DEMO Caesar Chorus (Walrus Audio Julia) w/ Basic Relay Bypass

[owlexifry]

my first chorus build was a CE-2 on vero. i’ve never had an issue with how it sounds, and the soft switch relay bypass that was retrofitted made it even better.
it’s been on my board for live use since it was built, but i knew eventually i was gonna have to build a caesar chorus and check it out.

i can see why it’s the #2 selling pcb.
it’s awesome, and it’s going on my board.



i wasn’t really sure if it was going to fit but i was determined to make the pedalpcb basic relay bypass work. (only way it was going to knock off my CE-2)


it can be done. what a relief. (i had to slip washers under the pots to lift them higher).

compared to my 3007/3101 CE-2 running at 12V, this Caesar Chorus with 3207/3102 at 9V gets pretty close, and the additional mix and lag controls make it more useable/practical for a broader range of riffs / distortion. and I guess that makes this more fun.



a rushed first take demo (and it shows )

 

[falco_femoralis]

Damnit, I just made one of these, also using the basic relay bypass, and I had to mount the board creatively like you, but the switching worked intermittently and I shelved it. Which switch did you use?

 

[owlexifry]

Damnit, I just made one of these, also using the basic relay bypass, and I had to mount the board creatively like you, but the switching worked intermittently and I shelved it. Which switch did you use?

ahh that’s a bummer, how did you insulate the backside of the relay board?

switch is this one:

SPST Momentary Soft Touch Short Shaft Push Button Stomp Foots / Pedal Switch

SPST | Momentary | Soft Touch | Long Lasting | High Quality

www.taydaelectronics.com

 

[falco_femoralis]

That's the same one I have, huh. I hot glued tf out of the back of it and stuck it to the back of the main board

 

[owlexifry]

That's the same one I have, huh. I hot glued tf out of the back of it and stuck it to the back of the main board

have you tried testing it outside of the enclosure? (ensuring no shorts etc.)
perhaps the hot glue didn't quite prevail, and has allowed a small short somewhere idk..

might be worth starting a troubleshoot thread? well focused pictures and some fresh eyes on the build are usually a good way to find something overlooked.

 

[falco_femoralis]

^ there were some other issues with the project that didn't work out so well. I'll pick it up again someday. Yours looks great. Do you have MLCC's installed instead of red LED's in the top right?

 

[owlexifry]

Do you have MLCC's installed instead of red LED's in the top right?

yep. 2.2uf mlcc

per advice about them resulting in a smoother sine LFO

Post in thread 'Caesar toggle - No shape change?'

Aug 15, 2022

The toggle switches between Sine / Triangle, there isn't really a "vibrato" mode.

Personally I used two 2.2uF MLCC capacitors instead of the LEDs, they rounded the triangle off better, but it's still a subtle difference in either case.

• Robert

• 

Post in thread 'Walrus Julia Chorus Vibe'

Jun 8, 2021

Couple questions:

1) LEDs have a higher forward voltage drop. The LFO produces a triangle wave shape, the LEDs clip the top and bottom off to round it more into a sinewave-like shape. The 2.2uF capacitors do a slightly better job in my opinion.
2) You're looking for V3207, not A3207. MN3207 will work fine, just make sure it's coming from a reliable source.
3) Those modifications aren't necessary, just make sure C3 is 47nF.
4) 1/8W is perfectly fine
5) Either of those zeners should work fine

• Robert

 

[owlexifry]

holy crap - so as it turns out, I have installed the wrong regulator for the Basic Relay Bypass board.
autopiloted and put a 78L05 in there.
it’s supposed to have 78L09.
i had no idea what i’d done cos it just worked. still does.

it only occurred to me just earlier when i was gathering parts to populate one of these relay bypass boards to determine fitment for a build.
i was looking at the board and im like
huh? 78L09? are you serious?! …pretty sure i didn’t use one of those for that chorus build.
- so i opened this up to have a look, couldn’t get a visual on the face of the regulator, but was able to probe the output leg, and yep - 5V on the meter.

so what’s going on here? how am i so lucky that it just works?