Ross compressor clone problem

[seljetnoma]

Hi,

I have a Ross compressor clone that I bought and I think it may have a problem.
When I set the sustain pot at around noon and higher the sound has an added audible clicking sound to it, similar to a gating effect.
I played some with the internal trim pot but to no avail, it's not the problem.
It's really annoying and is rendering the compressor useless at higher settings.
The weirdest thing is that when i lower my guitar's volume pot the sound gets better and there's less click.
I played some with the internal trim pot but to no avail, it's not the problem.
Anyone has an idea what the problem could be? chip or trannies,....??



Thanks a lot in advance.
regards,

Frank

[R.G.]

Hi,
I have a Ross compressor clone that I bought and I think it may have a problem.
When I set the sustain pot at around noon and higher the sound has an added audible clicking sound to it, similar to a gating effect.
I played some with the internal trim pot but to no avail, it's not the problem.
It's really annoying and is rendering the compressor useless at higher settings.
The weirdest thing is that when i lower my guitar's volume pot the sound gets better and there's less click.
I played some with the internal trim pot but to no avail, it's not the problem.
Anyone has an idea what the problem could be? chip or trannies,....??

Whose clone? There are many different companies making them. "Clone" may be more or less accurate.

[cactuskeeb]

That's interesting, because I have an actual ross compressor with more or less the same problem. The only way the pedal works without a loud blatting or gating noise is when the bias trim pot is turned all the way up, my guitar volume is set to < or = to 7.5, and the sustain knob on the ross remains in the range of 12:00 to 3:00. I resoldered a number of joints that looked to be cold but that didn't solve the issue.

[cactuskeeb]

I apologize for trumping seljetnoma, but I think I speak for both of us in asking whether or not ya'll think this is an "obvious" case of inadvertent bridging between two joints (one effectively being soldered to the other), a dead/dying component, and/or bad wire connection, or, perhaps even a bad pot or transistor ).
-ck

[seljetnoma]

Mine is a retro-sonic ross clone.
I did everything I could think of, I'm tired of it , I think I'm gonna sell it.
Even my cheap mxr dynacomp sounds better, and they supposed to be more or less the same schematic, minus some extra caps and resistors.
I swapped out several parts and it still clicks,......pfff

[Mark Hammer]

The maker of that pedal is a friend of mine here in town. I can pass on your request to him. Is this one of the originals without the attack/recovery control, or one of the later issues with a toggle or pot for adjusting recovery time?

[seljetnoma]

The maker of that pedal is a friend of mine here in town. I can pass on your request to him. Is this one of the originals without the attack/recovery control, or one of the later issues with a toggle or pot for adjusting recovery time?

Hi Mark,

I have the one with the recovery pot.
Thanks.

Frank

[Mark Hammer]

Ah, the most recent one. Interesting backstory. Originally, Tim, the maker, used a 3-position toggle at my suggestion, with the values I suggested. Personally, I find it hard enough hearing differences between the two extremes of the recovery spectrum, let alone several middle settings, so for me 3 settings is quite sufficient, and simple clean design. Tim found, however, that a number of customers needed to feel the "security" of having a continuous pot, even though they probably could not dial in anything more detectable than what the toggle gets. So, the pedal changed to having a variable recovery pot.

I'll send him your original query and relay back to you what he says.

[Mark Hammer]

Followup

Timwrites,

The only thing I would think it could be is the 3080. It's the only "sensitive" part in the circuit.... resistors, caps and trannies tend to be pretty reliable... For the guy that has one of mine, he can send it back for repair. They have a two year warranty.

The Ross circuits attack is pretty strong in stock form, that's not being considered as the gating sound I hope?

[seljetnoma]

Mark,

Thanks for forwarding the message to Tim.
I've tried several other so called Ross clones and Dynacomps but neither had this gating problem.
I may change the 3080 out, I just ordered 2 new ones, lets see how it works out tomorrow, ill let you guys know.
Thanks again, I appreciate it.
Greets,

Frank