Advice on setting up HRM

[Luthierwnc]

I prefer non's but you can change the flavor on an HRM a little by putting the OD master bright cap on a p/p pot (provided you use a bright cap at all). It's one more non-invasive tool. If it is too bright even without a cap, put a bleeder cap/resistor on the switch instead. For a buck twenty nine, you can only go so wrong.

Another issue is the Dumbleator. Following Boldaslove's lead, I put a bleed cap on the send cable using a rotary lamp switch (the kind you splice into the cord and activate with a thumbwheel or rocker). His has several settings and mine only one but it grounds the cap to the shield to take a little of the edge off certain guitars without having overlong cables. Either of these things can give you outside-the-amp-in-a-dark-room-full-of-adoring-fans capabilities that the trimmers on the board can't. There are others.

My problem is that sometimes the better I dial in the amp for one guitar, the worse it sounds with another. I just can't be satisfied but I just can't help but tryin'. sh

[ayan]

Having a bright cap in the overall master works for me, provided there is inherent balance between clean and OD. The setting of the amp's MV will dictate how bright the signal is going into the Dumbleator, and I make up for any variations of the signal level at the FX unit by tweaking the Dumbleator's Send level. I find that when my MV hits about 7 (and I use Alpha pots) or 2 o'clock, the OD sound will be very creamy regardless of pretty much all other settings. So the MV goes anywhere between 4 and 7 to adjust the brightness. It is a balancing act and not ideal, but for some reason I don't like independent MVs.

Gil

I prefer non's but you can change the flavor on an HRM a little by putting the OD master bright cap on a p/p pot (provided you use a bright cap at all). It's one more non-invasive tool. If it is too bright even without a cap, put a bleeder cap/resistor on the switch instead. For a buck twenty nine, you can only go so wrong.

Another issue is the Dumbleator. Following Boldaslove's lead, I put a bleed cap on the send cable using a rotary lamp switch (the kind you splice into the cord and activate with a thumbwheel or rocker). His has several settings and mine only one but it grounds the cap to the shield to take a little of the edge off certain guitars without having overlong cables. Either of these things can give you outside-the-amp-in-a-dark-room-full-of-adoring-fans capabilities that the trimmers on the board can't. There are others.

My problem is that sometimes the better I dial in the amp for one guitar, the worse it sounds with another. I just can't be satisfied but I just can't help but tryin'. sh

[Structo]

I find that is the sweet spot on my MV as well.

[pedro]

thanks - this is all really helpful and gives me some useful stuff to try with the HRM settings

One big factor I have overlooked is that I'm not running a d-lator in the loop.
I dont have the stuff to hand to build one up at moment , but I found the circuit for the FET based Kleinulator and put one together on a board last night.

Not yet wired up for use, but I'm hoping this will make a difference in the loop. I'll get to it this weekend.

I can make up a proper d-lator in time - maybe this is the best route.

Rgds
Pete

[rogb]

Put together the dlator when you get a chance Pete, it really is useful, and sounds great. I use it on all my amps as I always add a pre out/power in pair of sockets when building now.

[pedro]

thx Rob,

what mains TX did you use for yours - I have a pair of 240v:15v toroids I could use maybe in back to back config to get 240v AC supply.

Also I'd like to find a cost effective source for 1u 19" rack - I like recycling stuff but can find much 1u second hand gear at moment. Any tips on UK sources you used for your build ?

Cheers
PeteC

[rogb]

I used a Maplin 1U case, made my own boards, and a Ceriatone tranny.

I also incorporated the bypass and series/parallel switch, just to be sure that series is the way to go

[pedro]

Didnt realise Maplin did 19" cases - I'll take a look !
I like to etch my own stuff so will go that route.
Ceriatone supply to UK ? or via a dealer here ?

Rgds
PeteC

[rogb]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/standard-rack-m ... ases-34159

I got the tranny when I ordered some other stuff from Nik, good move as it turned out

[Luthierwnc]

Yeah, gotta have the loop. I prefer not using it in my hybrid 2nd gen build but they are an important part of the newer circuits. sh

[pedro]

Over the weekend I built up a kleinulator circuit ( the first, public domain version ) and it works pretty well in the loop. Runs the RV-5 and Boss DD nicely and very low noise floor.


Looking on the net over the weekend I then found that there is a better Kleinulator circuit now being made with a charge pump to bring the 9V supply up around 30v for better headroom, and more PS filtering - so I might give that a go too, I found the plans online. http://www.ceriatone.com/images/layoutP ... Layout.jpg

Having said all that I think I am still going to build up a decent D-lator clone over the next few months

As far as the Klein goes . it seems a pretty subtle change to the amp to be honest - but maybe there is a bit more sparkle with the buffered loop in the circuit - but maybe placebo though too....

Would be interested to know if others have tried the Jfet buffered loop in their D-style amps, and thoughts vs the dumbleator.

Cheers
PeteC

[SoundPerf]

As far as the Klein goes . it seems a pretty subtle change to the amp to be honest - but maybe there is a bit more sparkle with the buffered loop in the circuit - but maybe placebo though too....

Would be interested to know if others have tried the Jfet buffered loop in their D-style amps, and thoughts vs the dumbleator.

Yes, I had a Klein for a few months while waiting to build my Dlator. The Klein was nice and worth having over nothing, but a properly built tube buffered loop (dlator) with a nice NOS 12AX7 really made more of a difference. With my HRM, anyway. Just like our tube amps, when using the Dlator and it's tube recovery/gain stage to push the amp even more just warms things up in a very nice way.

Is it a complete necessity for everyone? I can't say. For my playing style I think the answer is, YES. If you like the Klein, I think it's safe to say you'll like a Dlator even more.

[ToneMerc]

Looking on the net over the weekend I then found that there is a better Kleinulator circuit now being made with a charge pump to bring the 9V supply up around 30v for better headroom, and more PS filtering - so I might give that a go too.

Would be interested to know if others have tried the Jfet buffered loop in their D-style amps, and thoughts vs the dumbleator.

Cheers
PeteC

That appears to be version 2, I built two(one with an extra RD stage ) of V3 which has overvoltage protection on the input of the 1044 chip. You most likely will eventually find out that you can easily overdrive the 9V unit,which was the reason for the charge pump version. These FET units appeared before there was widespread info on the actual tube units. I only built these because a person needed something in a pedal form factor for his massive floor pedalboard rig.
IMHO, I wouldn't bother with FET unit as I prefer the tube unit. However, from what I've found not all amps or circuits respond the same way to the D'lator, but your mileage may vary.

TM

[pedro]

well,

after a lot of tweaking I decided to put the amp back to non-HRM, and while I was in there get it close to 183 values with what i had to hand.

sounding very good - and on balance I prefer non-HRM and single master after all.

cheers
Pete

[Luthierwnc]

Glinda: "What did you learn, Dorothy?"

Dorothy: "I learnt that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire I won't look any further than my own back yard because if it isn't there, then I was never without it in the first place! And that you just can't play a strat through an HRM! (italics added by editor " sh