Hey MP1 friends,
I was wondering: has anyone experimented with using a higher valued (higher breakdown voltage) Zener diode in the feedback loop of the OD-1 op-amp circuit?
Basically, the 8.1V original diode causes the soft clipping to start at a little over +/- 8V. The output doesn't rise much higher than that.
With a higher valued diode, like 12V, the OD1 output could swing closer to the op-amp's output range, say +/- 13V, and thus hit the V1 tube harder.
There would be more usable gain range on the OD-1 side, which could open up some tonal possibilities.
Separately, how that would affect the S.S. clean channel would also be interesting.
If you know someone who has tried a mod like that, do share.
P. S.
My MP-1 really sounds great. I haven't done anything to it in over ten years, but I did clean the tube sockets which made a huge difference. I used a toothpick with a little bit of Brasso polishing compound. Probably a good idea to do that once a year.
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