Cheese Monger compared to Aion Monolith

hybridpi

New member
I’m just curious how these two compare to each other, because on the surface they look like the BOM is quite different from each other but they’re both based on the same pedal. I know the Aion claims to be a close/to/direct clone, and the Cheese Monger just says “compare to” so I was wondering if anyone knows what, if any, sound differences are, if they were based on different versions of the pedal, etc. I have both PCBs so I’m sure I’ll build both, but was just curious if anyone has already compared them? Both companies do phenomenal work, and aside from Dead End FX (who, IMO are pioneers in the diy tracing/PCB game) are some of the best out there.
 
The main difference in parts list comes from the rotary switching method. Aion uses a 3p4t rotary, and pedalpcb uses 2p4t rotary with the CD4066 chip performing the actual switching nodes in the audio circuit. Otherwise, I think it’s the same circuit (I haven’t checked in detail, just a quick glance).
 
Would be cool to see this design implemented with the cheese mode on its own toggle, or knob to vary the gating, so you can get the cheese gating regardless of tone setting. Then, I’d put the tone section cap on another toggle. According to tsc-intheweb calculator, with tone knob at 50%, the flat mids setting is very flat. In that case, not sure why you’d need the tone bypass mode (other than it’s got more volume).

so I’m my thinking the optimized design would have a knob to control the cheese mode gating amount, and a toggle for tone section (scooped or flat mids), and would be more versatile than the current. However I think most people love the accuracy to an Out of production vintage unit, and the mode switch is a fun way to explore the tones.
 
@phi1 — So the gate (cheese mode) is the 1k trimmer?

If so, I can see being able to do your mod with the Aion board, but not sure how to implement that with the PPCB's 4066-switcheroo.


Actually, maybe I can... maybe:

You could make the trimmer an external knob easily enough, and then route a SPDT switch from R11's input pad, thus bypassing the effects of the 4066. Not sure how the 4066 is going to react to no signal there — it'd be dumping an empty pad to ground, so I'm guessin' no harm no foul. R11 mounted directly on the toggle.

Make that SPDT a 4PDT stomper to add in the boost option mentioned in the Aion:

Pole 1: PPCB R11
Pole 2: Aion C12 & R13 in the final op-amp loop set boost gain (just stick C12 right on R13, make it VR13 (internal trimmer or external knob)
Pole 3: Aion R14 & C13 are like the bass-gain settings, knock out R14 and you take C13 with it = boost / stock
Pole 4: LED indication of on/off boosted Cheese Gratings
 
I’d say either way it’s worth trying out. I built one and it is easily one of the best sounding pedals I’ve built. I used the BC549C’s (which are a little more difficult to source these days) in mine and it just kills. A little tighter than a muff and a little less unwieldy than a Tonebender. It is like using a really good Tonebender with very responsive controls.
 
That’s cool, I have a bunch of NOS Philips BC546Bs; maybe I’ll try those. Do you happen to remember the gain/hFe of the 549Cs you used?
 
Back
Top