Small Clone headroom

[mboersma]

I have an EHX Small Clone that I love, the only issue is, when i push it with my clean boost (which i often do for clean, full chord swells) it tends to distort. i know the obvious solution is to put it before the boost, but if i chose not to do that...is there a mod i (or someone else) could do that could give this little guy some more headroom? I know my way around a circuitboard but I dont have full comprehension yet so its a bit hard to figure out myself.
Thought?

[SonicVI]

Maybe try reducing the gain of the input opamp stage? Try replacing the 33K resistor in the feedback loop of that stage with a 50K trimpot.

[freaksho]

reviving this because i just got a Neo Clone and having the same issue. i have it in my fx loop, which i run pretty hot to make it unity volume (it's on a footswitch). anyone else having this issue or know how to increase the headroom? i don't have more than 9V available.

[Laurie]

Headroom in analogue chorus and phasers is very difficult to increase. Most analogue stuff will "grit up" if driven hard. The most effective strategy is to keep the input signal level low and do your boosting after.

[freaksho]

hey i just noticed a trimpot inside my Neo Clone. anyone know what this does? there's no mention of it in the manual. time to call EHX methinks.

[Laurie]

The trim pot will probably be for the "bias set point" of the BBD. You'll need a scope and signal generator (and service manual) to adjust it...

[freaksho]

Originally Posted by DingoTone

The trim pot will probably be for the "bias set point" of the BBD. You'll need a scope and signal generator (and service manual) to adjust it...

just called EHX and that's exactly what they said. definitely a DO NOT TOUCH pot.

i actually haven't even tried the Neo out front yet so i'm gonna do that to make sure it's working ok. but most likely my loop is just too hot. my other pedals have no trouble with it but i guess it was just a matter of time before i ran into one that doesn't like it. and from what you said, if any pedal is gonna overdrive with a hotter signal it's gonna be an analog phase pedal, eh?

[vanguard]

sounds like you either need to put it in a loop with pre/post level controls, or, in the case of the big-box clone, you could replace the chip with the older MN3005 to get higher input before clipping and vintage MoJo!!!

[freaksho]

Originally Posted by vanguard

sounds like you either need to put it in a loop with pre/post level controls, or, in the case of the big-box clone, you could replace the chip with the older MN3005 to get higher input before clipping and vintage MoJo!!!

my loop has a +4dB / -20dB send level selector and there's a huge volume drop at -20 so i unfortunately have to keep it at +4, which i think is the problem. but EHX said there's a small chance there's something wrong with the Neo so i have to try it out front before i do anything else.

[vanguard]

Originally Posted by freaksho

my loop has a +4dB / -20dB send level selector and there's a huge volume drop at -20 so i unfortunately have to keep it at +4, which i think is the problem. but EHX said there's a small chance there's something wrong with the Neo so i have to try it out front before i do anything else.

interesting. loopers with pre/post gain controls are super useful for this, and countless other situations.

[freaksho]

Originally Posted by vanguard

interesting. loopers with pre/post gain controls are super useful for this, and countless other situations.

i don't know if i made it clear but the loop i'm talking about is the amp's fx loop. it's a Bogner Goldfinger and as far as i can tell it's really meant to be used in parallel mode with rack fx (+4 dB) because series mode with pedals (-20dB) just doesn't work very well due a massive volume drop (like, less than half).

[Laurie]

You could fake it - put an attenuator just before the chorus and a booster just after. Lots of reasons to not do that though (pedal count, noise).

The answer might be a pedal that is cool with +4dB

[freaksho]

Originally Posted by DingoTone

You could fake it - put an attenuator just before the chorus and a booster just after. Lots of reasons to not do that though (pedal count, noise).

The answer might be a pedal that is cool with +4dB

yeah, i think you're right. if it turns out the Neo is operating properly then expect a new thread soon titled "What's like the Small Clone but with more headroom?".

[freaksho]

Originally Posted by vanguard

sounds like you either need to put it in a loop with pre/post level controls, or, in the case of the big-box clone, you could replace the chip with the older MN3005 to get higher input before clipping and vintage MoJo!!!

so tell me more about this chip. is it really that big of a difference in headroom?

[freaksho]

ok so i don't know what's going on but now it's fine in the loop. the only difference is i took out the battery and ran it on my 1 Spot daisy chain - should that matter? in case the problem was a weak battery i just measured it with my multimeter but it reads 9.8V, so full charge. i dunno, maybe i accidentally had a boost engaged before or something . whatever, works great now. thanks for the advice, all. this is my first analog chorus and i really like it a lot.