alterbridgefan
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May be ordering one soon, anyone got any thoughts or have experience?
http://www.blackiceoverdrive.com/#
http://www.blackiceoverdrive.com/#
Black Ice Anyone?
- Thread starter alterbridgefan
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SustainerPlayer
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http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=610.msg4435#msg4435 :sign13:
Cagey
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You've probably heard the effect before. Some cheap (and not so cheap - I'm looking at you, Marshall) amps and distortion devices use the trick involved (inverse parallel low forward voltage diodes) to create distortion, It's pretty raunchy, as all it does is clip the peaks off the signal waveform, leaving you with what are essentially square waves. The distortion is severe, and not particularly useful. A good mod is usually to eliminate the the diodes without affecting the excessive gain preamp that feeds them so you're just left with excessive over-drive. That distortion sounds more normal and useful. Unfortunately, the Black Ice device doesn't have a preamp, so there's nothing left if you defeat it. Best thing to do is to not install it. I'm surprised they're still selling it, because they're garbage. Must be NOS (New Old Stock) they're trying to clear.
drewfx
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I don't see the point of passive diode clipping - it greatly limits what you can do based on the type of diodes that will clip at a low enough voltage.
If you want to do this, you're much better off just following an active gain stage of some type with whatever diodes shunted to ground work best. That's essentially how many classic distortion pedals such as the MXR Distortion+ work (as opposed to overdrives or fuzzes) and you can tweak the circuit all kinds of ways to suit your tastes.
If you want to do this, you're much better off just following an active gain stage of some type with whatever diodes shunted to ground work best. That's essentially how many classic distortion pedals such as the MXR Distortion+ work (as opposed to overdrives or fuzzes) and you can tweak the circuit all kinds of ways to suit your tastes.
line6man
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You're wasting money on something that will sound like crap.
Go to an electronics store and pick up a couple of diodes with a fast switching speed and low forward voltage drop, such as a Schottky. A real electronics store will hook you up for a nickel; any place that stocks NTE or other overpriced components still shouldn't charge more than a couple of bucks. Put the diodes in inverse parallel and you've got the exact same thing as that overpriced box.
Go to an electronics store and pick up a couple of diodes with a fast switching speed and low forward voltage drop, such as a Schottky. A real electronics store will hook you up for a nickel; any place that stocks NTE or other overpriced components still shouldn't charge more than a couple of bucks. Put the diodes in inverse parallel and you've got the exact same thing as that overpriced box.
