Lastgasp Art Laboratories

[lordgalvar]

I usually go with Perfect Circuit but with the exchange rate and stuff it was like $ 60 cheaper to import in the case of the SPK. I'm going to e-mail him, it is attenuating even line level by a significant amount. Maybe I will make a clip. There is the world's tiniest trim pot inside. I guess I will email him and see what to do (and if I should turn the trim pot...it's around 1 mm diameter).

Been having screwy luck lately...

[Jwar]

Ok got my Sandstorm in and love it. It's like a white noise machine that I'd sleep with. Hah. Maybe I will. I haven't tried it with any other effects but it pretty much only does one noise. hahaha. Still very cool. I kind of wish it was expression controlled though so I could bring the white noise in and back out. Weird they didn't think to do that.

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, it does sound amazing. The only reason I didn't keep it is because it didn't have as much control as I would've liked.

I didn't think of expression control though. You should suggest that mod to Hirofumi. He added expression control to the Misty Cave.

[Jwar]

Email has been sent! Let's see if he replies. I hope so. that would be awesome. Especially if I can somehow mod it.

[lordgalvar]

Honestly a reverse switch on the envelope would be pretty neat as an alternative to the CV jack. I find the envelope to be be really responsive (I think it acts more like a gate though). The option for the noise to activate without signal and deactivate when signal comes in instead of it activating with signal could be a neat addition. I use it as more of a utility pedal instead of a noise maker itself.

[Chankgeez]

OK, so, I just got a Misty Cave and I've got a few questions:

1) The volume knob crackles
2) There's a lot of background hiss
3) When engaged there's a slight drop in volume

Are these things normal?

[Uncle Grandfather]

OK, so, I just got a Misty Cave and I've got a few questions:

1) The volume knob crackles
2) There's a lot of background hiss
3) When engaged there's a slight drop in volume

Are these things normal?

I just double checked mine, my blend knob is noisy but not crackly, more swooshy. Not really any background hiss. No volume drop.

[Chankgeez]

Thanks for checking, UG.

Yeah, the Blend knob's more noisy/uneven than crackly, but it's still not smooth sounding. May be inherent to the circuit?

Those were my observations when I was trying it on its own. It was pretty hissy with the blend up. There was also a slight volume difference.

Now that I'm trying it with other pedals, those things are less apparent. I've turned the blend down and stacking with fuzz really negates any volume issues.

[nevada]

I've been through about four different LAL pedals. All seemed consistently quiet compared to the rest of my setup.

[backwardsvoyager]

I don't notice any background noise or output level problems with my MC, the blend knob being noisy is definitely normal though i'm pretty sure everyone has come across that so it must be inherent or a bug he hasn't noticed/fixed.
The noise thing could be a power thing if you're daisy chaining it, otherwise i dunno. I usually get noise if i daisy chain flangers and delays but not the MC.
Are your guitar pickups really high output? I find my LAL pedals only ever seemed to have low output when i was using loud pickups or had boost pedals before them rather than after. Or something like that.

[Chankgeez]

Thanks, backwardsvoyager.

Yeah, the blend knob is pretty static-y. Not really a big problem though. Just thought I'd check to see if it's normal.

I'm powering it daisy chained w/ a 1 Spot. So, yeah, it might be a power issue. I thought of that. I should probably buy a power supply with isolated power sooner or later.

My guitar pickups are microphonic. Don't know how that may effect the Misty Cave.

The more I play with it, the more I love it. Background hiss is negligible when using fuzz. My signal chain tends to be pretty noisy sometimes anyway. So, it doesn't really bother me.

[lordgalvar]

They are on sale again at perfect circuit audio.

[Jwar]

Ok got a response and it's totally doable! The expression would basically bring the effect on and off, so you could gradually bring it into your sound with expression while playing. I'm going to ask him if I can do it myself or if I need to mail it to him. That would be so fucking awesome and make this pedal perfect.

Also he said he was working on a ton of new stuff!

[Chankgeez]

That's awesome news, jwar. It would definitely add the more control I was looking for. If that's the case, I may have to pick up another Sandstorm.

New stuff?

[nevada]

FWIW, when I had a Sandstorm I talked to Hirofumi about it, and he confirmed that it's really not meant for hot signals.