SOLVED Has Anyone Built the Topographer Distortion?...
- Thread starter Coda
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jeffwhitfield
Well-known member
It's not a super high gain distortion. More of a nice crunch. Very crisp.
On mine, I can't turn it up past noon too much, else it starts to gate the sound. Very odd...but this is a very, very different kind of circuit with the transformer doing the job of overdriving things. Need to look into this though.
One thing I found is that it works really well with a boost behind it. Something like a Harmonic Perculator works fantastic...which is a Germanium style boost. Sounds freaking awesome once you add that.
On mine, I can't turn it up past noon too much, else it starts to gate the sound. Very odd...but this is a very, very different kind of circuit with the transformer doing the job of overdriving things. Need to look into this though.
One thing I found is that it works really well with a boost behind it. Something like a Harmonic Perculator works fantastic...which is a Germanium style boost. Sounds freaking awesome once you add that.
Coda
Well-known member
It's not a super high gain distortion. More of a nice crunch. Very crisp.
On mine, I can't turn it up past noon too much, else it starts to gate the sound. Very odd...but this is a very, very different kind of circuit with the transformer doing the job of overdriving things. Need to look into this though.
One thing I found is that it works really well with a boost behind it. Something like a Harmonic Perculator works fantastic...which is a Germanium style boost. Sounds freaking awesome once you add that.
Mine is clean with gain maxed. EQ section works fine. Looks like a troubleshooting thread is on the horizon…
benny_profane
Well-known member
Yeah—that doesn’t sound right. I’ve built the Aion project with good results, but not the topographer. Post some pictures and we’ll get it sorted.
Is the 42TM018 symmetrical, Does it matter which way the Primary & Secondry is fitted on the PCB????It's not a super high gain distortion. More of a nice crunch. Very crisp.
On mine, I can't turn it up past noon too much, else it starts to gate the sound. Very odd...but this is a very, very different kind of circuit with the transformer doing the job of overdriving things. Need to look into this though.
One thing I found is that it works really well with a boost behind it. Something like a Harmonic Perculator works fantastic...which is a Germanium style boost. Sounds freaking awesome once you add that.
Barry
Well-known member
No build docs, but looking at the silkscreen image my best guess would be primary towards the footswitch
Edit: Honestly, I have no clue without a schematic
Coda
Well-known member
The PCB has the primary marked on the 9v/jacks side (top half?).
Coda
Well-known member
There's no need. What with my Phase II not working right, and now this, I couldn't contain my anger...and when I dropped that starwasher on the floor, I erupted...and smashed it with a hammer (a ballpeen)...
Not really. The ol' Chuck D. Bones visual inspection revealed an unsoldered pad (C7). Works fine now. Exactly like it should.
jeffwhitfield
Well-known member
What transistors did you use?
The ones I started off with were around 300 hFE and seemed to cause some gating at higher gain levels. Switched them out for ones that were around 170 hFE. That helped...but gating is still there around 4-5 o'clock (85-100%). The original 2N5210 ones have a minimum of 250 hFE so...makes me think that my problem is with a resistor.
jeffwhitfield
Well-known member
Gotcha. I referenced the one by AionFX. Apparently, the gated clipping is normal if you overdrive the transformer. Seems mid-gain settings are about right. Clipping is kind of a cool effect. Just wanted to be sure it’s normal.
Coda
Well-known member
I believe the Aion project is based off of the actual IVP. The Topographer Distortion is based on a particular "audio experiment," and its interpretation of the IVP...
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