DemonFX Ghast Echo?

[dddstudio]

Do you know if the DemonFX Ghost Echo replica (called Ghast Echo) is using a Belton brick module? Or is it just a digital approximation / similation of the brick module? I was eyeing the Spirit Box, but for 40 USD I think I will try this pedal.

 

[Nostradoomus]

demonfx sells clones, it's probably 1:1 with the pedalpcb schematic

 

[dddstudio]

Yeah on a PCB level I think you are right. I'm wondering about the Belton Brick.

 

[Nostradoomus]

what about it? get the long one

 

[Nostradoomus]

i highly doubt any dubious company making mass amounts of cheap clones is really deviating from the standard

 

[dddstudio]

Yeah you might be right. I was thinking the Accutronics Belton Brick is a more expensive part. But it is probably also made in China, so they can get it cheaper as well. I have ordered one. Will report back.

 

[Nostradoomus]

it is more expensive than the usual parts, but standard for most non FV-1 based reverbs. Not sure what made in china has to do with it, cause that's most parts

 

[kristopher]

I thought the Brick had three tiny springs in it. And a wee little dude, with a hard hat on, to smack the springs when he gets the signal. A La Flintstones technology.

Here’s a short read about the Belton Brick.

Using Delay to Create Spring Reverb: What Is the Belton Brick? - zZounds Music Blog

The fascinating history and operation of the Belton Brick is vital for understanding the last few decades of reverberated guitar tones.

blog.zzounds.com

 

[Fama]

I thought the Brick had three tiny springs in it. And a wee little dude, with a hard hat on, to smack the springs when he gets the signal. A La Flintstones technology.

Here’s a short read about the Belton Brick.

Using Delay to Create Spring Reverb: What Is the Belton Brick? - zZounds Music Blog

The fascinating history and operation of the Belton Brick is vital for understanding the last few decades of reverberated guitar tones.

blog.zzounds.com

Ahh yes, that's good ol' Belton, living in his Brick.

 

[Robert]

It could have a discrete brick onboard made from PT2399s.

 

[dddstudio]

It could have a discrete brick onboard made from PT2399s.

I'll let you know as soon as I receive it.

 

[kristopher]

Belton would be a great name for a pet parrot.

 

[Feral Feline]

I recently bricked my computer, and was told it was a bad thing (typing this from my phone).

There were no Reverb windows open in my browser when I bricked the computer.



Yet… if you’ve bricked your pedal, you can surf Reverb with it, and that’s a good thing?

 

[Stickman393]

I wouldn't be surprised if they just did their own approximation of a Belton brick. Just an arrangement of SMD components, including a couple of Pt2399's for the sake of saving space IIRC.

 

[dddstudio]

Pedal just arrived. I'm at work and it was easier to take a look at it with an X-ray than disassembling it. It looks like they reverse engineered / approximated the brick.

 

[Stickman393]

Lol. Easier to throw in the X-ray. Fantastic.

Makes sense: all SMD footprints. There's really no advantage to a Belton brick if you're already in the SMD space:

 

[dddstudio]

I have tried it. It sounds pretty good, but gets quite noisy as I turn up the MIX (DEPTH) control. The most obvious difference to other projects is that this one only has a single TL072C dual opamp. Maybe I'll try to replace the opamp, the voltage regulator and the hex inverter IC for genuine parts. Could this help the noise problem? Which opamp was omitted what do you think?

 

[dddstudio]

Here are the guts.