Dynacomp help

[tri99er]

Is this a vintage styled Dynacomp? only asking becasue it is eluding me big time, jacks aren't mounted to the board, but it does have the LED and 1/8" DC input?

Codes on the pots are:
100-1013-103 and R1378817

 

[Jim Moulton]

No,
It can't be, it has the Lm chip, instead of the classic ca3080
Jim

 

[tri99er]

So it is just a regular run of the mill Dynacomp?

 

[Jim Moulton]

It might have been modded, not that familiar with new boards, I see where it looks like a change was made,
JIm

 

[tri99er]

Anyone else?

 

[analogmike]

looks like an late original from 1981 just when they added the LED and power jack. Or possibly a very early reissue when they still built them the old way. See my FAQ to date the pots, I can;t quite read them. 137xxyy where xx is year and yy week

 

[embrionic]

I have exactly the same dyna... it is what I call "vintage non-script" an early 80's - after the oil can op amp, which is key to the script logo sound, but it is still a really great comp imho. My understanding is just before MXR dissolved, they changed the circuit slightly to accommodate the new op amp (the chip).

You can mod this pedal with a Monte Allums mod, he shows the same board here on his site.

I did this mod to mine and it is a really great compressor now. Did not love it too much before the mod, too squashy and low end distortion present. I did a bit of a more detailed review of it over here.

Cheers.

edit: just reread your pot codes which would make it 1988 right? do you have a box or any paperwork with it? mine is definitely a rochester NYC dyna-comp.

 

[tri99er]

Thanks for the info, the pot code is 1378817 so I guess it was made in 88? I thought MXR was done in/around 84, and Dunlop started building in the 90's?

Sounds great, but it is a little hard to figure out where in the line this Dyna falls, I guess it is a transitional vintage/block mxr/dunlop dynacomp

 

[embrionic]

I thought MXR was done in/around 84, and Dunlop started building in the 90's?

yeah what's a bit weird too is your board does look quite different then mine. Not the layout, you have much the same components, but I have no "J" on my board which looks just like the pic in the link I posted above, and my pots say I think 83 or 84, but I will check again. Also just noticed that my chip was socketed, yours is not.

Not exactly sure when Dunlop took over, but I bought mine new and still have the original box/manual etc from Rochester NY. Maybe yours is some very early dunlop reissue?

 

[Jim Moulton]

I tried The Whirlwind and though it was smooth, not enough compression for me, Man I loved the 76 Reissue I bought and returned, i think the can ic is the secret of THe Dynacomp, boy was that thing sweet, but so noisey.
Jim

 

[this1smyne]

might very well have had pots replaced when the LED/jack/switch was added/changed... looks like a late 80's to me though.

 

[KrazyKarl]

http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mods.html#mxrdyna

Click on the "Vintage", "Revision D", "Revision E" etc. links for the mxr mod. It shows you what the different pcbs look like. See which one it is. It looks like the vintage one to me.

 

[zombiwoof]

Probably an early Dunlop, I have one and it looks just like that. Many don't know that the first Dunlop MXR's were virtually identical to the last versions of the original MXR's, with same boards, and case mounted jacks and switches. Same thing with my Dunlop Phase 90, it looks just like the last revision of the originals. Dunlop later changed to board-mounted jacks and switches.

Al

 

[gatordoc]

looks like an late original from 1981 just when they added the LED and power jack. Or possibly a very early reissue when they still built them the old way. See my FAQ to date the pots, I can;t quite read them. 137xxyy where xx is year and yy week

I'm glad I stopped by this thread! I picked up a mint condition Dyna Comp off eBay about 10 years ago for $65. I thought it was an early Dunlop because although the pots and jacks are wired to the board, it also has the 1/8" ac jack and LED. I used it at home a few times and then packed it away.

So I dug it out tonight and finally took it apart. After having the foam fall apart all over my desk and having to vacuum it all up, I looked at the pots and they say "1378119" so I guess that means sometime in May 1981. The chip is a "ca3080E RCA 145".

The funny part of it all was that when I finally managed to pry off the bottom plate there was an empty 8-pin socket on the board. Turns out that some foam had stuck to the chip and then to the bottom plate so that when I pulled the plate away from the pedal the chip was stuck to the foam on the plate. I had to pull the chip off the bottom plate and clean it before I could even read the number. Talk about suspense!

 

[zombiwoof]

I'm glad I stopped by this thread! I picked up a mint condition Dyna Comp off eBay about 10 years ago for $65. I thought it was an early Dunlop because although the pots and jacks are wired to the board, it also has the 1/8" ac jack and LED. I used it at home a few times and then packed it away.

So I dug it out tonight and finally took it apart. After having the foam fall apart all over my desk and having to vacuum it all up, I looked at the pots and they say "1378119" so I guess that means sometime in May 1981. The chip is a "ca3080E RCA 145".

The funny part of it all was that when I finally managed to pry off the bottom plate there was an empty 8-pin socket on the board. Turns out that some foam had stuck to the chip and then to the bottom plate so that when I pulled the plate away from the pedal the chip was stuck to the foam on the plate. I had to pull the chip off the bottom plate and clean it before I could even read the number. Talk about suspense!

I've never looked at the IC in my early Dunlop to see if it is the 3080, I guess I'll have to do that. My only question about yours is why the chip was in a socket, I've never seem a socketed IC on a stock Dunlop. I would think that someone has modded that pedal if it does have a socket.

Al

 

[gatordoc]

I've never looked at the IC in my early Dunlop to see if it is the 3080, I guess I'll have to do that. My only question about yours is why the chip was in a socket, I've never seem a socketed IC on a stock Dunlop. I would think that someone has modded that pedal if it does have a socket.

Al

It is interesting because I was thinking the same thing. It's black plastic and matches the chip. All the soldering looks identical on the board so if someone did add it you certainly can't tell from the soldering. It's the correct chip for that year so I have no idea why someone would want to remove it, add a socket, and then put the same chip back in.

If only pedals could talk!

 

[lizardville]

HI,
Sorry for highjacking and old thread but im also trying to date my dynacomp and I need some help.
This one has a minijack connection for the adaptor, acarling switch and a "CA3080AE" chip.

Any help would be appreciated as Id like to know if it could be modded for better performance

Thanks

 

[analogmike]

The 1st one in this thread is a very early Dunlop built the old MXR way from '88. The one with the jacks and pots attached to the board is the normal Dunlop style, looks like 1998. Not really worth modding that one due to the cheap jamming jacks and switch mounted to the board (can't true bypass it).

 

[lizardville]

Thanks Mike.
I guess i might only do an easy mod ( a la Monte Allum´s) untill I could afford your comprossor...

 

[83stratman]

Thread from the dead! I just picked up a "old style" Dyna Comp with LED, power jack and case mounted jacks. It's build and components look EXACTLY like my early '80s Micro Chorus, Phase 90, and Micro Amp. Even the rubber knob covers say MXR on them. Pot codes date it to '88 though. There is a Jim Dunlop sticker inside too. Mine has a LM 3080N in DIP package in it. So whats the deal? It looks like Dunlop used up the old MXR parts before making changes.