OR100 GAIN BOOST "ALWAYS ON" MOD

[Randy Bass]

Do you have the Schmatic? Looks nice!

I missed that too. What is a Schmatic?

[Sergeantsnowball]

I dunno about schematics, but this shot of the interior was posted in another thread a while back. Hopefully it gives you a general idea what to look for?

http://i.imgur.com/T0mSmQt.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Visualdistortion]

Apparently we have a few OR100 users here. I'd like to ask a few questions if you don't mind.
1. how much louder does the global boost make the amp? Would it be enough of a solo boost when the dirty channel is set to distortion (think John Sykes with Whitesnake, Zakk Wyle with Ozzy etc.) I don't want to use the amp for that sound (I have an Engl Powerball 2 for that) but these are just examples of the amount of distortion for rhythm. Will the global boost be enough of a volume boost for solos to be heard in this setting?

2. If the global boost does not provide enough volume boost for solos, what do have in the effects loop to add a solo volume boost.

Thank you in advance, and that plug is a great idea too btw.!

Global boost add 3db on sound, perfect to be "up" on a mix.
Gain Boost give the same gain than the RV100

Thank you! Cool band btw. I looked at the video on your FB page. Do you use the OR50 live too? If yes, how to you get solo volume boosts on that one please?

Depending on what video you saw, I used the OR50 during 3 years, it's a great amp but not for me, my principal problems with this amps was:
- Bit muddy on low tuning
- The gain was totally no compressed, so you can play ACDC or things like that, but it's hard to get stoner/doom or metal things.
- Clean/Solo problem

I used a lot different pedals, for my clean sound i most used the EB volume pedal and for solo, Boss GE-7 and some fuzz, but I never get 100% satisfied of my sound. I really don't understand for what some people says than the OR50 are like the old OR Orange, I already played vintage Orange Matamp and OR80 and the OR50 is really different.
Now I've the OR100, it's a pretty versatile amp, it sounds really more strong on distortion, it has a great clean sound and it can be whatever you want. By the way, one of the best amp I've played (and I know a lot of them because I'm guitartech too).

[Jondog]

Do you have the Schmatic? Looks nice!

I missed that too. What is a Schmatic?

It's a Canadian term.

[Randy Bass]

Do you have the Schmatic? Looks nice!

I missed that too. What is a Schmatic?

It's a Canadian term.

I figured it was probably some type of snowmobile transmission.

[Jondog]

I figured it was probably some type of snowmobile transmission.

More of a dog sled team command

[Tisca]

*Necrobump*

Do you even need the LED and therefore the resistor? Footswitches don't have to have LEDs and this thing you can't even see if you place it behind the amp.

[Phlowen]

If it works like all my other Oranges have (I've never had the pleasure of an OR100), then you're correct: you don't NEED the LED/Resistor.

[jontheid]

The OR100 manual states:

Boost, Global footswitch jack socket
Use any latching footswitch to add an overall volume boost to either channel.
(Note – This works well for louder lead solos where extra gain is not required. An Orange footswitch will be lit up
when the boost is not engaged)

Gain Boost (Dirty Channel only) footswitch jack socket
Use any latching footswitch to add a subtle gain boost to just the dirty channel.
(Note – This is more apparent at lower to moderate gain levels, especially at high volume. An Orange footswitch
will be lit up when the boost is not engaged)

So using a resistor and led in series, and having the LED light, means the boost is not engaged! That is assuming the Orange manual is right.

The simplest way of doing it is getting a jack plug, and trying it in the boost sockets either shorted, or not shorted. Whichever gives you more gain is the right one!

[Tisca]

The OR100 manual states:

Boost, Global footswitch jack socket
Use any latching footswitch to add an overall volume boost to either channel.
(Note – This works well for louder lead solos where extra gain is not required. An Orange footswitch will be lit up
when the boost is not engaged)

Gain Boost (Dirty Channel only) footswitch jack socket
Use any latching footswitch to add a subtle gain boost to just the dirty channel.
(Note – This is more apparent at lower to moderate gain levels, especially at high volume. An Orange footswitch
will be lit up when the boost is not engaged)

So using a resistor and led in series, and having the LED light, means the boost is not engaged! That is assuming the Orange manual is right.

The simplest way of doing it is getting a jack plug, and trying it in the boost sockets either shorted, or not shorted. Whichever gives you more gain is the right one!

Manual is correct, lit=off.
I'm no tech guru but wouldn't just switching the tip to sleeve and vice versa make the led be lit at on position instead?

What's going on in an disengaged footswitch?
With a FS in off pos it engages the boost but plugging just a patch cable doesn't do anything. What's the difference?

[jontheid]

I'm no tech guru but wouldn't just switching the tip to sleeve and vice versa make the led be lit at on position instead?

Unfortunately it doesn't. Switching tip/sleeve just means the led stops working altogether! Pedal would still work though. Read on and this should make sense why.

With a FS in off pos it engages the boost but plugging just a patch cable doesn't do anything. What's the difference?

Have a look at the above diagram. It's pretty much what's going on inside an Orange footswitch, just a different resistor value I think.
What it is important to understand is that the pedal socket on the amp provides the pedal with a small voltage to light the led. In the pic 'Conductor 2' will be at a more positive voltage the 'Conductor 1'

You have two possible states:

1) The switch is closed (as in the pic above):

With the switch closed it short-circuits the tip to the sleeve. The LED is 'off', as all the current provided goes through the switch itself, none through the LED/resistor.
This short-circuit completes part of a circuit within the amp to engage a relay to change the state of the amp (it could be channel switching, boosting, reverb on, or whatever)
This LED 'off' state is what you need to have the boost 'on'. It's not actually a 'disengaged' state at all!

2) The switch is open:

Now there is a significant resistance between tip and sleeve. It is no longer short-circuited. The resistance is too high to engage the relay within the amp, so the amp moves to the other state (other channel, boost off etc.)
A current flows down through the resistor and the LED.
This current causes the LED to glow.

Plugging in a patch cable does nothing as this is the same as State 2, having the footswitch in the LED 'on' state.
LED 'on' = boost OFF, which is the default state of the amp anyway so nothing happens.

What you need to do to have the boost permanently engaged is to get a shorted jack plug and plug that in the pedal socket.

Ok, let's swap the 'tip' and 'sleeve' connections.
With the switch closed, all the current flows through the switch, the relay engaging circuit is completed. The amp changes state, and the LED is 'off'. No change there.

With the switch open, no current flows through the switch. The relay engaging circuit is not complete, and the amp goes into the other state. The LED does not light though, as current can only flow one way through an LED (as it is a diode).

Hope this helps,
Jon

[Tisca]

@Jon

Thx for taking the time to explain!
I just put a shorted input jack on the other end of a patch cable and used that for always on boost. Proof of concept until I get proper parts.