Passive Filters – Part 3 – Modified Passive RC Filters

FIGURE 8: Type IV High-Pass Filter with ~95 Hz cut-off and approximately -10dB attenuation in the stopband.

Welcome to Part Three of this multi-part series on Passive Filters! In Part 1 we went over preliminary information to go about analyzing and designing passive filter circuits. That information isn’t required for basic filter design but it is required for designing and analyzing more complex filters, so it would be a good idea to run… Continue reading Passive Filters – Part 3 – Modified Passive RC Filters

Passive Filters – Part 2 – Low Pass & High Pass RC Filters

FIGURE 3: Verifying the -3dB frequency.

Welcome to Part Deux! In this article we’ll be covering the simple Low-Pass and High-Pass RC filters. While it’s encouraged to read Part 1, it’s not entirely necessary if you’re here for practical purposes. If the rabbit hole of filter design is calling you ever-so-strongly then you might want to consider reviewing Part 1. For… Continue reading Passive Filters – Part 2 – Low Pass & High Pass RC Filters

Passive Filters – Part 1 – Preliminary Stuff

Filters are used literally everywhere in electronics… They’re used for decoding communication lines, tuning your radios, and (most importantly) making sure your tone is absolutely killer! You can build basic filters very cheaply, with just a couple of components. In this multi-part series we’ll be looking at filters made up of capacitors and resistors, and… Continue reading Passive Filters – Part 1 – Preliminary Stuff

Switching Circuits in BOSS & Ibanez Pedals

The last Inside Look post on Rocktron’s Rampage Distortion switching circuit sparked my interest in how other designers carry out their signal switching. After scrounging around the net I found a neat geofex article titled “The Technology of JFET Switching in BOSS and Ibanez Pedals” by R. G. Keen published in 2010. In fact, if you dig… Continue reading Switching Circuits in BOSS & Ibanez Pedals

Rocktron’s Rampage Distortion Switching Circuit

Part 1: Important Components 1) ON Semiconductor MC14584BCP Hex Schmitt Trigger An ideal inverter is one which, when taking in as input a logic HIGH (VDD), yields a logic LOW (0V) at the output and vice-versa. Now there are inverters…and then there are Schmitt Triggers. This isn’t the name of your typical high school punk… Continue reading Rocktron’s Rampage Distortion Switching Circuit