Are these two diode shunt configs different?

rossbalch

Active member
Hey folks, just looking at this "tape simulator" schematic, the original schematic is on the left, what I'm wondering is, would there be any difference compared to the version of the right?

I'm vaguely aware of the concept of diode ladders, but usually I think there are some resistors in the ladder too. Is that what I'm looking at here, or are the two examples here functionally identical?

1753761007837.png
 
There's extra capacitance and reverse bias current, but it should be small enough for the human ear to hear no difference.

I like having the liberty of choosing one or the other, to wire an SPST to short diodes for a different clipping option (on topology 1 it will lower the threshold voltage symmetrically, but in topology 2 it will only lower the threshold voltage in one direction, resulting in asymmetrical clipping).
 
Last edited:
There's extra capacitance and reverse bias current, but it should be small enough for the human ear to hear no difference.

I like having the liberty of choosing one or the other, to wire an SPST to short diodes for a different clipping option (on topology 1 it will lower the threshold voltage symmetrically, but in topology 2 it will only lower the threshold voltage in one direction, resulting in asymmetrical clipping).

In the above examples though, the clipping would be symmetrical in both typologies though right?
 
Back
Top