TRANSISTORIZED VS DIODE DISTORTIONS

[bmast160]

Why is that transistorized overdrives and distortions seem to be more touch sensitive...are they not compressed like many diode distortions(ds-1,ds-2,sd-1, rat, etc.)....or is it just the nature in how the clipping takes place. Do others find that transistorized drives seem to be more expressive?

[Liberty Belle]

the ds1, ds2 and rat have opamps and/or transistors along with diodes,its not just diodes creating the distortion in those pedals.

 

i prefer opamp distortions personally. like the metal muff and rat.

 

and i prefer transistor fuzz' not opamp fuzz,although theres an exception to this...the IC BMP.

[bmast160]

the ds1, ds2 and rat have opamps and/or transistors along with diodes,its not just diodes creating the distortion in those pedals. i prefer opamp distortions personally. like the metal muff and rat. and i prefer transistor fuzz' not opamp fuzz,although theres an exception to this...the IC BMP.

 

 

what do you like better about the diode distortions?

[jake.lind]

what do you like better about the diode distortions?

 

He didn't say anything about liking it better.

[Instrospection]

Yep, Ned pretty much described it. Pedals like an Ibanez Tube Screamer (and it's variants/ knockoffs from competitors) have IC chips--the JRC4558 opamp chip being a really coveted one.

Whereas my ZVex Fuzz Factory has no IC opamp, and just has germanium transistors--it's much harsher, but cool in it's own fuzzy way.

One thing that's cool about diodes, is LED's in the clipping circuit. They usually give you a fuller sound with more volume--not necessarily more gain, just what you have at a louder volume. I mod pedals, and that's usually my trick to getting them to sound better than stock. Germanium diodes aren't so much my thing (asides from fuzz circuits), because a 1N34A is going to sound much fuzzier, and I don't tend to like rectifier diodes like 1N4001 or 1N4002's, because I find that they sound a bit harsher. Each to their own, though.