SOLVED Daydream Width Doesn't Sound Right

[Spiff4565]

Finished assembling the Daydream pedal. Four of the five controls perform as expected. The Width control seems to work a little contrary to what I expected and/or understood its function to be.

First, the repeats get very peaking (thin and higher frequencies). With the Width turned fully counter clockwise, the tone is warm but the effect is limited. As the Width is turned clockwise, the effect increases with the repeating pitch ascending and getting peakier as more of the effect is applied.

My understanding was with the Width at 12 O'clock, the repeats would ascend or descend based on which direction the control is rotated. Is this not correct? And while I know the term peaky is subjective, the tone of the repeats get thin (upper frequencies) and almost sounds like an mild envelope filter.

I placed a On/Off/On toggle on the board and the two On settings provide two different effects while the Off position appears to simply bypass the effect circuit entirely. I assume this function is correct.

Anyway, I know it is a challenge to diagnose or determine if this is functioning as expected based on no audio and subjective description, but if anyone had assembled this build and has some insight to share I would be appreciative.

Thanks guys/gals.

 

[Robert]

Toggle switch Up is Ascending, Toggle switch Down is Descending. (Like the original Daydream)

The hybrid Width control is only in the EEPROM Builder version, the modes were consolidated so it only uses up one program slot in a Pythagoras/Arachnid build.

The toggle switch on the Daydream should be two position ON/ON, not ON/OFF/ON. It won't hurt anything having the 3-position switch, there's just no program in the center position.

It sounds like yours is working properly.

 

[Spiff4565]

Toggle switch Up is Ascending, Toggle switch Down is Descending. (Like the original Daydream)

The hybrid Width control is only in the EEPROM Builder version, the modes were consolidated so it only uses up one program slot in a Pythagoras/Arachnid build.

The toggle switch on the Daydream should be two position ON/ON, not ON/OFF/ON. It won't hurt anything having the 3-position switch, there's just no program in the center position.

It sounds like yours is working properly.

The two positions engage very different types of delay.

 

[Robert]

Can you post (or email) a clip of what the two modes sound like?

 

[Spiff4565]

I recorded a short snippet of chords, using a Strat neck pup. the first four chords are with the width set to 0, The next set of chords the width is set at 12 O'clock. The third set is with the Width wide open and the last is just an A chord.

Mix is at 12 O'clock and Volume is unity.

The repeats sound very glassy, brittle. Overall almost sounds like a music box.

If this is how this is suppose to sound then so be it. It just sounds thin, grainy and distorted.

 

[Spiff4565]

Can you post (or email) a clip of what the two modes sound like?

Yeah, I'll record another clip.

 

[Robert]

It's doing what it's supposed to do, but it sounds like it's lacking all of the low end and I don't really hear the dry mix.

If you turn the Mix control all the way down do you have a clean dry signal? And if so, does it sound normal?

 

[Spiff4565]

Can you post (or email) a clip of what the two modes sound like?

Here is a clip with the toggle alternating between Down and Up. First chord is toggle Down, next chord is toggle Up, then down and so on....

 

[Spiff4565]

It's doing what it's supposed to do, but it sounds like it's lacking all of the low end and I don't really hear the dry mix.

If you turn the Mix control all the way down do you have a clean dry signal? And if so, does it sound normal?

Great question. with Mix all the way down, I am still getting wet signal, not much but still there.

 

[Robert]

There shouldn't be any wet signal with the mix down.

Post some pics of your build if you can.

 

[Spiff4565]

Can a Mod move this to the Troubleshooting group?

 

[Spiff4565]

 

[Spiff4565]

I'm going to pop out the TL072IP and put TL072CP's. I don't have any of the CP's right now but will see if that fixes things.

 

[Spiff4565]

I doubled checked resistors and capacitors and they are all correct.

I think I discovered my issue. The regulator was in backwards.

Took it out and put in back in with proper orientation. Now there is no LED and no signal.

Have a new regulator on the way. We'll plug that in and see what happens.

Would hooking up the power regulator cause the thin sound and damage the regulator, or anything else?

Meanwhile, I'll be applying this learning experience to the Guvenator and Abyss builds qeued up for the bench.

 

[Paul.Ruby]

I doubled checked resistors and capacitors and they are all correct.

I think I discovered my issue. The regulator was in backwards.

Took it out and put in back in with proper orientation. Now there is no LED and no signal.

Have a new regulator on the way. We'll plug that in and see what happens.

Would hooking up the power regulator cause the thin sound and damage the regulator, or anything else?

Meanwhile, I'll be applying this learning experience to the Guvenator and Abyss builds qeued up for the bench.

The regulator is in the correct orientation in the picture you posted above in post #12

 

[Spiff4565]

The regulator is in the correct orientation in the picture you posted above in post #12

I saw another Daydream build where the regulator was in opposite of what I did. I went by the image screen printed on the PCB.

I'll flip it back to how I had it originally. I did reflow all the joints so maybe that was the original issue.

I'll post back the results.

 

[Spiff4565]

Ok, flipped back around and it does sound much better. Thank you for the info,