General Tso - Are both "Parallel" channels equal?

[adbernal]

Hey gang,

Built a General Tso last night (my first optical compressor) and while testing it in the dark with sustain knob at max, I noticed that LED2, as notated in the build doc, responds to pick attack by illuminating the whole LED but LED1 does not. To clarify, the whole diffused body of the LED2 lights up with signal just how it would appear as used as a status indicator light. However LED1 does illuminate fully. In response to hard pick attack it looks like it "sparks" inside the body, giving only a quick and faint luminance. I swapped it for a new green LED and the new one still has the same thing. As far as how it operates, I do have bypassed signal as well as effected signal. The compressor effect is a bit distorted. Sounds and feels more like an overdrive than a compressor. This was at low volumes with my 5F1 champ. Yes, not a high headroom amp but I do not think that the distortion was coming from the amp.
I'm not familiar with these circuits so please I'm not sure what to expect when probing with a meter. Also note that I am using a J201 for the JFET input buffer. I was going to a try a J112 on my next Tayda order... any q's or concerns with that?
Voltages are below. Used a wall wart power adapter giving roughly 9.6v. Nomenclature corresponds to the build doc. Oh, and there was ambient light in the room when I took these measurements. There was also no guitar plugged in but all knobs were at max.

IC
1- 4.6
2- 4.6
3- 3.15
4- 0
5- 4.6
6- 4.6
7- 4.6
8- 8.46

Q1 (JFET input stage)
D- 8.46
S- 3.45
G- 1.81

Q3: 557b
E- 0
B- 4.6 (LED comes on when probed)
C- 7.5

Q2: 549c
E- 4.6 (LED comes on when probed)
B- 0
C- 0

Q4: 557b
E- 0
B- 8.4 (LED comes on when probed)
C- 9.2

Q5: 549c
E- 9
B- 0
C- 1.2

 

[synchu]

I quickly put together one a week or so ago and noticed the same thing - it simply adds distortion.
Didn't have the time to go through it yet, though. Just confirming

 

[fig]

R15 looks like 51R instead of 47R (had to look twice because the designator is a transposition of the value). Close enough I would imagine?

 

[synchu]

Awesome catch In my build though - it is 47R, it still distorts and I wouldn't really imagine it would make that much difference in the power supply.
I will run it through the scope and Spice (provided there are good enough 5516 models) at some point

 

[adbernal]

Thanks for the replies! This was a little bit ago and I had forgotten about this issue! I ended up getting a J113, sealing up the LED's (+changing their orientation) and reflowing all the contacts. The pedal works like a charm and is my favorite compressor now! Definitely subtle and not a Ross Compressor, but adds the bit of polish to the tone. The treble control is very powerful too!

Fig, what a good catch! I recall not having 47r's on hand. I guess it is close enough?