AMT Analoger AFG-1 Bedienungsanleitung

Analoger™

AFG-1

100% Analog Bucket Brigade Flanger

A Whooshless Resonant Comb Modulator

User Manual Revision A

Last Revision 05/16/2023

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Introduction

Thank you for your purchase of the Asheville Music Tools Analoger™

series AFG-1 Flanger: a Whooshless Resonant Comb Modulator. This

pedal features a reissue Bucket Brigade Delay line to deliver classic

Flanger and Chorus sounds with the most natural modulation possible. The

synthesizer-inspired control voltage topology provides an extended range

of functionality and precision not available in most flangers. The AFG-1

draws upon renowned analog designer Hawker’s decades of experience

creating modulation and delay-based effects. We hope you enjoy many

years of use from your AFG-1 and find it as inspiring and fun as we have.

The AFG-1 is a 100% analog effect, built with over 380 high-quality

components to combine vintage audio processing techniques with

advanced, high-tech, electronics. At its core is a high headroom, 256 stage,

reissue MN3009 Bucket Brigade Device. True sine-wave exponential

modulation and a selectable response dynamic envelope detector modulate

its VCO based delay clock. It contains tightly tuned, discrete, high-order

filters and a compandor with emphasis/de-emphasis to keep the noise floor

low while imparting an animated feel. The VCA-based feedback control

offers warm regeneration tone and a controlled method of dialing in deeply

notched comb filter effects. A JFET input stage and input preamplifier

optimizes the signal-to-noise ratio and allows for tone shaping and

harmonics enhancing overload at higher settings. The whole ensemble is

carefree operation in any stage or studio environment.

A special thank you to the entire Hypertriangle team, including our sister

companies, Asheville Music Tools and Electronic Audio Experiments. Plus

John, Liz, Rosser, Miranda, Brad, JohnTone, Hawker and all of the other

people who have contributed. This design was truly a team effort, and it

was a joy to work with every one of you to bring this pedal to fruition.

We hope you enjoy many years of use from your AFG-1 and find it as

inspiring and fun to play as we have.

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Hawker’s Log: What is all this Flanging stuff anyway?

History, Artwork, the Whooshless Wonder, and Flanging versus Phase Shifting

The AFG-1 flanger has a rich history. It is probably my favorite delay-

based sound, and is the fourth flanger I have designed for commercial

release. This flanger came about by adding the features that I felt were

lacking in my previous designs, while building onto the Analoger format.

The AFG-1’s graphic

pays homage to both

the tape flanger of

yesteryear and the

comb filter frequency

response it produced.

Flangers are based on modulating a very short delay line from 0.2ms-10ms.

Early flanging was done by grabbing or controlling a tape recorder’s take

up reel “flange” or motor to be slower than a second unit that was tracking

in sync. The first tape was then combined with the second to create a comb

filter effect. Frequencies half the delay time were canceled out, while

frequencies the same as the delay time were enhanced. Since 50Hz-1 =

20ms, and 2KHz-1 = 500µs we can see that to cancel these frequencies we

require a delay time of 10ms – 250µs. This is in the range of the AFG-1

and a typical guitar, bass or synth note. One difference in tape flanging is

that the 2nd tracking tape has its own fixed delay. For this reason, a tape

flange can do “through zero” flanging easily where the 1st delay may be

faster or slower than the static 2nd delay. To do this in analog not only adds

a potentially undesirable pre-delay, it requires twice as many parts adding

to cost and complexity. Thus, the AFG-1 is not a TZ flanger.

The AFG-1 has some unique features. It utilizes sine wave and bipolar

additive modulation as well as phase summing options, unlike traditional

flangers. More uniquely, it contains a clipping drive circuit and an

envelope follower. The drive circuit came about because I have often used

distortion before a flanger to increase harmonic content. I added an

envelope follower because I often played my flanger with an expression

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pedal, moving my feet in tandem with my picking, and felt an envelope

follower would even better capture this dynamic responsiveness.

In the AFG-1, the time/freq can be modulated by the LFO and by tracking

the user’s playing dynamics. Using the envelope on its own removes the

sometimes-objectionable whoosh of traditional LFO based flangers when

not playing. This adds an articulated effect that effectively turns the FREQ

knob to the right or left based on your playing. It can produce deep “out-of-

band” sounds or aliased dive bombs of long delay times depending on the

direction and amount of envelope. The three carefully tuned ENV settings

adjust the response timing for playing styles and situations anywhere

between fast finger picking to melodic ambient strummed soundscapes.

So what is the difference between Flanging and Phasing? Reviewing: In a

flanger all notes are delayed the same amount. The flanger cancels

frequencies that change depending on the delay time. This happens at

harmonic intervals of the delay time. The key difference is that, within a

flanger’s circuit, all frequencies get the same delay time.

Phasers:A Phaser, also known as an all pass-filter, shifts frequencies

above the cut off frequency by 90 degrees. They are in pairs of stages to get

180 degrees, which will cancel out a signal. This cut off is based on a fixed

frequency and not time. Therefore, it has a known delay at one frequency

only; other frequencies have a different delay time, and phase shift, thus are

delayed differently. The resulting comb filter looks different, and is not

harmonically related, as shown below.

More reading at:

https://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-whats-difference-between-

phasing-and-flanging

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Hawker’s Log: About BBDs

I am often asked what gives analog delay-based effects their characteristic

sound. The reason for me is different than I see others usually mention.

A BBD (Bucket Brigade Delay) works by storing a momentary snapshot in

a capacitor isolated by a FET network. It passes this sample from one

capacitor to the next via a bi-phase clock until it reaches the output. These

samples are like water in a bucket brigade line, passing the audio from one

“bucket” to the other until it reaches the “fire” at the end. BBDs were

originally designed for distance measurement with radar. When the radar

signal was sent out, a copy was delayed through a BBD and compared to

the reflected signal. By sweeping the time until the reflection cancels out

the delayed sample, the delay time, and thus distance, is measured. Early

digital oscilloscopes, like the Tektronix 2440, also used them as temporary

storage since Analog to Digital converters of the time were too slow. CCD

cameras still do this today for the same reason. Today they are used almost

exclusively for audio processing in delay, chorus, and flanger effects.

The AFG-1 uses a recreation of the Matsushita/Panasonic MN3009 PMOS

BBD from Xvive™. The MN300x series BBDs use a higher voltage for

superior clarity, noise, headroom, and distortion compared to the MN320x

NMOS types typically found in most stompboxes. However, the MN320x

BBDs are capable of wider delay times with a faster clock. The reissue

BBDs sound very close to the Panasonic parts but are more transparent and

have a lower noise floor, though with less animated character. In addition,

the sound does not vary over delay times as much as their predecessors did.

Perhaps the biggest reason analog BBD based delays can do what digital

counterparts often cannot is due to Fractional Delay, often referenced as the

Doppler Effect. Since the clock moves continuously, delay time moves

smoothly and unfixed by incremental steps. That is why analog choruses

and flangers tend to feel more natural. The ear is very sensitive to this and

perceives this as distance and movement. This trick is how movies pan

sound or make you think a bullet just whizzed over your head. Most digital

delays simply cannot do this.

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With a fixed clock frequency, they can only take a sample step every 48 or

96KHz and step at that increment. This only simulates fractional delay and

is not true fractional delay. The ear can hear the difference, and so the brain

will process this difference as incorrect. Early digital delays like the

Lexicon PCM 41/42 did use a variable clock using a different, now

obsolete, process. However, these were the exception, not the rule. Most

digitally controlled analog delay based modulation that use a processor-

generated clock do not use steps small enough for true fractional delay.

Therefore, while they may use a BBD, the modulation does not sound as

natural as some picosecond step clocks or true analog modulation.

In addition, BBDs have some other “artifacts” that give them their unique

sound. The transfer characteristics, gain, noise, distortion, and frequency

response vary depending on the bias voltage and clock frequency making

the sound change as the delay time changes. They also do not put out the

entire signal at the same time. Half the signal is a ½ clock behind the rest

of the signal, yet combined at the same time, making for a strange, smeared

mixing of the signal samples slightly out of time.

Other components in a BBD circuit are also responsible for the signature

sound of analog delays. BBDs require companding and emphasis/de-

emphasis networks to improve the signal to noise ratio, but these add phase

changes, limiting and an animated “breathing” compression character to the

sound. The design of the filters affects the frequency response, peaking or

ringing, and potential aliasing or ring modulation. There are many more

parts of the analog design often overlooked in digital recreations that affect

the sound as well. This includes the clipping, feedback network, clock

stability, modulation wave shaping/curves (exponential or linear, etc.) that

are all important to get that great analog sound.

For more reading about BBDs check out these great websites:

https://www.electrosmash.com/mn3007-bucket-brigade-devices

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25035-behind-the-bucket-brigade

https://pedals.thedelimagazine.com/bbd-chips-the-magic-behind-analog-delay-

pedals/

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Setup

For all Asheville Music Tools products, use only a standard, 9VDC

REGULATED, center-negative power supply from a reputable vendor.

For the AFG-1 the supply should be rated for at least 200mA. Vintage style

rectified & filtered, but unregulated, supplies are not acceptable for use

with this product. We like the Truetone™ One Spot® and similar products.

When using other pedals in your signal chain, we recommend an isolated

power supply.

The AFG-1 may draw over 200mA on power up. Use caution if using multi

output supplies with 100mA outputs. Use the higher current outputs

when using this type of supply. Never use a higher voltage with this

product. There are no sonic benefits, and you risk damaging the pedal and

voiding the warranty. The pedal will not turn on if it detects an overvoltage

supply or high ripple from an unregulated supply. Our products do not use

a conventional 9V battery due to the high current draw.

Your Analoger™ Series Pedal ships with a clear plastic protector over each

of the knobs. Feel free to peel it off if its presence shows on the knob top.

The AFG-1 has a flexible bypass making it able to be used in various

configurations for guitar, synthesizer, or line level applications, including:

•Standard pedal use: AFG-1 connected into an amplifier input,

with or without other pedals. You may use the pedal in either

Buffered or True bypass mode in this configuration.

•Insert Effect:Connect the AFG-1 to the effects send/return of

your preamp, power amp or mixing console. You may also use

the AFG-1 to replace the existing preamp if connected to just the

return. Use it this way in buffered Bypass mode only.

•DI (Direct Input): The AFG-1 can be used to line match to a

mixer or DAW input for the correct drive and signal conversion

from the guitar’s high impedance out to a console or DAWs low

impedance line in. It can also be used as a buffer placed before

other pedals. For best results use with 10K or higher line input.

Not suitable for 600ohm input impedance of some classic

consoles. Use this in buffered Bypass mode only.

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Getting Started

Let us explore the range of controls on your AFG-1.

Connect your guitar or other instrument to the INput jack. Connect an

amplifier, other pedals, mixer, or DI box to the OUTput jack. If you have

an expression pedal (or 0-5V control voltage source like a synthesizer

output), connect it to the EXPression input.

Use a 9V regulated 2.1mm, center-negative, power supply, capable of

providing at least 200mA of power and connect it to the 9V DC input.

Be sure to power up the AFG-1 BEFORE turning on your amplifier to

prevent speaker pop and the potential to damage your speakers or

headphones.

Let’s start with a basic flanging sound to familiarize ourselves with the

AFG-1. First, set the knobs to the Home position shown in the graphic

below, and engage the foot switch.

Set FREQ, AMOUNT &

ENVELOPE to be near

straight up or 12:00 position.

Set FEEDBACK knob to the

right at about 2:30.

Set the DRIVE and RATE to

9-11:00. Set the PHASE

switch to the up position and

ENV switch to the middle. EXP

switch clockwise to RATE.

This represents a classic Flanger sound.

There is no way to damage the AFG-1 through knob settings so feel free to

have some fun exploring how each control works There are some hidden

tricks, gotchas, and advanced possibilities, so once you are done having fun

read on to learn more about the AFG-1.

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Operation

The AFG-1 is laid out in homage to modular synthesizers with three main

modules. They are the DELAY Module, the LFO (Low Frequency

Oscillator) and the Drive/Envelope Modules. Let us look closer at each

of these modules.

DELAY MODULE

FREQ:The FREQ knob corresponds to the

MANUAL knob on a traditional flanger and

adjusts the center delay time from ~0.5ms to

~14ms (more using LFO and control

voltages). As you turn the knob CW you

decrease the delay time which corresponds to

higher pitch comb filter sound. Between

about 7:00 and 10:00 produces chorus sounds,

while past that is more flanging territory.

PHASE SWITCH: selects whether the delayed sound mixes and feeds back

in phase or out of phase. The up or “JET” position produces traditional

flanging sounds with the feedback and delayed sound in phase with the dry

signal. The middle “SWIRL” position is the most subtle mode. It sets the peaks

of feedback out of phase with the delayed and dry signal similar to the reverse

feedback knob on one of Hawker’s previous wood sided effect designs. Finally,

the down or “PHASE” position sets both the feedback and delayed signal out

of phase with the dry signal. This produces deeper bass and a more vocal sound.

This is similar to the ODD position of the classic A/DA Flanger or the TYPE

switch in Hawker’s previous classic black and silver mini-flanger design.

FEEDBACK:The FEEDBACK knob affects how much signal is fed back

into the buckets. On traditional flangers this is called “regeneration”. Feedback

creates deep time-based peaks and notches in the signal. At extreme settings it

will go into self-oscillation, providing drone tones that are tuned by the FREQ

knob setting. Try it out, get lost. Come back after and read the next section.

Be sure to read the control voltage section for information on this module with

expression pedals or control voltages.

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LFO MODULE

The Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) module is a modulation source for

animating the FREQ (delay time) and providing movement to the notches

and valleys of the comb in the signal. Unlike most traditional flangers, our

LFO provides exponential, true sine wave, and octave symmetrical

modulation (instead of Hz symmetrical) for musical and balanced

movement, the way the ear and brain want to experience it. In the

synthesizer world, this is the familiar Volt/Octave tracking used for pitch

and frequency. Modulation is symmetrical around the FREQ setting. Use

FREQ to set the center point of the modulation and the LFO will move

equal fractions of an octave above and below this FREQ setting.

RATE: The RATE (AKA SPEED) knob

adjusts the speed or rate of modulation

from about 0.01Hz to 8.3Hz (wider range

via control voltages). At minimum the

sweep is almost imperceptibly slow.

Lower settings provide a slow whoosh or

a rhythmic pitch shift. Medium speeds

provide a chorus effect, and faster rates

provide a gargling, bubbly sound.

AMOUNT: The AMOUNT knob controls the depth or range of pitch

movement at the speed of the LFO, or the amount of modulation. Set

AMOUNT low for a deep jet plane whoosh or subtle shimmers. Set

AMOUNT higher for chorus, octave jumps or wild pitch shifts and

spaceship warbles. This is slightly different from the WIDTH knob on

traditional flangers, which is a pan control between MANUAL control and

LFO control. Instead, it adds the modulation on top of the FREQ setting,

rather than panning between the two, and thus provides for more total

range and wider control beyond just the FREQ panel knob setting.

Be sure to read the control voltage section for information on this module

with expression pedals or control voltages.

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