Median compressor subtlety and blend knob

[comradehoser]

I have dumb ears especially when it comes to cleans and compressors. How should I be able to tell if it's functioning properly? Struggling to hear a big diff with comp maxed, attack at full CCW and release at full CW.

Also which direction is the full effect on the blend knob, CCW or CW?

From 3:00 on the blend knob, there is a very noticeable volume drop. Don't know if that's indicating an issue along with the mildness of the thing. If so, can move to troubleshooting

 

[Noodles]

If I’m understanding, you have it set so it grabs the note and releases it as quickly as possible. That would explain why it’s so subtle.

Full effect on a compressor blend knob is normally CCW.

Not sure if the volume drop is normal. If you have level set to give you a signal boost, that’s probably normal as you begin to dial out any compressed signal.

(To be clear…mine is in a pile waiting to be built, so just puzzling this out with no experience of this pcb)

 

[jcpst]

Full effect is comp CW. It will make the volume drop. People think of compressors as making things louder, but it actually make the loudest things quieter. Then you compensate by adding more gain to the comoressed signal.

If you play lightly, you have a better chance at hearing it work. You will probably hear your noise floor come up if you let notes ring all the way out. Compression is one of those things that might not be obvious at first. But once you do hear it, it’s there.

Edit: I meant to also say CW on the blend is more effect

 

[comradehoser]

If I’m understanding, you have it set so it grabs the note and releases it as quickly as possible. That would explain why it’s so subtle.

Full effect on a compressor blend knob is normally CCW.

Oh? I thought the release time was delayed the more the pot is CW. Will try both ways, though, thanks.

Full effect is comp CW. It will make the volume drop. People think of compressors as making things louder, but it actually make the loudest things quieter. Then you compensate by adding more gain to the comoressed signal.

If you play lightly, you have a better chance at hearing it work. You will probably hear your noise floor come up if you let notes ring all the way out. Compression is one of those things that might not be obvious at first. But once you do hear it, it’s there.

Edit: I meant to also say CW on the blend is more effect

Will also try. Got the comp knob maxed. What I'm curious about is a very sudden drop in volume with the blend knob after 3:00 or so.

 

[comradehoser]

Ah. I have an issue.

Was testing last night with the blend all the way CW, and a big crackle storm with jumps in volume started up in the pedal. I've seen this before in my builds, in a Deofol with SMD J201s--it was a poor SMD solder joint/connection issue. I am starting to really detest SMDs, as apparently I can't solder them worth a shite.

In between the crackle bursts, when the output was higher, I could hear what sounded like the compression working. So it sounds like a partial SMD connection is disabling part of the board. My money is on the 5457s, as the 1678s went onto the breakout boards like butter.

Now I just have to find out which of the 38 different SMD solder points is faulty and remedy that without messing up SMD legs or lifting traces. I also soldered the breakout boards with pins directly into the board instead of using sockets like I knew I should have. So: possibly also the prospect of desoldering, my second least favorite pedal building activity.

 

[Noodles]

Oh? I thought the release time was delayed the more the pot is CW. Will try both ways, though, thanks.

Could be . At some point in the next six months, I should know. Good luck!