beavis audio research Trotsky Drive

The Trotsky Drive is a light overdrive using a single transistor and a diode
clipping pair. Q1 amplifies the signal and the D1/D2 diodes provide the
clipping. The bright cut section uses a switchable 22 nf cap to roll off a little
a b c d e f g h i j
of the treble signal. Although the original circuit used an obscure Russian + - + -
transistor, you can achieve the same results with a 2N2222 part. 1 1
2 2
VR1 3 3
B50K
R1 (gain) 4 4
9v DC+ 3.3KΩ
5 5
6 6
R2 7 7
2.2MΩ
8 8
C2
100 nF
9 9
Q1
C1 2N2222
10 10
input C
47 nF
D1 SW1 11 11
D2
B SPST VR2 output 12
1N34 1N34 (bright) 12

680
E A100K
R3 C3 (Volume) in 13 3.3K13
680Ω 22 nF 14 14

47n
15 15
out 16 e 16
17 b 2N2222 17
18 c 18
sw 19 19

2.2M
20 20

100n
Mods! 21 21
The pair of back-to-back 1N914 diodes provide the clipping. Because we are sw 22 22
using the same part on each side of the pair, it is called symmetrical clipping. To 23 23
get asymmetrical clipping, swap one of the 1N914 diodes for a 1N34 germanium 24 24 B50K

22n
part. You can use lots of different combinations here for different sounds.

1N914
1N914
25 25 Gain
The 2N2222 transistor is a fairly low gain device so if you want more output, try a 26 26
2N3904 part. If you try different transistors, be sure to match up the orientation 27 27
right. Look for the e, b, and c points on the breadboard drawing and cross-check 28 28
that against the desired transistor’s pin orientation. 29 29
Try different values for the 22n part in the Bright Cut part of the circuit. Try values 30 30
+ - a b c d e f g h i j + -
between 1nf and 100nf to find different treble roll-off points.
A100K
Volume
revision: 1.0 ● 28 may 2008 ● © 2008 beavis audio research
beavis board project
beavis audio research Trotsky Drive
The Trotsky Drive is a light overdrive using a single transistor and a diode
clipping pair. Q1 amplifies the signal and the D1/D2 diodes provide the
clipping. The bright cut section uses a switchable 22 nf cap to roll off a little
a b c d e f g h i j
of the treble signal. Although the original circuit used an obscure Russian + - + -
transistor, you can achieve the same results with a 2N2222 part. 1 1
2 2
VR1 3 3
B50K
R1 (gain) 4 4
9v DC+ 3.3KΩ
5 5
6 6
R2 7 7
2.2MΩ
8 8
C2
100 nF
9 9
Q1
C1 2N2222
10 10
input C
47 nF
D1 SW1 11 11
D2
B SPST VR2 output 12
1N34 1N34 (bright) 12

680
E A100K
R3 C3 (Volume) in 13 3.3K13
680Ω 22 nF 14 14

47n
15 15
out 16 e 16
17 b 2N2222 17
18 c 18
sw 19 19

2.2M
20 20

100n
Mods! 21 21
The pair of back-to-back 1N914 diodes provide the clipping. Because we are sw 22 22
using the same part on each side of the pair, it is called symmetrical clipping. To 23 23
get asymmetrical clipping, swap one of the 1N914 diodes for a 1N34 germanium 24 24 B50K

22n
part. You can use lots of different combinations here for different sounds.

1N914
1N914
25 25 Gain
The 2N2222 transistor is a fairly low gain device so if you want more output, try a 26 26
2N3904 part. If you try different transistors, be sure to match up the orientation 27 27
right. Look for the e, b, and c points on the breadboard drawing and cross-check 28 28
that against the desired transistor’s pin orientation. 29 29
Try different values for the 22n part in the Bright Cut part of the circuit. Try values 30 30
+ - a b c d e f g h i j + -
between 1nf and 100nf to find different treble roll-off points.
A100K
Volume
revision: 1.0 ● 28 may 2008 ● © 2008 beavis audio research
beavis board project
beavis audio research Trotsky Drive
The Trotsky Drive is a light overdrive using a single transistor and a diode
clipping pair. Q1 amplifies the signal and the D1/D2 diodes provide the
clipping. The bright cut section uses a switchable 22 nf cap to roll off a little
a b c d e f g h i j
of the treble signal. Although the original circuit used an obscure Russian + - + -
transistor, you can achieve the same results with a 2N2222 part. 1 1
2 2
VR1 3 3
B50K
R1 (gain) 4 4
9v DC+ 3.3KΩ
5 5
6 6
R2 7 7
2.2MΩ
8 8
C2
100 nF
9 9
Q1
C1 2N2222
10 10
input C
47 nF
D1 SW1 11 11
D2
B SPST VR2 output 12
1N34 1N34 (bright) 12

680
E A100K
R3 C3 (Volume) in 13 3.3K13
680Ω 22 nF 14 14

47n
15 15
out 16 e 16
17 b 2N2222 17
18 c 18
sw 19 19

2.2M
20 20

100n
Mods! 21 21
The pair of back-to-back 1N914 diodes provide the clipping. Because we are sw 22 22
using the same part on each side of the pair, it is called symmetrical clipping. To 23 23
get asymmetrical clipping, swap one of the 1N914 diodes for a 1N34 germanium 24 24 B50K

22n
part. You can use lots of different combinations here for different sounds.

1N914
1N914
25 25 Gain
The 2N2222 transistor is a fairly low gain device so if you want more output, try a 26 26
2N3904 part. If you try different transistors, be sure to match up the orientation 27 27
right. Look for the e, b, and c points on the breadboard drawing and cross-check 28 28
that against the desired transistor’s pin orientation. 29 29
Try different values for the 22n part in the Bright Cut part of the circuit. Try values 30 30
+ - a b c d e f g h i j + -
between 1nf and 100nf to find different treble roll-off points.
A100K
Volume
revision: 1.0 ● 28 may 2008 ● © 2008 beavis audio research
beavis board project
beavis audio research Trotsky Drive
The Trotsky Drive is a light overdrive using a single transistor and a diode
clipping pair. Q1 amplifies the signal and the D1/D2 diodes provide the
clipping. The bright cut section uses a switchable 22 nf cap to roll off a little
a b c d e f g h i j
of the treble signal. Although the original circuit used an obscure Russian + - + -
transistor, you can achieve the same results with a 2N2222 part. 1 1
2 2
VR1 3 3
B50K
R1 (gain) 4 4
9v DC+ 3.3KΩ
5 5
6 6
R2 7 7
2.2MΩ
8 8
C2
100 nF
9 9
Q1
C1 2N2222
10 10
input C
47 nF
D1 SW1 11 11
D2
B SPST VR2 output 12
1N34 1N34 (bright) 12

680
E A100K
R3 C3 (Volume) in 13 3.3K13
680Ω 22 nF 14 14

47n
15 15
out 16 e 16
17 b 2N2222 17
18 c 18
sw 19 19

2.2M
20 20

100n
Mods! 21 21
The pair of back-to-back 1N914 diodes provide the clipping. Because we are sw 22 22
using the same part on each side of the pair, it is called symmetrical clipping. To 23 23
get asymmetrical clipping, swap one of the 1N914 diodes for a 1N34 germanium 24 24 B50K

22n
part. You can use lots of different combinations here for different sounds.

1N914
1N914
25 25 Gain
The 2N2222 transistor is a fairly low gain device so if you want more output, try a 26 26
2N3904 part. If you try different transistors, be sure to match up the orientation 27 27
right. Look for the e, b, and c points on the breadboard drawing and cross-check 28 28
that against the desired transistor’s pin orientation. 29 29
Try different values for the 22n part in the Bright Cut part of the circuit. Try values 30 30
+ - a b c d e f g h i j + -
between 1nf and 100nf to find different treble roll-off points.
A100K
Volume
revision: 1.0 ● 28 may 2008 ● © 2008 beavis audio research
beavis board project