The Corruptor ring modulator

1/23/2015

Here's a new original design. :)

This one is a ring modulator, a simple and brutal square wave ringmod. With the frequency pot you can tune the carrier signal to the note you are playing to find really cool sounds. As usual with these CMOS based circuits it works best using hot pickups and using the neck pickup with the tone rolled off.

I did a demo video. Sorry about the lenght, I got carried away...

I don't really like how the artwork turned out. I was going for something a bit nerdy with the lord of the rings reference but it turned out too metal for me haha.. Peterg at the diystompboxes forum finished his pedal long before me and his box looks much nicer. Have a look in this thread, which also includes alot more info on the developing progress :)

the_corruptor_pcb.pdf
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corruptor_vero.png
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16 Comments

Helge

2/18/2015 09:59:44 pm

Hi Fredrik,

been following your designs for a while now! I really have to admit that you've done some impressive stuff!
I would like to give the corruptor a go. But since I would like to reuse an old enclosure from a former project I wonder what to do with the left 3rd pot hole in it. I wonder if it's possible to make the ring effect switchable since inverter-based od/fuzz tend to sound quite good on their own. But now at the moment I'm not quite sure how to achieve that due to lacking skills in electronics. :/
Thanks in advance!

Fredrik Lyxzén link

2/21/2015 01:37:48 am

Hi Helge!
Sorry about the late reply. I have been away on vacation. Glad to hear you like my humble creations. :)

It's not too hard to do, with only a small modification. Here is a modified vero layout for a SPDT switch that toggles between straight inverter-based fuzz and ringmod: http://parasitstudio.weebly.com/uploads/2/4/4/9/2449159/corruptormod.png

It should work, but it might have a difference in volume and the ringmod carrier signal may bleed through alittle. I have not tested, so I don't know. Hopefully it will be ok. Let me know if you try it. Cheers / Fredrik

Helge

2/21/2015 05:37:03 am

Thx for your efforts and reply! But meanwhile I build it already (used the pcb layout und modified a bit to my taste). ;-) I had the "brilliant" idea of putting an astable multivibrator made with an CD40106 into it. Now you can toggle between guitar and the oscillator running through the ringmod creating some nice lo fi sci fi sounds. CMOS are always fun again! Will give your mod a try and see how it sounds. Thank you so much!

Cheers
Helge

Fredrik Lyxzén link

2/22/2015 03:10:10 am

Awesome! :)

Brett

2/25/2016 08:40:23 am

Hey Fredrik, I was looking at building this little fella, and was hoping to build the version with the switch in it as in one of your comments here, but the layout png file is a dead link. Any chance of sharing that again?
Thanks
-Brett

Fredrik Lyxzén link

3/29/2016 06:03:40 am

Hi Brett,
Sorry, I totally missed your comment. Didn't see it until now when Anders commented about the same thing. I have reuploaded the modded vero layout here: http://www.parasitstudio.se/uploads/2/4/4/9/2449159/9395819_orig.png?
Cheers / Fredrik

anders

3/27/2016 08:54:21 am

Hi there. Built this one today and I love it. I'm curious how to add the Ringmod/Straight fuzz toogle to the vero layout. The link is dead...

Fredrik Lyxzén link

3/29/2016 06:04:34 am

Hi Anders,
I reuploaded the modded vero layout. Here it is: http://www.parasitstudio.se/uploads/2/4/4/9/2449159/9395819_orig.png
Cheers / Fredrik

anders

3/29/2016 08:58:17 am

Thanks Fredrik! I'll give it a go tomorrow. I will also tinker with a square/triangle switch seen in the DIYSB thread.

Keep up the good works

Anders

Brett

3/8/2018 08:05:34 am

Hey Fredrik! Thanks for making so many great layouts available. I just built my Xor'Cist PCB and it's amazing.

I built this guy up with the switch almost 2 years after asking for a link to the layout above.. And I just had one question. The switch works great, but when going to straight square fuzz, it's got quite a volume jump. Is there a way to even the output there? I was thinking of putting it on a momentary switch to flop between the ringmod and straight fuzz on the fly. Maybe a cleverly positioned trimmer ? I know you're a busy guy, but if you get a chance to think about it for a minute I'd appreciate it!

Now I have to build my Into the Unknown PCB. Any suggestions on how to do the CV input? I was thinking a 1/8" mono jack.. I'm new to CV !

Fredrik Lyxzén link

3/8/2018 09:22:46 am

Hi Brett,

I'm glad to hear that you like the Xor'cist, and that the Corruptor build was completed. Better late then never. :D

You could wire up a simple volume control (voltage divider) trimmer on the square wave output before the switch, either off board or maybe on a small piece of vero. Here's an PDF to show you what I mean: https://www.parasitstudio.se/uploads/2/4/4/9/2449159/corruptormod.pdf

Pinout on the trimmer not that picky (since it's a internal trimmer after all), but make sure that the middle pin (pin 2) goes to the switch 1 lug).

Regarding the CV input on the ITU - Yes, I would use a 1/8" jack. :) It can be either a mono or a stereo jack, doesn't really matter as long as the CV input pad goes to tip and the sleeve is connected to ground. If you are using a stereo jack, just leave the ring connecting unconnected.

Cheers
/ Fredrik

Brett

3/8/2018 12:01:49 pm

Thanks Fredrik! That's exactly what I was looking for. I will try and get this put together tonight and test the momentary switch between the two.. it may not be as musical as I'm imagining it to be.. but it's worth a shot.

I see you've also released a 2.0 board for the corruptor, I really like the blend, I built the Wolf Bagger a while back using your layout, and that was one of my favorite features of that particular device.

I have decided I'm going to build a few more of your boards, but a few values of pots are elusive. I found C250K from mouser, but it's not the standoff leg variety, and the C200K for Arcadiator is pretty much unobtanium. Do you recommend B200K or do you have a source for some of these ? :) Thanks for reading. Love your effects, I preach them to everyone who will listen.

Fredrik Lyxzén link

3/8/2018 01:38:19 pm

Thank you for the kind words. :)

If you mean the Arcadiator, the newest 3.0 PCB uses a B250K pot (which shouldn't be that hard to find) for the rate control, so make sure you are looking in the most recent version of the build document. :)

Cheers
/ Fredrik

Renard

6/29/2019 02:39:06 pm

Hey thanks for the design and all ! It's been easy to follow and it works great !

Would it be easy to add a blend pot ? And a bypass switch ?

Thanks again

Cheers

R.

ANTHONY arcana

1/13/2021 09:47:17 am

hello any schematic for this?

thanks

Fredrik Lyxzén link

1/18/2021 06:27:06 am

Schematics can be found both in the linked forum thread (of V1) and the build document (in the build doc section)

The Corruptor ring modulator

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