Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Can the Octave up module for the crown jewel be used in other builds or as a stand alone? I was looking for a mini Octave to use in my own combo pedal. And... Does this add an Octave up? Producing and addition to the dry signal? Or does it replace the dry? The page for the module doesn't state.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

The Octave Up module can certainly be added to other effects in much the same way it's used in the Crown Jewel. You would just need to understand how to connect it to the existing circuit. Basically you need 5 connections to the module: signal in & out, +9v, +4.5V (i.e. a one-half voltage divider on the 9V) and ground. And you'd probably want to connect the output to an added volume pot. Most of these would be available on an existing effect circuit and you'd just have to "tap into" them.

The other approach would be to pair the module with the Daughter Board that BYOC offers: https://buildyourownclone.com/collectio ... hter-board This would allow you to use the module as a stand-alone effect, though you still would need to purchase the hardware to make it into a pedal (enclosure, jacks, volume pot, footswitch, battery adapter, etc.).

Looking at the schematic, the Octave Up doesn't appear to be a dry+wet blend circuit. Rather, your entire signal passes through the circuit which generates an octave up (through full-wave rectification) that overlays on the original signal. If you want to hear what this sounds like, go to YouTube and search "armstrong green ringer", then take your pick of the several video links that brings up.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Thanks. Looks promising.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

And, it looks like this module daughter board combo is the way to go. The daughter board doesn't come w instructions. Are charge pumps universal? Should specifically state voltages? 9n in and up to 18v?
And I'm not really a fan of the other threads and comments about the specifics needed to actually hear an octave. Neck pickup and 12th fret? I play bass, want an octave up, and regardless of pickup, this might not be the one either.

Does anyone know about the diodes and other unmarked spots to be populated on the daughter board? I tried to compare to the crown jewel schematic, but got nowhere.

Just so happens that I answered this question in detail a couple of days ago:

viewtopic.php?p=493823#p493823

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Hey VooDoo Matt, I'm trying to get to the bottom of this octave up module. Do we know what the pins are supposed to read on the 1054 Charge Pump? I don't see 18v anywhere. What I have?....
1 9.5
2 5.2
3 0
4 -4.18
5 -9.36
6 2.53
7 1.43
8 9.5

Any of that make sense?
I'm assuming something is supposed to reading 18 v...?

Those voltages look good.


You assume wrongly. The charge pump does not supply doubled voltage by itself--it does so in combination with diodes and electrolytic caps. Take a look at the Crown Jewel schematic and you'll see this part of the circuit broken out on the left side. If you measure the voltage on the "downhill" side of the second diode, you should see the doubled voltage there. It won't be truly doubled due to the voltage drop through each of the diodes; the amount of voltage drop depends upon the type of diode used. If you used 1N4001 silicons, then the drop will be ~0.6 - 0.7V times 2. Schottky diodes (typically 1N5817's) are often used for this purpose instead, since they only have a voltage drop of ~0.2V.

Note also that the charge pump has a -9V output pin. If this is used in combination with the doubled voltage in a circuit, you can get a total voltage differential of ~27V, which is exactly how the 27V Boost module is powered to get that magnitude of voltage.

If you want to read more about how charge pumps work, here's a link: https://www.powerelectronictips.com/faq ... art-1-faq/

Incidentally, all of this is moot in the case of the octave-up module, since it runs off +9v power and does not utilize the +18V or -9V connections. You would need those for some of the other CJ modules, though.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Thanks. So much info, greatly appreciated. I'll check the daughter board components tomorrow.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Hi Matt, we've got our own PM going on here. haha. So I Do have 18.8v at the +18 pad on the Module. All components on the daughter board are oriented properly and of spec'd value. hmmmmmm

I did find a 10uf cap on the daughter board that has the + and square pad on the ground path. _9.9v reading from the - at that cap... It's the only thing that looks out of place.
But, because I don't understand it, doesn't mean it's the problem as I continue to trace out the path, I see that the -9v at the - does go to the -9 pin on the module. yup. kinda a mystery...

That's correct--the negative side of the cap has to connect to the more negative side of the circuit. And that's the -9V side in this case, since ground is actually more positive relative to that. Check the CJ schematic and you'll see it there--the cap is C9.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

What's the "CJ" that's been mentioned a couple of times? I'm unfamiliar...

Crown Jewel.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Yes yes. I've built 2 failures back to back. One is that Octave module w daughter board, the other a Neoctave by tone pad. No clue as to what the issues are. Always fun. Auido probe time.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk