I think I have an educated guess as to why the 3-position toggles work that way. I think it has something to do with the actual type of toggle switch itself. Since the DLX, as you've said, is all analog (apart from the reverb that's on a feedback loop), the DLX most likely uses an "On-Off-On" type of switch (probably an On-Off-On DPDT) and if it does indeed use that kind of switch, the amp select and gain mode toggle makes sense. On the middle setting, it is "Clean" on the gain mode and "American" on the amp select which is the cleanest amp type. What that means is that the middle position of the toggle switch, circuit-wise, has no sort of clipping (any tonal shaping) happening. Basically like a clean, no diode clipping mode. Just pure clean. It's the same reason why on the EQD Plumes, mode 2 (or the middle toggle position on a 3-way toggle switch) is also clean, or more correctly, a high headroom clean boost. Modes 1 and 3 on the Plumes adds clipping diodes. One is symetrical clipping and the other is assymetrical clipping. That said, the same also applies to the DLX. Middle toggle switch position is the cleanest, ie no clipping (or whatever sound shaping involved), Up position is X-parameter, and Down position is Y-parameter (ie: X-param could be higher gain and Y-param is medium gain using gain stages, clipping devices, etc. Or the amp select which is Middle=clean, Up position=AC Brit, Down position=MS Brit courtesy of maybe, different capacitor values or whatnot). So basically speaking, it is a limitation of the analog toggle switch itself and not by choice. If, say, the DSM uses digital switching of some sort, then your gripe could be addressed and the positions can make sense relative to its position ie. Up postion is highest gain, mid position is medium gain, and down position is clean. I could be wrong on this one and if there's some other chap that's more knowleagable, feel free to correct me. I do make make pedals and have a fair understanding of how some stuff works when it comes to hardware used on a pedal. As for the knob layout, that's the only thing I can agree with. I also do own a Simplifier DLX and the layout of the knobs from Treble-Mids-Bass do throw me off sometimes.
That's a good point! I haven't opened it up or seen a schematic but from my limited understanding of electricians, it sounds right. Working off of that, they still could have made the tubes, speacker, and amp sim to be in the same position for each style off amp (ie all down for marshal, all up for vox.. ect). It should be easy to swap wires on the switches, right? Still thought good point. I haven't thought of that.
You nailed it!! I had to really burn my brain to get the switches on the same position for the same amps on the MKII and X with dpdt on off on switches.
@0:54 Thanks for the shoutout 😂
gotta support your friends 😂😂😂
I think I have an educated guess as to why the 3-position toggles work that way.
I think it has something to do with the actual type of toggle switch itself. Since the DLX, as you've said, is all analog (apart from the reverb that's on a feedback loop), the DLX most likely uses an "On-Off-On" type of switch (probably an On-Off-On DPDT) and if it does indeed use that kind of switch, the amp select and gain mode toggle makes sense. On the middle setting, it is "Clean" on the gain mode and "American" on the amp select which is the cleanest amp type. What that means is that the middle position of the toggle switch, circuit-wise, has no sort of clipping (any tonal shaping) happening. Basically like a clean, no diode clipping mode. Just pure clean. It's the same reason why on the EQD Plumes, mode 2 (or the middle toggle position on a 3-way toggle switch) is also clean, or more correctly, a high headroom clean boost. Modes 1 and 3 on the Plumes adds clipping diodes. One is symetrical clipping and the other is assymetrical clipping.
That said, the same also applies to the DLX. Middle toggle switch position is the cleanest, ie no clipping (or whatever sound shaping involved), Up position is X-parameter, and Down position is Y-parameter (ie: X-param could be higher gain and Y-param is medium gain using gain stages, clipping devices, etc. Or the amp select which is Middle=clean, Up position=AC Brit, Down position=MS Brit courtesy of maybe, different capacitor values or whatnot).
So basically speaking, it is a limitation of the analog toggle switch itself and not by choice. If, say, the DSM uses digital switching of some sort, then your gripe could be addressed and the positions can make sense relative to its position ie. Up postion is highest gain, mid position is medium gain, and down position is clean.
I could be wrong on this one and if there's some other chap that's more knowleagable, feel free to correct me. I do make make pedals and have a fair understanding of how some stuff works when it comes to hardware used on a pedal.
As for the knob layout, that's the only thing I can agree with. I also do own a Simplifier DLX and the layout of the knobs from Treble-Mids-Bass do throw me off sometimes.
That's a good point! I haven't opened it up or seen a schematic but from my limited understanding of electricians, it sounds right. Working off of that, they still could have made the tubes, speacker, and amp sim to be in the same position for each style off amp (ie all down for marshal, all up for vox.. ect). It should be easy to swap wires on the switches, right? Still thought good point. I haven't thought of that.
You nailed it!! I had to really burn my brain to get the switches on the same position for the same amps on the MKII and X with dpdt on off on switches.
Thanks for the test. Does DLX have Top Boost like the X version? Perhaps that’s why the clean tones are a little more different to the overdriven? Thx
The switch are setting up that way for electronic reasons, is not that much space and they do zero extra cables and extra circuitry