Clipping questions: most pleasant decay
Posted: 08 May 2012, 11:31
Hi guys,
I wonder what do you like best for an mid-gain/high-gain solid-state clipping stage.
I tested or read about:
1. antiparallel small signal diodes or equivalents (LED, BJT, FET) in the negative feedbak loop
2. antiparallel small signal diodes or equivalents (LED, BJT, FET) to ground
3. gain stages with transistors (BJT, FET) or operational amplifiers
4. CMOS inverters (CD4069,CD4049,CD4007)
5. small power audio amplifier (JRC386 or LM386)
6. combinations of the above
Maybe there are more, feel free to correct and complete my list.
I've tried most of the list (I have yet to experiment with LM386). My personal preferences are CMOS inverters and opamps. But I don't like the sputtery decay of the opamps at low/mid gain and the CMOS inverters seem noisy to me.
So: which one decays most gracefully for you? Or, there a certain way of setting the circuit to obtain a smooth decay?
What can be done to make the opamp clipping decay a smooth one?
I wonder what do you like best for an mid-gain/high-gain solid-state clipping stage.
I tested or read about:
1. antiparallel small signal diodes or equivalents (LED, BJT, FET) in the negative feedbak loop
2. antiparallel small signal diodes or equivalents (LED, BJT, FET) to ground
3. gain stages with transistors (BJT, FET) or operational amplifiers
4. CMOS inverters (CD4069,CD4049,CD4007)
5. small power audio amplifier (JRC386 or LM386)
6. combinations of the above
Maybe there are more, feel free to correct and complete my list.
I've tried most of the list (I have yet to experiment with LM386). My personal preferences are CMOS inverters and opamps. But I don't like the sputtery decay of the opamps at low/mid gain and the CMOS inverters seem noisy to me.
So: which one decays most gracefully for you? Or, there a certain way of setting the circuit to obtain a smooth decay?
What can be done to make the opamp clipping decay a smooth one?