Low Tide Modulator - Issue with initial attack (added photos)

[spacekid71]

Hi Everyone,

I have built the Low Tide Modulator and it seems to work properly. I was just wondering if it is normal that the initial attack (starting to strum or play a note) gives me a popping sound (maybe its the gate?).

Any help would be great!

Thanks,

Martijn

 

[Fama]

Did you ever find a solution to this? Mine is working fine otherwise, but also popping loudly with the initial attack.

 

[spacekid71]

Hi Fama,

I have not looked into it further for now, it is on my list of pedals to investigate. It would be good if PedalPCB would be able to help us with this issue as both of us are experiencing the same problem with the build. Maybe they already have some fix or workaround available that we don't know about.

Cheers,

Mart

 

[Fama]

Hi Fama,

I have not looked into it further for now, it is on my list of pedals to investigate. It would be good if PedalPCB would be able to help us with this issue as both of us are experiencing the same problem with the build. Maybe they already have some fix or workaround available that we don't know about.

Cheers,

Mart

FWIW I noticed that if I dial the Gate trimmer back a bunch, the popping mostly disappears (there is still a dull "thud", but you might not notice it instantly if you don't know what you're listening for) while I think the guitar signal itself isn't low passed too heavily. And if I turn the Gate control itself down so that there is a low pass envelope filter thing going on, then it seems to be mostly fine. But I don't think it's still working quite as intended, since I haven't read any "Yeah dial the Gate trimmer until you don't get popping" comments or similar.

I did see someone mention they had their DIP switch the wrong way around, but as far as I understand that doesn't matter - it makes a connection when turned on, no connection when off, no matter which way around it is. Plus you used switches instead, so that's probably a false lead.

For substitutions I did J201 instead of the 2SK208-Y and a NE5532 instead of the MCP602, but @MichaelW did the same things and didn't seem to get any popping so I doubt those matter at all.

I did notice that my LED seems to light up and down a bit slowly and not instantly like most LED's in pedals, although I can't see how that could be related. It's also the first time I've used that specific LED (orange), although I'm not sure if LED's even have the parts necessary to make something like that happen by themselves.

 

[MichaelW]

What are your settings when you get the popping? I can see if I can reproduce it on mine.

 

[Fama]

What are your settings when you get the popping? I can see if I can reproduce it on mine.

Mainly just gate at full (everything else can be at noon, or level to taste) - I tweaked the gate trimmer so like I said it's much more subtle, but I think I lose a bit of top end all the time now. With the gate trimmer set differently (like the instructions say, no effect at 0% but fully open at 100%) it was quite bad.

https://soundcloud.com/user-913671490%2Flowtidepopping%2Fs-9Tr8EROWjMx

I recorded a quick sample of the reduced popping, with the Gate pot at full. It's the first note after a bit of silence - if I play multiple notes in succession it doesn't happen, so I'm pretty sure it's related to the gate somehow.

I can tweak the trimmer back and post a clip tomorrow - but trust me, it wasn't subtle, it was "I would be afraid for my speakers if I was running an amp at loud volumes". Not ear breaking bad, but very noticeable. So if it was normal (and the expectation was to tweak the gate trimmer so it's not audible) I'm sure there would be some instructions for it somewhere.

 

[Fama]

Hi Fama,

I have not looked into it further for now, it is on my list of pedals to investigate. It would be good if PedalPCB would be able to help us with this issue as both of us are experiencing the same problem with the build. Maybe they already have some fix or workaround available that we don't know about.

Cheers,

Mart

If you have some time, could give the pedal another try where you try to dial the Gate trimmer lower? I think I actually ended up with the trimmer in a position where it doesn't pop noticeably and with the gate control at full the signal is more or less unfiltered - maybe a tiny bit darker, but more on the "analog warmth" level, not "low pass gate" level.

 

[Fama]

FWIW I think I'll keep it like that, with the trimmer set up so that with the gate full the signal is a little bit darker than on bypass, but from what I've read that's also how the pedal usually is when you buy it. No popping attack like that, either. So @spacekid71, I suggest you also try if setting the gate trimmer so that with the gate control fully open it doesn't pop would work for you.