HYDRA Delay, is it supposed to do that??

[Thud105]

Discovered an interesting quirk about the delay. Head 1 & 2 have a phantom pause that sounds exactly like heads 2 & 3 when they’re on. Is it supposed to do that? Because that’s not how a true drum head would respond, right? All the other head configurations sound correct.

To further test this issue, I used my Strymon Volante to compare side by side. Here’s the demo

Heads 1 & 2 on the Volante should like the should, even spacing no phantom pause… until I turn the spacing knob to the “silver” setting on the Volante, then it has the phantom pause, same as the Hydra.

Is something not right with my build? Or is the Hydra acting normally with heads 1 & 2? If so, why? And why do heads 2&3 sound identical to 1&2? I think the Hydra is awesome, but this is something I’d like to figure out. Any thoughts?

 

[Robert]

Let's check a few things...


Turn on heads 1 and 2.

Measure the DC voltage on the bottom lug of switch 1 - 3 (remember they're backwards when looking at the PCB)

Turn on heads 2 and 3.

Make those same measurements.

Post what you find.

 

[Thud105]

Ok, here’s the measurements:
Heads 1 & 2 ON with head 3 OFF:
Head 1 lug = 3.2
Head 2 lug = 3.2
Head 3 lug = 0.0

Heads 2 & 3 ON with Head 1 OFF:
Head 1 lug = 0.0
Head 2 lug = 3.2
Head 3 lug = 3.2

 

[comradehoser]

What do you mean by phantom pause?

Do you mean the rhythmic nature of the delay?

I'm pretty sure that's intentional. Mine does it. The heads all do repeats at slightly different speeds, so when you combine them, it creates a rhythm because of gaps and overlaps

Kind of like Steve Reich tape loops.

Is that what you mean?

 

[jwin615]

What do you mean by phantom pause?

Do you mean the rhythmic nature of the delay?

I'm pretty sure that's intentional. Mine does it. The heads all do repeats at slightly different speeds, so when you combine them, it creates a rhythm because of gaps and overlaps

Kind of like Steve Reich tape loops.

Is that what you mean?

But the different heads should have different initial predelay

 

[Robert]

There's an awful lot going on in the video but I think I see what you're describing.

Do you by any chance have another EEPROM for a different FV-1 pedal? (Ideally one with eight programs)

 

[Thud105]

What do you mean by phantom pause?

Do you mean the rhythmic nature of the delay?

I'm pretty sure that's intentional. Mine does it. The heads all do repeats at slightly different speeds, so when you combine them, it creates a rhythm because of gaps and overlaps

Kind of like Steve Reich tape loops.

Is that what you mean?

The phantom head is just my term for a rest beat with the head off. Strymon calls the rhythmic bunching of repeats “golden” or “silver” spacing and it’s an adjustable with a knob on the Volante. It changes the behavior of heads significantly.

On the Volante heads 1 & 2 have even spacing on their basic setting. However on my Hydra, heads 1 & 2 have a pause then two repeats. To me it sounds identical to heads 2 & 3 setting on both the Hydra and the Volante.

 

[Thud105]

There's an awful lot going on in the video but I think I see what you're describing.

Do you by any chance have another EEPROM for a different FV-1 pedal? (Ideally one with eight programs)

Yeah, the first 20-30 seconds of the video are the only part relevant to the issue.

I have two extra Hydra EEPROM and I swapped them when troubleshooting just to make sure it wasn’t a bad EEPROM.

If that’s just the way the heads normally work, I’m fine with it. I love the Hydra delay. I just want to be sure I didn’t make an assembly mistake somewhere.

 

[Robert]

Let me see if I can find my prototype... I want to check it out in person.

 

[comradehoser]

I think it's correct.

head 1: dadadadada
head 2: da. da. da. da
head 3: da.. da.. da.. da..
head 4: da... da... da...
head 1&2: dada da dadada da

something like that.

is the issue that 1&2 sound the same as 3&4 to you?

[edit: sorry, had to use periods as the forum engine wouldn't respect my spacing]

 

[Robert]

If I'm understanding correctly, Heads 1 and 2 sound exactly like Heads 2 and 3.

First listen to Head 1 turned on by itself and familiarize yourself with that length of delay time.

Now, if you listen when Heads 2 and 3 are turned on there is a longer initial pre-delay because Head 1 is being skipped. This is normal.

But, if you listen when Heads 1 and 2 are turned on it has that same initial pre-delay as when 2 and 3 are on. The initial pre-delay should be the same as when Head 1 was turned on by itself.

I have a suspicion but need to find my prototype to test.

 

[LukeFRC]

I have no help whatsoever @Thud105 but I can hear what you're hearing in the video.

Switch 1 on beat 1
Switch 2 on beat 2
Switch 1 and 2 on beat 2&3 - where the strymon is on beat 1&2
Switch 2 and 3 on beat 2&3

 

[Robert]

Yes, I think I might have identified the culprit but I need my Hydra to confirm.... Where the hell did I put my Hydra?