the two. They're definitely similar, but different enough that the choice is harder than I'd envisioned

Well hell, that's easy then.

 

[DGWVI]

Well hell, that's easy then.

You're right- I'll attach em both to the bottom of the board in a parallel arrangement, and save space doing it

 

[Robert]

I see your point though, after listening to the video...

Throughout the video I'm like "Oh yeah, that one definitely sounds better than the other one..." then you hit the switch .... "Nope, wait... No...."

 

[DGWVI]

I see your point though, after listening to the video...

Throughout the video I'm like "Oh yeah, that one definitely sounds better than the other one..." then you hit the switch .... "Nope, wait... No...."

The Delyk definitely has the upper hand for the cleaner +1, but the lower octave of the Octarock is a little smoother but more aggressive, which I dig

 

[Robert]

I'm going to have to finish up my OC-07 layout, it's been sitting in limbo for years.

Are you running into a clean amp? The Octarock octave up sounds a bit dirtier in that video than I remember it. That was the one thing that actually impressed me about that particular circuit, the octave was much cleaner than any other analog octave up I've used.


I should add though, I'm not really a fan of analog octave up.... which is why the Octarock circuit surprised me, because for the first time ever I thought "Hey, you know, I might could actually use this."

Definitely gotta give that stock OC-07 circuit a try.

 

[DGWVI]

I'm going to have to finish up my OC-07 layout, it's been sitting in limbo for years.

Are you running into a clean amp? The Octarock octave up sounds a bit dirtier in that video than I remember it. That was the one thing that actually impressed me about that particular circuit, the octave was much cleaner than any other analog octave up I've used.

Yes!!! I needs it!

Yep, clean amp. And, the only mod to that section was my use of 1N5817s in the rectifier portion. EDIT - I also used a 1n across the diodes in the feedback loop prior to the rectifier
Comparing it to FoxRox' videos it seems maybe just a tad hairier then theirs.

 

[DGWVI]

I should add though, I'm not really a fan of analog octave up.... which is why the Octarock circuit surprised me, because for the first time ever I thought "Hey, you know, I might could actually use this."

Definitely gotta give that stock OC-07 circuit a try.

I'm a sucker for the analog octave up sound, even when I don't have at least a Green Ringer on my board, I have a preset on my Ring Thing to give me that tone. I don't really use it for its flutiness, but more just to change the overall timbre and decay of the guitar. But, with the OctaRock and OC07, that might change.
And, the Octarock also kinda sorta puts a YATS on my board, so I guess I can get those points as well

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I'm going to have to finish up my OC-07 layout, it's been sitting in limbo for years.

Uhhhh yes.

 

[eh là bas ma]

I had trouble understanding how to set the trimmer, I posted on an other forum about it. Here is an interesting answer :

"Balancing the rectifier is almost a lost cause with musical signals, you need a regular and symmetrical waveform to get to the "ideal". A sine wave gives the best chance of doing it. Even then, there's little chance of getting a result that sounds at all "sweet". The problem is the sharp transitions in the narrow pointy bits of the rectified waveform are harsh and not really harmonic which can't very well be filtered out. It's another flavour of nasty fuzz but you can find sweetspots if you're prepared to find its strengths."

Pearl OC7 octaver clone and Meridian : trimmer questions

Pearl OC7 octaver clone and Meridian : trimmer questions

www.diystompboxes.com

I used a cheap Casio electric piano, hoping for a sine wave signal, and I could hear the trimmer's action much better. On my build, there is a narrow sweet spot around 11', where high frequencies suddenly appear. The octave up can be set with more or less treble and mediums, thanks to the trimmer.

I think compressors before the OC-7 can also help to get better tracking and cleaner octaves, but I am not sure why ?

 

[DGWVI]

I had trouble understanding how to set the trimmer, I posted on an other forum about it. Here is an interesting answer :

"Balancing the rectifier is almost a lost cause with musical signals, you need a regular and symmetrical waveform to get to the "ideal". A sine wave gives the best chance of doing it. Even then, there's little chance of getting a result that sounds at all "sweet". The problem is the sharp transitions in the narrow pointy bits of the rectified waveform are harsh and not really harmonic which can't very well be filtered out. It's another flavour of nasty fuzz but you can find sweetspots if you're prepared to find its strengths."

Pearl OC7 octaver clone and Meridian : trimmer questions

Pearl OC7 octaver clone and Meridian : trimmer questions

www.diystompboxes.com

I used a cheap Casio electric piano, hoping for a sine wave signal, and I could hear the trimmer's action much better. On my build, there is a narrow sweet spot around 11', where high frequencies suddenly appear. The octave up can be set with more or less treble and mediums, thanks to the trimmer.

I think compressors before the OC-7 can also help to get better tracking and cleaner octaves, but I am not sure why ?

The only issue I really had with the trimmer was the precision needed to get it set exactly right for optimal performance. But, my process was just hitting a fretted note above the 12th fret and turning the trimmer. Didn't take too long, but even the slightest bump when removing the screwdriver from the slot would throw it out which was frustrating.

The sweet spot on mine is just like 1° off from 9 o'clock.

I think I've got it set as well as it could be. The upper octave rings loud and clear, as the demos illustrate
I think it sounds awesome

 

[Feral Feline]

...

EDIT mkii - I forgot to mention dialing in the octave up. It is an extremely small window on the trimpot, and while tedious to find, it pops out like quite noticably

What if you used an 8-turn trimmer? Could be another way to make it tedious to find the sweet-spot:

To every OC-7 turn turn turn
There is an octave-up turn turn turn
And a time to every Pearl under foot

A time to octave-up, a time to octave-down
A time to stomp, a time to knob-twiddle
A time to dry-kill, a time to squeal
A time to riff, a time to sweep-pick

To every OC-7 turn turn turn
There is an octave-up turn turn turn
And a time to every Pearl under foot

[ONCE AGAIN, I've written a post and not hit "Post reply" — seriously fcudked up sleep schedule lately.
I should and do know better than to try to post when I'm hitting "insomniac-crash mode".]

 

[eh là bas ma]

I'm hitting "insomniac-crash mode

Can you notice these little things moving at the edges of your peripheral field of view ?

Is your brain clipping the signal, yet ?

 

[jhaneyzz]

Can you notice these little things moving at the edges of your peripheral field of view ?

Is your brain clipping the signal, yet ?

Clipping like a germanium, or a silicone diode… aw, screw it…

 

[Feral Feline]

I'm way past tracers.

I've been through this (probably silicon) already:

And now I'm just headed straight into the sun (germanium, I suppose, what with the temp fluctuations) for final meltdown:

 

[jimilee]

That’s a great pedal, I built one years ago after being completely frustrated with the U-Boat.

 

[DGWVI]

That’s a great pedal, I built one years ago after being completely frustrated with the U-Boat.

It is pretty great. In thinking I might keep this, the Octarock, and Cap'n Bit on my board. I'll keep my other octaves around just cuz, but I think I can get all the analog octave sounds I like out of those three.

Or, I might make a smaller board, and throw the other octaves I have on there. I have been wanting a 70s-only sounds type of board for a while