- Build Rating
Here is my build of the Median Compressor (based on the Wampler Ego 76).
This is actually my second build, as I mentioned in this thread, the first build wouldn't bias correctly with the through-hole 2n5457 JFETs I used, and when I replaced them with SMD parts, I lifted a trace. Though I think I repaired the trace correctly, I wasn't sure if the pedal was working right or not. So, rather than do "real" debugging, I just built up a second board. Even now, I'm not sure if these SMD 2n5457 JFETs are spec'ed ideally for this circuit - but I hit the right voltage with the trimpot pretty near the center position, so I'm assuming they are close enough. And I'm also banking on SMD transistors bought from a big supplier like Digi-Key to be part of the same manufacturing lot, so hopefully the two are fairly closely matched.
Here's where I should add that I've never really "got" compressors. I've never used a COTS compressor, so I don't have a frame of reference for what to expect. So everything I "know" about compressors is based on what I've read. Of course I understand the core principal, which is to generally raise the floor and reduce the ceiling of signal amplitude. But as for why someone would want one outside of the studio, I haven't truly understood that for myself. And after having built and played with a few, I'm still not sure that I really need one.
I probably should have started with a Ross-style compressor. I know they're generally not the most highly regarded compressors, but they at least have a long legacy and some amount of popularity. Kind of like the Boss BD-2, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea, it's hard to find someone who hasn't played one, so they make a nice reference point when making comparisons.
The compressors I've built thus far are the AionFX Oceanid (Cornish OC-1), PedalPCB General Tso (ThorpyFX Fat General), Madbean RoughCut (Diamond Compressor). The Oceanid/Cornish OC-1 and General Tso/Fat General are in my "need debugging" pile, because I'm not sure if they're working correctly. But now that I'm typing this out, combined with the comments I made above... it might be they are working fine, and I'm simply not noticing the effect. Though I've long since sold it, I did use the RoughCut/Diamond for a while, though I used it more as a clean boost.
So this brings me to the Median/Ego 76. I saw some positive comments about it here on the forums, and thought, maybe this is the one I'll finally "get". So far, I'm maybe, kinda-sorta getting it. With the controls maxed out, I can definitely tell it's doing the compressor "squish" thing. So I'm pretty sure this one is working. The squish thing doesn't really do it for me, so I've been trying to find the "sweetener" settings, where I can maybe get a bit more sustain, and just accentuate the qualities of my clean tone that I already like. And I go back and forth with it - sometimes I'm like, "yeah, this adds a little sweetness" and other times I'm like, "Oh, it's not on? I thought it was on!" I'll keep playing with it, but right now I probably won't sell it, but I might keep it just for the occasion where I might find I actually need a compressor, or get the itch to play with them again.
The second build was completely unremarkable. The smaller PCB at the bottom is my buffered electrical bypass module.
I still have a fundamental question though: while Q1 we should bias to about 1.875v across source and gate (pins 2 and 3), about about voltages on Q2?
I'm going to ignore the whole debacle with the first PCB I populated so I can give myself five stars for this build.
This is actually my second build, as I mentioned in this thread, the first build wouldn't bias correctly with the through-hole 2n5457 JFETs I used, and when I replaced them with SMD parts, I lifted a trace. Though I think I repaired the trace correctly, I wasn't sure if the pedal was working right or not. So, rather than do "real" debugging, I just built up a second board. Even now, I'm not sure if these SMD 2n5457 JFETs are spec'ed ideally for this circuit - but I hit the right voltage with the trimpot pretty near the center position, so I'm assuming they are close enough. And I'm also banking on SMD transistors bought from a big supplier like Digi-Key to be part of the same manufacturing lot, so hopefully the two are fairly closely matched.
Here's where I should add that I've never really "got" compressors. I've never used a COTS compressor, so I don't have a frame of reference for what to expect. So everything I "know" about compressors is based on what I've read. Of course I understand the core principal, which is to generally raise the floor and reduce the ceiling of signal amplitude. But as for why someone would want one outside of the studio, I haven't truly understood that for myself. And after having built and played with a few, I'm still not sure that I really need one.
I probably should have started with a Ross-style compressor. I know they're generally not the most highly regarded compressors, but they at least have a long legacy and some amount of popularity. Kind of like the Boss BD-2, even if it's not everyone's cup of tea, it's hard to find someone who hasn't played one, so they make a nice reference point when making comparisons.
The compressors I've built thus far are the AionFX Oceanid (Cornish OC-1), PedalPCB General Tso (ThorpyFX Fat General), Madbean RoughCut (Diamond Compressor). The Oceanid/Cornish OC-1 and General Tso/Fat General are in my "need debugging" pile, because I'm not sure if they're working correctly. But now that I'm typing this out, combined with the comments I made above... it might be they are working fine, and I'm simply not noticing the effect. Though I've long since sold it, I did use the RoughCut/Diamond for a while, though I used it more as a clean boost.
So this brings me to the Median/Ego 76. I saw some positive comments about it here on the forums, and thought, maybe this is the one I'll finally "get". So far, I'm maybe, kinda-sorta getting it. With the controls maxed out, I can definitely tell it's doing the compressor "squish" thing. So I'm pretty sure this one is working. The squish thing doesn't really do it for me, so I've been trying to find the "sweetener" settings, where I can maybe get a bit more sustain, and just accentuate the qualities of my clean tone that I already like. And I go back and forth with it - sometimes I'm like, "yeah, this adds a little sweetness" and other times I'm like, "Oh, it's not on? I thought it was on!" I'll keep playing with it, but right now I probably won't sell it, but I might keep it just for the occasion where I might find I actually need a compressor, or get the itch to play with them again.
The second build was completely unremarkable. The smaller PCB at the bottom is my buffered electrical bypass module.
I still have a fundamental question though: while Q1 we should bias to about 1.875v across source and gate (pins 2 and 3), about about voltages on Q2?
I'm going to ignore the whole debacle with the first PCB I populated so I can give myself five stars for this build.
